Chocolate Banana Bread

Double Chocolate Banana Bread is the PERFECT combo of your favorite banana bread and indulgent cocoa powder and chocolate chips, that’s so moist from the bananas and rich from the chocolate!

Homemade breads are a staple in this kitchen, and right new we have our classic Banana Bread, Banana Nut Bread, and Vanilla Pound Cake.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread
CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD

Chocolate Banana Bread takes your normal banana bread recipe and takes it to another level with rich cocoa powder and sweet chocolate chips. This is a great recipe to give out as a gift, or to portion and freeze for easy breakfasts later. It’s also super kid friendly and even perfect to serve for a chocolate-y dessert!

This banana bread recipe uses only one bowl and a loaf pan (if you want to skip using your stand mixer), making cleanup easy. You can dust the loaf pan with flour, use a non-stick pan, or line it with parchment paper to prevent the banana bread from sticking.

I love serving banana bread with a big pot of coffee and some Easy Whipped Cream on top. You can also microwave the loaf before serving for 20 seconds and serve it warm, like it’s just out of the oven and serve it with some Vanilla Ice Cream on top.

HOW TO STORE CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD

Chocolate banana bread can be stored on the counter, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. It will keep for about 3-4 days. I do not recommend freezing banana bread, because it can dry out when stored that way.

You can also cut it into individual slices, wrap in plastic wrap and tinfoil, and freeze for on-the-go breakfasts or snacks. This banana bread recipe will last in the freezer for 3-4 months.

WHY DID MY LOAF FALL IN THE MIDDLE?

You can fix fallen banana bread with a few simple tips next time you make it. First, make sure your ingredients are fresh, especially the leavening agents. Next, you can try whisking together your dry ingredients before adding them to the wet ingredients, to make sure everything gets evenly mixed. And finally, make sure you watch your time closely, and even check your loaf a few minutes before it’s supposed to be done.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU ADD TO CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD?

  • Dried cranberries
  • Walnuts
  • Pecans
  • Peanut butter
  • Cinnamon or nutmeg
  • Caramel

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

CAN YOU MAKE CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD FROM CAKE MIX?

You can make this chocolate banana bread recipe with cake mix if you’re short on time. Use one box of chocolate cake mix (or vanilla cake mix for regular banana bread), with 1/3 cup applesauce, 3 eggs, and 1 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas. Then add the chocolate chips and follow this banana bread recipe as normal.

HOW TO MAKE BANANA BREAD MOIST

  • Substitute the white sugar for brown sugar in this chocolate banana bread recipe. Brown sugar contains more moisture naturally, and helps keep the loaf soft and moist.
  • Measure your ingredients carefully, because too much all purpose flour can dry out baked goods.
  • Watch your oven temperature and be careful not to over bake the loaf. You can use an oven thermometer to make sure the oven is cooking at the temperature you set it to.
  • Add sour cream or plain yogurt to the batter, to give a light and fluffy texture to the banana bread.
  • Be careful not to over-mix the batter. If you still see some loose flour, don’t worry, as long as most of it is mixed in.

HOW TO MAKE BANANAS RIPEN QUICKLY

You can ripen bananas a few different ways, without waiting for them to brown on the counter. The longest way is to put the bananas in a brown paper bag, which helps them build up natural ethylene gas and brown in a day or two.

My favorite way is to microwave the bananas, because it only takes a few minutes. Poke a hole in the banana with a fork, then microwave them for 30 second intervals until they are over-ripe. Let them cool before you bake with them.

MORE DESSERT BREADS

TIPS FOR MAKING CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD

  • You can use dark cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor in the banana bread.
  • Make this loaf dairy-free by substituting the butter with applesauce, and using allergen-free chocolate chips.
  • I make this chocolate banana bread in a loaf pan, but you can also use this recipe to make banana muffins. If you’re making muffins, decrease the cooking time to 15-20 minutes.
  • If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can make this loaf with an electric hand mixer and a large bowl. You can also mash your bananas with the electric mixer or in the food processor.
  • If your semi-sweet chocolate chips are sinking, dust them with all purpose flour before adding them to the batter.
  • Top this banana bread with chocolate ganache, chocolate frosting, or chocolate glaze for double chocolate banana bread!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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Chocolate Banana Bread Loaf
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Chocolate Banana Bread

Double Chocolate Banana Bread is the PERFECT combo of your favorite banana bread and indulgent cocoa powder and chocolate chips, that's so moist from the bananas and rich from the chocolate!

Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate banana bread
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Calories 387 kcal
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 very ripe bananas mashed (1 1/2 cups mashed)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a stand mixer beat together the butter, sugar and eggs then add in the bananas and vanilla. Add in the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder until just mixed then fold in the almost all the chocolate chips.
  3. Pour into a 9x5 loaf pan and sprinkle over the remaining chocolate chips and bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Recipe Notes

Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.

Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Banana Bread
Amount Per Serving
Calories 387 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 58mg19%
Sodium 264mg11%
Potassium 326mg9%
Carbohydrates 54g18%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 31g34%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 365IU7%
Vitamin C 3.1mg4%
Calcium 29mg3%
Iron 2.8mg16%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Banana Chocolate Bread

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. If you enjoyed the recipe and would like to publish it on your own site, please re-write it in your own words, and link back to my site and recipe page. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. You mentioned about adding yogurt. How much should be added ? And is it a substitute for any ingredient ?

  2. This looks delicious and of course I am out of bananas, except what I have in the freezer. Can I use frozen bananas?

  3. My family loves it! My 5yo has recently become a super picky eater and refused to eat the last few banana bread recipes I baked, but she loves this one – so much better than processed foods to rake as a snack to school!

    I actually made it as 8 mini loaves instead of 1 big loaf – worked great, I just cut the baking time down to 30-35 minutes.

    1. I have a picky eater too so I know that feeling when you find a recipe they will eat haha! So glad this one has won her over 🙂

      1. I haven’t used peanut butter as a substitute for butter, so I can’t make a recommendation. Personally, I would add in addition as an extra flavor.

    1. You can leave it on the counter if you’d like. Just make sure it’s covered properly so it doesn’t dry out. Enjoy!

  4. Sabrina,
    Thank you once again for some awesome recipes… have a question… I love walnuts in my banana bread.. If you were to put them in this chocolate banana bread recipe would you toast them (bake them) first and then add them to the recipe or just add them raw into the recipe?
    Thank you for your time and all you do to help the rest of us.. I am so grateful.
    I look forward to your blog daily.
    Have a blessed day!

    1. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes. If you want to add walnuts, it’s a personal preference whether you want to toast them or not. Enjoy!