Banana and Chocolate Chip Bars

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Banana and chocolate chip bars are moist, chewy, slightly fudgy, and loaded with vegan chocolate chips in every bite! They’re a crowd-pleasing breakfast, snack, or dessert using leftover ripe bananas, now made 100% dairy and egg-free!

completed Banana Chocolate Chip Bars on a white surface

Why You’ll Love Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bars
The Ingredients
What Could I Add To Banana Bars
How to Make Banana and Chocolate Chip Bars
FAQs
Pro Recipe Tips
Storage Instructions
More Vegan Banana Recipes
Banana Chocolate Chip Bars Recipe

Why You’ll Love Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bars

We’re no strangers to the combination of plant-based chocolate and banana, regularly throwing vegan chocolate chips into our banana pancakes, muffins, and banana bread. Now, get ready to fall in love with these moreish vegan chocolate chip banana bars.

These easy banana bars are a delicious alternative to banana bread, with a texture somewhere between that and blondies (so denser and chewier), made even more addictive with PLENTY of melty vegan chocolate, because duh! The result is a highly requested, crowd-pleasing treat.

Best of all, this recipe is so easy to throw together with inexpensive pantry staples (also highly flexible and customizable) and simple steps in under an hour. Plus, we’ve now made them egg and dairy-free, so more of the family can enjoy them regardless of dietary requirements – with no sacrificing texture or flavor!

Looking for more simple banana-based snacks? Try choc chip banana bites, peanut butter and chocolate-covered bananas, or banana oatmeal zucchini cookies.

The Ingredients

ingredients for Banana Chocolate Chip Bars measured out on a white surface

Flax egg: A combination of ground flaxseed (or chia seeds) and water creates a binding egg replacement for egg-free banana squares.
Banana: For the best flavor, texture, and sweetness, use soft, overripe bananas (look for ones with plenty of brown spots on the peel).

If the bananas aren’t ripe enough, bake them in the oven at 300F/148C for about 15-20 minutes or until the peel has completely blackened, and the flesh is tender. Leave them to cool, then continue with the recipe.

Oil: Use a neutral oil, like vegetable oil or canola oil.
Flour: Use all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, or a 50/50 combination of both.
Brown sugar: For delicious caramel-like flavor in the banana bread squares. Alternatively, use muscovado for a less refined sugar or even coconut sugar.
Baking powder: This leavening agent makes fluffier banana chocolate chip bars.
Plant-based milk: Use unsweetened milk. I.e., soy milk, oat milk, cashew milk, etc.
Vanilla extract: Use all-natural vanilla for the best flavor and warm depth.
Cinnamon: This warm spice is delicious with banana but is technically optional.
Salt: To enhance and balance the various flavors.
Vegan chocolate: Use your favorite non-dairy, semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips/chunks like Guittard, Trader Joe’s, or Enjoy Lide. Dark/bitter-sweet chocolate works well, too.

What Could I Add To Banana Bars

This vegan chocolate chip banana bars recipe is customizable with all your favorite mix-ins alongside or instead of making the banana bars with plant-basedchocolate chips.

Cocoa powder: For a double plant-based chocolate banana bar recipe, add 3-4 tbsp cocoa powder and a splash of extra plant milk.
Berries: Use about ¾-1 cup fresh or frozen (no need to thaw) blueberries, raspberries, chopped strawberries, etc.
Nuts: Add ¼-⅓ cup chopped walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, pistachios, etc.
Coconut: Add 3-4 tablespoons of unsweetened shredded coconut for flavor/texture.
Dried fruit: Like raisins, cranberries, or chopped dates/apricots for sweet chewiness.
Nutmeg: Just a tiny pinch for more warm depth.
Almond/Peanut butter: Microwave until drippy, then swirl into the top before baking the vegan banana and chocolate chip bars.
Jam/jelly: Likewise above, add a few dollops and swirl into the top of the batter.
Glaze: Add a simple vanilla or cinnamon powdered sugar glaze for decadence.
Vegan frosting: i.e., vegan cream cheese frosting, Biscoff frosting, peanut butter frosting.

How to Make Banana and Chocolate Chip Bars

First, preheat the oven to 350F/175C and grease or line a 9×13-inch baking pan/dish.
Then, in a small bowl, beat the flax meal and water for about a minute, then transfer it to the fridge to thicken for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, using a fork/potato masher, mash the bananas in a large bowl.

process shot showing mashing bananas in a bowl

process shot showing mashed bananas in a bowl

Stir in the remaining batter ingredients (oil, plant milk, vanilla, flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt), including the flax eggs.

process shot showing adding ingredients to a bowl

Be careful not to over-mix the batter. Do so only until everything is combined.

Fold in ¾ cup vegan chocolate chips/chunks, then pour it into the prepared pan.

process shot of adding vegan chocolate chips to bowl

process shot showing pre-baked banana chocolate chip bars mixture in dish

Sprinkle the remaining vegan chocolate over top, then bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs).

Allow it to sit in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring it to a wire cooling rack to fully cool. Finally, slice into bars or squares, and enjoy!

Enjoy a vegan chocolate chip banana bar alone or served warm with tea/coffee and a scoop of vegan ice cream or some plant-based whipped cream/yogurt and berries.

FAQs

Can I substitute the flax eggs?

We use enough flax egg mixture to replace 2 medium chicken eggs. You may be able to use unsweetened applesauce instead, though the texture of the bars may change slightly.

Can I use frozen bananas?

Yes, but thaw them first and drain any excess liquid.

Can I use gluten-free flour?

Although we haven’t tried it, we imagine you could replace the AP flour with a gluten-free all-purpose blend, like King Arthur’s or Bob’s Red Mill. The gluten-free chocolate chip banana bars may be slightly drier and/or denser, though.

Can I reduce or replace the oil?

Oil helps make tender, moist vegan banana and chocolate chip bars. However, you could likely replace up to 50% of oil with applesauce without negatively affecting the texture.

Pro Recipe Tips

Measure the flour correctly: Fluff it in its bag, spoon it into the measuring cup , and level it with the back of a knife rather than scooping it straight from the flour bag. Too much flour makes dense banana bars.
Use very ripe bananas: They’re easier to mash but also sweetest for the best overall flavor and texture.
Don’t over-mix the batter: You could overwork the gluten in the flour and end up with denser, drier banana bars.
Experiment with add–ins: With so many options, have fun experimenting with this flexible banana chocolate chip bars recipe.

Storage Instructions

Store the banana and chocolate chip bars in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. They taste even better on day two.

You can also freeze them for up to 3 months, sliced and layered with parchment or wax paper between the layers. Allow one to thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours, in the fridge overnight, or from frozen in a toaster oven/microwave.