This Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread is moist, dense, and jam-packed with rich chocolate in every bite. One of my favorite banana bread recipes!
Ah, banana bread. I feel bad for it sometimes. As much as I like it (and I do: 8 Must-Bake Banana Bread Recipes), it’s usually an afterthought. I never plan to make it. It’s only when I spot overripe bananas that I start contemplating what to bake with them. For a little variety this time around, I went with one of my favorite variations that features the banana-chocolate combo. This chocolate chip banana bread recipe is quite generous in the chocolate department!
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe
- Big chunks of chocolate. While you can certainly use chocolate chips, I like to use chopped chocolate in this banana bread. This gives you varying sizes of chocolate pieces, including little thin slivers that melt into the bread while it bakes and big chocolate chunks that add a satisfying texture.
- Extra moist. Between the mashed bananas and sour cream, this banana chocolate chip bread has a wonderfully moist, tender crumb.
- Easy to make. Like most quick bread recipes, this chocolate chip banana bread is quite easy. There’s really nothing to it!
Want even more chocolate with your banana bread? Try my Chocolate Banana Muffins!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- All-purpose flour – Too much flour leads to dry banana bread, so take care to measure carefully. Learn how to measure flour.
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Unsalted butter – Let this soften to room temperature for about half an hour before baking.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Mashed overripe bananas – The more ripe they are, the more banana flavor your bread will have. You’ll need about 3 to 4 ripe bananas, depending on their size. Mash them with a fork, a potato masher, or some other implement. (Bananas not ripe yet? Read this: How to Ripen Bananas)
- Sour cream
- Vanilla extract
- Bittersweet chocolate – Use a sharp knife to coarsely chop the chocolate. Alternatively, you can use bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
What Is the Difference Between Semisweet and Bittersweet Chocolate?
Bittersweet chocolate is made with less sugar and contains 70% cacao, while semisweet chocolate is made with 60% cacao and it’s sweeter because it’s made with more sugar. Bittersweet chocolate has a deeper, richer flavor that you’ll appreciate in this chocolate chip banana bread!
How to Make Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously grease a loaf pan. If you prefer, line the pan with parchment paper and grease the paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Use a mixer on medium speed to beat the butter and sugar until they’re light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating just until combined. Fold in the chopped chocolate.
- Bake. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to finish cooling before cutting into slices. (Learn more: Why Every Baker Needs Wire Cooling Racks)
Do You Eat Banana Bread Hot or Cold?
Traditionally, banana bread is eaten at room temperature, but with the chocolate chunks in this recipe, it’s especially good warmed up a bit so the chocolate melts. Serve it with a scoop of ice cream or homemade whipped cream for a decadent dessert!
Tips for Success
- Swapping out the sour cream. If you’d like, you can use plain yogurt instead of sour cream in this recipe, but be sure to use full-fat (whole milk) yogurt rather than a lighter variety.
- Use a tall loaf pan. This bread bakes up nice and tall. Be sure your loaf pan is nice and tall, too, to avoid heartbreak.
- Testing for doneness. Another word of caution: It can be a bit tricky to test for doneness with all that chocolate. You may need to test it in more than one spot near the center to make sure the bread is thoroughly baked.
- Want to make muffins instead? See my tips for converting quick bread loaves to muffins.
How to Store
- Room temperature: Wrap the banana bread or transfer it to an airtight container and store it at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. It will last for up to a week in the refrigerator, but note that it’s more prone to drying out in the fridge.
- Freezer: You can freeze this chocolate chip banana bread for up to 3 months. Wrap it well in two layers of plastic wrap and then wrap again in aluminum foil or place in an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag. When you’re ready to serve, remove the bread from the freezer and let it thaw on the counter.
Video Tutorial: Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread
More Banana Bread Recipes
- Brown Butter Banana Bread
- Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread
- Dulce de Leche Banana Bread
- Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Chai Caramel Banana Bread
Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread
Add a little dark chocolate to your next banana bread with Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread.
Ingredients
- 1 & 2/3 cups (200g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 & 1/4 cup (250g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 & 1/2 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 3-4 bananas)
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 ounces (170g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 9"x 5" loaf pan.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla, and continue beating until combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Stir in the chocolate.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Everyday Food.
