Banana caramel bars are a party for your tastebuds! Have ripe bananas? Skip the banana bread and try these for a fun twist! A cookie shortbread crust is topped with creamy banana caramel and covered in white chocolate! These bars are paleo, vegan, and gluten-free, but you’d never guess it!
A few years ago I was in a rut. I had ripe bananas but I wasn’t feeling banana bread. I ended up making a banana caramel filling and created these banana caramel cookies, which went crazy on social media! The flavor of banana caramel is really hard to describe, all that comes to mind is heavenly – and i’m not even a big banana fan!
If you like my healthier Twix bars, you will LOVE this recipe. It’s essentially the same thing but we swap in the banana caramel filling and top them with white chocolate instead of dark or milk chocolate. This flavor pairing is unreal! Have tons of leftover bananas? Try my banana nut scones, frosted banana bars, banana foster chia pudding, or cinnamon swirl banana bread!
Banana Caramel bar recipe video
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy: Although there are three delicious layers to these bars, they couldn’t be easier to make! They aren’t time consuming, however they just take a couple hours to firm up in the freezer!
- Wholesome: These bars are gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free, and paleo-friendly, but nobody would ever guess it! They are decadent and perfectly sweet! These are also a great dessert recipe to accommodate dietary requirements, as they can even be made nut-free.
- Flavor: Banana caramel and white chocolate might seem like a crazy combination, but it is absolutely mind-blowingly good!
- A fun way to use up ripe bananas, other than banana bread!
How to make banana caramel bars
Full recipe, measurements, & instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Equipment
- Bread loaf pan: I used a 9.5 x 5″ pan.
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
Ingredients
- Almond flour: Almond flour creates the most delicious, perfectly textured shortbread base. If you cannot have almond flour, Tiger Nut Flour is a perfect 1:1 nut-free substitute! Cashew flour will also work. Other flours cannot be subbed!
- Coconut oil
- Canned coconut milk: This is used in the caramel. You’ll want to scoop the thick cream on the top out and use that! A non-dairy heavy cream or heavy cream should also work, although I haven’t tried it myself!
- Maple syrup
- Ripe Banana
- Coconut sugar
- Baking staples: vanilla extract, sea salt
- White chocolate: I like the brand Pascha for vegan white chocolate chips. If you’re looking for a refined sugar-free option, Choc zero and Lily’s are great!
Steps to make banana caramel bars
- Step 1: Make the caramel. Blend the banana caramel ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add it to a pot over medium-high heat, bringing it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, until it begins to thicken up. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Step 2: Bake the crust. Mix together the shortbread base ingredients until dough forms. Press the dough into the bottom of the lined loaf pan. Bake for 11 minutes, until it’s lightly golden, then remove from the oven. Let the base cool for 10 minutes.
- Step 3: Assemble the bars and freeze. Pour the banana caramel over top of the shortbread base, using a spatula to gently spread it out evenly. Place the loaf pan in the freezer for 1-2 hours until the caramel layer has firmed up a bit. Next, you’ll melt the chocolate until smooth and pour over the banana caramel layer.
- Step 4: Freeze again, then cut into bars!
Baking tips & fAQ’s
- Slicing tips: To prevent cracking the white chocolate top, leave the bars out at room temperature for 10 minutes or so to allow them to soften just a bit before cutting them. Running your knife under SUPER hot water prior to cutting slices will also prevent this!
- Storing banana caramel bars: Store leftover bars in an air-tight container in the freezer. They’re delicious straight from the freezer, however you can let them sit at room-temperature for 10 minutes or so before eating for a softer caramel bar.
More healthy dessert recipes to try
- Blender banana coffee cake muffins
- Wholesome starbucks pumpkin cream cheese muffins
- Healthy pecan twix bars
- Mini paleo cinnamon rolls
- 4 ingredient single serve pumpkin pie
- Healthy pumpkin s’mores bars
If you try these banana caramel bars and love, it’d mean the world to me if you left a star rating and review below! Tag me in your creations on instagram @danishealthyeats!
Banana Caramel Bars
Banana caramel bars are a party for your tastebuds! Have ripe bananas? Skip the banana bread and try these banana caramel bars. A cookie shortbread crust is topped with creamy banana caramel and covered in white chocolate! These bars are paleo, vegan, and gluten-free, but you'd never guess it!
Ingredients
Shortbread
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract & pinch of sea salt
Banana caramel
- 1 1/2 super ripe, spotty bananas
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp canned full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract & good pinch of sea salt
Chocolate topping
- 1 1/3 cups white chocolate chips
- 2 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9.5×5" (or similar) loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Blend the banana caramel ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add it to a pot over medium heat, bringing it to a low-bubble simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let cook for 10 minutes or so, stirring very frequently, until it has thickened up a bit. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, mix together the shortbread base ingredients until dough forms. Press the dough into the bottom of the lined loaf pan. Bake for 11 minutes, until it's lightly golden, then remove from the oven. Let the base cool for 10 minutes or so.
- Give the banana caramel a good stir, then pour it over top of the shortbread base, using a spatula to gently spread it out evenly. Place the loaf pan in the freezer for 1-2 hours until the caramel layer has firmed up a bit.
- Once the caramel layer is pretty firm to touch, melt the chocolate. You can use the double-boiler method or combine the chocolate and oil in a bowl and heat in the microwave for 30 second increments, stirring well between each, until completely smooth and melted.
- Place in the freezer for 3-4 hours to allow the bars to completely firm up. When ready to cut, let the bars sit at room-temperature for 10 minutes or so. This will help prevent the chocolate from cracking and make them easier to cut.
- Slice into bars and then store in an air-tight container. These can be stored in the freezer for longer term storage (I prefer them straight from the freezer). If you want a softer caramel, remove from the freezer and leave out at room temperature for 10 minutes before enjoying!
Video
Notes
- Slicing tips: To prevent cracking the white chocolate top, leave the bars out at room temperature for 10 minutes or so to allow them to soften just a bit before cutting them. Running your knife under SUPER hot water prior to cutting slices will also prevent this!
- Storing banana caramel bars: Store leftover bars in an air-tight container in the freezer. They’re delicious straight from the freezer, however you can let them sit at room-temperature for 10 minutes or so before eating for a softer caramel bar.
