My Best Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe Uses A Secret Method
Before you start yawning at yet ANOTHER banana bread recipe, please, please give me a chance to explain. I mean I get it, youre probably wondering why mine is the best Chocolate Chip Banana Bread? You have your Grannys recipe that is the best. Or youve made my Toasted Coconut Banana Bread and dont think you need to look any further. But I am not one to leave well enough aloneyou know that about me by now. Ive even claimed to make the BEST Banana Muffinswhich, btw are totally THE BEST.
But I will tell you I have officially cracked the banana bread code here. This chocolate chip banana bread that I am sharing with you today is EVERYTHING.
This Is The Best Banana Bread Recipe
If I had to pick one breakfast indulgence I cant get enough of, it would be banana bread. Ive loved this warm and gooey bread since I was a little girl when my mom would make her banana bread on Saturday mornings. Wed all crowd into the kitchen barely waiting for the bread to cool before we attacked it with butter that would melt and drip because the bread was still hot from the oven.
The most simple to change up my moms banana bread? With chocolate chips, of course.
You will love this banana bread because its:
- EASY to make seriously
Keep Those Old Bananas
Use very ripe bananas, i.e. mushy bananas. You can tell a mushy banana by the color of the peel it should be browned or browning significantly and should feel soft when squeezed between your fingertips and will be very easy to mash with a fork. Mash bananas until they are a chunky applesauce consistency. Some texture is good in banana bread!
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How To Make Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips
What I love most about this easy banana bread recipe is that its mixed up in just one bowl!
MASH BANANAS Start off with some super ripe bananas and then stir in the melted butter. No mixer needed for this one! You can mix the whole thing up with a fork or a sturdy wood spoon.
COMBINE WET AND DRY INGREDIENTS Add in the remaining wet ingredients, followed by the dry ingredients.
FOLD IN CHOCOLATE CHIPS Finally, just fold in the mini chocolate chips and pour into a lightly greased loaf pan.
Ingredients In My Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe
- Bananas the most important part. Use overripe bananas. They have lots of brown spots.
- Fat butter or oil. I love using unsalted butter, but you can also use equal parts vegetable oil or liquid coconut oil.
- Sugar I use granulated sugar in all my banana bread recipes.
- Milk some banana bread recipes use sour cream but I use sour milk. My moms recipe calls for sour milk , and if you dont have buttermilk, its easy to make your own. Just mix 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice into the milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. Voila! Buttermilk!
- Baking soda this recipe uses baking soda instead of baking powder. The acid in the sour milk or buttermilk helps to activate the baking soda causing a nice rise in the loaf.
- Chocolate! Use your favorite kind of chocolate chips in this recipe.
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Everyones Favorite Banana Bread
I guarantee your family and friends will fall in love with this chocolate chip banana bread after one bite. One bite is all it takes. The buttery, rich banana bread is soft, moist, and filled with melty chocolate chips! The banana/chocolate ratio is perfect and you will love the sugary top! Warning, you will probably want to bake a loaf every single weekor day so make sure you stock up on bananas. Enjoy!
Ingredients For Best Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- All purpose flour regular unbleached all-purpose flour works great for a moist banana bread. Do not pack it down when measuring or use a scale to get the right amount
- Unsalted butter butter brings the flavour! However, you can also use any neutral tasting oil.
- Brown sugar light or dark brown sugar works great in this recipe. It adds a lovely hint of molasses flavour and also keeps it extra moist.
- Dark chocolate chips I love using mini dark chocolate chips in my muffins, but you can use regular if thats all you can find. Semi-sweet works great.
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Tips For The Perfect Banana Bread:
- Pan Size: I recommend using a 9×5-inch or 10×6-inch baking pan for this bread. Or, use two 8×4-inch pans or three mini loaf pans.
- You can make chocolate chip banana bread muffins using muffin pans.
- You can substitute soy or almond milk in this bread, but add 1 teaspoon of vinegar so the baking soda is activated.
