These flavors really have all the fall flavors with a blend of pecans, cranberries and the banana keeps these cake-like bars nice and moist.
Everyone loves my banana bread or banana oatmeal cookies or cake, my coconut banana chocolate chip, and these are now a holiday favorite bar!
Of course, nuts can be optional, but a few pecans or walnuts complement the flavor with a nice crunch and for nut allergies just substitute pumpkin seeds.
Great for any unexpected company with a good cup of tea or coffee.
A little sprinkle on top of powdered sugar gives them that Christmasy look of snow on top.
Add more color with blueberries or add some pineapple and coconut to give this a more tropical fruit cake taste.
Either way, this is a basic recipe that by adding fruit you love that can including apples, peaches, and pears will change this adaptable recipe to your families taste!
Scroll down to this easy printable recipe card and keep a batch handy for any time!
A Versatile Bar Cake!
As I suggested, you can add any kind of fruit you like.
I really love the red colors bursting in the bars for holiday time so raspberries or chopped cranberries are preferred ( you can also use cherries chopped or even dried cranberries).
I think these can be the most creative bar for any holiday season.
I have added coconut and pecans to mine and made a tropical-style bar, then with the addition of white chocolate chips, it's a decadent dream banana bar!
Add as few or as many fruits and optional items as you like.
The ones below are just banana white chocolate and cranberries dried and fresh.
My Additions to Add Suggestion List:
- Coconut
- Pineapple
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- White Chocolate or Dark
- Dried fruits like raisins or cranberries
- Chopped Cherries
- Zest from Lemon or Oranges
- Pistachios, macadamia nuts, slivered almonds, walnuts, or pecans
- Powdered sugar topping, cinnamon and sugar mixed together on top or a drizzle of icing
Ingredients You Will Need to Make Banana Pecan Cranberry Bars
- mashed bananas
- butter
- sugar
- milk
- baking powder
- cinnamon
- eggs
- flour
- nuts of any kinds
- dried cranberries
- chopped fresh chopped cranberries, whole blueberries, or whole raspberries
- Garnish: powdered sugar or cinnamon and sugar mixed
- Optional: (Using 1/2 cup of 1 kind or combinations mixed) coconut, dried fruits like pineapple or raisins, grated orange or lemon peel
More Delicious Bars to Try
pumpkin zucchini bars
pecan pie bars
raspberry pistachio Linzer bars
magic white Christmas bars
blueberry cheesecake bars
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Cranberry Banana Snack Bars
These banana cranberry bars are really the perfect snack and they're great packed in lunches, for traveling or something to eat on the way to work.
You certainly don't have to wait for the holidays or special occassion to enjoy these fruit bars.
Plus you can mix and match whatever you like in this basic cake bar the batter is so versatie!
Psst, my favorite is the tropical bars, I use chopped fresh mango, coconut, and white chocolate. see what I mean?
One more idea, give them for gifts to those hard to buy for folks, neighbors or at the office, everyone will appreciate these homemade cranberry banana pecan bars.
Yield: 18
Banana Pecan Cranberry Bars
prep time: 8 Mcook time: 1 H & 10 Mtotal time: 1 H & 18 M
A perfect fall dessert using bananas, fresh cranberries and pecans. A little sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top and these become the most festive holiday fast bar cake ever!
ingredients:
- 2 mashed bananas
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup nuts of any kinds
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup chopped fresh chopped cranberries, whole blueberries, or whole raspberries
- Optional: (Using 1/2 cup of 1 kind or combinations mixed) coconut, dried fruits like pineapple or raisins, white or dark chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange peel
- Garnish: powdered sugar or cinnamon and sugar mixed
instructions:
How to cook Banana Pecan Cranberry Bars
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a loaf pan or cake pan you're using by greasing.
- Cream sugar and butter together with a hand mixer, then add the milk, eggs for 45 seconds.
- Blend by hand all dry ingredients into the wet mixture until blended together.
- Fold in the nuts, berries, and any other optional ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread batter evenly in the prepared greased loaf pan. or use a 9 x 9 square cake pan.
- Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes cleans at 350 degrees.
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More Awesome Banana Recipes:
Banana Old Fashioned Pudding
Zucchini Cream Cheese filled Banana Cake
Caramel Banana Flan
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2015. It was edited and re-published in 2019.