Remember the brownies I made a while ago? I made them extra special for you today. I added bananas. Rum-soaked bananas. But hey, if you don’t have any alcohol on hand, even just bananas slices will spice up your classic brownie recipe.
I LOVE the combination of chocolate and bananas. It is heavenly. At first I tried to incorporate mashed bananas into the batter by changing the ratios of the butter and eggs in the recipe. This is due the moistness that bananas add to the batter. I actually liked the outcome but it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for. Then I thought, why not just add small slices of bananas to my classic brownies recipe. And since I always have some alcohol in hand (not what you think), I decided to give the bananas a little kick.
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Most recipes of alcohol-soaked-something involve a stove, melting butter, sugar, flames and stuff like that. It’s not a big deal to do this, but I am all about simplicity (i.e. I am here to make your life – and mine easier), so my version of rum soaked bananas is simpler. I only put the bananas in a small bowl together with rum, sugar and spices and then cover it, letting the mixture soak while I make the brownies (or you can plan ahead and let it soak for a longer time).
The brownies turned out amazing. You can’t taste the alcohol, but you will taste a hint of cinnamon in every bite of the fresh, moist bananas slices, which complements the chocolate flavor.
When you are done making the batter, fold in the bananas slices, along with any leftover liquid in the bowl.
To read more about how to make my brownie recipe, check out my One-Bowl Fudgy Brownies post.

Rum Soaked Banana Brownies
Ingredients
- 2 bananas , cut into small slices
- ¼ cup dark rum/brandy
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
- 8 ounces (227 grams) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 227 grams) butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 ½ cups (300 grams or 10.5 ounces) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (155 grams or 5.4 ounces) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
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Start with the Rum-soaked bananas: In a small bowl, mix the bananas slices with all the other ingredients and leave to soak. Make sure the bananas are covered with the rum. Cover the bowl and set aside.
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Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
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In a large heat-proof bowl, put the chocolate and butter and melt in the microwave in 20 second-intervals, stirring in between each interval, until melted (or set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally). Add the sugar and whisk until combined.
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Add the eggs, one at a time, and whisk just until combined. Add the vanilla and stir. Do not over mix.
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Sift the flour and salt over the chocolate mixture and fold, using a rubber spatula, just until mixed. Fold in the bananas with any left liquid from the bowl.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the brownies cool completely, then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper and cut into squares.
Recipe Notes
-Store the brownies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
-Baked brownies can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw them on the counter, still covered, or overnight in the fridge.
Susan says
Do the banana slices turn brown?
Stephanie @ Pretty.Simple.Sweet. says
Hi Susan, they will oxidize a little bit, but you can clearly see the yellow bananas in the final product.