Category: dessert; banana bars; cream cheese frosting; Greek yogurt

Greek Yogurt Banana Bars Recipe

Greek Yogurt Banana Bars Recipe

I have a new dessert recipe to share today – Greek Yogurt Banana Bars with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. These bars contain Greek yogurt and whole wheat flour, and a banana chip topping for extra crunch.

Greek Yogurt Banana Bars | Chicago Jogger

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I made this dessert for a neighborhood party this weekend using very ripe bananas and a few healthier ingredients. Even though there are a few healthy ingredients in this dessert, I still used cream cheese frosting, with pure maple syrup. The bars were for a party after all!
Greek Yogurt Banana Bars | Chicago Jogger

My husband and I have a “day of the week” banana guideline. It’s a way to rate bananas based on how ripe they are throughout the week. If you start with green bananas on Sunday, by Saturday they might look like the above {perfect for banana bars}! My preferred “banana day” is Wednesday. A Wednesday banana is perfectly yellow, without any green left and no brown spots. I usually eat a banana in my morning smoothie, so it doesn’t matter that much… but it’s a fun way to discuss bananas. We’re food nerds.

Greek Yogurt Banana Bars | Chicago Jogger

I made these Greek Yogurt Banana Bars in a baking half sheet similar to this. You can also use a jelly roll baking sheet, for slightly thicker bars.

Greek Yogurt Banana Bars | Chicago Jogger

Since these are banana bars instead of banana bread, they require a much shorter baking time – only 25 minutes. Instead of nuts, I topped these bars with chopped banana chips, processed in my blender a few times. Using banana chips added a nice crunch to each bar, and lots of extra banana flavor.

Greek Yogurt Banana Bars | Chicago Jogger

Greek Yogurt Banana Bars

A crowd-pleasing banana bar recipe made with Greek yogurt.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 15 people

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 1/8 cups Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup butter {softened}
  • 3 ripe bananas {mashed}
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Frosting

  • 1 packaged cream cheese {softened}
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp butter {softened}
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

  • 1/2 cup banana chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

  2. Mix sugar, yogurt, butter, and bananas in a mixer on low-medium speed, until combined.

  3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixer, mixing only until combined. Add vanilla extract.

  4. Bake for ~25 minutes until the bars are light brown, and a toothpick comes out clean.

  5. Let the bars cool before frosting.

  6. To make the frosting, whisk softened butter and cream cheese with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Remember to refrigerate since the bars contain cream cheese!

  7. To make the topping, process banana chips in a blender or food processor for ~5 seconds.

{Recipe adapted from Sour Cream Banana Bars. Frosting recipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.}

Greek Yogurt Banana Bars | Chicago Jogger

Looking for more dessert recipes like my Greek Yogurt Banana Bars?