This mouthwatering chocolate banana bread combines two beloved flavors into one irresistible loaf. Each tender slice delivers the perfect balance of rich chocolate and sweet, ripe bananas in just over an hour of total baking time.
At only 218 calories per serving, this recipe creates a wonderfully moist quick bread that’s ideal for breakfast, afternoon snacks, or dessert. The addition of cocoa transforms traditional banana bread into something truly special, while still maintaining a reasonable nutritional profile with 4g of fiber per serving.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bananas: 3 large overripe ones (they’ll give the best natural sweetness)
- Binding Agents: 1 large egg, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- Sweeteners: ¼ cup each of light brown and granulated sugar
- Dry Base: 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup cocoa powder
- Leavening Agents: 1 tsp each of baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon
- Additional: ½ tsp salt, 2 Tbsp melted butter
- Mix-ins: 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (divided)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep Work: Heat oven to 350°F and prepare your loaf pan with parchment and light coating
- Wet Mixture: Combine mashed bananas, egg, vanilla, sugars, and cinnamon until well mixed
- Dry Mixture: In separate bowl, blend flour, cocoa, leavening agents, and salt
- Combining: Mix dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined
- Final Touch: Fold in melted butter and ¾ cup chocolate chips gently
- Baking Prep: Transfer to pan and top with remaining chocolate chips
- Baking Time: Bake 55-65 minutes, test with toothpick for doneness
- Cooling: Rest in pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack
Storage Tips
This chocolate banana bread stays fresh and yummy for 3-4 days! Just let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or pop it in an airtight container. Keep it at room temperature if you’ll eat it within 2 days, or store it in the fridge to keep it fresh longer.
Want to save it for later? Cut it into slices, wrap them individually, and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready for a treat, just thaw a slice at room temperature for about an hour!
Simple Variations
Make this bread your own! Skip the chocolate chips on top and add chopped walnuts or pecans instead. Not a fan of butter? Swap it with the same amount of applesauce for a lighter version.
You can also try dark chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet for a richer flavor, or add a handful of dried cherries for a fun twist. The recipe works great with white-whole wheat flour too, giving you extra fiber while keeping that soft texture you love!
Serving Ideas
Warm up a slice and watch the chocolate chips get all melty – it’s amazing! For breakfast, serve it with a glass of cold milk or your morning coffee.
Want to make it extra special? Top a slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert, or spread a little peanut butter on top for a tasty afternoon snack. This bread also makes a wonderful gift – wrap it up in parchment paper and tie it with a pretty ribbon!
Perfect Bananas
The best bananas for this bread are super spotty and dark – the ones you might think are too ripe to eat! These extra-ripe bananas are sweeter and mash up perfectly.
If your bananas aren’t quite ripe enough, you can speed things up by putting them in a paper bag with an apple overnight. Or pop them (still in their peels) in a 300°F oven for about 15 minutes until they turn black.
Chocolate Banana Bread
Equipment
- loaf pan
- Mixing bowls
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 3 large overripe bananas about 1 ¼ cups, mashed
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or white-whole wheat
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted (or substitute applesauce)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mash bananas in a mixing bowl. Add egg, vanilla, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon and stir well to combine.
- In a separate small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to banana mixture and stir to combine.
- Gently stir in melted butter and ¾ cup chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips over the top.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a wire cooling rack.
