If you’re on the hunt for the BEST chocolate chip banana bread…then look no further. This one is so incredibly moist, flavorful, and loaded with chocolate chips. Forget about any other chocolate chip banana bread recipe because this is all you’ll ever need!
How to make the BEST chocolate chip banana bread
I know, we all hate the word moist but there’s just no other word that better describes this banana bread. It’s tough to even categorize this as “bread” because of how soft and lush it is. Especially with those mini chocolate chips sprinkled throughout.
To make this recipe, I essentially modified by pumpkin bread recipe because it’s just so good. If it can make life-changing pumpkin bread, why can’t it make life-changing chocolate chip banana bread? Hypothesis confirmed. It sure can.
There are a few things to keep in mind to ensure your bread turns out perfect:
- MEASURE the bananas. I recommend about 3 medium bananas but you will still need to measure them out to make sure you have the right amount.
- If you come up a bit short with your measurement, top it off with some applesauce.
- Scoop and level your flour. By that I mean, spoon the flour into your measuring cup then level it off with a flat edge. This will ensure you don’t use too much.
- Fully cream together your butter and sugar. Really whisk together the two ingredients until you reach a thick paste-like consistency. You can either do this by hand or with a mixer.
- To get the chips on top, sprinkle on an extra handful before baking.
- Bake for 1 hour and check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center. If the center is still wet, bake in 5 minute intervals until done.
So that’s that. These few simple tips will ensure your chocolate chip banana bread turns out soft and moist every time.
The secret to super moist banana bread
The “secret” to getting moist chocolate chip banana bread is really just a couple simple ingredients. The main two being melted butter and Greek yogurt.
Using melted butter, as opposed to room temperature, helps to soaks up all the flour which gives you that smooth texture. The Greek yogurt adds even MORE moisture while still providing structure. It’s my secret ingredient in so many of my dessert recipes.
Another reason why Greek yogurt works so well here is because its flavor. Greek yogurt is slightly sour which helps to balance out the sweetness of the bananas, chocolate, and sugar.
It’s also very thick and contains less water than regular yogurt. This is the reason why I love baking with it so much, it provides tons of moisture without thinning the batter too much.
But if you don’t have Greek yogurt available near you, sour cream will also do the trick.
We can’t forget about the bananas. You have to add just enough to get that strong flavor but too much can turn your banana bread into banana pudding (trust me, it’s happened to me before). Getting the perfect balance of flour, butter, yogurt and banana is the key to getting deliciously moist chocolate chip banana bread.
How to ripen bananas for chocolate chip banana bread
Don’t have ripe bananas on hand? There are a few ways you can speed up the ripening process to make your bananas perfect for banana bread!
- The night before, break apart your bananas and place them in a brown paper bag. It blocks just enough oxygen which allows the bananas to release a chemical called ethylene. This is what speeds up the ripening process.
- Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes at 300F. They’re ready when they’ve turned COMPLETELY brown. Let them cool before using.
- If you’re in a pinch, you can microwave your bananas. Pierce the banana with a fork a few times and microwave it for 30 seconds – 1 minute.
- Lastly, your best bet to find already ripe bananas is to look for single bananas at the grocery store. They usually keep a pile at the bottom of the banana display.
And there you have it! Ripe bananas that are going to make your chocolate chip banana bread extra delicious.
If you already have frozen ripe bananas, you can also use those. Just leave them out for about 30 minutes to 1 hour in order to thaw before using.
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe: Frequently Asked Questions
I have not tested this specific recipe, but I have a delicious recipe for gluten free banana bread that’s just as moist! Just add chocolate chips.
If you don’t have Greek yogurt or sour cream, you can also use plain unsweetened yogurt.
Sugar plays a big role in the moist texture of this bread. Adjusting it will likely change the banana bread. For a refined sugar free option, try swapping all of the sugar with coconut sugar.
This is likely due to two missteps: 1. You over mixed the batter. Over mixing develops the gluten strands in the flour, creating a more dense and heavy batter. Mix just until the ingredients are combined. This is why it’s important to mix the batter by hand. 2. Your pan is too small. 9×5 loaf pans can vary in size, as mine is about 9.5x5x5 inches. If you have a smaller loaf pan, only fill the pan about 2/3 full. Any more than than and the center of the banana bread will have trouble baking all the way through.
If you just want plain banana bread, you can leave out the chocolate chips. Alternatively, you can add nuts instead.
For even more banana bread recipes, check out my:
- Cinnamon Banana Bread
- Banana Bread Cheesecake Cups (Gluten Free & Dairy Free)
- Dark Chocolate Swirled Banana Bread
- Gluten Free Banana Bread
Watch how to make chocolate chip banana bread here:
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram if you make this chocolate chip banana bread recipe. I love seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
PrintChocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf
Description
This is the BEST chocolate chip banana bread. It’s incredibly moist, full of bananas, and loaded with chocolate chips.
