Chocolate Banana Bread
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
This chocolate banana bread is rich, tender, perfectly moist and packed with lots of chocolatey goodness. It’s easy to make and is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!
I LOVE banana bread! Whenever I have ripe bananas on hand my go-to recipe is always some form of banana bread and this chocolate banana bread has been my latest obsession.
It’s so rich and chocolatey, while also being perfectly moist and tender. This loaf is truly a chocolate lover’s dream and I can’t wait for you to try it!
Table of Contents
“This is so good! I made it for my neighbors, and it smelled so good while cooking. I let my kids have a small piece and they said I don’t think the neighbors need ALL of it. Ha!”
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Banana Bread
- The fudgy factor: Thanks to the combination of mashed bananas and full-fat Greek yogurt, this bread is more like a brownie than a dry loaf.
- One-bowl wonder: Less mess, less stress. You can whip this entire batter up in one bowl, making cleanup a total breeze.
- Sweet, but not over the top: Coconut sugar adds a subtle caramel-like sweetness that pairs so well with the cocoa. It’s rich without being cloying, which makes it dangerously easy to go back for another slice.
Ingredients Needed
As I mentioned above, you don’t need any fancy ingredients. You probably already have everything you need to make this recipe in your kitchen right now!
- flour – I usually go for all-purpose flour for that classic bakery texture, but whole wheat pastry flour is a great way to sneak in some extra fiber without making the loaf too dense.
- cocoa powder – what gives this bread its rich, chocolatey flavor.
- coconut sugar – adds a deep, caramel-like sweetness to this loaf.
- coconut oil – helps to keep this loaf moist. If you don’t have coconut oil you can use melted butter or another neutral oil instead.
- eggs – helps to bind the ingredients together and gives the loaf structure.
- ripe bananas – the star ingredient, offering natural sweetness and moisture. The riper the better! Many times I’ll freeze bananas when they’re perfectly ripe so I can use them for banana bread later. Just thaw and use!
- Greek yogurt – my secret weapon for a “fudgy” crumb. It adds a protein boost and keeps things tender without needing a ton of extra oil.
- chocolate chips – you can’t forget about the chocolate chips! I’m a huge fan of Lily’s chocolate chips (they’re dairy-free and lower in sugar) or Enjoy Life for a great allergen-friendly option.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions
- Gluten-Free: While this specific loaf was developed with wheat flour, you can usually swap in a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. If you’re looking for a tried-and-true GF option, my almond flour banana bread is a reader favorite!
- Dairy-Free: To make this dairy-free, simply swap the Greek yogurt for a thick, dairy-free alternative like almond or coconut-based Greek-style yogurt. It keeps the bread just as moist.
- Vegan: For a vegan version, you’ll want to use a plant-based yogurt and swap the eggs for two flax eggs. Because vegan baking can be a bit of a science, you can also check out my vegan banana bread if you want a recipe that’s already been perfected!”
How to Make Chocolate Banana Bread
Step 1: Mix together your flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together your eggs, coconut sugar, coconut oil, bananas, Greek yogurt and vanilla until smooth and combined.
Step 3: Gently add your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Don’t over-mix!
Step 4: Once the batter is combined add in your chocolate chips.
Step 5: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and top with remaining chocolate chips. Place in a preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 6: After removing the loaf from the oven, let it cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. Then, transfer it onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Tips for the Best Banana Bread
- The spottier, the better: This is the #1 rule! You want bananas that are covered in brown spots (or even almost black). These have the highest sugar content and will give you that deep, natural sweetness and a moisture-locked crumb.
- Room temperature ingredients: This is a total game-changer. Pull your eggs and Greek yogurt out of the fridge about 30 minutes before baking. Room temp ingredients emulsify better, resulting in a smoother batter and a more even bake.
- Measure your bananas: Bananas vary so much in size! For this recipe, you want exactly 1 ½ cups mashed. If you use too much, the bread might turn out gummy; too little, and it could be dry.
