Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread

Yumna Jawad

4.99 from 133 votes

This Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread is an easy recipe that you can easily whip together for breakfast or dessert! The chocolate melts in your mouth and the walnuts add texture!

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This Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread is one of my favorite ways to use ripened bananas. It’s my easy fix for not wasting food and ending up with something tasty. The secret to this chocolate chip banana nut bread? A bit of Greek yogurt to keep it moist and avocado oil for a smooth texture. Plus, chocolate chips and walnuts make everything better, right?

Chocolate chip banana bread on parchment paper with a few slices cut away from the loaf and staggered to show the cut side.
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Every time my kitchen counter ends up with a few too-ripe bananas, I see it as the perfect excuse to whip up chocolate chip banana nut bread. It really doesn’t get easier than a quick banana bread when it comes to baking in my opinion. You’ve got your wet ingredients and the dry ingredients, and then they come together easily with just a wooden spoon. The result? A moist, puffed-up, golden quick banana nut bread recipe with melted chocolate chips. Perfect for a morning coffee or those lazy afternoon snack breaks!

Table of Contents

Recipe at a glance

Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven
Dietary Info: Vegetarian, No Refined Sugars
Key Flavor: Slightly Sweet, Chocolatey
Skill Level: Easy

Summary

  • Simple Ingredients: Everything you need is most likely already in your pantry, making this an anytime treat.
  • Sweet But Healthy-ish: With maple syrup and Greek yogurt, you’re getting a healthy chocolate chip banana bread treat that’s both tasty and better for you than most store-bought banana bread.
  • Incredibly Moist: The combo of Greek yogurt and ripe bananas makes for an extra moist bread with the perfect crumb every time.

Ingredients to Make this Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread Recipe

  • All-purpose flour: This is the base for our chocolate chip banana nut bread. You can also try whole wheat flour for a nuttier taste.
  • Baking soda: Helps the bread rise and get that perfect fluffy texture.
  • Cinnamon: What’s banana bread without the warm and cozy flavor of cinnamon?
  • Salt: To balance out the sweetness.
  • Coconut oil: Melted down to make mixing easier. If you’re out, you can use regular melted butter or even vegetable oil.
  • Eggs: They bind everything together. If you’re vegan or allergic, you could use a flax egg or some applesauce.
  • Maple syrup: To add a touch of natural sweetness.
  • Greek yogurt: This is my secret to super moist bread!
  • Vanilla extract: For that classic baked-good flavor.
  • Bananas: The riper, the better – they add natural sweetness and moisture. Plus, if they’re very ripe, mashing them up will be easier.
  • Walnuts: I love some crunch in my banana bread. Pecans or almonds are a great addition too.
  • Chocolate chips: Because chocolate makes everything better. Dark, milk, or even white chocolate – you pick. 
  • Add almond extract. In case you don’t use vanilla extract, a few drops of almond extract can also elevate the entire bread’s aroma and taste.
  • Swap the Greek yogurt for sour cream. If you don’t have Greek yogurt on hand, sour cream can add moisture to the bread. However, keep in mind that it is tangier than yogurt.
  • Try different mix-ins. Besides cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg or allspice are also a good addition if you want even warmer and cozier flavors in your loaf.
  • Add more spices. While this banana bread recipe with chocolate chips focuses more on the chocolatey flavor, you can replace half of the chips with raisins or dried cranberries. Dried fruit is always a win in any banana bread.
  • Make them into muffins. The recipe works well for muffins instead of a banana bread. Just reduce the time to 20-22 minutes.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread

  1. In one bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
  2. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: melted coconut oil, eggs, maple syrup, and Greek yogurt.
  3. Now combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, along with the mashed bananas and add-ins, like walnuts or chocolate chips.
  4. Mix it together until you don’t see any more flour streaks, being careful not to over mix the batter. Then it’s ready for the oven.
4 image collage making recipe in a bowl: 1-eggs, yogurt, and vanilla in a bowl, 2- after whisking together with mashed banana added, 3- after combining banana and egg mixture with dry ingredients added on top, 4- batter mixed with chocolate chips and walnuts added.

