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
Joane says
I love this recipe this is my third time making it, and always comes out perfect! Today I’m topping it with brown sugar, sliced almonds and walnuts. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Jenna says
Sounds delicious!
Dennis Meurer says
I’m a 65 year old male and all my food is made from scratch. I’ve used this recipe about 8 times as written, no mods.
My bread pan is small so at first the extra batter went into muffin liners. The muffins are so good and that’s all I bake now. My 2 muffin pans fit on my largest baking pan. I can make 10 muffins. I’m at 2,500 foot altitude and I start checking at 35 minuets. These are great to rotate in with everything else. Thanks! Dennis.
Grace says
I loved this recipe, the bread was delicious! Most of it was gone in almost 30 minutes!
Jenna says
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
stacie cope says
Best banana bread that I have ever made. It is now my go to recipe. I currently have 3 loaves in the oven for my daughter to take home with her to college. I can’t wait to try the pumpkin bread recipe next.
Jenna says
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Ruby says
Truly my all time favorite banana bread recipe! Super moist and delicious. Thank you Jenna for the recipe and easy to follow directions.
Jenna says
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer says
Do i need to coollthe melted butter before pouring into the sugar?
Jenna says
It can be a little warm but not hot
Aleksandra says
Veru good banana bread, very moisty.
Victoria says
This has got to be the moistest banana bread I have ever eaten or made. Holy moly. 10 outta 10 would- and will- make again! Can’t wait to try this with walnuts and/or coconut added in as well.
After making this recipe I see now that it is incredibly important to take the time to actually measure the mashed banana because the loaf turned out just a bit undercooked/mushy in the center, but definitely still edible (I did physically measure out a cup but got about 3/4 of the half cup filled and decided everything I mashed looked close enough, though it was a bit over 1-1/2 cups) Maybe could have cooked it a tad longer but the outer thirds of the loaf were PERFECT. So so so delicious.
Jenna says
Definitely cook it a bit longer next time and make sure the bananas are exact, but I’m glad it still turned out tasty! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Cheyanne says
This was the best banana bread I’ve ever had!! Incredibly decadent. I’d like to make a zucchini bread that’s just as moist and rich as this one do you have any recipes for this??
Jenna says
Yay thanks for sharing!
Jamie says
Hi! I am so excited to try this recipe! The reviews about how moist it is is so amazing. If I use the whole recipe and divide it in two 7x3x2.5 in aluminum foil pans, what should be the temp and how long should I bake them? I’m planning to bake the two loaves at the same time. TIA 💗
Jenna says
Hi! You can bake them at the same temp for 45-50 minutes, or until the center is done.
roxanne says
i love this banana bread the taste is 100%, but my bread didnt turn well in the bottom of the pan, why is it like that?. is it because of the temp i use?
Jenna says
It could be that the ingredients weren’t measured exactly or the oven temp runs a bit low. Try baking at 350F next time 🙂
Sue says
Best Ever! I have shared this recipe with every baker I know and we all 💕.. thank u!
Jenna says
Yay! Thank you!!
Shania says
Hi! I’m very excited to try this recipe but is it possible if i leave out greek yoghurt or sour cream? Thank you in advance!:)
Jenna says
Nope you have to use that ingredient otherwise the loaf will not turn out
Sian says
Is it possible to swap the butter for oil? Sadly I’m having to quarantine at the moment so can’t pop out to buy more butter, and I have some bananas which desperately need using! I’ve made this recipe before though and it’s fantastic – got the thumbs up from the mother-in-law which is always a good sign!
Jenna says
I can’t guarantee it will turn out but I also don’t think it should be a major issue!
Marshay says
This banana bread is so good it actually made me a lover of end pieces and I usually never eat the ends.It’s especially good 10 min out of the oven when the top is still crispy. I was previoulsy using a Tyler knott recipe but you have most definitely made me a convert. I might sub some of the butter for applesauce next time and sub in some white whole wheat flour to make this bread health friendlier but as is it is amazing.
Jenna says
Ah yay! I’ve had so many readers modify this recipe and it still turns out great 🙂
Neli says
Hai…..I baked this recipe yesterday (double from the recipe) and it turned out so amazing delicious approved by my husband and my daughter…..THIS IS THE BEST BANANA BREAD I’ve ever made.
Thank you so much for this lovely recipe 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
We truly loveee…..loveeee it ❤️❤️❤️
#pardon my bad English grammar 😊
Jenna says
yay! Thanks so much for sharing!
Domnic says
Ma’am this cake is the bomb!!!!!