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
Sonja Motika says
If I omit the white sugar will it still work? I just don’t like my banana bread too sweet but am so excited to try this recipe!
Jenna says
No you must leave the sugar in, but you can swap it for a more natural alternative like coconut sugar.
Cayla says
Unbelievable!!! This is the best banana bread recipe I’ve ever made. Super moist and not too sweet, it was perfect and it was gone that same day 🤣. Can’t wait to make it again!
Jenna says
Oh yay! It doesn’t last long lol!
Lasofia says
Hi, jenna. I’m going to try this recipe and it is my first time ever trying to make a banana bread!
Tiny bit nervous. A quick question i only have a glass loaf 9 x 6 inches and an aluminium loaf 4 x 8 inches
Which will you recommend me of using?
Big thanks ahead!
Jenna says
I would use the 9×6 but keep an eye on it while it bakes. It might not need to bake for the entire set time.
Gemma Brocato says
I tried this recipe this weekend, but I didn’t have enough bananas. I saw in your instructions that I could substitute applesauce which of course I didn’t have either. So I added a couple tablespoons of peanut butter. My husband tells me it’s the best banana bread ever. Thanks!
Jenna says
Oh yum! So glad it turned out!
Tin says
I’m a baking novice and this is among the first recipes I tried. I’ve done it 3x since. Got slightly different results each time in terms of rise and color, but all were delicious and nicely textured. I got myself a 2nd loaf pan so I can bake a bigger batch next time.
Sneha says
Turned out so yummy! I have a dark loaf pan, so I adjusted the temperatures and times a bit (in ways I can’t remember), and it came out delicious. Thank you! <3
Vazna says
This is the best banana bread we have ever had. Making this over and over. My bread tray broke so I used a normal cake tray with time adjustment and it turned out beautiful taste and tecture intact. Love this over and over. Thank you so much.
Jenna says
Oh yay! So happy you love it!
Mita says
Honestly, this is the best banana bread recipe that I have tried so far. My husband cannot stop complimenting me. Will definitely bake this again 🙂
Jenna says
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Krystle says
This recipe is amazing! I tried it twice. First, I used sour cream cause that’s what I have in the fridge, spread butter, milk chocolate chip, and I added 1 tbsp of cinnamon. I was SUPER moist and I loved it so much, but it was a tad bit too much cinnamon for my taste. The second time, I bought greek yogurt, unsalted butter, half-half semi-sweet and milk chocolate chip, and only 1tsp of cinnamon. I personally like my first try better, I feel like it’s moister. I don’t know if it’s because the bananas are more in a riper stage or because I changed my butter and yogurt. overall, i love it!
Tara says
I’ve made this twice in a month. It’s really easy and the yogurt helps make it ridiculously moist and adds some richness. Everyone has asked me for my recipe and I’m more than happy to share this site to all my friends. So so excited to have this in my recipe box for the future!
Jenna says
Aw yay! Thank you so much!!
Hannah says
The most delicious chocolate chip banana bread! I made muffins instead of a loaf and they turned out perfect!
Jenna says
Yay!!
Michelle says
Will the recipe change if I don’t want to add choc chips? Just simple banana bread.
Jenna says
Nope you can omit the chocolate chips and it will still be delicious 🙂
Brian says
Made this last night and WOW! Jenna you’re a rockstar. I’ve been looking for the right Banana Bread for so long and you came through for me big time. This will be a regular of mine, Thanks again Jenna and btw you’re very pretty 🙂
Jenna says
Yay so glad you like it!
Laura says
Thank you so much! I just made it as regular loaf today in my Breville smart oven. It worked great. Took an extra 10 minutes to bake, but it is perfect. Moist, but baked through. Crunchy on top. Swoon-worthy! OMG so good! I only had regular chocolate chips and regular full fat yogurt, not Greek. It was a bit sweet for me. I would make it in future with the mini chips and put less on top, maybe decrease the sugars by 1/4 c total. Overall, mmmmm perfection! Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I’ve actually never made banana bread before! Loved how easy this was with the melted butter which means I can make it on the spur of the moment.
Rosie says
I never ever leave reviews but hands down this is the best banana bread recipe I have ever tasted!! I used sour cream since I didn’t have yogurt and followed the recipe, the bread is so moist.
Jenna says
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Chan says
Unbelievably good!!!! This is the best banana bread I can ever remember having. It was so incredibly moist and rich, and it stayed that way for days (we kept it in a sealed container). Can’t wait to make it again!
Jenna says
Ah yay! Thanks for sharing!
Darshannie Francis says
After doing this recipe I have been doing it none stop. I think what makes this recipe so delicious is the balance of each ingredient. I love making this for special occasions, it’s just amazing. I haven’t done the recipe with chocolate chips but I’m ready to do it next time! I would recommend this recipe to all those who love Banana bread just like me. If you like soft, sweet, and moist banana breads this is the right video|recipe for you.
Thank you!
Jenna says
Thanks so much! So glad you love it!