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This moist Chocolate Banana Bread is made with ripe bananas, cocoa powder, and plenty of chocolate chips. It’s lighter than most recipes and so easy to make!
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
This Chocolate Banana Bread is what I make for Madison anytime I have ripe bananas, and it never lasts more than five minutes in my house! It’s a rich, chocolatey twist on my classic Banana Bread Recipe, made with cocoa powder and loaded with chocolate chips. It comes out incredibly moist, even though it’s lighter than most banana bread recipes. When I make it for myself, I use sugar-free chocolate chips, and it’s just as delicious. For a gluten-free version, try my Chocolate Oat Flour Banana Bread.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Banana Bread
This healthy chocolate chocolate chip banana bread is my go-to when I have ripe bananas I need to use up. I make it because Madison loves it, and it’s so easy to make.
- Great for back-to-school: Add it to your kids’ lunchboxes or serve it as a quick breakfast or an after-school snack.
- Extra chocolatey: Cocoa powder and plenty of chocolate chips give it rich chocolate flavor in every bite.
- Incredibly moist: Ripe bananas keep the loaf soft and moist without needing lots of butter or oil.
- Lighter than most: It has all the flavor and texture of classic chocolate banana bread with fewer calories.
- Freezer-friendly: Great for meal prep because it freezes and reheats well.
- Easy to customize: Use sugar-free chocolate chips and your preferred sweetener for a lower-sugar option.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You probably already have most of these pantry staples on hand, so keep this recipe in mind the next time you have overripe bananas you don’t know what to do with! See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Bananas: Make sure your bananas are very ripe; they should be more brown than yellow.
- Oil: Use any neutral oil, such as avocado or vegetable oil.
- Egg whites: I used 1 ½ tablespoons of egg whites, which is about ¾ of a large egg white. The simplest way to measure is to buy liquid egg whites. Otherwise, crack a whole egg into a small bowl and measure out 1 ½ tablespoons.
- Sweetener: To make this banana bread without sugar, use monk fruit sweetener. You can also use granulated sugar if you prefer.
- Vanilla extract enhances the flavor.
- All-purpose flour is the base of the bread, giving it structure so it holds together.
- Chocolate: Unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate chips make this a double chocolate banana bread. To keep added sugar low, I like to use sugar-free chips from Lily or Lakanto.
- Baking soda helps the bread rise.
- Kosher salt improves the texture and balances the sweetness.
How to Make Chocolate Banana Bread
To make removing the loaf from the pan and cleanup easier, line the pan with parchment paper. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Wet and dry ingredients: Stir the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another.
- Combine: Fold the banana mixture and the chocolate chips into the flour mixture.
- Bake: Pour the batter into an oiled 9×4-inch loaf pan and bake the banana bread at 325°F for 50 to 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool before slicing.
Tips for Making Moist Chocolate Banana Bread
- Use dark, spotty bananas: Extra-ripe bananas will make the bread sweeter, so you won’t need much added sugar. To ripen them faster, place the bananas in a paper bag and leave them in a warm area for a day or two.
- Gently stir the wet and dry ingredients together. Over-mixing results in a dense bread.
- Check with a toothpick. Since oven temperatures can vary, it’s smart to check the loaf at 50 minutes, or a few minutes earlier if your oven runs hot, to avoid over-baking. When a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, the bread’s ready.
- Let it cool for about 15 minutes before slicing. The residual heat continues to cook the bread, and slicing it too early can make the texture gummy. Cool completely before storing it.
Variations
- Make it less chocolatey by omitting the chocolate chips. Or for even more, sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top before baking.
- Add some crunch: Mix in chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Gluten-free: Try my Chocolate Oat Flour Banana Bread.
- Chocolate Banana Muffins: Bake the batter in a muffin tin at 325°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Double the recipe and bake 2 loaves at the same time. It’s great for freezing for later or for gifting to a friend.
Storage and Meal Prep Tips
- Storage: After the bread cools, you can keep it in an airtight container for 1 day. Then, refrigerate it for up to 6 days.
- Meal prep: Slice the loaf, wrap each slice in plastic wrap, then foil (or store the plastic-wrapped slices in a ziplocked bag or an airtight container). Then freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw the slices in the fridge, or microwave them straight from the freezer for 30 to 60 seconds.
More Banana Bread Recipes You’ll Love
Check out my Baked Breads and Cakes collection, plus these five healthy banana bread recipes the next time you have overripe bananas!
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 1 slice
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Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with oil. You can place a piece of parchment paper about 8 1/2 x 9 inches inside the pan so it’s easy to remove.
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In a medium mixing bowl combine bananas, oil, egg whites, sugar and vanillas. In a large mixing bowl whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt until combined. Fold in the banana mixture and chocolate chips.
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Pour into the prepared pan and bake about 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean.
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Remove from the loaf pan and let it cool 15 minutes before cutting. Slice in 10 slices.
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Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 213 kcal, Carbohydrates: 39.5 g, Protein: 4.5 g, Fat: 9.5 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Sodium: 119 mg, Fiber: 7 g, Sugar: 6 g
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