Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
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 banana bread recipe, I essentially modified my 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 banana 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
Yes! It works with a cup for cup gluten-free baking flour. I’ve used it with both 1-to-1 Bob’s Red Mill (the blue bag) and King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten-Free Flour and they both turn out every time.
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. Make sure to use a 9×5 loaf pan (1.25 pounds) and not a 1 pound loaf pan. They look very similar but a 1 pound pan can overflow or lead to a sunken center!
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
- Dark Chocolate Banana Bread
- Gluten Free Banana Bread
- Banana Coffee Cake
- Brown Butter Frosted Banana Bread Bars
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!
Watch how to make chocolate chip banana bread here:
Chocolate 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 mini chocolate chips…aka everything you could ever want in a banana bread. There’s a reason why it’s one of my most popular recipes!
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 (112g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120g) 2% Greek yogurt (sour cream also works)
- 1 1/3 cups (172g) all-purpose flour or 1-to-1 gluten-free baking 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
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Meet Jenna
I’m the creator, baker, and photographer behind Butternut Bakery. Here I share desserts for every diet because I believe everyone should have a chance to indulge!
This is my all-time favorite banana bread recipe. The texture and moistness is unmatched. I used full fat Greek yogurt and it was phenomenal. I also used Trader Joe’s 72% chocolate chips that I chopped up. So good. I understand where someone said that it isn’t enough flour–I found that you just have to keep baking it for the full hour and 15 minutes.
This is the best recipe ever. I’ve made this a couple of times, and it never comes out bad, even when I used plantains instead of bananas (by accident lol). It’s so simple to make and I get SO many compliments when I bake this, all of my friends think it’s the best bread ever. Props to you for sharing this with the world so everyone can enjoy 🙂
I have made a lot of banana bread recipes but this one stole the show! My husband and my son could not stop eating it!
Best banana bread I have ever made. I substitute with coconut sugar instead of white sugar and it’s amazing! Every single person who tries it says it’s the best recipe they’ve ever had!
I’m a nanny who loves baking with the kids. We make this recipe a couple of times a month and it’s the family’s favorite! I’ve played using different yogurts (today we used strawberry Greek yogurt) or more brown sugar than granulated (today we did 3/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 of granulated) and it came out so freaking good! We also added a bunch of choc chips to the top as soon as we took it out of the oven and spread it with a spoon once it melted. It’s absolutely delicious! Thank you for this recipe!
I love baking and this recipe by far is the BEST banana bread recipe O have found!! I have received many positive comments and requests to make more! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for best banana bread ever. I’ve tried lots of recipes, but this one…perfect. My family bugs me all the time to make this, and I hope this recipe will be passed down through generations!
I have been searching for a moist banana bread recipe that reminds me of my grandma’s. And, this is it! I’ve made it both with and without the chocolate chips and it’s the banana-y, super moist banana bread of my dreams! It’s my go to.
Gawsh this was delicious, I’m on my third batch this month, I add a tbls of oil and give a little swirl after 5 mins of baking. Next level, thank you.
I also used BP not BS as I just dont like the taste of BS.
Absolutely loved this recipe! My husband adored how it turned out! I didn’t have to add about 3/4 cup of extra flour to thicken up the batter. I also used apple sauce instead of yogurt since I didn’t have any on hand!