Monkey Bars

Monkey bars take everything good about banana bread and bake it thin into a chewy, glaze-drizzled bar. Two ripe mashed bananas carry the structure, while buttermilk keeps the crumb tender and brown sugar gives that caramel back-note that plain banana bread sometimes misses.

Only a tablespoon of oil goes in, which is why these stay light rather than greasy. The batter is mixed by hand at the end — once the flour goes in, fold just until blended so the gluten does not toughen up.

Chopped walnuts fold in for crunch. A nine-inch square pan keeps the bars in the right thickness range; they bake in 25 to 30 minutes and the toothpick test is the only reliable doneness check because banana bars look set before the center cooks through.

A quick chocolate sugar drizzle (add water one drop at a time) goes on once the slab is fully cooled, otherwise it melts and disappears. Cut into twelve squares.

Kitchen Tips

• Use the spottiest bananas you can find; the more black skin, the more sweetness and banana flavor.
• Do not overmix once the flour goes in or the bars will turn gummy and dense.
• If you do not have buttermilk, stir ½ teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar into ¼ cup of regular milk and let it sit 5 minutes.
• Cool completely before drizzling and slicing; warm bars crumble and the glaze runs off.

Variations

• Swap walnuts for pecans or skip nuts entirely and fold in chocolate chips.
• Use plain powdered sugar with a splash of vanilla for the drizzle if you want a non-chocolate finish.
• Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the dry mix for a spiced banana bar.