Banana Brownie Bites
You guys! When my mom tasted Banana Brownie Bites, she said…” I think that’s one of the best things you’ve ever done”! I’ve got to say, they’re one of my top five favorites! A Saturday afternoon experiment turned into the fudgiest little brownie cups ever. They have the same rich texture as a bakery brownie. But they’re made with ripe banana and almond butter so they stay naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
These bites are sweetened with maple syrup and ripe banana, and their base is creamy almond butter. I think you all know I’m a chocolate lover. I’ve already baked Chocolate Chip Cookies and so many chocolate desserts before. I rarely love a recipe that brings fruit into the center, but these are just to die for! The recipe makes 12 bites. I usually bake small batches, but you can double it for 24.
These little banana brownie cups can be dessert, or you can pair them with fresh berries and coffee for brunch. They’re also great for meal prep. Make a larger batch and freeze them. Then take out two or three whenever you need a quick chocolate snack during the week. And because they’re small, they thaw faster than a full pan of brownies.
The Science Behind It
Ripe banana supplies water and reducing sugars while almond butter adds fat and protein. Those ingredients emulsify with the egg and keep Banana Brownie Bites fudgy without wheat flour. Dutch-process cocoa absorbs free moisture, so the batter thickens before baking.
The 350°F oven then sets the edges before the banana center turns jammy. Cooling for 10 minutes matters because the crumb keeps setting after heat leaves the tin. A center temperature near 198°F gives enough protein structure without drying the cocoa solids.
That same patience helps Banana Bread slice cleanly. The thin chocolate cap also seals the surface and slows moisture loss.
Ingredients for Banana Brownie Bites
- Ripe Cavendish banana: Use heavily speckled fruit, mash 1 1/2 bananas to yield about 170 grams and slice the remaining half into twelve 1/4-inch coins.
- Creamy roasted almond butter: Stir the jar well and bring it to 68°F to 72°F so the natural oils blend smoothly.
- Pure Grade A amber maple syrup: Use at room temperature to sweeten the batter and keep the crumb moist.
- Large chicken egg: Bring it to room temperature before whisking so it emulsifies with the almond butter.
- Pure vanilla extract: Adds a rounded aroma that softens the sharp edge of dark cocoa.
- Dutch-process cocoa powder: Sift before folding to prevent bitter dry pockets in the flourless batter.
- Baking soda: Provides a small controlled lift without turning the bites cakey.
- Fine sea salt: Disperse it with the cocoa so every bite tastes evenly seasoned.
- 70% cacao dark chocolate chips: Fold 1/2 cup into the batter and reserve 1/4 cup for the glossy chocolate caps.
- Refined coconut oil: Use 1 teaspoon for the tin and 1 teaspoon to thin the melted chocolate without adding coconut flavor.
- Maldon flaky sea salt: Use only a small pinch on selected plated bites for a crisp salty finish.
Equipment
- 24-cup mini muffin tin: A dark metal 24-cup mini muffin tin shapes the 12 bites and browns their edges evenly, while silicone molds can leave the sides pale and need 2 extra minutes.
- Large clear glass mixing bowl: A 3-quart clear glass bowl gives enough room for broad folding strokes, while a narrow bowl traps dry cocoa along the base.
- Rubber spatula: A flexible 11-inch rubber spatula scrapes the bowl clean and folds without whipping air, while a stiff spoon can leave dry pockets.
- Fork or potato masher: A sturdy dinner fork or compact masher breaks the banana into fine flecks, while a large masher leaves chunks that make the centers wet.
- Microwave-safe glass bowl: A 2-cup microwave-safe glass bowl melts the chocolate in shallow layers, while a deep narrow cup overheats the bottom before the top softens.
- Instant-read thermometer: A fast thermometer confirms the centers reach 195°F to 200°F and the chocolate stays below 115°F, preventing dry crumbs and dull coating.
Making Banana Brownie Bites: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Mash the banana and whisk the wet base
Keep the egg, almond butter and maple syrup between 68°F and 72°F. Mash 1 1/2 ripe Cavendish bananas for 2 to 3 minutes with short pressing strokes. Then whisk in the almond butter, maple syrup, egg and vanilla for 60 seconds.
