With cocoa powder in the batter and melty chocolate chips in every bite, this chocolate chip banana bread recipe is as chocolatey as banana bread gets. Bananas add natural sweetness and sour cream keeps every slice moist and tender.
No mixer needed and it’s easy to make just like my other quick bread recipes!
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Banana bread was one of my go-to recipes when I started baking. I loved that it only needed simple ingredients and no fancy tools, and it came out perfect every single time.
I’ve made several versions including this banana and pistachio bread and banana cinnamon swirl bread. Since chocolate and bananas are such a classic combination, I had to make a chocolate banana bread recipe!
After developing my pumpkin banana chocolate chip bread, I knew it would take a few tests to make sure one flavor didn’t overpower the other.
I knew I landed on the winning recipe when I bit into the final version . You can taste the sweet banana and rich chocolate in every bite!
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The sweetness of ripe bananas with the rich, deep flavor of chocolate make an irresistible flavor combination. If you love this loaf you have to try my chocolate chip banana bread muffins too!
- Every bite is incredibly moist and tender thanks to sour cream in the batter, just like my banana bread with ricotta!
- No mixer needed — just a whisk and spatula and you’re good to go!
Ingredient Notes
Here are some useful notes on some of the ingredients.
- You’ll need 1 cup or a little more than a cup (250-300 grams) of mashed banana from about 3 medium to large overripe bananas. Your bananas should have brownish peels or peels with brown spots. Ripe bananas are soft, sweet and perfect for baking! You can also use them to make my spice cake with bananas and banana and rhubarb muffins.
- We’re using brown sugar and granulated sugar. Use light or dark brown sugar.
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch process cocoa powder.
- We’re using melted unsalted butter.
- Full fat sour cream is recommended for the best soft texture and moisture. Sour cream is mildly acidic and is needed for the baking soda to react and help the bread rise while it bakes. You can swap in yogurt, but I wouldn’t recommend using milk or buttermilk. Room temperature sour cream incorporates best into the batter.
- You won’t taste the cinnamon because the chocolate flavor is stronger, but it adds to the overall flavor of the bread. Since it’s just a small amount, you can leave it out if you like.
- Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips work best here. Regular-sized and mini chips both work! Mini chips distribute more evenly through the batter so you get chocolate in every single bite. I use mini chips in my chocolate chip loaf cake for the same reason!
- Espresso powder is optional but recommended. Just ½ teaspoon deepens and intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the bread taste like coffee.
Substitutions & Variations
- Don’t want to use butter? Swap in canola oil, vegetable oil or avocado oil.
- Are you a a fan of nuts? Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts for extra flavor and some crunch! You can use chopped walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts or cashews.
- Out of brown sugar? Feel free to replace the brown sugar with extra granulated sugar.
- Don’t have sour cream? Swap in yogurt.
- Love peanut butter? Add peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips.
How to Make Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
Quick Video Recap
Step by Step Instructions
Step One: Whisk the sugars and melted butter together until well combined. Whisk in the eggs one at a time then add the vanilla.
Step Two: Mix in the sour cream.
Step Three: Add the bananas and whisk until combined. (Use the bottom of your whisk to break the bananas up if needed).
Step Four: Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in ½ cup of the chocolate chips.
Step 5: Pour into a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. Top with the rest of the chocolate chips. Bake at 350 F for 55–65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Step 6: Let the bread cool in the pan for 20–30 minutes before lifting out. Let it cool completely before slicing.
Natalie’s Top Tips
- Use the ripest bananas possible. Ideally they should be brown or have peels with brown spots. Ripe bananas will make the bread more sweet and moist. Yellow bananas will work ok, but I don’t recommend using underripe bananas.
- You don’t need to mash the bananas before adding them. Overripe bananas are soft and will break up as you whisk. You can also mash them with the bottom of your whisk if needed.
- Sift or whisk your dry ingredients. It’s a good idea to combine your dry ingredients before adding them to the batter. It will them more evenly incorporate. If you skip this step, it’s not the end of the world, but I recommend it for best results.
- Use a 1.25 lb (9×5 in) loaf pan. This recipe hasn’t been tested in a smaller size.
- Grease your loaf pan with the butter wrapper.
Common Questions
Yes you can! The bread will still be delicious if you leave out chocolate chips.
Yes! To make muffins, pour the batter into a lined 12-cup muffin tin and bake at 350°F for 22–25 minutes.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To freeze, cool completely, wrap slices or the whole loaf tightly, and place in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Loaf pan
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted, slightly cooled
- ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar light or dark, packed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 (100 g) large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) mashed very ripe banana 1 to 1¼ cup mashed, from about 3 medium to large bananas (between 240-300 grams)
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream full fat, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (187 g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (43 g) unsweetened cocoa powder Dutch process or natural
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 g) espresso powder optional
- ¾ cup (135 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or grease the sides with butter and line with parchment paper and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan or microwave. Set aside to cool slightly until it's still warm but no longer hot, about 5–10 minutes
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and espresso powder (if using). Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in sour cream, and vanilla until evenly incorporated.
- Whisk in the bananas. Use the bottom of your whisk to break up any lumps of banana, if needed.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined (do not overmix). Fold in ½ cup of chocolate chips until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared 9×5 in (1.25 lb) loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula or offset spatula. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips evenly over the top.
- Bake at 350℉ for 55–65 minutes. Bake until toothpick comes out mostly clean with no wet batter when inserted in the center of the bread. Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15–20 minutes before removing.
- Lift out with parchment overhang and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Let the bread cool completely before slicing. This allows the crumb to set, so the slices hold together and don’t fall apart.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Aubrey
Hi Natalie,
Wasn’t sure about this banana bread, but I tried it, loved it, want more of it!!!
Another home run recipe 🙂
Natalie Ward
Thank you so much Aubrey! I’m so glad you gave this recipe a try 🙂 Chocolate and bananas definitely work well together!