Tangy Banana Bars

These banana bars get their tangy personality from a generous pour of apricot preserves stirred right into the brown sugar batter. The preserves add fruity acidity and moisture that plain banana bars just don’t have, and the apricot flavor plays off the banana beautifully.

Sliced bananas go into the batter along with chopped nuts, giving you pockets of soft fruit and crunchy bits in every square. The brown sugar base bakes into something chewy and dense, almost like a blondie but with more fruit character.

Mix by hand, not with a mixer. Over-beating develops gluten and turns these from tender bars into tough, cakey rectangles. Stir just until the flour disappears and stop.

Pro Tips

• Use ripe bananas with brown spots. They’re sweeter and softer, which means they blend into the batter better.
• Lightly spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Scooping packs the flour and adds too much, making the bars dry.
• Cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar. Warm bars melt the sugar into a sticky paste.
• Store in a single layer or between parchment paper. The powdered sugar sticks if bars touch.

Variations

• Swap apricot preserves for raspberry or peach jam for a different fruit pairing.
• Add a handful of chocolate chips to the batter for a banana-chocolate version.
• Use pecans or walnuts for the chopped nuts, depending on your preference.