Scrape the bowl once at 30 seconds so no thick almond butter hides along the sides. The mixture should look pale tan and glossy with tiny banana flecks. It should fall in a slow ribbon and smell clearly of ripe banana.
If the ingredients are colder than 65°F, the almond butter can clump and the batter won’t blend evenly. Room-temperature mixing keeps the fat smooth and evenly dispersed. Preheat the oven to 350°F now so it’s fully hot by the time the pan goes in.
Tip: Weigh the mashed banana at 170 grams because an extra 30 grams can make the centers gummy.
Step 2: Fold cocoa and chocolate into the batter
Hold the batter near 70°F. Sift the Dutch-process cocoa, baking soda and fine sea salt over the wet base. Fold with a rubber spatula in J-shaped strokes for 45 to 60 seconds.
Then fold in 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips with six broad turns. Stop as soon as the last dry pocket disappears. The batter should turn nearly black-brown and look thick, glossy and softly mounded.
A spatula trail should remain visible for about two seconds. If you keep stirring past 90 seconds, the egg proteins tighten and the bites bake denser. Brief folding limits trapped air and keeps the crumb naturally fudgy.
Tip: Break up any cocoa lump larger than 1/4 inch before folding because those pockets stay bitter after baking.
Step 3: Portion the batter around banana centers
Keep the oven at 350°F while you shape the bites. Coat 12 cups of a mini muffin tin with 1 teaspoon refined coconut oil. Divide half the batter among the cups over 3 to 4 minutes.
Press one 1/4-inch banana coin into each center. Then cover each coin with the remaining batter until every cup sits two-thirds full. The tin should show 12 uneven dark mounds with faint pale banana circles hidden just below the surface.
Tap the tin twice so large air pockets rise, but don’t level the tops. Overfilling beyond three-quarters can join the bites at the rim. Two-thirds filling leaves room for steam and controlled rise.
Tip: Use banana coins about 1 inch wide so the fruit stays centered instead of touching the hot metal sides.
Step 4: Bake until the edges set and tops crack
Bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes and rotate the tin 180 degrees at minute 7. Start checking at minute 12. The centers should reach 195°F to 200°F while the edges look set.
Cool in the tin for exactly 10 minutes before loosening the sides. (My first batch baked 18 minutes, the banana stayed moist but the crumb turned dry. ) The Banana Brownie Bites should rise slightly and develop fine cracks over matte dark tops.
The edges will smell toasted while the centers still yield under light pressure. Go past 200°F and the cocoa crumb loses its fudgy bend. Stopping near 198°F sets the egg without drying the banana.
Tip: Place the tin on the oven’s middle rack because the lower rack can harden the bottoms before minute 12.
Step 5: Add the chocolate cap and cut one bite
Cool the unmolded bites to 75°F or lower for 10 minutes. Melt the remaining 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon refined coconut oil. Use 20-second bursts at 50 percent power for 60 to 80 seconds total. Stir after every burst and stop before the chocolate exceeds 115°F.
Spoon a thin cap over all 12 bites. The chocolate should fall in a glossy ribbon and settle with a few uneven drips. Chill the coated bites for 10 minutes until the caps feel softly set. Cut one bite through the center and look for a dense dark crumb around a soft pale banana coin.
Overheated chocolate turns dull and grainy. Gentle melting preserves cocoa butter crystals and shine.
Tip: Add one pinch of flaky sea salt to four plated bites for contrast. Keep the remaining eight plain for balanced sweetness.
Pro Tips
- For even Banana Brownie Bites, weigh the mashed fruit at 170 grams instead of relying on banana size.
- Choose bananas with at least 60 percent brown speckling because pale yellow fruit tastes starchy and adds less sweetness.
- Fill only 12 cups in a 24-cup tin and alternate them so 350°F air reaches each portion evenly.
- Sift the 1/2 cup cocoa from at least 6 inches above the bowl. This breaks clumps before they reach the wet batter.
- Check the first bite at minute 12 because dark metal can bake about 2 minutes faster than silicone.
- Let the bites cool 10 minutes before unmolding or their tender sides can tear against the cup walls.
- Finish four bites with one small pinch of flaky salt while the chocolate is wet so the crystals stay attached.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon espresso powder for a warmer cocoa flavor without changing the bake time.
