Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is wonderfully moist and loaded with ripe bananas and melty morsels of chocolate chips. My banana chocolate chip bread has plenty of banana flavor, and it’s a real treat.

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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe

I can never let my overripe bananas go to waste! I love buying big batches of bananas at a time, knowing full well that some will get overripe so I can make my classic Banana Bread and Banana Muffins. But when my family is craving chocolate, we make this Chocolate Banana Bread. It is the favorite of my children, and we are quite smitten as well. Did I mention it’s EASY? It literally comes together in one bowl!

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

As with most baking projects, my most important tip is to make sure eggs, butter, and bananas are at room temperature.

• Bananas – the riper the better! Overripe bananas will make your banana bread naturally sweeter and more moist. If you stored our ripe bananas in the freezer, thaw bananas at room temperature for 1-2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, then let them come to room temperature. Drain any liquid after the bananas are thawed.
• Chocolate Chips – I use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you have options (see my tips below)
• Eggs – use large eggs. You can bring them to room temperature quickly by putting them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
• Butter – use unsalted. If you forget to leave your butter out, watch my video on how to soften butter quickly.
• Pantry Staples – All-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt

Keep Those Overripe Bananas!

Use very ripe bananas, i.e. mushy bananas. You can tell a mushy banana by the color of the peel – it should be browned or browning significantly and should feel soft when squeezed between your fingertips and will be very easy to mash with a fork. Mash bananas until they are a chunky applesauce consistency. Some texture is good in banana bread!

The Best Chocolate Chips for Baking?

We used semi-sweet chocolate chips since the bread was already plenty sweet with the overripe bananas and bit of sugar, but it really is based on preference. You can use milk chocolate for a sweeter bite or even bittersweet chocolate chips to cut down on the sweetness.

We used standard-sized baking chips but mini chocolate chips would also work. Use between 2/3 to 3/4 cup of mini chocolate chips based on how sweet your like your bread.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

You can use either a stand mixer, an electric hand mixer or even whisk this together by hand with a little extra effort.

• Prep – Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter and flour a standard bread loaf pan.
• Cream together softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl then add 2 lightly beaten eggs.
• Mash the bananas with a fork and add them to the bowl – they should still have some lumpy texture.
• Whisk dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and add the flour mixture to the batter.
• Fold in 3/4 of the chocolate chips (save some to scatter over the top) and transfer to the prepared bread pan, spreading evenly in the pan. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 of chocolate chips and bake.

You’ll know you’ve done it right when the chocolate chip banana bread batter is thick and has small lumps of banana.

Storing Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

It’s marvelous how the chocolate chips stay gooey and moist long after the bread comes out of the oven! This chocolate chip banana bread keeps well for days.

• Room Temperature – Once the banana bread has cooled to room temperature, wrap it in plastic wrap or set in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Refrigeration – I suggest avoiding refrigerating since it can dry out banana bread, but you can refrigerate it for 3-5 days.
• Freezing – Transfer to a freezer-safe zip-top bag or container, or wrap with a layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months then thaw at room temperature for a few hours.

It’s hard to wait for this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread to cool, so I wait until it’s just no longer hot! The cozy aroma that lingers in my kitchen is incredible, and it makes my house smell like Christmas morning.

Pair a warm slice of chocolate chip banana bread with a mug of coffee, and your morning is made. This is an excellent breakfast bread, but it also works as a dessert bread (because – the chocolate!).

More Sweet Bread Recipes to Explore

• Blueberry Bread
• Zucchini Bread
• Chocolate Banana Bread
• Cranberry Bread
• Irish Soda Bread
• Pull-Apart Apple Bread
• Persimmon Bread