Banana Chocolate Chip Bread is a classic recipe that I remember making all the time with my mom growing up. It’s the perfect recipe for those overripe bananas on your counter.
I have a habit of asking people what the first thing was that they ever cooked as a kid. You might be surprised (or not) by how often the answer is either chocolate chip cookies or banana bread. Where those two classics meet is the inspiration for today’s recipe.
While some people may look at the spotty bananas on their kitchen counter as being past their prime, I actually get excited because they’re the perfect excuse for making banana bread. Personally, I can’t even begin to tally the number of banana bread loaves I made when I was little. Part of the appeal to me, both back then and now, is that baking banana bread is easy, fun to do and most of all, delicious. If muffins are more your style, try my Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
I often make this recipe with Kenya and Chloe. They take turns mashing the bananas, measuring the dry and wet ingredients, dumping everything in the mixing bowls and of course, sneaking in as many bites of chocolate chips as they can — while I lounge, read the paper and have my coffee (wait, I dreamt that last part — that never happens!).
Back to reality. The kids love watching me pour the batter they helped make into the loaf pan, but not as much as they enjoy sitting in front of the oven and watching intently as it bakes into a mound of chocolate banana goodness — which tends to get eaten up faster then it took to make!
Making different breads like Chocolate Zucchini Bread, Pumpkin Pear Bread or even classic Honey Wheat Bread is such a fun activity to do with your kids! Tag me @weelicious on social media and let me know if you make any of them!
Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 small bananas, mashed
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips (you can also sub chopped walnuts, dried cherries, mini chocolate chips, etc) + more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and cream together for 3 minutes of until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time then the bananas, milk and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking soda and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to banana mixture followed by the chocolate chips and mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack.
- Cool and serve.
Notes
- * To freeze: Wrap the bread and then place in a labeled zipper bag for up to 3 months.
Hands down the best banana bread recipe there is! I think I have made this a minimum of 20 times in the last two years. My entire family absolutely loves it and requests it often! It has even become my son’s comfort food they request.
Kari! Wow thank you! I’m so happy you love it as much as we do 🙂 Thanks for the kind comment!
We love this recipe! Thankful it’s so forgiving with my toddlers help ☺️
I really miss having the nutrition values listed recipe. WI
So glad to hear you enjoy this recipe, and that you’ve had success making it as a loaf and muffins!
I made this recently and it was delicious and moist. I also added 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/8 tsp nutmeg for extra flavour. I have made the loaf but I also used this recipe for muffins and cooked them at 350 for 22-25 mins.
I wonder if this would be good with coconut oil instead of butter?
Wanted to know if this bread can be cooked in an 8×8 pan OR WHAT SIZE loaf pans do I NEED? How do I switch time ZOR temp. On the bread recipe also?? Thank you!!
This was amazing!!! I used a cup of whole wheat flour and a cup of AP flour, and added an extra banana (I had four brown bananas I wanted to use up). It tasted amazing, and even looked beautiful!
Salted or unsalted Butter?
I haven’t tested it in this recipe, but when I need gluten-free goodies I use King Arthur Flour all-purpose gluten free blend!
I wanted to know if I could substitute with gluten free flour. My youngest has a gluten intolerance. If so, what would be the measurements.
Thank you
Here is a chocolate chip banana muffin recipe that uses honey or agave instead of sugar! http://b12.ba4.myftpupload.com/2011/05/25/banana-chocolate-chip-muffins/
I can’t eat sugar. Can I replace it for Agave? If so, in what proportions? Thanks!,
I will give it a try..looks yummy!