Chunky Monkey Bars

February 20, 2022

chunky monkey bars displayed on platter

Chunky Monkey Bars are delicious banana walnut cookie-like bars that are packed with plenty of chocolate chips.

chunky monkey bars displayed on platter

Ben & Jerry’s released an ice cream called, Chunky Monkey® in 1988. It’s a banana ice cream that is studded with chocolate chunks and walnuts. It’s a classic fan favorite. Now you can make these chunky monkey bars at home, and they have the same flavors!

the big fun kids baking book cookbook cover

This recipe comes from The Big, Fun Kids Baking Book by Food Network Magazine. I like this baking recipe book for kids because the instructions are written pretty simply (and okay for adults too). There are more than 100 baking treat recipes with photos of all. This book would be a great gift for the young foodie.

Here are a few more recipes that have caught my eye:

  • Salted Caramel Chocolate Muffins
  • Butterscotch Pretzel Bars
  • Plum Pie Cookies
  • Milk Chocolate Cookie Cups
  • Cookie Butter Cupcakes
  • PB&J Sheet Cake
  • Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
  • DIY Sprinkles

ingredients displayed for making chunky monkey bars

Ingredients needed:

  • all purpose flour
  • salt
  • unsalted butter
  • white sugar
  • dark brown sugar
  • eggs
  • overripe bananas
  • vanilla extract
  • semisweet chocolate chips
  • chopped walnuts

four photos showing how to make batter for chunky monkey bars

How to make Chunky Monkey Bars:

There is a full, printable recipe at the end of this post. You will need a 9×13-inch pan to make this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the pan with foil or parchment paper, and spray with nonstick spray.

Whisk together the flour and salt. In another bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter and sugars until creamy. Mix in the eggs, banana and vanilla.

Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

two photos showing batter in pan and then baked chunky monkey bars

Spread the batter in the pan with a rubber spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars comes out clean- 35 to 40 minutes.

chunky monkey bars in a pan

Remove the pan from the oven and let the bars cool completely.

chunky monkey bars

Lift the bars out of the pan using the overhanging foil. Peel off the foil. Cut into squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Enjoy!

How to freeze Chunky Monkey Bars:

These bars freeze beautifully so they’re a great make-ahead dessert option. 

  1. Bake and cool the cookie bars.
  2. Slice the bars into squares. If you lined your baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, simply pull the slab of bars out of the pan, place onto a cutting board, and cut into squares.
  3. Layer the bars between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container. The parchment paper ensures that the bars don’t stick to each other and that the tops of the cookie bars stay intact.
  4. Thaw the bars overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.

stack of three chunky monkey bars

Here are a few more banana dessert recipes you might like to try:

stack of three chunky monkey bars
Print

Chunky Monkey Bars

Chunky Monkey is one of Ben & Jerry's best-selling flavors!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword bars, chunky monkey
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 24 bars
Calories 285kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 large overripe banana, mashed with a fork
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil. leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Coat the foil with nonstick spray.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
  • In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter and sugars until creamy- about 2 minutes. Mix in the eggs, banana and vanilla; beat until combined. Beat in the flour mixture until just combined, then stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts with a wooden spoon.
  • Spread the batter in the pan with a rubber spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars comes out clean- 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the bars cool completely.
  • Lift the bars out of the pan using the overhanging foil. Peel off the foil. Cut into squares.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 288IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Chunky Monkey Bars appeared first on Recipe Girl®.

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