Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

There were always bananas in the house when I was growing up, which meant there were always a few that got a little too ripe. And in our home, that only meant one thing—a loaf of banana bread. My mom hated wasting food, so whenever they turned speckled and soft, she'd turn simple ingredients into a dreamy treat, filling the house with the sweet, buttery aroma of caramelized bananas. On rare occasions, she added chocolate chips; to this day, banana and chocolate is amongst my favorite flavor pairings. This chocolate chip banana bread recipe brings together everything I loved as a kid—rich banana flavor, melty pockets of chocolate, and a perfectly tender crumb. Whether you're making it for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or just because you've got some ripe bananas to use up, this one's always a winner.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients
• How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
• What to Serve it With
• 📖 Recipe
• Comments

Why This Recipe Works

• The riper, the better. The more spotted and brown your bananas, the sweeter they are, meaning you can use less added sugar. Plus, overripe bananas pack a more concentrated flavor profile.
• Yogurt makes all the difference. Making banana bread with yogurt activates the baking soda for a light, airy lift while also locking in moisture. This ensures a soft moist loaf, with just the right fluffiness.
• Dark chocolate chips (or chunks) bring deep, bittersweet notes that balance the banana's natural sweetness. Plus, those melty pockets of chocolate add an irresistible gooey texture to every bite.

Ingredients

• Butter – Using cultured unsalted butter adds a subtle tang that enhances the richness of the loaf. It also helps create a beautifully tender crumb. If you don't have cultured butter, regular unsalted butter works just fine.
• Evaporated Cane Sugar – A touch of sugar on the pan keeps the loaf from sticking and creates a delicate, crisp brown crust that contrasts beautifully with the soft, moist interior. It's a simple trick that takes this banana & chocolate chip bread to the next level.
• All-Purpose Flour – The perfect balance of structure and tenderness, giving the banana bread its signature soft, cakey texture.
• Sugar – If you're using overripe bananas, you only need just enough to enhance their natural sweetness. You can substitute light brown sugar for a deeper, caramel-like flavor.
• Baking Soda – Works with the acidity in the yogurt to give the loaf lift, ensuring it bakes up light and fluffy.
• Table Salt – A pinch of salt enriches the natural umami of the butter and chocolate, adding depth to each bite.
• Chocolate – Dark chocolate adds the perfect bittersweet contrast to the banana's sweetness, but you can use milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips if you prefer. I used chocolate chunks because they form bigger gooey pockets of chocolate, but regular chocolate chips or even mini chocolate chips will work, too.
• Bananas – Overripe bananas bring deep caramelized sweetness and intense banana flavor. The riper, the better—they should be soft and speckled at a minimum, but as long as they're not moldy, they can be almost all brown. If you want to speed up the ripening process, put a paper towel down in the bottom of the plastic bag and place the bananas inside before tying the bag shut.

• Plain Yogurt – Using yogurt instead of milk keeps the loaf incredibly moist while activating the baking soda for the perfect rise.
• Eggs – Bind everything together and add structure while contributing to the tender, fluffy texture.
• Vanilla Extract – Rounds out the flavors with a warm, aromatic sweetness that ties the banana and chocolate together beautifully.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). While it heats up, prepare your loaf pan by greasing it thoroughly with butter or vegetable oil, making sure to get into the corners. Then, sprinkle a little sugar inside the pan and shake it around to coat the bottom and sides. You could also line the pan with parchment paper, but the butter and sugar combo creates a delicate, crisp crust that adds a marvelous texture to the loaf.

Next, sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Sifting helps break up clumps and evenly distributes the leavening agent (baking soda), ensuring a well-risen loaf. Give the dry ingredients a quick whisk to combine.

In a separate bowl, gently melt the butter on low power for a minute or two. Be careful not to overheat it—you want it just melted, not sizzling. Meanwhile, peel the brown bananas and place them in a blender along with the yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth. If you don't have a blender, you can mash the bananas by hand and whisk in the other wet ingredients until well combined. Once the butter is melted, slowly stream it into the banana mixture while blending (or whisking) to emulsify the mixture.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold them together using a spatula. Be careful not to overmix—overworking the batter can lead to a dense, tough loaf instead of the soft, tender texture you're aiming for. Once the mixture is mostly combined, add the chocolate chips or chocolate chunks and fold just until no large streaks of flour remain. The chocolate should be evenly distributed, but a few lumps in the batter are fine.

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Pop it into the preheated oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean(other than melted chocolate) or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the banana bread cool until it's easy to handle. Then, carefully remove it from the pan and let it cool completely on the rack before slicing. Once cooled completely, you can store the entire loaf in an airtight container for up to three days in a cool, dark place. If you plan to keep it longer, put it in the fridge immediately and warm the slices in a microwave oven before eating them. You can also wrap the slices individually and store them in the freezer for up to a month.

What to Serve it With

This moist chocolate chip banana bread recipe is fantastic on its own, but it also makes a delicious addition to a laid-back weekend brunch. If you want to take it to the next level, try slathering on some of my Meyer Lemon Curd—its bright, citrusy tang is the perfect contrast to the fruity banana and earthy chocolate flavors.

For a savory balance, try baking my Cheddar Zucchini Bread alongside your banana bread, or whip up a quick Cheese and Avocado Frittata for a protein-packed pairing. Speaking of protein, I have a bunch of technique posts on eggs. Learn how to make Perfect Soft-Boiled Eggs, master ultra-fluffy scrambled eggs, or get that sunny-side-up just right. You can also try my easy Poached Eggs method and turn them into a restaurant-worthy Eggs Benedict.

If you end up with more bananas than you need for this recipe, try my Banana Fritters with Vanilla Sauce, or for a healthier treat, make my Lemon Banana Muffins. Then you'll have plenty to share with friends and family, and you won't have to waste those extra ripe fruits. You might even start to look forward to brown bananas!

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