Bake Your Loaf

  • Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with more nuts and chocolate chips.
  • Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

When it comes out, the chocolate chip banana nut bread will look like this: puffed up, golden, with melted cute little chocolate chips. Now, there’s that moment when you’re trying to decide how soon is too soon to cut into this beautiful loaf so you can enjoy it warm and gooey without burning your fingers. And that moment is about 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven.

2 image collage of banana bread batter in a parchment paper lined loaf pan, before and after baking.

Tips for making the best chocolate chip banana bread

  1. Use very ripe bananas. This is also an important tip when making banana bread because the ripe banana will lend sweetness to the quick bread without having to add much sweetener. In fact, I only use ⅓ cup of maple syrup, and you can even decrease it to ¼ cup.
  2. Level the flour. When measuring your flour, use a knife or a straight edge to level it off in the measuring cup. This ensures you don’t add too much and end up with a dense loaf
  3. Measure out the banana. You want to use 1 cup of mashed bananas, which could be 2 or 3 bananas, depending on their size. If you use too many bananas, the bread will turn out heavy and damp in the center, which can really make it unappealing. Make sure to freeze any extra mashed bananas for later use in banana bread or smoothies.
  4. Tent the loaf pan with foil during the last 10-15 minutes of baking if necessary. Sometimes at around 40 minutes, the top of the bread will be golden brown, but the center won’t be cooked through yet. The tenting tip helps to prevent the top from burning while baking the bread through.
  5. Don’t overmix the batter. After adding the dry ingredients to the wet, mix until just combined. There should be a few lumps in the batter. Stirring too much can make your chocolate chip banana nut bread tough
Chocolate chip banana bread slices stacked up with a hand lifting up the top piece.

How to Store this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe

You can store your chocolate chip banana nut bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.

How Long Will Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread Recipe Last in the Fridge?

This chocolate chip banana bread can be stored in the fridge for up to a week inside an airtight container. This is a great option if you want to keep it fresh for a couple more days.

Can I Freeze Banana Bread Recipe with Chocolate Chips?

Yes, you can freeze it. Just wrap the loaf tightly in foil and place in a freezer bag. It will stay frozen for about 3 months. Once ready to eat, thaw the bread inside the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave in 10 seconds intervals until fully heated through.

Frequently asked questions

How do you know when the bread is baked?

The chocolate chip banana nut bread will take around 50-55 minutes to make. I recommend that you check for doneness at around 50 minutes to be on the safe side. The loaf will be golden brown in color and when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

What can I use instead of coconut oil?

You can use equal parts vegetable oil or butter, if preferred.

My bananas aren’t ripe yet, how can I ripen them?

If your bananas aren’t ripe, pop them (with their peels on) in a 300°F oven for about 15-20 minutes. They’ll turn black and get super soft inside, just like naturally ripened bananas.

Slice of banana bread with chocolate chips and walnuts on a plate.

This is one of the best chocolate chip banana nut bread recipes I’ve made. It’s moist, fluffy, and delicious without being overly sweet. I love that I can make it without any butter or refined sugar with amazing results. The whole family will love this!

More Quick Bread Recipes:

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

This Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe was originally published on August 8, 2017. It has recently been updated with new photography, step-by-step instructions, and tips. The recipe now uses avocado oil instead of coconut, but you can still use the latter, if preferred.

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Stack of chocolate chip banana bread slices.
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Review

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread

This Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread is an easy recipe that you can easily whip together for breakfast or dessert! The chocolate melts in your mouth and the walnuts add texture!
5 from 133 votes
Author Yumna Jawad
Servings 12 servings
Course Dessert
Calories 271
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Video

Ingredients
  

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, maple syrup, Greek yogurt and vanilla extract until well blended, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the mashed bananas until well blended. Fold the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until no streaks of flour remain. Then fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips.
  • Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with more nuts and chocolate chips. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
  • Let cool for at least 20 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Equipment

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. You can freeze the bread for up to 3 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe.
  • Instead of avocado oil, you can use olive oil or coconut oil.
  • Instead of greek yogurt, you can use sour cream or a neutral oil using a 1:1 substitution. You can also use milk.
  • Instead of maple syrup, you can use another liquid sweetener like agave syrup or honey.
  • Instead of eggs, you can use flax eggs. 
  • To make this gluten-free, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix. Do not substitute only almond flour or only coconut flour.
Make them into muffins: The recipe works well for muffins instead of a banana bread. Just reduce the time to 20-22 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 271kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 202mg, Potassium: 167mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 53IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Dessert

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Tried making this today and it came out so moist!!! I already had two slices and will definitely be making this again. I used 3 ripe Cuban bananas and honey.

