Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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This easy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is a treat guaranteed to delight all those who try it. With its dense, moist crumb and soft texture, you’ll never follow another banana bread recipe again!

The Best Ever Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Banana bread is one of my family’s favorite treats – especially when there are chocolate chips involved! This recipe is super easy to make and a hit with banana lovers. Like my classic banana bread, this loaf is made with sour cream to keep it extra moist and cinnamon to enhance its flavor. This recipe will give you the perfect loaf every single time.

Is Banana Bread Healthy?

Bananas are a great source of potassium, protein, vitamins and fiber, and this bread is fully loaded with them. It definitely won’t leave you wishing for more banana flavor. With pops of chocolate in each and every bite, you’ll be whipping up this classic breakfast bread all the time!

What You’ll Need

Gather up the following ingredients when you’re ready to make your banana bread. Note that the butter should be brought to room temperature before you begin.

• All-Purpose Flour: I use a food scale and recommend one, but you can also fluff your flour by stirring it and spoon it into your measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. You definitely don’t want to pack the flour into the cup.
• Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These work together to help the bread rise and have a great texture.
• Salt: To lock in flavor and moisture.
• Ground Cinnamon: Half a teaspoon of cinnamon adds warmth and flavor.
• Unsalted Butter: Room temperature.
• Light Brown Sugar: Be sure to pack the brown sugar into your measuring cup.
• Eggs: A couple of eggs help all of the ingredients bind together.
• Sour Cream: This makes for the softest, moistest banana bread of all time!
• Mashed Bananas: They should have plenty of brown spots all over them, but not be so brown that they nearly disintegrate when you peel them.
• Vanilla Extract: Use a high-quality extract for the best tasting bread.
• Chocolate Chips: I like to save some chocolate chips for the top of the bread in addition to folding them into the batter.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Let’s discuss each step of this recipe in detail. The ultimate chocolate chip banana bread awaits!

1. Prep for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and set it aside.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Set the combined dry ingredients aside.
3. Beat Butter & Sugar: Add the butter and brown sugar to a large mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat them together until the mixture is light in color and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
4. Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after the first one until the batter is just combined before adding the second egg.
5. Add Sour Cream, Bananas & Vanilla: Add the sour cream, mashed bananas and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
6. Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not over-mix or you’ll end up with tough banana bread.
7. Add Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips. Then add the batter to the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top.
8. Bake: Bake the bread for 60-65 minutes. If your oven has a tendency to brown things a lot, you can tent it with foil after 25-30 minutes. When it’s done baking, a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf should come out clean.
9. Let Cool: Remove your loaf from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan.
10. Serve: Slice, serve and enjoy!

Tips for Success

I didn’t stop developing this recipe until the banana bread was absolutely flawless. Here are a couple of tips that will help you nail it on your first try.

• Use Overripe Bananas: If you have bananas that look a little too brown for your liking, they’ll actually do wonders in your baked goods. They’re way more flavorful and a lot easier to mash up! The more brown spots you see on the banana peels, the better your bread will be.
• Measure the Flour Accurately: The inclusion of too much flour is a leading cause for dry, tough banana bread. Measure it with a food scale to ensure accuracy – if you don’t have one, fill your measuring cup using the spoon and level method.
• Grease the Pan Well: Make sure you coat the loaf pan with a generous amount of nonstick spray. Otherwise, it will be difficult to remove your finished bread from the pan.

Mix-In Ideas

If you’d like, you can customize this breakfast bread with any additions of your choice. I’ve got some great ideas!

• Chopped Walnuts
• Shredded Coconut
• Peanut Butter Chips
• Chopped Pecans
• Nutmeg
• Cocoa Powder
• Raisins or Craisins

How to Store

Leftover banana bread should be kept in an airtight container or a large ziplock bag. You can either store it in the fridge or leave it out at room temperature. It will last for 3-5 days on the counter and for up to a week in the fridge.

Can I Freeze It?

You can certainly freeze this banana bread if you’d like to store it for a longer period of time (up to 4 months). Just wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap, then freeze it in an airtight container. Unwrap it and thaw it out in the fridge or on the counter before enjoying it. You could even freeze slices and pull one out when a craving hits.

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Try These Banana Treats Next

Craving more banana goodness? You can count on the dishes below to hit the spot.

• Bananas Foster Cheesecake
• Banana Pudding Popsicles
• Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes
• Classic Banana Cream Pie