- Fold in 1/3 cup toasted chopped pecans instead of half the chocolate chips for crisp edges and a nuttier center.
- Replace the banana coins with twelve 1/2-teaspoon peanut butter centers for a salty chocolate variation that remains flourless.
- Top each cooled bite with one freeze-dried raspberry piece for a tart pink finish that suits a holiday dessert tray.
Substitutions
- Creamy roasted almond butter: Use creamy sunflower seed butter in a 1:1 ratio — This makes the bites nut-free and keeps them gluten-free when the jar is certified. The crumb tastes earthier and may turn slightly green after cooling because sunflower seeds react with baking soda.
- Large chicken egg: Use 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water — Rest the mixture for 10 minutes and bake the bites about 2 minutes longer because the centers stay softer. For firmer egg-free edges, Oatmeal Cookies may suit you better.
- Pure Grade A amber maple syrup: Use mild clover honey in a 1:1 ratio — Honey gives a floral flavor and browns faster. Start checking at minute 11 and remember that this swap isn’t vegan.
- 70% cacao dark chocolate chips: Use dairy-free 69% cacao chocolate chips in a 1:1 ratio — The bites remain dairy-free and the cap still sets well. Chips below 55% cacao make a sweeter coating that stays softer at room temperature.
- Dutch-process cocoa powder: Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder in a 1:1 ratio — The flavor becomes brighter and slightly fruitier. Natural cocoa reacts more strongly with baking soda, so the tops may rise higher and crack more.
- Refined coconut oil: Use neutral avocado oil in a 1:1 ratio — The tin releases almost as cleanly, but the chocolate cap stays softer. Chill the finished bites for 15 minutes instead of 10.
Storage Tips
Store fully cooled Banana Brownie Bites in a single layer inside an airtight container for 2 days at room temperature. Refrigerate them for up to 5 days. Place parchment between layers so the chocolate caps don’t stick. For freezing, leave the caps off and freeze the bites on a plate for 1 hour.
Then seal them in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat an uncoated bite at 300°F for 5 to 6 minutes. Then cool it for 10 minutes before adding fresh chocolate. A coated bite only needs 8 to 10 seconds in the microwave at 50 percent power.
Discard any bite with sour banana odor, wet seepage or fuzzy spots. Dry white streaks on the chocolate are harmless bloom, but they signal poor temperature control.
Banana Brownie Bites
Ingredients
- 2 medium Ripe Cavendish banana Use heavily speckled fruit, mash 1 1/2 bananas to yield about 170 grams and slice the remaining half into twelve 1/4-inch coins.
- 1/2 cup Creamy roasted almond butter Stir the jar well and bring it to 68°F to 72°F so the natural oils blend smoothly.
- 1/3 cup Pure Grade A amber maple syrup Use at room temperature to sweeten the batter and keep the crumb moist.
- 1 large Large chicken egg Bring it to room temperature before whisking so it emulsifies with the almond butter.
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract Adds a rounded aroma that softens the sharp edge of dark cocoa.
- 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder Sift before folding to prevent bitter dry pockets in the flourless batter.
- 1/4 teaspoon Baking soda Provides a small controlled lift without turning the bites cakey.
- 1/4 teaspoon Fine sea salt Disperse it with the cocoa so every bite tastes evenly seasoned.
- 3/4 cup 70% cacao dark chocolate chips Fold 1/2 cup into the batter and reserve 1/4 cup for the glossy chocolate caps.
- 2 teaspoons Refined coconut oil Use 1 teaspoon for the tin and 1 teaspoon to thin the melted chocolate without adding coconut flavor.
- 1/4 teaspoon Maldon flaky sea salt Use only a small pinch on selected plated bites for a crisp salty finish.
Instructions
- Keep the egg, almond butter and maple syrup between 68°F and 72°F. Mash 1 1/2 ripe Cavendish bananas for 2 to 3 minutes with short pressing strokes. Then whisk in the almond butter, maple syrup, egg and vanilla for 60 seconds. Scrape the bowl once at 30 seconds so no thick almond butter hides along the sides. The mixture should look pale tan and glossy with tiny banana flecks. It should fall in a slow ribbon and smell clearly of ripe banana. If the ingredients are colder than 65°F, the almond butter can clump and the batter won’t blend evenly. Room-temperature mixing keeps the fat smooth and evenly dispersed. Preheat the oven to 350°F now so it’s fully hot by the time the pan goes in.
