Banana Coconut Bars: Your new favorite easy, healthy, and tasty dessert recipe
If you’re craving something sweet, healthy, and you love coconut…these bars are for you!
These banana coconut bars are easy and quick to make, and you most likely have the ingredients in your household right now!
If you’re tired of making banana bread from old bananas, this sweet recipe is another creative way to use up those overripe bananas sitting on the counter.
These tasty dessert bars are deliciously soft, sweet and rich— and they don’t make you feel sluggish. The wholesome ingredients used in this recipe will keep your energy levels stable and are easy to digest so you feel satisfied and light.
Ingredients
2 overripe bananas
1 cup almond butter
½ cup maple syrup
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup coconut flour
¼ cup shredded coconut
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup chocolate chips (or as many as your heart desires)
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a 9x9 inch baking dish with parchment paper
In a large mixing bowl, add bananas and mash until smooth
Add in almond butter, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla and whisk until smooth and combined
Add in coconut flour, shredded coconut, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt and stir to combine
Stir in chocolate chips
Pour batter into the baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes (until set and golden brown)
Let cool for at least 15 minutes, cut into desired size squares, and enjoy!
Storage
I like to keep any leftovers in the fridge, and they will stay good in there for up to a week. Make sure to store them in an airtight container.
You can also freeze any leftovers for up to three months in a sealed plastic bag!
How Banana Coconut Bars Fuel Your Body
You’ve gotta love that there can be health benefits to eating something sweet! The maple syrup is a healthy alternative to refined sugar, but the main ingredients that make this recipe so good for you are the bananas, coconut, and almonds.
Banana:
Bananas are rich in vitamins B6 and C, which aids in immune system and nervous system function.
Bananas are a great source of quick, easy-to-digest carbohydrates and fiber which will help with digestion (and can be consumed before or after a workout, if you need some motivation 😉).
Bananas are also a good source of magnesium and potassium, electrolytes that help with recovery and nerve function.
Bananas are also a good source of manganese, helping with energy, metabolism, and bone health.
Coconut:
Coconut contains MCTs, which provide an energy boost for fat metabolism, and fuel the brain. The MCTs in coconut also support good cholesterol levels, raising HDL (good) cholesterol and improving heart health.
Coconut contains fiber as well, leaving you feeling satisfied after eating while smoothing your digestion.
Coconut is rich in essential minerals: manganese, copper, iron, and selenium, which will help improve your bone health and metabolism.
Coconut can also help your immune system due to the lauric acid, which has been found to have antibacterial and antiviral properties, and continues to be studied today.
Almonds:
Almonds are highly nutrient-dense as they are packed with vitamin E, magnesium, fiber, and healthy monounsaturated fats. All of these components support heart health by:
improving cholesterol levels
assisting with blood sugar management
assisting in weight management
Almonds promote skin, bone, and gut health due to their antioxidant properties.
Give this deliciously sweet recipe a try and let me know how it went in the comments!
Share this easy recipe with (or bake it for) a sweet tooth you know who loves coconut, especially if they also experience gut health issues!
Love,
The Curly Goat
