This chunky monkey bars recipe takes the delicious flavors of the classic Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and stuffs them all into a delicious recipe that’s a cross between a cookie and banana bread.
I love cookies and I love chunky monkey ice cream, so I decided to put them both together. I mean, I love banana chocolate everything. These moist cookie bars explode with delicious flavor, and they’re so easy to make!
Have you tried my chocolate banana pancake pops or banana pudding brownies? Both are out of this world good especially if you’re a chocolate banana fan just like me.
Chunky Monkey Bars Recipe
This was inspired by my other delicious sugar cookie bar recipe on this site and pairs well with this amazing dalgona coffee recipe.
Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe.
- brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- unsalted butter
- large eggs
- vanilla extract
- ripe bananas
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- dark chocolate chunks
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
- walnuts (optional)
- non-stick cooking spray
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Instructions
A few minutes and a few simple steps are all it takes to make these tasty bars. They’re so easy.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper and spray it with nonstick spray. Then, smash the bananas.
Step 2: Combine the Wet Ingredients
Cream the butter and sugars until smooth and creamy. Then, mix in the eggs, vanilla, and bananas.
Step 3: Add the Dry Ingredients
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Then, fold in the chocolate chunks and walnuts if you want to add them.
Step 4: Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Top with chocolate chip and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Enjoy!
Hint: Smashing the bananas before adding them to the other wet ingredients makes less mess and results in a better mix.
Substitutions
Don’t have the correct ingredients on hand or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this chunky monkey bars recipe.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – Use almond extract or maple syrup instead
- Unsalted Butter – Use salted and omit the salt
- Dark Chocolate Chunks – Chop up a chocolate bar
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – Use white chocolate or swirled chocolate chips instead.
Variations
Want to personalize these chunky monkey bars? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.
- Add Nuts – Walnuts, pecans, almonds, or pistachios will work well.
- Change the Flavor – Add butterscotch, caramel, or peanut butter chips instead or as well as.
- Add a Sauce – Serve with chocolate or caramel sauce drizzled on top.
- Add Some Cream – Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy these banana pudding cookies or peanut butter chocolate covered bananas or chocolate covered bananas.
Equipment
You’ll only need some basic kitchen baking equipment to make this recipe.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowl
- Wooden Spoon
- 9×13-inch baking pan
- Hand blender, if desired
- Spatula
Storage
These bars will last for 3 to 4 days at room temperature when tightly covered or up to a week in the refrigerator.
Tips
This is an incredibly easy recipe to make, but I do have a couple of tips to help ensure that you make it the best it can possibly be.
- When measuring your flour, gently spoon it from the container into your measuring cup until it’s overflowing. Then level it off with the flat of a knife. This prevents you from packing the flour and using too much.
- Always be sure your butter is fully softened for optimal incorporation and the best possible texture.
- Mash your bananas before adding them to the bar ingredients to achieve the best texture and flavor.
FAQ
Do you have questions about chunky monkey bars? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about this chunky monkey bars recipe.
They’ll last for 3 to 4 days at room temperature or up to a week in the refrigerator.
Absolutely. All you need is a bigger mixing bowl and two 9×13 dishes.
Softening the butter (not melting it) allows it to cream more easily with the sugars and other ingredients, preventing your batter from having chunks of raw butter in it.
Chunky Monkey Bar Video
More Dessert Bar Recipes
Do you like dessert bars? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
Chunky Monkey Bars
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Chunky Monkey Bars
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- wooden spoon
- spatula
- Hand blender, if desired
- mixing bowl
- 9 x 13 inch pan
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar packed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ripe bananas
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 10 ounces dark chocolate chunks
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup walnuts or pecans chopped, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer, add butter and sugar.
- Add brown sugar.
- Cream until smooth.
- Add eggs.
- Bananas.
- Vanilla.
- Blend until incorporated.
- Add flour, baking soda and salt.
- Mix until combined.
- Fold in chocolate chunks and nuts, if using.
- Stir until evenly distributed.
- Prepare a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and parchment paper.
- Pour batter into the pan.
- Spread out as evenly as possible.
- Sprinkle top with chocolate chips.
- Bake on middle rack for 30-35 minutes.
- Slice.
- Serve.
- On a plate with ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate or caramel sauce or on its own.
- Enjoy every bite.
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