Banana and Dark Chocolate Bumper Bars

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Homemade banana and chocolate bumper bars made from golden syrup, butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, coconut, seeds, mashed banana, banana chips and dark chocolate. Perfect for school lunchboxes, tramping or morning tea.

Four stacked oatmeal cookie bars with visible chocolate chunks on a patterned plate.

Our surprise, runaway recipe this year was our Apricot and Dark Chocolate Bumper Bars. So with no time to waste, we got cracking on these Banana and Dark Chocolate Bumper Bars to add to the collection. Guys, they do not miss! Just like your favourite store bought treat, these bars are the perfect combination of flavours and textures. Honestly, I can't stop making and eating them! Let me know in the comments below if you like this version too.

Ingredient notes:

A selection of baking ingredients on a wooden surface, including flour, brown sugar, oats, desiccated coconut, butter, golden syrup, dark chocolate, a banana, dried banana chips, and sunflower seeds.

Banana: To get the maximum banana flavour, I've used a combination of mashed banana and banana chips. It's perfect!
Chocolate: My favourite dark chocolate to use in baking is the Whittaker's 50% Dark Block. If you like it darker, feel free to use the 72% Dark Ghana instead.
Oats and coconut: These are both key to giving the bars their signature chewiness.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.

Step by step instructions:

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake. Line a 27 x 17 cm slice tin with baking paper. In a large glass bowl, melt the butter and golden syrup in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in the brown sugar.

A bowl containing melted butter mixed with brown sugar, creating a smooth, amber-colored liquid.

A glass bowl containing melted butter, shredded coconut, flour, and chopped nuts, ready to be mixed for baking.

Add the flour, oats and coconut, then stir to combine. Add the sunflower seeds, banana chips, mashed banana and dark chocolate, then mix until evenly combined. Press the mixture into the lined tin.

A glass bowl containing chopped dark chocolate, sunflower seeds, mashed banana, oats, and what appears to be chopped nuts and honey.

Unbaked cookie dough mixture with visible oats, chocolate chunks, and nuts in a mixing bowl.

Bake for 20 minutes until just starting to brown around the edges but still soft in the centre.

A parchment-lined baking pan filled with unbaked oat and chocolate chip cookie dough sits on a wooden surface.

A rectangular baking tray lined with parchment paper holds a baked oat and chocolate chip bar on a wooden surface.

Leave to cool in the tin then refrigerate until completely chilled.

Twelve rectangular oat and chocolate chip bars are arranged on a wooden cutting board.

A close-up of a homemade granola bar with visible oats, nuts, and chocolate chunks on a wooden surface; a plate with more bars is in the background.

Once chilled and set (at least 3 hours), remove from the tin and slice into bars.

A person holds up a stack of four thick, homemade oat bars with visible chunks of chocolate.

Recipe FAQs:

Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate?

Yes, milk chocolate works well if you prefer a sweeter slice. White chocolate would also pair nicely with the banana.

Can these be frozen?

Absolutely. Slice into bars first, then freeze in an airtight container with baking paper between layers for up to 3 months.

Why do the bars seem soft after baking?

They are meant to be slightly soft in the centre when removed from the oven. Chilling helps them firm up perfectly.

Storage:

Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. They can also be kept in the pantry for up to 3 days, although the chocolate may soften in warmer weather. Freeze individually wrapped bars for easy lunchbox snacks or quick treats.

A plastic container holds two rows of homemade oat bars, some with chocolate chunks and others with visible dried fruit pieces.

Top tips:

Roughly chop the banana and chocolate into similar-sized pieces so every slice has an even mix throughout.
Don't over bake the slice. The centre should still feel slightly soft when removed from the oven as it will firm up while cooling.
Swap the sunflower seeds for pumpkin seeds or chopped almonds if preferred.

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Banana and Dark Chocolate Bumper Bars

Yield: Makes 12 bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes

Homemade banana chocolate bumper bars made from golden syrup, butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, coconut, seeds, mashed banana, banana chips and dark chocolate.

Ingredients

150g butter
2 Tbsp golden syrup, 40g
½ cup brown sugar, 100g
1 cup plain flour, 150g
½ cup quick rolled oats
½ cup desiccated coconut
½ cup sunflower seeds, roughly chopped
1 banana, mashed
50g banana chips, chopped
125g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake. Line a 27 x 17 cm slice tin with baking paper.
In a large glass bowl, melt the butter and golden syrup in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in the brown sugar.
Add the flour, oats and coconut, then stir to combine.
Add the sunflower seeds, banana chips, mashed banana and dark chocolate, then mix until evenly combined. Press the mixture into the lined tin.
Bake for 20 minutes until just starting to brown around the edges but still soft in the centre.
Leave to cool in the tin then refrigerate until completely chilled.
Once chilled and set (at least 3 hours), remove from the tin and slice into bars.

Notes

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the pantry for up to 3 days.
I kept mine in the fridge overnight to set firmly then chopped them up the next day.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 443Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 13gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 733mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 5gSugar: 23gProtein: 7g

Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.

Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya