Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
This is the loaf to make when your bananas have gone deeply speckled. Melted butter and brown sugar keep it moist and tender for days, chocolate chips melt into little pockets, and toasted pecans add crunch. It all comes together in one bowl with a fork, no mixer needed.
Updated
- Prep Time
- 15 mins
- Cook Time
- 1 hr
- Cool
- 1 hr
- Total Time
- 2 hrs 15 mins
- Servings
- 1 loaf (10 slices)
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread at a glance
Mash 3 very ripe bananas, then stir in melted butter, brown sugar, an egg and vanilla. Fold in 190 g flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon until just combined, then the chocolate chips and pecans. Bake in a lined 23 x 13 cm loaf pan at 175°C (350°F) for 55-65 minutes, until a skewer comes out with moist crumbs. Cool before slicing.
- Total time
- 2 hrs 15 mins
- Calories
- 320 per serving
- Protein
- 4 g
- Yield
- 1 loaf (10 slices)
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Baking
Ingredients
Equipment
23 x 13 cm (9 x 5 inch) loaf pan · Parchment paper · Large bowl · Fork or potato masher · Wire rack
Quick Directions
- 1
Prepare the pan
Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- 2
Mix the wet ingredients
Mash the bananas in a large bowl with a fork until mostly smooth.
- 3
Add the dry ingredients
Sprinkle the baking soda, salt and cinnamon over the banana mixture and stir in.
- 4
Bake
Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top and scatter over a few extra chocolate chips.
- 5
Cool
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out onto a wire rack and cool for at least 45 minutes more before slicing.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect chocolate chip banana bread.
- 1
Prepare the pan
Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 23 x 13 cm loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment, leaving an overhang on the long sides to lift the loaf out.
- 2
Mix the wet ingredients
Mash the bananas in a large bowl with a fork until mostly smooth. Stir in the melted butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until well combined.
- 3
Add the dry ingredients
Sprinkle the baking soda, salt and cinnamon over the banana mixture and stir in. Add the flour and fold gently with a spatula until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.
- 4
Bake
Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top and scatter over a few extra chocolate chips. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until deep golden and a skewer in the centre comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter. If the top browns too fast, cover loosely with foil after 40 minutes.
- 5
Cool
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out onto a wire rack and cool for at least 45 minutes more before slicing.
Recipe Tips
- The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavourful the bread. Black-skinned bananas are perfect.
- Weigh the flour if you can; too much flour makes banana bread dry and dense.
- Melting chocolate chips can fool a skewer test. Check in a couple of spots and look for moist crumbs, not liquid batter.
Variations
- Swap the chocolate chips for blueberries tossed in 1 tbsp of flour.
- Make 12 muffins instead: bake at 190°C (375°F) for 18-22 minutes.
- Replace up to half the flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier loaf.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 320 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbs | 44 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Saturated fat | 8 g |
| Fibre | 2.5 g |
| Sugar | 26 g |
| Sodium | 240 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Keep wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer
- Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices, wrapped well, for up to 3 months.
- Reheat
- Thaw slices at room temperature or warm them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread FAQs
How ripe should bananas be for banana bread?
Very ripe, with skins that are heavily speckled or mostly black. They are sweeter, softer and more aromatic, which gives the bread more flavour and moisture.
How do I know when banana bread is done?
The top is deep golden and springs back when pressed, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. This usually takes 55-65 minutes at 175°C (350°F).
Why is my banana bread dense or gummy?
Overmixing the batter after adding flour, too much flour, or underbaking are the usual causes. Fold just until combined, weigh the flour and let the loaf cool fully before slicing.
Can I freeze bananas for banana bread?
Yes. Freeze ripe bananas peeled in a bag. Thaw them at room temperature and use them with any liquid they release, which adds extra flavour.
