Chocolate Chip Banana Bread 

If you’ve got three ripe bananas waiting to be used, this chocolate chip banana bread is the recipe you’ll want to make. It’s soft, buttery and packed with milk and dark chocolate, with optional walnuts for extra crunch. Whether you’re baking for breakfast, afternoon tea or a sweet treat, this loaf is simple to make and always disappears quickly. 

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Super moist and soft.

• Uses simple pantry ingredients.

• Ready with just one mixing bowl.

• Perfect for using up ripe bananas.

• Freezes beautifully.

Ingredient notes

Bananas: The riper the bananas, the better. Look for bananas with lots of brown spots or even mostly black skins, as they’ll be sweeter, softer and give your loaf the best flavour.

Light brown sugar: This adds moisture and a subtle caramel flavour, helping to keep the banana bread soft.

Caster sugar: Using a little caster sugar alongside brown sugar gives the loaf a lighter texture while balancing the richness.

Butter Melted butter keeps this recipe simple and gives the loaf a rich, buttery flavour.

Milk & dark chocolate: I love using a mix of both. The milk chocolate adds sweetness, while the dark chocolate balances it with a richer flavour.

Walnuts (optional): Walnuts add a lovely crunch and pair beautifully with banana and chocolate, but they’re completely optional if you’d prefer to leave them out.

Step-by-Step

1. Prepare your loaf tin

Preheat your oven to 160°C fan and line a loaf tin with parchment paper. Leaving a little overhang on the sides makes it much easier to lift the loaf out once it’s baked.

2. Mash the bananas

Mash the bananas until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are absolutely fine and add to the texture.

3. Mix the wet ingredients

Add the melted butter, light brown sugar, caster sugar, eggs and vanilla. Whisk until everything is well combined.

4. Add the dry ingredients

Add the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Gently fold everything together until you can no longer see any dry flour. Try not to overmix, as this can make the loaf heavier.

5. Fold in the chocolate

Fold through the chopped milk chocolate, dark chocolate and walnuts if you’re using them. I like to save a handful of chocolate to sprinkle over the top before baking for an extra chocolatey finish.

6. Bake

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf tin and smooth the top. Bake for 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.

7. Cool

Leave the banana bread to cool in the tin for around 10–15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps it hold its shape when slicing. 

Tips for the Best Banana Bread

• Use very ripe bananas for the sweetest flavour.
• Measure your flour carefully to avoid a dry loaf.
• Don’t over-mix once you’ve added the flour, mix just until combined.
• Save a few chocolate chunks for the top before baking for a bakery-style finish.
• If your loaf is browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.
• Allow the loaf to cool before slicing, as it will continue to set as it cools.

Storage

Store your banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

If you’d like it to last a little longer, keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just let a slice come to room temperature, or warm it slightly before serving.

To freeze, wrap the whole loaf or individual slices well and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature whenever you’re ready to enjoy it. 

You Might Also Like...

If you loved this chocolate chip banana bread, you might also enjoy my Double Chocolate Banana Bread. It’s extra rich, deeply chocolatey and perfect for serious chocolate lovers.

Or, if you’re looking for another easy bake, take a look at my Banana Nutella Stuffed Muffins recipe for more delicious ways to use up ripe bananas.