- It will brown a lot on the outside while its baking. If its browning too much, reduce the oven temperature by 25°.
- How you know banana bread is done: It will form a nice crack on top. Once a toothpick comes out mostly clean right outside the crack, the bread is done.
- Cooling: Let it cool a bit before slicing or the chocolate chips will create holes in the bread.
- Why does my banana bread collapse? If your crack collapses after baking, its because it was underdone. Its still good and will have a little gooey spot right on top, but for best results do the toothpick test right next to the crack!
Everything Is Better With Chocolate Chips
The only thing that makes banana bread even better is CHOCOLATE CHIPS!
In fact, chocolate chips make the world a better place. Add them to anything and it instantly makes it delicious especially to our classic banana bread recipe. I mean, is there anything better than a slice of warm chocolate chip banana bread fresh out of the oven? Sometimes I even add a little butter to a slice. Heaven!
Anyone that tries this chocolate chip banana bread falls in love with it. You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert. Just about anytime of the day! Add some ice cream and youve got the best dessert idea ever. Package a slice up and take it to go for a morning breakfast idea. Eat it on the side of some fruit and youve got one tasty lunch.
Its always a good time for chocolate chip banana bread.
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Even Better The Next Day
This is amazing warm, right out of the oven. And its even more indulgent with a spread of butter.
BUT the thing with this chocolate chip banana bread is that its out of control delicious when its warmbut it is also SO GOOD the next day! The flavors have a chance to blend together and get really soft and friendly.
Is Banana Bread Healthy
While youre getting some health benefits from the bananas in this recipe, I wouldnt consider banana bread healthy. Theres definitely plenty of sugar, fat, and refined carbs in this recipe. That said, you can certainly do worse when it comes to sweet treats!
Assuming that a loaf yields 12 slices, each slice includes about 301 calories, 41 grams of carbohydrate, 4 grams of protein, and 14 grams of fat. If youre looking for a healthy banana bread recipe with fewer calories, try my One-Bowl Whole Wheat Banana Bread .
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Tips For Storing Banana Bread
I love eating a slice of banana bread when it is warm, out of the oven, but I also love eating a slice the next day. I think banana bread is just as good, if not better, on the second day. Here are my tips for storing banana bread.
Wrap the cooled loaf of banana bread in plastic wrap and store on the counter for up to four days. The banana bread will get moister as the days go on. You can store banana bread in the refrigerator if you need it to last longer, but I prefer the counter method.
Why Youll Love This Recipe
- Ease: No mixer, no fancy technique. This simple batter comes together in about 10 minutes.
- Flavor: Bananas, vanilla, brown sugar, and chocolate chips. Hello delicious flavor combo!
- Texture: Soft and moist bread, melty pockets of chocolate, and slightly crunchy caramelized brown sugar topping.
- Versatility: This recipe can be made in a square pan , a loaf pan, or a muffin tin.
- Convenience: Grab a slice for breakfast, dessert, or a midday snack. This bread keeps well for several days so youll have a tasty treat waiting for you whenever you want need it.
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How To Serve This Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe
Serve the bread warm, at room temperature, or even straight from the refrigerator! Its a great option for breakfast or snack when paired with a mug of hot coffee or tea, or with a cold glass of milk.
The bread is delicious on its own, but you might also enjoy it with butter, cream cheese, almond butter, or peanut butter. Add some yogurt or eggs and fresh fruit on the side for a perfect morning feast!
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this banana bread gluten free?
I have not tested this specific recipe, but I have a delicious recipe for gluten free banana bread thats just as moist! Just add chocolate chips.
Can I use plain yogurt instead?
If you dont have Greek yogurt or sour cream, you can also use plain unsweetened yogurt.
Can I use less sugar in this recipe?
Sugar plays a big role in the moist texture of this bread. Adjusting it will likely change the banana bread. For a refined sugar free option, try swapping all of the sugar with coconut sugar.
