Banana Bread Brownies Brown Butter Frosting (Printable)

Fusion of banana bread and brownies with nutty brown butter frosting, super-moist texture, and intense banana flavor in every bite.

# What goes in:

→ Banana Bread Brownies

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
02 - 2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4 bananas)
05 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 tsp baking powder
08 - ½ tsp salt

→ Brown Butter Frosting

09 - ½ cup unsalted butter
10 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2-3 tbsp milk
12 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then stir in mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined—do not overmix.
04 - Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 27-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan.
05 - For the frosting, in a saucepan over medium heat, cook butter until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly for 5 minutes.
06 - In a mixing bowl, combine the browned butter, powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable, adding up to 1 more tablespoon of milk if needed.
07 - Spread frosting over cooled brownies. Cut into squares and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The brown butter frosting adds this incredible nutty depth that makes people pause and ask what's different
  • They're impossibly moist and stay fresh for days unlike traditional brownies that dry out
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter will make these tough, so stop as soon as you don't see dry flour anymore
  • The brown butter can go from perfect to burned in seconds, so watch it like a hawk and trust your nose
03 -
  • Line your pan with parchment paper that overhangs the sides for easy lifting
  • The frosting should be the consistency of peanut butter for easy spreading