    Reply

    1. Hi there, I have not tried it, but depending on the size on your air fryer it could work. You just want to make sure there is enough room in the air fryer for the bread to properly rise. Also, you will want to reduce the baking temp by about 25 degrees, and bake it for less time. I’d say start checking it around 40 minutes.

      Reply

  4. I made this and it turned out so moist. I did put it into two smaller loaf pans and I did not have any nuts. Will make again.

    Reply

  5. I made this last night. It is so good. I find most quick breads overly sweet, not this one. It has a softer, smoother texture than most quick breads. I used sour cream in place of Greek yogurt and a scant 1/3 cup maple syrup. Though this was delicious, I find the chocolate chips overwhelmed the taste of bananas. A mistake I made was not using the parchment paper, the bread did adhere to the pan, even though it was a non stick. This is going in my recipe file. 🙂

    Reply

  7. Your recipe works great, the bread is really moisture and it tastes lightly sweet. Our family love this banana bread a lot!

    Reply

  9. I made this banana bread recipe tonight and it is by far my favorite banana bread recipe now! I used olive oil instead of coconut oil, agave syrup instead of maple syrup, all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour, and I left out the walnuts. Even with all my substitutions, the banana bread was amazing. It was perfectly moist and not too sweet.

    Reply

  10. Hi dear Yumna

    I tried baking the chocolate chip banana bread incidentally it did rise up but did
    Not cook inside this is the second Time it’s happened pretty unhappy please tell me how did happen well after you reply I will try using yr receipe hopefully it may come out well thanks dear please advise.

    Reply

    1. Tent the loaf pan with foil during the last 10-15 minutes of baking if necessary. Sometimes at around 40 minutes the top of the bread will be golden brown but the center won’t be cooked through yet. The tenting tip helps to prevent the top from burning while baking the bread through.

      Reply

  11. Hi- In your original recipe (which is the one on pinterest and not the updated one) you never say the oven temperature so I was assuming 350, but turns out it is 325 based on your update. Could you please update the one on your pinterest board to sat the oven temp? Thank you!

    Reply

  16. Tried this a couple of times and every time it is perfect. Also tried it with substituting coconut oil with regular oil, same result. Kids love it and ask for it regularly

    Reply

  17. Made this for my son and I and it was a hit! Very delicious and easy recipe I has everything in my pantry without even knowing it! Definitely making it again and will be looking for more of her recipes!

    Reply

  18. I have tried this recipe a couple of times and it is now my go to for banana bread, it comes out very moist and tasty.
    And the tips you add to your recipes are very helpful and I find them crucial to the success of recipes for new bakers.

    Reply

    2. First time using this recipe! I usually opt for another banana bread recipe but I came across this and couldn’t wait to try! Delicious and moist!

      Reply

      1. Thank you so much! It would still work! Instead of greek yogurt, you can use sour cream or a neutral oil using a 1:1 substitution. You can also use milk!

        Reply

  19. This recipe was amazing! I made the bread a few days ago and it seriously hit the spot for a sweet tooth without having too much sugar involved! I loved it! ❤️

    Reply

  20. Made your banana bread , omg so moist and delicious 😋 never made it like this before my go to recipe from now on 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻thank you 🥰 Keep up the great recipes

    Reply

  21. Best Banana bread recipe ! Super easy to make !
    The result was super moist and fluffy and not to sweet !

    Reply

  23. Thanks for the recipe! I tried a few different ones and this one is the winner from far. Everyone loves it 🙂

    Reply

  25. This recipe was a big hit with my family and my friends . Super moist and the chocolate chips made up for my sugar craving . Definitely the best banana bread I’ve made . Thank you x

    Reply

  26. Oh, my goodness! Where do I begin? This recipe was so easy to make and it turned out delicious! This is now my go to chocolate chip banana bread recipe. Give it try because you will not be disappointed:)

    Reply

  28. I tried your banana’s cake and it was so delicious ?i added more maple syrup just bc i love more sweetness❤️ thank you ❤️

    Reply

  29. Thank you Yumna for the recipe! It’s healthy, simple, easy, and very tasty! I personally loved it and highly recommend it’s for everyone to try!