Why did my banana bread sink in the middle?
This is likely due to two missteps: 1. You over mixed the batter. Over mixing develops the gluten strands in the flour, creating a more dense and heavy batter. Mix just until the ingredients are combined. This is why its important to mix the batter by hand. 2. Your pan is too small. 9×5 loaf pans can vary in size, as mine is about 9.5x5x5 inches. If you have a smaller loaf pan, only fill the pan about 2/3 full. Any more than than and the center of the banana bread will have trouble baking all the way through.
Do I need to make this banana bread with chocolate chips?
If you just want plain banana bread, you can leave out the chocolate chips. Alternatively, you can add nuts instead.
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How To Make The Best Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
I know, we all hate the word moist but theres just no other word that better describes this banana bread. Its tough to even categorize this as bread because of how soft and lush it is. Especially with those mini chocolate chips sprinkled throughout.
To make this recipe, I essentially modified by pumpkin bread recipe because its just so good. If it can make life-changing pumpkin bread, why cant it make life-changing chocolate chip banana bread? Hypothesis confirmed. It sure can.
There are a few things to keep in mind to ensure your bread turns out perfect:
So thats that. These few simple tips will ensure your chocolate chip banana bread turns out soft and moist every time.
How Many Cups Is 1 Mashed Banana
This can be tricky! If a recipe calls for 3 bananas, how much is that? We all know that measurements are important in baking, so the difference between a very small banana and a very large banana can be significant when baking a loaf of banana bread.
My recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of mashed banana. One large banana yields about ½ cup mashed, so I used 3 large bananas for a total of about 1 ½ cups. If youre working with small bananas, youll need at least 4 . Measuring is always the safest way to make sure that your banana bread turns out perfectly moist, sweet, and delicious!
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How To Reheat Banana Bread
How Do You Keep Banana Bread Moist
This Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe is ultra moist and delicious from the start. If you want to keep banana bread moist, I recommend letting the banana bread cool completely before wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap.
Place the wrapped banana bread in a zip close container to ensure to oxygen can not reach it, and then store on the counter for up to 5 days. You can keep it refrigerated for up to 8 days as well.
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How To Make Easy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
This recipes comes together easily. Be sure to follow the recipe as specified, including using both granulated sugar AND brown sugar. The brown sugar really enhances the flavor of the bread. Also ensure that your eggs are at room temperature and your butter is softened.
- Step 1: Mash the bananas. Be sure to use overripe bananas. The bananas should be mostly brown to yield the best flavor. Mash until smooth. Do not leave chunks of bananas.
- Step 2: Prepare the pan. Grease a 9×5 metal loaf pan and set aside. Use butter or a nonstick cooking spray to grease the sides.
- Step 3: Make the batter. Cream together the butter and sugars. Then add the eggs, mashed bananas and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Fold until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.
- Step 4: Add the chocolate chips. Gently fold in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips until combined. After pouring the batter into the loaf pan, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 chips on top.
- Step 5: Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the bread is set and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
How To Keep Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Moist
Banana bread stays moist mostly because of the bananas. But the sourness from the buttermilk and the fat also helps keep it moist. It will stay that way for a few days, if it lasts that long.
Another important tip is to not over bake it. Take it right out as soon as its done and itll be a moist bread, otherwise it can dry out.
Did you know you can freeze your overripe bananas? I always tend to over buy bananas and they go brown before I eat them. I always freeze them so I can make banana bread whenever I want.
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Can I Use Frozen Bananas To Make The Best Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
The short answer is, Yes, you can. However, I dont recommend it. For the best results, use very ripe spotty bananas. Ripe fresh bananas will provide the necessary sweetness while still contributing solid structure to the loaf without making it stodgy.
Frozen bananas discolour and will leach water once defrosted. This free water can make the loaf soggy, and it may bake with a dense gummy layer on the bottom. Also, bananas take on lots of unpleasant freezer flavours that can alter the taste of the loaf.
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