Browned Butter Banana Blondies with Fresh Milled Flour

If you’re like me, you are always looking for new banana recipes to use up those brown-spotted bananas left on the counter that no one wants to eat. Now, I wouldn’t call these healthy banana blondies, but more a banana bread version of a Texas sheet cake. The blonde brownie version of regular brownies. 

This easy recipe is basically banana bread’s cousin who shows up and makes you question why you’ve just been baking banana muffins your whole life.

So if you’ve got those overripe bananas giving you the guilt-trip stare from the counter, and you’ve got whole wheat berries sitting in your pantry, you’ve officially entered your from-scratch baking era. You love making these fresh milled browned butter banana blondies.

Want more fun recipes? Try making Fudgy Brownies, Sourdough Discard Ricotta Donuts, Pumpkin Raisin & Pecan Muffins, Sourdough Apple Pie Cobbler, Sourdough Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins,

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There are a million banana bread spinoffs out there, but this one? It’s a great recipe and sneaks in some wholesome ingredients. One saucepan, no stress. No mixer needed, no mountain of dishes.

The best blondies, perfect for those “I want something amazing but I also don’t feel like trying too hard” baking days.

Browned butter magic. Seriously, if you’ve never browned butter before, you’re in for a life-changing kitchen moment. This take on melted butter adds a deep, almost toffee-like flavor that makes these blondies taste like they came from a fancy bakery.

Perfectly rich and moist. Thanks to the banana and just the right ratio of flour-to-butter-to-sugar, these blondies have that soft and fudgy center with golden edges. 

Wholesome but indulgent. Fresh milled whole wheat flour gives a subtle nutty flavor and extra nutrition without sacrificing the dessert vibes. 

Why Fresh Milled Flour?

I love baking with fresh milled flour because it gives a whole new level of flavor and nutrition to everything—especially blondies. It’s full, complex, and so much more interesting and nutritious than plain white flour. Plus, you get all the bran and germ goodness so your gut will thank you for later.

And if you’re new to milling your own flour: don’t worry, it’s easier than it sounds.

How to Make Browned Butter Banana Blondies

Brown the Butter: In a medium saucepan, melt your butter over medium heat. Stir frequently and watch as it starts to foam, then the butterfat starts to turn golden, then nutty and brown. Let it cool for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix Up Wet Ingredients: To the browned butter, add brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir until smooth. Then mix in egg and mashed banana.

Add Dry Ingredients: Grind berries and slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and you have a pretty smooth batter. A few lumps are okay, don’t overmix.

Prepare Blondies: Line your prepared pan with parchment paper, or grease well. Spread the batter in an even layer into the bottom of the pan. Let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Bake: Bake for approximately 25–35 minutes, depending on the pan size, or until the center is set, the edges are golden brown, and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.

Make Frosting: While the baked blondies cool in the pan, rinse and dry the same saucepan to make the icing. Melt butter, brown sugar, and milk together and bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Frost: Remove from heat, quickly stir in vanilla, then whisk in powdered sugar. Frost immediately.

Cool: Let blondies cool completely if you want neat squares…or go in warm and messy. Serve with fresh blackberries or raspberries and whipped cream.

Tips & Tricks

I recommend using this combo of soft white wheat and spelt if you want a lighter crumb and soft texture, but you can use all soft white or play around with other grains!

Don’t overbake! Blondies should be moist and dense, but not cakey or crunchy. Serve with a cup of tea, coffee, or hot cocoa and some fresh berries on the side.

Store any leftovers in a covered or airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also store them in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Blondie Variations to Try

Want to make these even more scrumptious? Try adding a dollop of peanut butter and some crumbled bacon to the frosting for an Elvis vibe.

Throw in some butterscotch chips with the brown sugar frosting for a more caramelly flavor that complements the sweet banana flavor. You could even try making a cream cheese frosting.

Sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt or chopped walnuts just after frosting for that fancy bakery vibe, or try browning your butter for the frosting too! 

These browned butter banana blondies are the kind of cozy, crowd-pleasing treat that disappear fast—so maybe double batch it if you’ve got snacky humans around. They’re my favorite way to use up brown bananas and feel a little extra fancy, get delicious flavor without much effort.

So go grab those spotty bananas and turn them into something magical. And if you make these, I’d love to hear how they turn out!

Continue to Content

Browned Butter Banana Blondies with Fresh Milled Flour

Yield: 20 Bars

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

These rich and chewy browned butter banana blondies are made with fresh milled flour. Perfect for dessert or snack time!

Print

Ingredients

Blondies

• 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, browned
• 1 Cup (220g) Brown Sugar
• 1 Egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/3 Cup (45g) Soft White Wheat Berries
• 1/3 Cup (63g) Spelt Berries
• 1-2 Bananas, overripe and mashed

Frosting

• 1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, melted
• 1/2 Cup (110g) Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Milk
• 1 Cup (112g) Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, melt your butter over medium heat. Stir frequently and watch as it starts to foam, then the butterfat starts to turn golden, then nutty and brown. Let it cool for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To the browned butter, add brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir until smooth. Then mix in egg and mashed banana.

Grind berries and slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and you have a pretty smooth batter. A few lumps are okay, don't overmix.

Line your prepared pan with parchment paper, or grease well. Spread the batter in an even layer into the pan. Let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Bake for approximately 25–35 minutes, depending on the pan size, or until the center is set, the edges are golden brown, and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.

While the baked blondies cool in the pan, rinse and dry the same saucepan to make the icing. Melt butter, brown sugar, and milk together and bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat, quickly stir in vanilla, then whisk in powdered sugar. Frost immediately.

Let blondies cool completely if you want neat squares. Serve with fresh blackberries or raspberries and whipped cream.

Notes

• Use an 8x8 square pan (approx. 30 minutes) or a small 7 x 10 rectangle pan (approx. 25 minutes)
• Line pan with parchment paper for easy removal of the blondies
• Dark brown sugar or light brown work
• Store any leftovers in an airtight or covered container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Nutrition Information

Yield 20 Serving Size 1 bar
Amount Per Serving Calories 74Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 28mgSodium 58mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 1g

*This has not been evaluated by the FDA