Paleo Banana Chocolate Chip Bars (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

If you've got ripe bananas and are tired of banana bread, then make these healthy Paleo Banana Chocolate Chip Bars that are quick to whip up and allergy friendly. Grain free, gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free, this healthy dessert is a fun spin on classic banana bread.

The obvious go-to when you have some extra ripe bananas is to make banana bread, but that gets boring. I've made so many banana breads, I really wanted to make something different. I love a good bar because it's an easier to grab snack and even though this recipe is similar to banana bread, these chocolate chip banana bars are just different, okay?! Different shape means different taste and mouth feel, ya get me? 

I love these healthy chocolate chip banana bread bars because they are fluffy and filled with oooey-gooey chocolate. So many banana bars I see out there have something like peanut or almond butter in them and they turn out quite dense and fudgy. Totally fine if that's what you're after, but I wanted something light and fluffy and these paleo banana bars are just that!

Why You'll Love these Paleo Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

• They are allergy friendly:​ not only are they gluten free and dairy free, they are fully grain free, corn free, nut free, and refined sugar free! They are the ultimate allergy friendly and healthy snack that you can feel safe bringing to any get together or sending in your kids lunch box.
• They are healthier banana bars: my paleo banana bread bars contain a fraction of the added sugar that most recipes do and use an unrefined sweetener for a lower glycemic index treat. If you don't know, I am the queen of healthy dessert recipes (it's just what I do), so you can find lots of delicious, good for you desserts on my site.
• This is an easy recipe: these snack bars come together quickly and bakes in 30 minutes, so you can have a gooey banana and chocolate treat in no time!

Paleo Chocolate Chip Banana Bar Ingredients

• Tigernut flour: a great grain free and nut free flour for paleo baking. It provides some a grounded sweetness without needing to add extra sugar to the recipe.
• Cassava flour: another great paleo flour to bake with.
• Coconut flour: using a mix of grain free flours produces the best texture so you'll never know these are paleo!
• Tapioca starch: adding a little starch to gluten free baked goods helps the texture be light and airy.
• Banana: can't have banana bars without banana! make sure to use super ripe, spotty bananas.
• Eggs: you'll need 2 large eggs for this recipe.
• Olive oil: these healthy banana bars use olive oil for a heart healthy fat.
• Maple syrup: the sweetener in these banana bread bars that keeps them refined sugar free. Be sure to use pure maple syrup for the best flavor.
• Chocolate chips: make sure to use a refined sugar free version like HU Kitchen if you want to keep this recipe refined sugar free. And don't skimp on adding them, the perfect bite always contains plenty of melty chocolate chips!
• Baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract

​How to Make Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

• Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9x9 or 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
• Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Mash the bananas in a large bowl then add the remaining wet ingredients and beat with a stand mixer or hand mixer until combined.

• Add the flour mixture to the wet and mix on low until just combined. Do not over mix.
• Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a wooden toothpick just comes out clean. Let cool in the dish for at least 10 minutes before removing with the parchment paper to a wire rack.

Substitutions and Variations 

• Flour: you can use almond flour instead of tigernut flour if you tolerate nuts. See FAQ below for a gluten free option.
• Eggs: I haven't tested a vegan version, but I think an egg replacer like flax eggs would work. Just make sure to use a double dose of whatever egg replacer you try and leave a comment letting me know how it went.
• Oil: I use olive oil in this recipe, but melted butter or melted coconut oil could work. Olive oil produces quite a light and airy texture, so the bars may be a bit more dense if you use a fat that solidifies.
• Chocolate chips: I love using dark chocolate chips, but you can use milk for semisweet chocolate chips. I also loving using a mix of the HU gems and mini chocolate chips. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top of the bars before baking for appearance and flavor.
• Add-ins: a great addition to these healthy banana bread bars would be walnuts or another chopped nut of choice.

Baking Tips

• Mash bananas well. For any banana bread recipe, you want to make sure to use well mashed bananas. This helps distribute the banana flavor throughout the batter (and bite!), so you don't just end up with clumps of banana in only certain parts of the finished product.
• Measure flour correctly. Paleo baking can sometimes be a miss, leaving your baked goods dry or rubbery. This is often because you used too much flour. The best way to measure flour is to scoop it into your measuring cup with a spoon then level it off. This ensures it's not packed and you don't end up with too much flour, resulting in dry baked goods. This commonly happens in gluten free and grain free baking which we definitely want to avoid! 
• Don't over mix the batter! Over mixing, especially with gluten free baking, can result in a dense and gummy texture. You want to mix the flour into the wet ingredients until it's just combined. It's okay if there are a couple flour streaks, those will get mixed in as you fold in the chocolate chips.
• Don't over bake. Gluten free baked goods dry out quickly, so you don't want to over bake these banana bars. Start checking them at 30 minutes, or even at 25 if you are at high altitude. Baking time can vary by altitude and oven and I promise you don't want to over bake these. You want a tooth pick inserted in the center of the bars to come out with a few crumbs on it. If it comes out covered in wet batter, they aren't done yet. 
• Top with flaky sea salt for a little extra oomph, just like you would with chocolate chip cookies!

How to Quickly Ripen Bananas

If these gluten free banana bread bars are calling your name, but your bananas aren't ripe yet, here's how you can quickly ripen some bananas.

1. If you have a day, place them in a brown paper bag with an apple overnight. Place the bag in a warm location for even more of a ripening boost!
2. Bake unpeeled bananas in the oven at 300F for 15+ minutes, until soft and peels are black. Make sure to place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
3. Microwave them! Poke holes in unpeeled bananas then place on a paper towel lined plate and microwave at 30 second intervals until soft.

Storage

Keep these paleo banana bread bars stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze individually sliced bars in a freezer safe bag/container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or warm at a low temperature in the oven.

How to Serve Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

I love warming these in the microwave or oven until the chocolate is melty, then serving them with a scoop of dairy free vanilla ice cream. You could even drizzle on some peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or granola butter!

FAQ

More Gluten Free Banana Recipes

Nut Free Paleo Banana Bread

Gluten Free Walnut Crumble Banana Bread

Gluten and Vegan Banana Cream Pie

Gluten Free Chocolate Walnut Banana Muffins

Banana Pudding Ice Cream Sandwiches

Gluten Free Fudgy Chocolate Banana Bread

If you try this recipe, please leave a rating a review. Tag me on social media and leave any questions in the comments below.