Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (One-Bowl, No Mixer)
Introduction
This moist chocolate chip banana bread is soft, rich in banana flavor and loaded with melty chocolate chips. It’s the perfect way to use overripe bananas and makes a great breakfast, snack or dessert. The recipe comes together in one bowl, without a mixer, and bakes into a beautiful loaf that stays tender for days. It’s a classic comfort bake that performs very well on Pinterest and is loved by both kids and adults.
Quick Info
- Prep time:Â 15 minutes
- Bake time: 50–60 minutes
- Total time:Â about 1 hour 10 minutes
- Servings: 8–10 slices
- Difficulty:Â Easy
Ingredients
- 3 medium overripe bananas (well spotted, mashed – about 300 g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (110 g)
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed (100 g)
- ¼ cup white sugar (50 g)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (about 190 g)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional but recommended)
- ¾–1 cup chocolate chips (dark, milk, or semi-sweet)
- Optional: 2–3 tbsp chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
1. Prepare the pan and oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- Grease a 9 x 5 inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
2. Mash the bananas
- In a large mixing bowl, peel and add the overripe bananas.
- Mash them well with a fork until mostly smooth (some small lumps are fine).
3. Add wet ingredients
- Pour in the melted butter and mix with the mashed bananas.
- Add brown sugar and white sugar, and whisk until combined.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk again until the mixture is smooth.
4. Add dry ingredients
- On top of the wet mixture, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet using a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Mix just until no visible dry flour remains – do not overmix (this keeps the bread soft).
5. Fold in chocolate chips (and nuts)
- Fold in most of the chocolate chips (and nuts, if using), keeping a small handful to sprinkle on top.
- The batter will be thick – this is normal.
6. Fill the pan and bake
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
- Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the top.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until:
- a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are OK, but no wet batter).
- If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil for the last 10–15 minutes.
7. Cool and slice
- Remove the banana bread from the oven and let it cool 10–15 minutes in the pan.
- Carefully lift it out (or invert) and place on a wire rack.
- Let it cool almost completely before slicing for neat slices (or enjoy slightly warm if you don’t mind it being softer).
Tips & Variations
- Extra banana flavor: Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots – they are sweeter and more aromatic.
- No butter? Replace melted butter with the same amount of neutral oil or melted coconut oil.
- Less sweet: Reduce sugar by 2–3 tbsp; the bananas still keep it flavorful.
- Without chocolate:Â Skip the chocolate chips and add nuts + a sprinkle of coarse sugar on top for a simple banana loaf.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days or in the fridge up to 5 days. It also freezes well (wrap slices individually).