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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Vegan Banana Bars with Chocolate Chips

    Published: May 2, 2022 . Modified: Feb 10, 2023 by Allie

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    vegan banana bars with chocolate chips cut into squares

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    These vegan banana bars with chocolate chips are oil-free and made with whole-wheat flour.  They’re perfect for potlucks, snacks, desserts, or a little treat for the kiddo’s lunch.  The mashed banana keeps the banana squares moist while also lending a good amount of natural sweetness to the wholesome bars.  

    banana bars vegan with chocolate chips cut into squares.

    They taste like mini banana bread and are a great alternative to using up those overripe bananas.  They’re easy to make and only take about 30-35 minutes to make. Try my banana nut oatmeal cookie recipe if you're looking for more vegan banana desserts or for vegan peanut butter cookie bars for something peanut buttery.

    Ingredients Notes

    Bananas - Can’t have banana bars without bananas!  Use those overripe bananas for some natural sweetness.

    Granulated Sugar - I use organic cane sugar in most of my desserts.  It’s vegan and it can be substituted for a 1 to 1 ratio for granulated white sugar.

    Dairy-Free Milk - The milk adds more moisture to the bars and any dairy-free milk should work.

    Whole-Wheat Flour - Adds a slightly nutty flavor to baked goods, but the bars should work fine with all-purpose.  Sometimes whole-wheat flour can be a smidge thirstier than all-purpose, so the bake time might increase.

    Vanilla and Ground Cinnamon - They add more flavor to complement the banana.

    Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips - Because chocolate chips are amazing and I love how they firm up when the bars are stored in the refrigerator.

    How to Make Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

    Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).  Lightly grease or line an 8x8 glass baking dish with parchment paper.

    In a medium bowl, mash the bananas really well.  The goal is for your bananas to produce a cup’s worth when mashed.  If you don’t have 1 cup of mashed banana, it can be topped off with unsweetened applesauce.

    mashed banana in a bowl.

    Then mix in the sugar to the mashed banana.  Next, add the milk and vanilla and whisk until combined.

    wet ingredients for banana bars in a bowl.

    In a large bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat flour, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips.  If your baking powder and/or baking soda clumps, they may need to be sifted.

    dry ingredients mixed in a bowl.

    Now add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix together. Don't overmix.

    wet and dry ingredients for banana bars mixed in a bowl.

    Transfer the banana mixture to the prepared pan, and spread it out so it reaches the corners and its level. 

    uncooked banana bars in a square baking dish.

    Bake for 20-24 minutes, the banana bars are done when a toothpick is inserted in the middle and comes out clean.  The top should be set, and lightly spring back when pressed.

    Tips

    • Make sure to use ground flaxseed, not whole.
    • A lot of the moisture comes from the overripe mashed banana, so make sure you have 1 cup.  That could be 2 very large bananas or maybe 2  ½ medium.  It just really depends on their size.   
    • If you have almost 1 cup but don’t want to use part of another banana, top it off with unsweetened applesauce.  I’ve done this plenty of times and it works well.  I haven’t tried pumpkin puree, but it should work well too, and give you a little pumpkin flavor.
    • Make sure to use overripe bananas with lots of brown spots.  This ensures they’ll be soft enough to mash and adds sweetness to the bars.
    • I haven’t tested it, but all-purpose flour should work in place of whole-wheat flour.

    Storage

    Store leftover vegan banana bars with chocolate chips for 2-3 days on the counter in an airtight container and for about a week in the refrigerator.  They can also be frozen for about 2-3 months.  In a freezer-safe container, either separate the layers with parchment paper so they don’t freeze together or freeze them separately.  

    To freeze them separately, line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat.  Then spread the bars out, and freeze overnight or until frozen.  Then transfer the individual frozen bars to a freezer-safe container.  When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then enjoy.

    vegan banana bars cut into squares on a baking rack

    More Oil-Free Vegan Desserts

    • Vegan Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
    • Banana Nut Oatmeal Bars
    • Chocolate-Covered Cookie Dough Bites
    • Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites
    • Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Truffles
    • Oat Milk Hot Chocolate
    • Vegan Oil-Free Chocolate Mug Cake

    I hope you enjoy this recipe for an easy vegan banana dessert!

    Print
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    vegan banana bars with chocolate chips cut into squares.

    Vegan Banana Bars with Chocolate Chips


    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Allie
    • Total Time: 32 minutes
    • Yield: 9 servings 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    These vegan banana bars with chocolate chips are oil-free and made with whole-wheat flour.  The mashed banana keeps the banana bars moist while also lending a good amount of natural sweetness to these wholesome bars.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 cup (235 g) mashed overripe banana (about 2 large or 2 ½ medium bananas)
    • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
    • ¼ cup (59 ml) dairy-free milk
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup (130 g) whole-wheat flour
    • 1 tablespoon (7 g) ground flax seed
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ⅓ cup (62 g) dairy-free chocolate chips

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 F(180 C).  Lightly grease or line an 8x8 glass baking dish with parchment paper.
    2. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas really well, make sure to have 1 cup.  If you don’t have 1 cup of mashed banana it can be topped off with unsweetened applesauce.
    3. Mix the sugar into the mashed banana.
    4. Then whisk in the milk and vanilla extract.
    5. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips.
    6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix together.
    7. Transfer the banana mixture to the prepared pan, and spread it out so it reaches the corners and its level.
    8. Then bake for 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted in the middle and comes out clean.

    Equipment

    Image of parchment paper

    parchment paper

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    Notes

    You can top off the 1 cup of mashed banana with applesauce.

    I haven’t tested it, but all-purpose flour should work in place of whole wheat flour.

    Raw cane sugar can be substituted for a 1-to-1 ratio for granulated white sugar.

    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 22 minutes
    • Category: dessert
    • Method: bake
    • Cuisine: american

    Keywords: vegan banana bars with chocolate chips, vegan banana squares

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @threelittlechickpeasblog on Instagram and hashtag it #threelittlechickpeasblog

    More Vegan Desserts

    • Chocolate Baked Oatmeal
    • Microwave Hot Cocoa (3 Ingredients and Dairy-Free)
    • Vegan Chocolate Sauce (3 Ingredients)
    • Pumpkin Peanut Butter Muffins

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sara

      May 02, 2022 at 4:23 pm

      Awesome recipe! They taste just like little banana breads!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Allie

        May 02, 2022 at 4:23 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Allie! I love cooking and I want to share my simple plant-based meals with you. Eating this way doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Just simply delicious!

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