Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is the kind of baking project you can start on a quiet afternoon and have ready by the time the kettle boils again. It’s soft, moist, lightly sweet, and dotted with melty chocolate in every slice. Nothing flashy here. Just a reliable, cozy loaf that uses those spotty bananas on the counter and turns them into something you’ll want for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or, let’s be honest, dessert.
Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, but lovely)
- 3/4 to 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus a small handful for the top
- Optional add-in: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F, 175°C. Line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment, letting a little overhang for easy lifting. Lightly grease the sides.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine.
- Whisk in the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. The mixture should look glossy and a bit loose.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Tip the dry ingredients into the wet. Fold gently with a spatula just until you don’t see streaks of flour. No need to beat it smooth. A tender loaf likes a light hand.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts if using. Save a small handful of chips for the top.
- Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle on those extra chips.
- Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until the top is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. If the loaf is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil around the 45-minute mark.
- Cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then lift onto a rack and let it cool to just warm before slicing. Hard to wait, I know. Worth it.