Banana Bars Recipe

An old classic recipe for homemade Banana Cookie Bars!

I have a soft spot for old-fashioned tried and true recipes like this Banana Bar Recipe. They tend to be simple without a lot of fancy ingredients.

While I love to bake, I don't love running around to specialty markets hunting for exotic items I'll probably use only once. With baking, as with life, my motto is to keep it simple.

I'm also a banana lover with a propensity for banana-flavored baked treats - banana bread, banana cookies, banana cake, banana muffins. There's something so homey and comforting about them.

This Banana Bar recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Sylvia's Cakes & Breads: Famous Recipes from a Small Maine Kitchen by Sylvia Adams Hocking, who ran a small bake-shop and mail-order business from her home in Maine.

One of her most famous customers was Julie Andrews, who wrote the book's foreword. It's full of old-fashioned recipes for home-style baked goods that are delicious and comforting. Now out of print, this book is one of my treasures.

In her book, Sylvia introduces these Banana Cookie Bars by saying, "Packed in pretty tins, these make a nice holiday gift." I don't know about you, but it's been way too long since I received a tin of homemade cookies or bars at the holidays. I hope to resurrect the tradition this holiday season, beginning with Sylvia's Banana Bars!

You won't believe how easy these homemade bars are to make. Just stir the batter together in a single bowl and spread it in a pan before baking. You can dust your banana bars with confectioner's sugar or spread them with a simple creamy vanilla frosting to make them extra special. They make a great dessert and would be nice as a thoughtful hostess gift too.

Remember to completely read the Banana Bar Recipe and gather all your ingredients on the counter before beginning to bake. It can save you the frustration of realizing that you are missing a key ingredient midstream.

These Banana Cookie Bars will taste best when you use very ripe bananas!

Vanilla Frosting Recipe

In a medium saucepan, heat 1/4 cup butter with 3 to 4 tablespoons of milk until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and stir in 3 cups confectioner's sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir with a spoon or whisk until smooth.

This Banana Bar Recipe is adapted from Sylvia's Cakes & Breads: Famous Recipes from a Small Maine Kitchen by Sylvia Hocking.

Banana Cookie Bar Recipe Variations

• Banana Nut Bars: Stir in 1 cup chopped walnuts instead of the maraschino cherries and bake as directed.
• Pineapple Banana Coconut Bars: Stir in 1 cup coconut instead of the cherries and bake as directed.

Tools for the Cookie Bar Baker:

A High Quality Stainless Steel Spatula for lifting cookies from your cookie sheets.

Stackable Cooling Racks - especially if counter space is at a premium!