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- 1 1/2 cups (380g) ripe and mashed banana (3-4 medium bananas), measured
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (130g) 2% Greek yogurt (sour cream also works)
- 1 1/3 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (140g) mini chocolate chips + a handful more for sprinkling on top
Instructions
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Preheat your oven to 325F and grease and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the melted butter and sugars until you reach a paste-like consistency. This may take some vigorous whisking for a minute or two. You can either use a whisk or an electric mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Add in your mashed bananas followed by the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla.
- Once all of your wet ingredients are mixed together, fold in the dry ingredients. Then, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it even. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top if you like.
- Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let it cool completely before removing from the pan. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.
- Now dig in! Make sure to leave a comment below to let me know how it went!
Notes
*GLUTEN FREE OPTION – Use my gluten free banana bread recipe and add chocolate chips!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: banana bread, chocolate chip banana bread
Kay says
I’ve made this loaf several times now and each time is absolutely fantastic! I had plain Greek yogurt on hand the first, time but only sour cream the second and they were both delicious. I even had to do a half yogurt/half applesauce once bc I ran out of yogurt and it was still perfect- I very forgiving recipe! I do half milk and half semi-sweet chocolate chips 🙂
★★★★★
Marielle says
Excellent banana bread, moist and a total winner for adults and kiddos alike. I went very light with the chocolate chips and used Guittard’s Super Cookie Chips Semi-Sweet. This will be my new go-to!
★★★★★
Briana says
this recipe is the TRUTH! I had a bread pan a tad smaller than the 9×5 so it took about 10 minutes more to cook thoroughly. But I will tel you this recipe is the one! It came out so incredibly amazing and perfectly moist. The chocolate chips where the perfect amount and I will forever be using this sour cream recipe for my banana bread. Thank you for this amazing life long recipe.
★★★★★
Robin says
Terrific recipe. Super moist. I used Buttermilk instead of yogurt because I has it on hand. Delicious! I will make it again!
Jordan says
WONDERFUL! This was my first time trying to make banana bread, and oh boy did it turn out amazing.
★★★★★
Stephanie says
This is BY FAR the best banana bread recipe I’ve made and will now be the only one I use 🙂 Would typically make it with yogurt but I was out so I made it with sour cream and it was delicious. The pan I used was slightly wider so it didn’t take as long to bake.
10/10 recommend
★★★★★
Pooja says
Followed this recipe to a T.. well maybe added more chocolate chips than needed. Butt it came out so moist and delicious! Can’t wait to re-make this!
Jackie says
This was sooooo delicious! My family was fighting over it! 😂 I’ll not go back to my old banana bread recipe. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
★★★★★
Sharon Clarke says
This would be the best Banana and choc chip loaf I have ever made, so moist and very tasty.. will definitely be making this one again.
★★★★★
Julia says
Best banana bread I’ve ever baked!!! It’s always a success, and friends/family always beg me to make it for them. I love how moist it is, that’s a huge plus for those who prefer that texture over the “cakey” one.
★★★★★
Vanessa says
What a perfect recipe for banana bread, so moist and yummy!
★★★★★
Dana says
Super moist and delicious!
Dana says
Forgot to rate it 5/5
★★★★★
Adriana says
This was so moist and absolutely delicious! Hubby said it was my best loaf yet! I ended up using sour cream because it was what I had on hand and also used whole wheat flour because I was out of white and it still came out perfect! Added chopped mini pecans with semi sweet chocolate chips. Will forever use this recipe! Thank you!
★★★★★
Jenna says
Yay! Thank you for sharing!
David says
Jenna! Thank you so much for this. I have been looking for a recipe after having some banana and choc bread recently and I have found it. I have never made any baked goods from scratch so was nervous. My wife and I loved it! So moist and flavorful! This will be a regular. I had to use the quick oven ripen on the bananas and was just fine. Will add some walnuts next time. Thanks again and will have a look at your other creations. Have a great day.
★★★★★
Karen V says
I made this the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I had bananas that needed to be used. My banana was short by 1/4 cup – I had left over pumpkin from my roasted pumpkin that I used for my pumpkin pie. I used 1/4 cup of that to make the 1-1/2 cups.
Wow!! amazing!!! I needed to bake it an additional 20 minutes and still was not sure it was cooked through in the middle with my tester. It was gone in a few days with my family – rave reviews! Definitely a keeper. I still have another pumpkin from my garden to roast so I am wondering If I can just use the pumpkin for the banana – are they interchangeable in this recipe? Hmm. Guess I will find out. Thanks for such an amazing recipe.
★★★★★
Kerry says
Came out lovely- great taste and super moist! Delicious
★★★★★
Lily says
Is really good! Baked it today for the third time!
★★★★★
Erin says
HI! Can I make these into muffins? Thanks!
Jenna says
Yes! Bake at 350F for 15-18 minutes
Stacey says
Delicious! Best banana bread!!
★★★★★
Annie says
Thanks, Jenna for this great recipe! My family all Loved this moist bread!
I did have to substitute sour cream since I didn’t have the greek yogurt. Also, added a teaspoon of cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg because I love that in banana bread. And thanks, Jenna, your added tips. So many recipes only state the number of bananas, but not the cup measurement. Since bananas can vary so much in size, it’s easy to have not enough or too many, which would greatly alter both the flavor and moistness of the bread.
★★★★★