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    Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes

    Chunky Monkey Bars

    Published: Jul 11, 2022 · Modified: May 18, 2025 by Karin and Ken · This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

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    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.

    Closeup shot of chunky monkey bar on a white plate

    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 9x13 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.

    Overhead shot of chunky monkey cake in baking dish

    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, Chocolate Pistachio Honeycomb 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
    • 9x13-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.
    Closeup shot of chunky monkey bar with fork on a white plate

    FAQ

    Do you have questions about chunky monkey bars? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about this chunky monkey bars recipe.

    How long will these bars last?

    They'll last for 3 to 4 days at room temperature or up to a week in the refrigerator.

    Can I double this recipe?

    Absolutely. All you need is a bigger mixing bowl and two 9x13 dishes.

    Why does butter have to be softened for baked goods?

    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

    YouTube video

    More Dessert Bar Recipes

    Do you like dessert bars? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.

    • Three chewy squares of lazy cookie bars piles on top of each other.
      Lazy Cookie Bars
    • A pile of Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bars on a plate.
      Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bars
    • Three cookie bars on top of each other.
      Kit Kat Cookie Bars
    • Easy Sugar Cookie Bars.
      Easy Sugar Cookie Bars

    Chunky Monkey Bars

    Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.

    Chunky Monkey Bars

    Karin and Ken
    This chunky monkey bars recipe is loaded with the classic Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors we love like bananas, chocolate chunks, and walnuts.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 35 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 20
    Calories 229 kcal

    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
    Get Recipe Ingredients

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer, add butter and sugar.
      Adding sugar to a large mixing bowl with butter.
    • Add brown sugar.
      Adding brown sugar to the large mixing bowl.
    • Cream until smooth.
      Ingredients are mixed well.
    • Add eggs.
      adding eggs to the large mixing bowl.
    • Bananas.
      Adding bananas to the large mixing bowl.
    • Vanilla.
      adding vanilla to the large mixing bowl.
    • Blend until incorporated.
      Ingredients are mixed well.
    • Add flour, baking soda and salt.
      Adding flour, baking soda and salt to the large mixing bowl.
    • Mix until combined.
      Ingredients are mixed well.
    • Fold in chocolate chunks and nuts, if using.
      Carefully mixing in the chocolate chunks and nuts.
    • Stir until evenly distributed.
      Ingredients are mixed well.
    • Prepare a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and parchment paper.
    • Pour batter into the pan.
      pouring cookie batter onto a prepared baking pan.
    • Spread out as evenly as possible.
      cookie batter spread evenly inside the baking pan.
    • Sprinkle top with chocolate chips.
      Cookie batter sprinkled with chocolate chips.
    • Bake on middle rack for 30-35 minutes.
      Closeup overhead photo of Chunky monkey cake in a baking pan.
    • Slice.
      Closeup photo of a chunky monkey bar held up by a spatula.
    • Serve.
      Closeup up photo of chunky monkey cake inside a cake pan with a slice missing.
    • On a plate with ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate or caramel sauce or on its own.
      Closeup photo of a chunky monkey bar served on a white plate.
    • Enjoy every bite.
      Closeup photo of a chunky monkey bar served on a white plate with a fork. The fork is holding a bite of chunky monkey bar.

    Video

    Notes

    Source: mooreorlesscooking.com

    Nutrition

    Calories: 229kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 97mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 312IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword chunky monkey
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Welcome!

    We are the kitchen divas: Karin and my partner in life, Ken.

    We have been attached at the heart and hip since the first day we met, and we love to create new dishes to keep things interesting. Variety is definitely the spice of life!

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