Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is wonderfully moist and loaded with ripe bananas and melty morsels of chocolate chips. This banana chocolate chip bread is a real treat.
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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe
Classic Banana Bread is on the regular rotation at our house but when we’re craving chocolate, we make this Chocolate Banana Bread. It is the favorite of the children and we are quite smitten as well. Did I mention it’s EASY?
It’s hard to wait for this to cool so I wait until it’s just no longer hot! The aroma that lingers in your kitchen is incredible and your home will smell like Christmas morning. Pair a warm slice 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!).
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe
Be sure eggs, butter and bananas are at room temperature. If using frozen ripe bananas (we often freeze our overripe bananas for later use), thaw bananas overnight then let them come to room temperature.
Keep Those Old 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 the Best 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.
- Cream together softened butter and sugar in mixing bowl
- Add 2 lightly beaten eggs
- Mash bananas with a fork and add them to the bowl
- Whisk together dry ingredients and add to batter
- Fold in 3/4 of chocolate chips and transfer to the prepared bread pan
- Sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 chocolate chips and bake
The chocolate banana bread batter should be thick and have small lumps of banana.
It’s marvelous how the chocolate chips stay gooey and moist long after the bread comes out of the oven.
More Banana Recipes to Explore:
- Classic Banana Bread – loaded with nuts and raisins
- Banana Muffins – the muffin version of this recipe
- Banoffee Pie – layers of cream, bananas and caramel
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, (8 Tbsp), softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 bananas, (very ripe)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Butter and flour a bread loaf pan (9.25"L x 5.25"W x 2.75"D)
- In a mixing bowl using paddle attachment, cream together 1/2 cup softened butter and 2/3 cup sugar. Add 2 lightly beaten eggs.
- Mash bananas with a fork until consistency of chunky applesauce and add them to the mixing bowl along with 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Mix until blended.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Add to mixing bowl and mix until incorporated.
- Fold in 3/4 cup chocolate chips then transfer to prepared bread pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chocolate over the top and bake at 350˚F for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let banana bread rest 10 min before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
One of my favorite recipes! I’m planning to make a few batches for an upcoming trip – Can I make the batter ahead of time and bake 2-3 days later?
Hi Becca, its best baked right away so it doesn’t lose its volume. I’m not certain it will bake with the same effect days later. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Best amd most delicious banana bread recipe ever.
This turned out so good!
I reduced the sugar but it was still perfect. Thank you for this recipe!
I have made this more than 15 times!! Absolutely delicious.
Just noticed that when scaling up this recipe, the numbers in the ingredient list are updated but those same numbers in the instructions portion are not. I ended up printing the original recipe and scaling manually. 😋
Hi Steve! I’m sorry for the frustration. Unfortunately we are limited to the tools available within the platform, and this is not an option at the moment.
Hi made this and it turned out deliciously. I am wondering if you can substitute Splenda for the sugar?
Hi Wes, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Why not you can in every other recipe, maybe add a couple tablespoons more might be ok.
Hi. How would you store this bread? It’s baking in the oven right now!
Hi Karen. It can be stored at room temperature for a few days or refrigerate for longer. I would keep it covered or in an air tight container.
I made this and it was amazing and delicious! This will be my go to recipe for banana bread from now on.
This banana bread is the best!! I get compliments all the time! Love your recipes!
This is my favorite banana chocolate chip recipe …and I’ve tried many! Thank you so much for sharing on line with us! I only added a few chopped pecans and my family & friends love this!
This banana bread was absolutely delicious! I added some walnuts and used wholewheat flour. The bananas I used had been frozen – so once they were thawed, I drained the juice/water. I also used half of the amount of sugar called for. Next time I will use dates instead of chocolate chips and probably omit the sugar all together. Thanks for the lovely recipe Natasha. HIghly recommended!
Just love this recipe! I doubled the recipe so I was wondering if I could freeze one loaf.
Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Julie!
I absolutely love this recipe and make this bread every other weekend 🙂 it’s a total hit! Thank you for sharing.
I now purchased a mini loaf tin and was wondering how to adjust the baking time and do I also need to adjust the temperature? The new mini loaf tin is actually already sitting in the oven so I’m just chancing it by reducing baking time to 45 mins but kept the temp the same, but a professional advise would make me feel more confident.
Thanks
I’m so happy you’ve loved this recipe, Anna! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I have not tried this in a mini pan but I imagine it will work. I recommend using THIS Adapt Baking Recipes to Fit Different Pan Sizes Guide.
Has anyone ever swapped the chocolate chips out for pecans? I’ve used this recipe so many times & I LOVE it but I’m wanting to try banana nut bread!
Hi Sylisa, I recommend looking through the recipe comments, several of my readers mentioned they added nuts to the recipe.
I’ve used this recipe and added walnuts and raisins, adjust the chocolate chips ratio – it’s very forgiving. I also add sour cream to make it moist.
Very good! Like one of the other reviewers, I also added some cinnamon and some walnuts. I think I would leave out the cinnamon but the bread was delicious! I didn’t have my loaf pan, so I used an 8×8 glass dish and cooked it about 40-45 minutes. I then cut it into two smaller loaves!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Joan!
Added walnuts and cinnamon and it was awesome! Thank you for the easy recipe!
Made this for some friends and they thoroughly enjoyed it! I can concur, as I “taste tested” by having a slice or two (lol). Added 2/3 c. mini chocolate chips and 3/4 c. of chopped walnuts. Highly recommend!
Thank you for your great comments and feedback!
I’ve just tried baking this morning. Was a bit doubtful if it will turn out moist, it turns out to be moist, soft and absolutely delicious. Highly recommend this recipe!
Yay, great job!
This is the only banana bread recipe I use and everyone raves about it!
I followed the recipe exact……it came out moist, delicious and so easy to make!