Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

If there’s one thing I love, it’s banana bread. I make it all the time! And it probably goes without saying that bananas and chocolate is a classic and perfect pairing. So I came up with this chocolate chip banana bread recipe, which I think is the ideal blend of the two flavors.

Chocolate chips aren’t an overpowering kind of chocolate, so the banana still shines through in this recipe. It has all the traditional flavors of a tender, moist banana bread, but with an extra kick from the chocolate chips. The chocolate chips warm up as the banana bread bakes, and start to melt into the bread a little bit. 

I can’t imagine a better treat. I love to eat a piece of this chocolate chip banana bread in the afternoon with a cup of coffee, but it also works perfectly as a dessert. Or as a breakfast, if you’re feeling a little decadent! 

Ingredients

Here’s everything you need to make this chocolate chip banana bread recipe. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the article for the specific amounts of each ingredient.

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Ground cinnamon
• Kosher salt
• Mashed bananas
• Brown sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar for this recipe. Light brown sugar will give a milder caramel flavor, similar to chocolate chip cookies. Dark brown sugar will give a richer molasses flavor. 
• Eggs – You should use eggs that are at room temperature.
• Butter – Use unsalted butter that has been melted and cooled down to room temperature.
• Vanilla extract – Make sure you use pure vanilla extract, rather than something with artificial flavors.
• Chocolate chips
• Turbinado sugar

What is Turbinado Sugar? 

Turbinado sugar is a type of sugar that has been minimally processed. It comes in larger, coarser crystals than granulated sugar, and it doesn’t dissolve when heated. Because of this, you don’t want to use it as a sugar replacement in baking. In this recipe, turbinado sugar is sprinkled on top of the chocolate chip banana bread to add a sugary crunch. 

How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This is an easy recipe to make, and it only has a few steps.

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F, and grease a 9×5-inch baking pan.
• Mix the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to a bowl. Stir until combined.
• Make the banana mixture. Add the mashed bananas and the brown sugar to a bowl, and mix until smooth.
• Add the wet ingredients. Add the butter, eggs, and vanilla to the banana mixture, and stir until well combined. 
• Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir until combined. Then fold in some of the chocolate chips. 
• Bake. Pour the banana bread batter into the baking pan. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the top, and cover with the rest of the chocolate chips. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the banana bread comes out clean, and the bread is golden brown. This should take 50-60 minutes. 
• Cool. Remove the chocolate chip banana bread from the oven, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then remove the bread from the pan, and cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature.

Tips for Success

Here are a few things you can do to make sure that your chocolate chip banana bread is soft, moist, and packed with flavor.

• Use brown bananas. One of the keys to getting a strong banana flavor, and a soft texture is to use brown bananas. You don’t want to use ripe bananas, or yellow bananas that have some brown spots. No, you want to use bananas that are actually brown. These bananas have a stronger banana flavor, a higher sugar content, and will mix better with the batter to create a moist and tender bread.
• Use a loaf pan. It’s important to not use a dark cake pan for this recipe. Dark pans retain more heat, which can lead to burning. Because this recipe is pretty high in sugar, from the brown sugar and the bananas, it’s susceptible to browning too quickly. Use a light loaf pan to keep that from happening. 
• Don’t over mix the batter. When you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, make sure you don’t over mix the batter. Stir until all the ingredients are combined, and then stop. If you mix the batter too much, it will become dense, rather than airy and light. 
• Tent if you need to. Keep an eye on the banana bread when it’s in the oven. If you notice that it’s golden brown before it’s baked all the way through, then cover it with aluminum foil to keep it from burning. 
• Cool all the way. This chocolate chip banana bread smells so good, and the moment you take it out of the oven you’ll want to devour it. But resist that temptation! For best results, let the banana bread cool all the way before eating. This will allow the dough to firm up, so that the banana bread isn’t crumbly or mushy. 

How to Serve

This chocolate chip banana bread is perfect on its own, but sometimes I like to serve it with some toppings, too. Here are a few options.

• Add a pat of butter for a richer banana bread. 
• Spread a layer of jam for added sweetness. 
• Top with your favorite nut butter for a heartier snack. 
• Cover with ice cream or whipped cream for a decadent dessert. 

How to Store Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

You can store banana bread at room temperature for up to 4 days. Just wait until the bread is fully cooled, then place it in an airtight plastic bag, or cover it in plastic wrap. You can also store it this way in the fridge for up to 1 week. 

Banana bread is great cold or at room temperature, but you can reheat it in the toaster on a low setting if you want it to be hot. 

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

It definitely can. Place the banana bread in an airtight bag, or cover it in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

I like to cut my banana bread before freezing it, so that I can take one or two slices out at a time. You can heat those up directly in the toaster for a quick snack.

More Banana Bread Recipes

Like I mentioned before, I love all things banana bread! If you enjoyed this chocolate chip banana bread recipe, then check out some of my other favorite banana breads. 

• Healthy Banana Bread
• Classic Banana Bread
• Chocolate Banana Bread
• Peanut Butter Banana Bread
• Zucchini Banana Bread
• Buttermilk Banana Bread
• Blueberry Banana Bread

Breakfast/Brunch

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This chocolate chip banana bread combines two ingredients that were made for each other: bananas, and chocolate. It's easy to make, full of rich, sweet flavors, and the perfect use for aging bananas.

4.80 from 85 votes

PrintSave RecipeReview

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 50 mins

Total Time 1 hr 5 mins

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup mashed bananas (3 medium ripe bananas)
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips divided
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar for sprinkling on bread

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas with the brown sugar and mix until smooth. Stir in the eggs until well combined. Pour in the melted butter and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
• Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, don’t over mix. Gently fold in ¾ cup of the chocolate chips.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle turbinado sugar over the top. Top with the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes.
• Remove the bread from the oven and let sit in pan for 10 minutes. Loosen with a bread knife around the edges and carefully remove the bread from the pan. Cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

Notes

Store the banana bread at room temperature for 4 days, in the fridge for 1 week, or in the freezer for 3 months. Cover tightly in plastic wrap when storing, and serve at room temperature or reheat in the toaster. 

Nutrition

Calories: 295kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 169mg, Potassium: 168mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 320IU, Vitamin C: 1.8mg, Calcium: 61mg, Iron: 1.4mg

Keywords best banana bread recipe, easy banana bread recipe, how to make banana bread, moist banana bread recipe

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