Moist yet crunchy, this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe has been a staple in my kitchen for years!
Ah, banana bread—an oldie but a goodie.
When I was younger (and considerably less skilled at baking), chocolate chip banana bread was my absolute favorite thing to make. I would always stock up on bananas at the store with the intention of only using them for baking. On the weekends, I would eagerly look forward to putting a loaf of banana bread in the oven, and I would devour it for breakfast for the next few days.
These days, I put a bit more thought into making my banana bread, but it still makes me nostalgic for those childhood days each time I make it. I always like to make my banana bread with chocolate chips, but it's also delicious made with walnuts or any other nuts that you like!
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Tips for Making This Banana Bread
When it comes down to it, this chocolate chip banana bread is pretty easy to make, but here a few tips to get it perfect every time:
- Beat your butter and sugars for several minutes. When mixing together your butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar, make sure to beat on high speed for at least 3-5 minutes. You want the mixture to get very fluffy because this leads to a lighter texture in the overall bread.
- Make sure your bananas are ripe. When it comes to banana bread, the best bananas are overripe ones. I'm talking lots of streaks of black (or even entirely black). When my bananas start to get really ripe, I like to cut them up and store them in the freezer. Then, you can use these for banana bread at any time in the future!
- Sprinkle some turbinado sugar on top of the batter before baking. This is a new trick I've been doing lately, and it makes the banana bread so crunchy on top! If you haven't used it before, turbinado sugar is a less-refined sugar that still has some molasses, and it has much larger crystals than granulated sugar.
- Use a toothpick to see if the banana bread is ready. The best way to determine when this bread has finished baking is to insert a toothpick or cake tester directly in the middle of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean (with no liquid), then it's time to take it out of the oven.
Common Questions About This Banana Bread
Yes, absolutely! Let the banana bread cool completely after baking, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. I also like freezing individual slices since they thaw a bit faster.
Personally, I like to place the peeled bananas on a cutting board and mash them using a fork or potato masher. However, you can also mash them using a handheld mixer or stand mixer if you'd like.
Of course! I like making chocolate chip banana muffins sometimes because they make a great breakfast on the go. Simply follow the recipe as written and pour the batter into a lined muffin tin. Bake the muffins at 350°F (177°C) for 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
Description
Moist yet crunchy, this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe has been a staple in my kitchen for years!
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (99g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 large (100g) eggs
- ⅓ cup (80g) sour cream
- 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 bananas, mashed
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (75g) chocolate chips
- Optional: turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on high speed until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Once combined, add in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and mashed bananas and mix until homogenous. Scrape the bowl well to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Then, add the dry ingredients into the other mixture in one addition and mix until only just combined—be careful not to overmix! Finally, fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread with an offset spatula or knife to make sure it is even at the top. If desired, generously sprinkle some turbinado sugar on top of the batter to give it an extra crunch. Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for ten minutes. Then, transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
- Wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container, you can keep this banana bread at room temperature for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the banana bread for up to 2 months if tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Notes
- If desired, you can substitute frozen bananas in this recipe. Simply let them thaw to room temperature before using. When my bananas start to get really ripe, I like to stash them in the freezer to use for recipes like this!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: banana, banana bread, chocolate chip banana bread, quick bread
Awesome recipe! I made the cupcake version. I also used Greek yogurt since I do not keep sour cream on hand. I don’t think the flavor or texture was affected though. Yummy all the way. Your technique of beating the butter and sugars for 3-5 minutes greatly improved the texture - thanks for the tip!
★★★★★
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Yvonne! It's great to hear that Greek yogurt worked in the recipe as well.