Best Chocolate Chip Banana Bread: Simple, Moist, Proven Guide
A reliable chocolate chip banana bread recipe with a tender crumb, melty chips, and simple steps—no mixer needed.
Equipment
- 1 9×5-inch loaf pan
- 1 parchment sling
- 1 large bowl
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 spatula
- 1 cooling rack
- 1 instant-read thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
- 3 bananas 3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups / ~340 g peeled)
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (150 g)
- 2 eggs large eggs, room temp
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (10 ml)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled (113 g) or ½ cup neutral oil (120 ml)
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (120 g)
- 2 cup all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled (240 g)
- 1 tsp baking soda (5 g)
- 1 tsp fine salt (3 g)
- 1 to 1¼ cups chocolate chips, semi-sweet or dark (170–210 g), plus 2 tablespoons for topping
Optional Mix-Ins
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (60 g)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp instant espresso powder (boosts chocolate)
Instructions
- Prep: Line a 9×5-inch pan with a parchment sling and lightly grease. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C), rack in center.
- Mash: In a large bowl mash bananas until mostly smooth.
- Wet mix: Whisk in brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk in melted butter (or oil) and sour cream/yogurt until glossy.
- Dry mix: In a second bowl whisk flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Combine: Add dry to wet in two additions. Fold gently just until the flour disappears; a few small lumps are fine.
- Chips: Fold in chocolate chips (and nuts, if using). Reserve a spoonful for the top.
- Pan: Transfer batter to the pan and level the top; sprinkle reserved chips.
- Bake: 55–65 minutes, starting to check at 50. Tent with foil if the top browns early.
- Doneness: Toothpick near center should show a few moist crumbs, or internal temp 200–205°F (93–96°C).
- Cool & slice: Cool in pan 15 minutes. Lift to a rack and cool until just warm. Slice with a serrated knife.
Notes
Notes
– Flour: For best texture, weigh 240 g; if no scale, spoon and level.
– Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 GF baking blend; let loaf cool fully before slicing.
– Double-chocolate: Add 3 Tbsp cocoa to dry ingredients and +¼ cup chips; if batter is thick, add 1–2 Tbsp milk.
– Muffins/Mini loaves: Muffins bake ~20–24 min; minis ~28–32 min (start checking early).
– Storage: Wrap and keep at room temp 3–4 days. Freeze slices up to 3 months; rewarm briefly so chips soften. Estimated Nutrition (per slice, 1/12 loaf)
~320 kcal; 14 g fat (6 g sat); 44 g carbs; 24 g sugars; 5 g protein; 2 g fiber; 210 mg sodium. (Estimates only.)
– Flour: For best texture, weigh 240 g; if no scale, spoon and level.
– Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 GF baking blend; let loaf cool fully before slicing.
– Double-chocolate: Add 3 Tbsp cocoa to dry ingredients and +¼ cup chips; if batter is thick, add 1–2 Tbsp milk.
– Muffins/Mini loaves: Muffins bake ~20–24 min; minis ~28–32 min (start checking early).
– Storage: Wrap and keep at room temp 3–4 days. Freeze slices up to 3 months; rewarm briefly so chips soften. Estimated Nutrition (per slice, 1/12 loaf)
~320 kcal; 14 g fat (6 g sat); 44 g carbs; 24 g sugars; 5 g protein; 2 g fiber; 210 mg sodium. (Estimates only.)