- Hold the batter near 70°F. Sift the Dutch-process cocoa, baking soda and fine sea salt over the wet base. Fold with a rubber spatula in J-shaped strokes for 45 to 60 seconds. Then fold in 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips with six broad turns. Stop as soon as the last dry pocket disappears. The batter should turn nearly black-brown and look thick, glossy and softly mounded. A spatula trail should remain visible for about two seconds. If you keep stirring past 90 seconds, the egg proteins tighten and the bites bake denser. Brief folding limits trapped air and keeps the crumb naturally fudgy.
- Keep the oven at 350°F while you shape the bites. Coat 12 cups of a mini muffin tin with 1 teaspoon refined coconut oil. Divide half the batter among the cups over 3 to 4 minutes. Press one 1/4-inch banana coin into each center. Then cover each coin with the remaining batter until every cup sits two-thirds full. The tin should show 12 uneven dark mounds with faint pale banana circles hidden just below the surface. Tap the tin twice so large air pockets rise, but don’t level the tops. Overfilling beyond three-quarters can join the bites at the rim. Two-thirds filling leaves room for steam and controlled rise.
- Bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes and rotate the tin 180 degrees at minute 7. Start checking at minute 12. The centers should reach 195°F to 200°F while the edges look set. Cool in the tin for exactly 10 minutes before loosening the sides. (My first batch baked 18 minutes, the banana stayed moist but the crumb turned dry.) The Banana Brownie Bites should rise slightly and develop fine cracks over matte dark tops. The edges will smell toasted while the centers still yield under light pressure. Go past 200°F and the cocoa crumb loses its fudgy bend. Stopping near 198°F sets the egg without drying the banana.
- Cool the unmolded bites to 75°F or lower for 10 minutes. Melt the remaining 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon refined coconut oil. Use 20-second bursts at 50 percent power for 60 to 80 seconds total. Stir after every burst and stop before the chocolate exceeds 115°F. Spoon a thin cap over all 12 bites. The chocolate should fall in a glossy ribbon and settle with a few uneven drips. Chill the coated bites for 10 minutes until the caps feel softly set. Cut one bite through the center and look for a dense dark crumb around a soft pale banana coin. Overheated chocolate turns dull and grainy. Gentle melting preserves cocoa butter crystals and shine.
Notes
Nutrition
Banana Brownie Bites FAQ
Yes. Bake them up to 2 days before serving. Wait to add the chocolate caps until the day you need them. Keep the plain bites sealed at room temperature below 72°F, then coat them at least 20 minutes before plating.
Too much mashed banana is the usual cause. Keep the mashed portion near 170 grams and bake until the centers reach 195°F to 200°F. If they still look wet after 14 minutes, add 1 to 2 minutes and check again.
Yes, but mix the doubled batter in at least a 5-quart bowl so the cocoa folds evenly. Fill two mini muffin tins and bake them on separate racks. Swap the racks and rotate both tins at minute 7, then expect 13 to 16 minutes total.
Mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water and rest it for 10 minutes. The bites will feel softer and less springy, so bake them 2 minutes longer. Cool them for 15 minutes before unmolding because the sides tear more easily.
Freeze the uncoated bites on a plate for 1 hour. Then transfer them to a sealed freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 45 minutes and add the melted chocolate only after the centers no longer feel cold.
Serve three bites per person with fresh strawberries or a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. For brunch, pair them with hot coffee and let the bites sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. That brief rest softens the chocolate cap and brings back the banana aroma.
A Final Note
Make Banana Brownie Bites on a music-filled weekend afternoon, like I do, and you’ll quickly see why my family can’t stop eating them. Don’t skip the 10-minute cooling trick, it’s what turns them from just okay into seriously fudgy bites.
Tag me on Instagram when you bake a batch, and serve them with our Iced Coffee. Liam says hi, too.
He ate half during testing, which is huge praise from a 5-year-old.
Ripe bananas taste sweeter because enzymes convert more starch into simple sugars as the peel develops brown spots. That natural change helps these bites stay sweet with only 1/3 cup maple syrup.
