Every slice of this chocolate chip banana bread is soft, tender, and packed with mild banana flavor and warm spices, making it an irresistible breakfast, snack, or dessert. It’s a moist banana bread that is easy to make and perfect for freezing!
I’ll be honest – I don’t like bananas but I’m always up for a really good banana bread recipe. From my classic easy banana bread to one with all the mix-ins!
Having several quick bread recipes like this one, apple cinnamon swirl bread, and a classic zucchini bread at the ready can come in very handy for all things breakfast, brunch, dessert, and snack! My kids love banana bread in their lunch boxes, too.
This time I’m using chocolate chips but also warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. This recipe for chocolate chip banana bread is a favorite around here, even for those of us that don’t care for bananas, and some of that might be due to the topping of turbinado sugar for that extra crunch!
Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Always a great way to use up overripe bananas!
- Turns out moist, tender, and always delicious.
- The recipe can be doubled to keep one frozen for later.
- Chocolate chips make everything better!
Helpful Tools
- 9×5 metal loaf pan – I’ve been moving to these pans instead of glass & they heat much more evenly.
- Silicone Pan Liners – I just got these & am so impressed! Parchment paper works well, too.
- Whisk – I got this new whisk & love that it folds flat both for storage & for getting all the batter out.
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- All-purpose flour: Make sure to measure flour correctly so the texture remains soft and tender.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Both are leavening agents. The baking powder also helps to keep the crumb soft.
- Spices: Cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg.
- Large eggs and vegetable oil: The eggs bind the bread and, along with the oil, keep it nice and moist. You can swap the oil for melted butter.
- White sugar: I use granulated sugar. I haven’t tested with any replacements.
- Mashed ripe bananas: The riper they are, the sweeter they are. Use ones with brown spots on the skin! 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas were 3 for us. This will depend on the size of yours.
- Mini chocolate chips and turbinado sugar: I love mini chocolate chips, dark chocolate Ghirardelli, to be specific. You can also use regular chocolate chips instead. The turbinado sugar gives the top a nice crunchy bite.
How to make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step One: In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Whisk to combine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Step Two: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and oil until combined. Stir in the mashed bananas. Pour the mixture into the well in the middle of the flour mixture.
- Step Three: Stir the batter to combine, ensuring there are no streaks of flour left. It’s ok that it’s lumpy, it should be! Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Step Four: Pour the batter into a prepared 9×5 metal loaf pan. Don’t forget to line it with enough parchment paper that it hangs over the sides for easy lifting later. Sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly on top.
- Step Five: Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 50-55 minutes. Let it cool in the pan at room temperature before slicing. Enjoy!
- Swap the dark chocolate chips for semi-sweet or milk chocolate, if preferred. Then, use your leftover chocolate chips to make chocolate chip zucchini bread next!
- You can also mix in 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts, or replace the chocolate chips altogether.
- If your bananas are extremely ripe and very sweet, you can reduce the amount of sugar to 3/4 cup.
- Check on your banana bread. If you notice it’s browning too quicky, you can tent it with foil.
- To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of it. It’s ready if it comes out clean.
- One loaf makes around 16 slices.
- Double the recipe and keep one loaf in your freezer.
- For maximum moisture, once the loaf has cooled completely, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it sit overnight on the counter before slicing. I can never wait that long 😬
FAQs
Place unpeeled bananas onto a foil-lined baking tray. Pierce them a couple of times with a fork and roast them for about 15 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven until the skins are very dark. Once cooled, slice them open and use the mashed insides as needed.
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers
Keep any leftovers of this banana bread with chocolate chips recipe stored at room temperature for up to 4 days. Make sure it’s covered airtight to prevent it from drying out.
Freezing Instructions
Once completely cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap and transfer it to a freezer bag to keep frozen for up to 3 months. You can also wrap and store individual slices. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheating Instructions
While banana bread is usually eaten at room temperature, if you’d like to warm it up to have for dessert with a scoop of ice cream, you can zap it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Need more quick bread recipes? Try these:
Chocolate Marble Zucchini Bread
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Quick Bread
Click here to view my entire collection of bread and muffin recipes.
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teapoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1½ cups mashed ripe bananas
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- 2 Tablespoons turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×5 metal loaf pan with parchment paper leaving overhang of the paper to use as handles. Lightly spray with non-stick spray and set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, and nutmeg.2 cups all purpose flour, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teapoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Make a well in the center of the mixture.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the beaten eggs, sugar, and oil until combined. Then, stir in the mashed bananas.2 large eggs, 1 cup granulated white sugar, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1½ cups mashed ripe bananas
- Pour the egg mixture into the well of the flour mixture. Stir until just combined and no traces of flour as left – the batter should be a bit lumpy.
- Gently stir in the chocolate chips and then pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly over the top.1 cup mini chocolate chips, 2 Tablespoons turbinado sugar
- Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool at room temperature before slicing.
Notes
- Bananas should very ripe with speckled brown peels for optimal sweetness.
- If your bananas aren’t quite ripe, you can roast them for deeper flavor. Add the unpeeled bananas to a foil lined baking sheet. Prick the peels with a fork and then bake for 15 minutes in a 350°F preheated oven. The skins will get very dark. Let cool and then proceed to peel & mash as directed.
- 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas was 3 bananas for us. This will vary on size of your bananas.
- Melted butter can be used in place of oil, if preferred.
- 1/4 cup of walnuts can be added in addition to, or instead of, the chocolate chips.
- We like to use dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli, generally) but semi-sweet or milk chocolate also works.
- One loaf should make around 16 slices.
- For maximum moisture, after cooling the loaf, wrap with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight at room temperature before slicing. If you can wait that long 🙂
- Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Recipe slightly adapted from Better Homes & Gardens cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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