To store: Wrap the banana bread or transfer it to an airtight container and store it at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. It will last for up to a week in the refrigerator, but note that it’s more prone to drying out in the fridge.
To freeze: You can freeze Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread for up to 3 months. Wrap it well, and when you’re ready to serve, let it thaw on the countertop.
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25 Comments on “Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread”
Banana bread, is hardly ever on my agenda as well – – but once I make it, I’m always so happy. Chunks are a great idea, I love the fact that you can see the mounds of chocolate ~ yum!!
I agree with LTSL above–it is an afterthought, but at least it’s a thought! It’s always better than I remember it, and once I started adding chocolate chips (just last year) it has made it’s way into a more regular rotation at my joint. But chocolate chunks and slivers?! The next level of awesome! Thanks for sharing.
Mmmm…. I have a PILE of bananas in the freezer and I keep meaning to make banana bread. You’re right – it’s an afterthought. Even when I plan it I don’t seem to get to it!!
Definitely looks delicious. Bigger chocolate chunks are worth it in my book.
It looks great! i love this kind of breads, I did one this month for my blog and it looked very similar but with nuts and some orange too.
I love banana bread but have never had it with chocolate chunks before. Looks delicious. Going to have to try this out.
Wow. That looks incredibly moist. I’m happy you posted this because it reminds me that I need to buy some bananas for some banana bread. 🙂 My husband loves it so I actually plan to make it pretty often. I love it, but I’m allergic to bananas so don’t really get to eat it. Can’t get over how moist it looks!
There’s no way this could not be great. Chocolate makes everything better!
I haven’t tried chocolate with banana bread either but by the looks of the results, I’ve been missing out. Won’t miss out next batch for sure.
Banana bread is probably one of my top 5 favorite kinds of food – this looks to die for!
I thought i already had the perfect banana bread recipe, but yours looks so much better. I’m definitely going to try it :).
I made the bread yesterday. It turned out great. Thanks for the idea.
Bread was delicious, but most of my chunks fell to bottom. Do you have any suggestions?
Dee, some people swear by tossing the chocolate chips in part of the recipe’s flour before mixing them into the batter. In my experience, I find that many times you can prevent the chips sinking by not overmixing the batter. You want there to be some streaks of flour in the batter when you add the chocolate chunks so that the batter is just mixed after you stir in the chocolate.
I found this recipe on pinterest and made it. My sister said it was the best banana bread she had ever had, which I had to agree with. So thanks!
Hi l’m Melanie l just started reading your column, l have a question…
when you mix your dry ingredients you whisk them ? When l was growing up and learning the ways of the kitchen, we always sifted the
dry ingredients together. Why the change ?
Hi, Melanie. Whisking dry ingredients is an efficient way to get them thoroughly combined. Sifting serves a different purpose. It’s to make the flour lighter and fluffier, and also to help combine the dry ingredients if you sift them all together. It’s not always necessary to sift, but there’s no harm in it if that’s how you prefer to do it.
I have been making banana bread for years, started to add chocolate chips, but just don’t have the knack of keeping the chips from falling to the bottom. I’ve tried mixing flour around them, didn’t work, gently putting the chips on top of batty and using a fork gently pushing some towards the middle.
The chocolate chips make it oh so good.
Help me out my recipe friends. Thank you
Hi, Suzanne. Chocolate chips sink when they’re too heavy to stay suspended in the batter. So, thinner batters just won’t hold them up. Tossing them in flour will only get you so far. If it’s a consistent problem, try using mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
Hello. Thank you for this. Pls what can I substitute for sour cream as I don’t have access to it where I am.
Plain yogurt is a good substitute for sour cream.
how can I make these gluten free?
Hi, Lee. My specialty is traditional baking, so I don’t have much experience with baking for special diets. If you have a gluten-free flour you prefer, then I suggest using their guidelines for substitution.
I just popped this into the oven. Can’t wait until it’s done. Such an easy recipe. Thank you.
I hope you enjoy it, Karrie!