    Reply

  30. Hey!I made your chocolate chip banana bread yesterday! It turned out great!
    I did some changes though, I was out of Greek yogurt so used plain whole milk in its place. And instead of whole wheat flour I used gluten free all purpose flour.
    Thanks for making this recipe !

    Reply

  32. So good! Loved it, thanks so much for sharing amazing recipes and so easy to follow.
    I even send it to my mom, so she could bake it, it was a success.

    Reply

  34. I loved it! It turn out fluffy and not dry at all. I was wondering if I can substitute the whole wheat white flour for oat flour? Thank you! I’m a fan of your recipes 😉

    Reply

    1. So glad you loved the recipe! I think the oat flour might make it too dense unfortunately. However if you find a gluten-free flour mix that says it’s for 1:1 baking substitutions you can try that as a gluten-free option. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  35. Hi All, this recipe is amazing. It’s a must try. It is so simple and the result will be so delicious. The sweetness is apt and cake becomes so soft. Make sure to measure your ingredients well and you are good to go. The best part about this recipe is that this is so healthy. Thank you Yumna for inspiring me and getting me started with the my baking.

    Reply

  36. This was My first time making banana bread! It’s delicious and soooo easy to make. I added a tablespoon of matcha powder (to the dry ingredients) to make it a treat with an added health benefit ?. I cannot wait to share this recipe with my family and friends once social distancing is over. Thank you

    Reply

    1. Wow love that you added matcha powder to it. Hope you get to share it soon with your family and friends 🙂

      Reply

  37. At first I was skeptical about this recipe since it has no sugar or butter. But I was also encouraged to make it because it’s super easy. I only have whole wheat brown flour and I’m not sure if it’s the same thing as whole wheat white flour. Anyway I used one cup all purpose flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour. I’m truly impressed at how it turned out. Delicious and my family loved it so much.
    Thank you Yumna for sharing it.

    Reply

    1. So glad to hear that you enjoyed it! I think the flour you used worked well. Mine is basically an all-purpose unbleached whole wheat flour that I use for everything. Thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback!!

      Reply

  40. This recipe is one of the easiest and most delicious banana bread! I literally prepared it in 10 mins!
    I highly recommend this blog!
    Thank you Yumna for your delicious recipes♥️

    Reply

  43. My daughter made your delicious chocolate chip banana bread. My kitchen smells wonderful. Happy Sunday!

    Reply

  45. Hi Yumna, I used your recipe and my bread came out AWESOME! I took some liberties with the recipe, for example I used olive oil, added a lot of dark chocolate coz I’m greedy lol, used regular yogurt and cocoa powder instead because I didn’t have the exact ingredients in my pantry but I must say the end result was nothing short of bananay-walnutty-peacany-chocolatey deliciousness. Thank you!!!! ❤

    Reply

    1. Love some of the substitutions you made.Thanks so much for taking the time to share your feedback!!

      Reply

  47. This banana bread is bomb I replaced the backing soda with one teaspoon Of baking powder and it was so yummy ? and delicious specially with the chocolate chips ??

    Reply

    1. Sorry I updated the recipe to be maple syrup and greek yogurt instead of honey and milk, I fixed that now. Thank you!

      Reply

  49. Hello! Do you have a replacement for eggs as we don’t eat eggs in our family? Also can you use plain/self raising flour instead?

    Reply

    2. I likeee itttt ??? it’s so delicious and easyy ?? i replaced the maple syrup with honey and it was so yummy Thank you for these recipes ❤️

      Reply

    1. Hi Emma, gluten-free flour will require more moisture, so you will need to add more milk. I haven’t tested it with almond flour yet yet. Buckwheat flour would be an easier substitute since it’s not gluten-free. Happy baking!!

      Reply