Banana Split Brownies

Name: Banana Split Brownies
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 2 dozen
Ingredients: 8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped; 3/4 cup butter, cubed; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 2 cups sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 cup maraschino cherries, chopped; TOPPING:; 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium); 1/3 cup strawberry preserves; 1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten; 1/4 cup chopped salted peanuts; Optional: Sliced bananas and additional chopped maraschino cherries

Total Time Prep: 45 min. Bake: 40 min. + cooling

Yield 2 dozen

Contest Winner

Test Kitchen Approved

How’s this for a dish? All the joy of a banana split without the mess. Everything in this recipe fits into one pan of delectable brownie bars. —Constance Sheckler, Chestertown, Maryland

Ingredients

8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup butter, cubed
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
TOPPING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium)
1/3 cup strawberry preserves
1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped salted peanuts
Optional: Sliced bananas and additional chopped maraschino cherries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth.
In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar on high speed 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla and chocolate mixture. Gradually stir in flour. Fold in cherries. Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan.
For topping, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in mashed banana and preserves. Add egg; beat on low speed just until blended. Spread over brownie batter; sprinkle with peanuts.
Bake until topping is set and a toothpick inserted into brownie portion comes out mostly clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Cut into bars. If desired, serve bars garnished with banana slices and additional cherries. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts

1 brownie: 262 calories, 16g fat (9g saturated fat), 57mg cholesterol, 101mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (23g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein.

How’s this for a dish? All the joy of a banana split without the mess. Everything in this recipe fits into one pan of delectable brownie bars. —Constance Sheckler, Chestertown, Maryland

Recipe Creator