Banana Fudge Brownies with Coconut Oil Recipe

These coconut banana fudge brownies are the best thing I ever baked, hands down.

This surprised me, since I’m more a savory person than a sweet one. If given the option for two appetizers or one appetizer and a dessert, I’ll always choose that extra appetizer.

However, I was craving brownies one day, had a few bananas rotting on my counter, and had just been sent a jar of coconut oil from a Bellingham-based food company. I thought, “The time to develop a dessert recipe is now.”

I can not emphasize enough how obsessed I am with this banana fudge brownie recipe. They are the gooey-est, moistest ones I’ve ever had. The banana and coconut oil create a magical combination that keep these beauties moist for days. Make these for your next BBQ or party and you’re sure to be the talk of the event for years to come.

Creating These Coconut Banana Fudge Brownies

I wish I could tell you it was a breeze creating this coconut banana fudge brownie recipe. But it wasn’t. My first batch were a complete failure.

I originally wanted to make a coconut banana tahini brownie, but the tahini made the brownies too oily and they just never set properly. They were too chewy, which broke my heart because I was so excited by the flavor combo.

Determined to do better, I went back to the drawing board and started researching more about brownie recipes. I’d read from multiple sources that you could substitute 1 banana for 1 egg. I also read you could substitute coconut oil for butter 1:1. So I did this, but why hadn’t my damn brownies come out awesome?

I was hoping that just removing the tahini would be enough, but there was a voice in the back of my head telling me there had to be something else.

Then, the clouds parted and the answer presented itself.

I was going manic reading all about coconut oil and butter substitution when I found a one-liner in an article that said recipes with baking powder affect this conversion ratio. I am trying to retrace my footsteps to link to this source of truth, but I can’t find it. No other article or recipe mentioned this, but there was something in me that said this was true.

So I researched brownie recipes that left out both baking powder and baking soda (you know, just to be safe) and landed on this one from Alton Brown (he can’t do any wrong, amiright?). Using this as my baseline, I subbed one banana in for an egg and half the coconut oil for the butter. Then I added sesame seeds as an ode to the tahini.

The result? This irresistibly moist coconut banana fudge brownie recipe.

Choosing Coconut Oil for These Brownies

I never really thought much about the coconut oil I bought at the food store. I’d open it, toss it in a sauté pan, and call it a day. But as soon as I opened the Roots and All coconut oil the now-defunct Bellingham company sent me, I knew I’d be thinking about this coconut oil well after I finished cooking.

That’s because the smell of coconut immediately hits you in the nose. I’d never noticed the smell of coconut oil so prominently, and this one was so strong I just had to stick my nose in the jar. It smelled exactly like coconut. And not the artificial scent from Bath & Body Works. Real coconut.

This strong scent made me immediately grab a spoon. Is it possible that a coconut oil that smells exactly like coconut also taste exactly like coconut? I had to know.

Well, let me tell you. This stuff tastes better than fresh coconut.

It tastes like a damn Almond Joy candy bar! I’m not sure how this is possible, but I swear I was eating that chocolate covered candy bar that’s popular in bulk Halloween candy bags. It’s sweet, super coconut-forward, and has this rounded out flavor not too unlike chocolate.

I knew that this combination would make it perfect in a brownie. And boy, was I right. But why am I telling you this if making brownies with coconut oil from Roots and All is not a possibility. Well, because it proves that the quality of coconut oil matters. So while you can definitely make these brownies with any coconut oil, I recommend finding an artisanal one that tastes like real coconut. Even if it’s pricey, it’ll last forever and is a worthy staple to add to your pantry.

What These Coconut Banana Fudge Brownies Taste Like

So full transparency, when I bake, it’s usually for the batter more than anything else. When I was done mixing all the brownie ingredients together, I just had to try that silky, raw goodness.

The banana and coconut oil are super pronounced in the brownie mixture. It tastes sweet as if that Almond Joy had a tryst with a banana.

When baked, that banana really shines. It’s like you’re eating banana bread, but it’s sweeter and fudgier from the melted chocolate. I’m still eating these brownies 4 days after making them and the banana flavor is still going strong.

While the banana takes center stage right out of the oven, the coconut oil comes forward a few days in. I didn’t notice it as much when eating the brownies fresh, but once the oil had a chance to settle and seep out of the brownies you could really taste the fresh coconut flavors.

And let’s talk about the moistness.

I’m famous for never eating the goodies I bake. That’s because they tend to get harder…almost as if they’re going stale. But the banana and coconut oil help keep this brownie moist, fudgy, and gooey for days. Seriously…you can still see the melted chocolate chips days later! And the dark chocolate flavor just keeps getting more pronounced.

As far as texture, these are thick, fluffy, and gooey brownies. They don’t have that crisp crust like most brownie recipes, but they also aren’t as light as a cake. Rather, they’re dense, while somehow feeling light and moist. I’d never really had a brownie this consistency before, but I have to say, I wish more of the ones I had were like this one!

My boyfriend kept saying days after I made this recipe, “These might be the best brownies I have had.” At first I thought he was just saying that to be nice, considering what heartache went into this recipe. But then I realized I was thinking about the brownies at my desk one day. That’s when it hit me…these might damn well be the best moist, fudgy brownies I ever had, too, even compared to all the best desserts in Seattle!

The Brownie Recipe

Makes ~16 squares | Active 20 minutes | 75 minutes total

Ingredients

4 ounces (~8 Tbsp.) good quality coconut oil, melted
3 large eggs
1 small-medium overripe banana
1 cup granulated sugar, sifted
1 cup brown sugar, sifted
4 ounces (~8 Tbsp.) butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups cocoa, sifted (I used dark dutch cocoa powder)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

Place the oven grate in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F.
Put parchment paper in a 8×8″ or 9×9″ baking dish (I used a 9×9 metal pan). Dip a pastry brush into the melted coconut oil and lightly grease the parchment paper. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. Add both sifted sugars. Mix until incorporated. Mash the banana in a separate bowl while you wait.
Add the melted butter, remaining melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and pureed banana. Mix until incorporated.
Add the sifted cocoa, all-purpose flour, and salt. Mix until just incorporated. Remove from stand mixer and fold the chocolate chips in until the dry ingredients are mixed into the wet. Don’t over mix!
Pour the brownie batter into the greased pan and add it to the preheated oven. Bake on the top rack for 45-55 minutes. If using the sesame seeds, add them to the brownies about 35-40 minutes in so they have time to set. You can check for doneness by sticking a toothpick into the center and seeing if it comes out mostly clean. Or look for the sides to be slightly pulled away from the pan and the center no longer jiggly. The key is to not overcook the brownies to keep them extra fudgy.
Let cool completely before cutting…if you can wait. Serve and enjoy!

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Nutritional Facts Disclaimer: I am not a registered nutritionist and therefore these numbers are approximate. I researched the serving sizes and facts for each ingredient in this recipe (mostly using the manufacturer labels and this site), but slight variations in things like seasoning, garnishes, and substitutions can change the nutritional information. Use this information only as a general indication of your nutritional intake.