Ways to Serve Banana Bread
Few things are better than fresh, warm banana bread! I love eating a slice for breakfast toasted with butter or nut butter. Here are some ideas:
- For a sweet breakfast: Enjoy a slice for breakfast alongside your morning coffee with a little butter and a dash of cinnamon. Or spread on some jam (this strawberry chia jam would be delish) and nut butter.
- Added protein: For a more protein-packed breakfast serve a slice alongside two hardboiled eggs, baked egg cups and/or a protein shake.
- For brunch: Serve this banana bread for brunch alongside my dairy-free spinach quiche, fruit salad and mimosas. So yummy!
How to Store
- At room temperature: Wrap the banana bread in foil or plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- In the fridge: For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week. This helps maintain freshness and prevents mold.
- In the freezer: Banana bread stores wonderfully in the freezer. Wrap the loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil or place them in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your cravings can’t wait for brown spots, you can ripen yellow bananas in the oven! Place unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F for 15–20 minutes until the skins are black. Let them cool completely before mashing—they’ll be perfectly sweet and soft.
This usually happens for one of two reasons: either the baking soda was expired, or the bread was pulled out of the oven too early. Because this is a “moisture-locked” fudgy bread, it needs the full bake time to set. Always use the toothpick test, if it comes out with wet batter, give it another 5 minutes!
Totally. Divide the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake at 350°F for about 18–22 minutes. They’re perfect for grab-and-go snacks.
More Banana Bread Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Chocolate Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas, 3 large or 4 medium
- ⅓ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9″x5″ loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.1 cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, coconut sugar, oil, mashed bananas, greek yogurt and vanilla.¾ cup coconut sugar, ¼ cup melted coconut oil, 2 large eggs, 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas, ⅓ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir together until just combined, making sure to not over-mix!
- Gently stir in the chocolate chips.⅓ cup chocolate chips
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with extra chocolate chips.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. For longer storage, wrap individual slices in parchment and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Equipment
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
I’ve tried countless banana bread recipes, and this is always the one I come back to. So delicious!
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear, Mica. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me.
This is so good! I made it for my neighbors, and it smelled so good while cooking. I let my kids have a small piece and they said I don’t think the neighbors need ALL of it. Ha!
So glad this turned out for you, Kim! That made me laugh about your kids… sounds like it was a hit all around. Thanks so much for making the recipe and coming back to share how it went!
Brittany, this is absolutely delish! The bread is so moist! I will be making this again. Thank you!
@Paula, thank you for the freezing and snack tip. 😀
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Chrissy. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. 🙂
Brittany, I was so happy to find this recipe! I typically will end up with one or two bananas that get too ripe for my liking and this is such a nice way to use those. The only thing I did different was to make them as cupcakes because my husband and I both love digging around in the freezer for a small snack…..as a matter of fact, just “found” one myself and enjoyed a cup of coffee with it! It’s another
#eatingbirdfood keeper!
WOO! Sounds delicious. I am so glad you are loving this recipe and it turns out great for you as muffins too! Thanks so much for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
I see baking powder in the directions but it doesn’t say how much in the ingredients. How much baking powder should be used?
Hi Rosemarie, Apologies, there is no baking powder in the recipe, just baking soda! Just edited the recipe. Thanks for noticing that!
Amazing!!!! Delicious!!!! Easy recipe!!!!
Thank you Brittany 😊
Yay! So glad you loved this recipe! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
CAN I USE SOUR CREAM INSTEAD OF YOGHURT?
Hi Pat – I haven’t tested this recipe with sour cream so I am not sure how it would turn out. Let me know if you give it a try!
There are a couple of omissions in the recipe: baking powder is mentioned in the directions but not the ingredients, and cocoa powder is mentioned in the ingredients but not the directions.
That being said, it was easy enough to figure out how to correct, and the loaf was delicious! Very moist and chocolate-y! I will be making this again.
Hi Maryl! Thanks so much for catching that, I will get that updated. Baking powder (mentioned in step 2) and cocoa power (also to be added in step 2). I am so glad you enjoyed this banana bread. Thanks so much for sharing your review + star rating, I appreciate it!
How much baking powder did you use?
going to make this it looks mouth watering
Yay! I hope you love it, Mark. Can’t wait to hear how it turns out for you!