Banana Bars

These healthy Banana Bars with cream cheese frosting are naturally sweet, moist, and so delicious. Made in a bowl in under 30 minutes, this easy recipe is the perfect breakfast, snack or dessert for the whole family.

Are you looking for ways to use ripe bananas? After these bars, you should also try my banana bread cookies, healthy banana cake, protein banana bread, banana oat bars and banana chips.

Healthy banana bars

Banana bars with cream cheese frosting can’t get any healthier! Made with no refined flour and no oil, they’re naturally sweet thanks to ripe bananas. These squares come with a rich cream cheese frosting that is higher in protein and lower in calories than the original – replacing part of the cheese with Greek yogurt is my secret.

Their sweetness, simplicity and versatility makes this recipe ideal for healthy breakfasts, pick-me-up snacks and desserts to satisfy your cravings. You can also add a scoop of protein powder and turn them into high protein banana bars to enjoy as a post-workout snack.

This recipe appeals to anyone, kids and picky eaters will also love it. Here are some reasons why you won’t be able to stop baking them.

• They’re sweet, moist and taste like banana bread – but in the shape of a bar.
• This recipe is quick and easy to make, you only need a bowl and 30 minutes of your day.
• Oil-free, gluten-free and low calorie, they’re a healthy spin on the original.
• Meal prep friendly, so you can bake a large batch on the weekend and keep stored in the fridge for the next days. They’re perfect for adding to lunchboxes, whether for work or school, making a convenient and healthy snack for you and your kids.

Ingredients and substitutes

Here is all you need to make banana bars healthy, with just a handful of simple ingredients you probably already have at home. Read further for all details, tips and substitutes – precise measurements can be found in the recipe card at the end of this blog post.

• Bananas. Choose ripe bananas, those with brown spots all over their skin. They’re sweet, moist and rich in flavor. You can learn more on how to ripen banana fast in the FAQ section down below.
• Egg. One large egg binds the batter and adds flavor. Substitute with a flaxseed egg if necessary.
• Maple syrup. Pure maple syrup brings natural sweetness without refined sugars. You can replace with honey, agave nectar, or date syrup.
• Almond butter. Almond butter adds moisture and richness with no oil or butter. Feel free to substitute with peanut butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter. Melted butter will also work.
• Oat flour. Use store-bought or homemade oat flour, gluten-free if necessary. As a replacement you can substitute with wholewheat flour, spelt flour, pastry flour, all purpose flour or almond flour.
• Almond flour. Almond flour improves the texture and adds a delicious nutty flavor. Substitute it with the same amount of oat flour or protein powder (more on this later).
• Baking powder. It works as a leavening agent, helping the bars get moist and soft.
• Flavors. Vanilla extract, cinnamon and a pinch of salt make this recipe irresistible.

You can easily customize this recipe by adding mix-ins such as chopped walnuts or pecans, dried cranberries, raisins, pumpkin seeds, and dark chocolate chips. Or swap almond butter for peanut butter to make some delicious pb banana chocolate chip bars.

Healthy cream cheese frosting

This is a healthy recipe for banana bars with cream cheese frosting. The frosting is made with a combination of cream cheese and Greek yogurt, to which maple syrup and vanilla extract are added for more flavor. I opted for low fat cream cheese and 5% Greek yogurt, but full-fat versions work just as well. To make it dairy-free, simply substitute with nondairy cream cheese and nondairy Greek yogurt. I recommend Greek-style soy yogurt, plain and unsweetened.

How to make banana bars

Step 1 – Get ready. Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (180°C) and folding a 7×11 inches (15×25 cm) baking pan with parchment paper. Gather all ingredients and grab a bowl.

Step 2 – Mix wet ingredients. Peel and add the 2 ripe bananas to your bowl, then mash until smooth and free of lumps. Add egg, maple syrup, almond butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt. Using a whisk or fork, mix until smoothly combined.

Step 3 – Add dry ingredients. Add oat flour, almond flour and baking powder to the wet mixture. Using a spatula or fork, stir well until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated into the wet. By now, the batter should be smooth and free of lumps.

Step 2 – Bake. Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan, spreading it out evenly. Bake in hot oven for 30 – 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, let them cool completely to room temperature before frosting.

Step 3 – Prep frosting. While your bars are baking and cooling, prepare the healthy frosting. Place all ingredients to a medium bowl, then mix until smooth and creamy. Feel free to adjust the sweetness level with extra maple syrup if necessary. Frost the banana bread bars, then slice into 12 squares and enjoy!

Dietary adaptations

• Vegan: Use a flaxseed egg as egg replacement, then swap in nondairy cream cheese and plant based yogurt for the frosting.
• Gluten-free: Replace oat flour with gluten-free oat flour or almond flour. Also, ensure that your baking powder is certified gluten-free.
• Dairy-free: Use nondairy alternatives to cream cheese and yogurt like coconut cream cheese and soy yogurt.
• Nut-free: Use sunflower seed butter or tahini instead of almond butter and add more oat flour as an alternative to almond flour.
• Low carb: Replace oat flour with almond flour and use keto-friendly sweeteners, such as sugar-free maple syrup or honey.
• High protein: Swap ½ cup (50 grams) of flour with protein powder. Vanilla vegan protein powder and casein are perfect for this recipe.
• Low calorie: Substitute almond butter with powdered peanut butter (mixed with little water until creamy) and sweeten with calorie-free sweeteners such as monk fruit or keto maple syrup. You’ll get the perfect banana bars for weight loss.

Storage directions

To store: Let the baked banana oat bars cool completely first, you can store them frosted or unfrosted. Once cool, place leftovers into an airtight food container with lid. At room temperature they will last for 1 day, in the fridge they will stay fresh for up to 4 days.

To freeze: Transfer to a freezer safe container or pack individually in zipper bags, then freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, remove the desired amount from the freezer, then pop in hot oven for a couple of minutes or microwave for 30 – 40 seconds. As a tip, it’s best to freeze banana bars unfrosted, but if you prefer to store them with cream cheese frosting, freeze them in two steps: first, arrange them on a tray and freeze until the frosting hardens, then transfer to zipper bags.

Frequently asked questions

More healthy bar recipes

• Apple oatmeal bars
• Pumpkin bars
• Homemade protein bars
• Oatmeal breakfast bars
• Strawberry oatmeal bars
• Banana oat bars
• Protein oatmeal bars
• Oatmeal chocolate chip bars