The Best Monkey Bars Recipe (We're Not Talking a Jungle Gym Here) Desserts Cakes/Cupcakes Snacks

Don't you love it when a recipe combines two popular ingredients? This monkey bars recipe combines those overripe bananas we use for banana bread and creamy peanut butter. The combination is irresistible to humans – and monkeys, too, apparently! These monkey bars have a muffin-like consistency and are perfecting for dessert or snacking. 

To make these sweet monkey bars, you need just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and refrigerator. Here is your short list of ingredients to gather: butter, brown sugar, creamy peanut butter, an egg, a ripe banana, vanilla extract, flour, baking powder, salt and powdered sugar to make them pretty.

Serve these peanut butter and banana bars for dessert or with a cup of coffee or tea in the morning or afternoon.

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Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 to 40 minutes
Servings: 16

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour or whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• dash of salt
• powdered sugar, for dusting

Helpful Products

• Whisk
• Rubber Spatula
• Mixing Bowl
• Nonstick Cooking Spray
• 8x8-inch Baking Pan
• Wooden Spoon
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons

Recipe Notes

• Make sure the butter is at room temperature before making the batter.

• Use very ripe bananas. The bananas should have brown spots on them. 

• You could add some chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the batter before baking.

Here's how to make it:

1. Put the butter, brown sugar and peanut butter into a mixing bowl. Beat until well combined. Add the egg, banana and vanilla. Mix to combine. 
2. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add it to the wet ingredients. Mix well. Spread the batter into a greased 8x8-inch baking pan. 
3. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool, then dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Cut into squares. 

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 173

Total Fat: 10.2g

Saturated Fat: 4.6g

Cholesterol: 25mg

Sodium: 85mg

Total Carbohydrate: 18.3g

Dietary Fiber: 0.9g

Total Sugars: 10.5g

Protein: 3.3g

Vitamin D: 5mcg

Calcium: 26mg

Iron: 1mg

Potassium: 136mg

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by VeryWellFit. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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