Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe: Moist and Rich Quick Bread

Name: Chocolate Banana Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; 3 large brown bananas, mashed (1 ½ cups); 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 1/4 cup canola vegetable oil; 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar; 1 large egg, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided

By:

Gabriella Brotherton

Published:

October 1, 2026

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Chocolate Banana Bread

Chocolate Banana Bread, the recipe that turned a bunch of speckled bananas on my counter into the loaf my neighbors now ask about. It comes from Maria Lichty, and it is the one I hand to anyone who claims they are not a banana bread person.

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This easy Chocolate Banana Bread is moist, tender, and a chocolate lovers dream! It is the BEST banana bread recipe.

If you have ever pulled a loaf of banana bread out of the oven and watched it dry out by day two, this recipe is your fix. It is rich, deeply chocolatey, and it stays soft for days. The first time I brought it to a Sunday potluck, it disappeared before the pasta salad came out of the cooler. BINGO.

Chocolate lovers, this one is for you. The loaf gets its chocolate flavor from two places at once: Dutch process cocoa whisked into the dry ingredients, and semisweet chocolate chips that go both into the batter and over the top.

The result is a quick bread that tastes like a brownie met a banana muffin and decided to stay for breakfast.

Why This Chocolate Banana Bread Works

This recipe was tested over a few weeks until every single ingredient earned its spot. Here is what that testing settled on, and why each choice matters when you bake the loaf at home.

The bananas. An early version used 1 cup of mashed banana. It was good, but it was not great. The final version calls for 1 1/2 cups of mashed banana, which comes from 3 large brown bananas.

That amount keeps the bread super moist and still lets the banana flavor come through the chocolate instead of hiding behind it.

When I mash bananas for this loaf, I leave a few small lumps in the bowl, because those little pockets of banana are what make each slice taste homemade.

The butter and the oil. This recipe uses both 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter and 1/4 cup canola vegetable oil.

The butter brings flavor, the oil brings moisture, and together they give the loaf a tender crumb that does not turn dry the next morning. Melted coconut oil works in place of the canola oil if that is what you keep in the pantry.

Brown sugar only. There is no granulated sugar here, just 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar. Brown sugar holds more molasses, and that molasses is what keeps baked goods moist for longer. It also adds a soft caramel note that plays beautifully with the cocoa.

Sea salt. A version made with regular table salt was good, but not as good. Sea salt gives little salty kicks against all that chocolate, and that contrast is the thing that makes you reach for a second slice.

Dutch process cocoa. Dutch process cocoa is what gives this loaf its deep, intense chocolate flavor and its dark color. It is worth seeking out, because it is the difference between a chocolate bread and a loaf that simply looks like one.

The chocolate chips. One cup of semisweet chocolate chips does double duty. Three quarters of a cup goes into the batter, where the chips melt into soft pockets as the loaf bakes.

The last quarter cup gets sprinkled over the top, so the surface comes out of the oven studded with little chocolate pools that look like they came from a bakery case.

Ingredients

This makes one 9 by 5 inch loaf, about 12 slices. Here is everything you need.

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 large brown bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/4 cup canola vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided

That last line matters. You will stir 3/4 cup of the chips into the batter and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup over the top before the pan goes into the oven.

Those top chips melt into little chocolate pools and give the loaf a bakery look with zero extra effort. If you only have one bag of chips on hand, measure carefully, because the split between the batter and the topping is what makes this loaf look as good as it tastes.

How to Make Chocolate Banana Bread

Prep takes about 10 minutes and the loaf bakes for 50 to 65 minutes. Here is the whole process, step by step.

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set it aside.
In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork. Add the melted butter and the oil and stir until combined. Stir in the brown sugar, the egg, and the vanilla extract, and keep stirring until the mixture looks smooth.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Do not overmix. Stop as soon as you stop seeing dry streaks of flour. Then stir in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top. Bake for 50 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire cooling rack. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, carefully remove the loaf from the pan, and let it cool on the rack until it is slightly warm. Cut it into slices and serve.

One quick note before you start. Everything happens in two bowls and one loaf pan, so there is no need to drag out the stand mixer. A fork and a sturdy spoon will do the job.

Tips for the BEST Loaf

These are the small moves that separate a good loaf from a great one.

Check it at 50 minutes. Oven times vary, so start testing at the 50 minute mark and add time in small increments if you need to.
A chocolate chip on the toothpick is not raw batter. If your toothpick hits a chip, you will see melted chocolate, and that is fine. What you do not want is a lot of gooey batter on the toothpick.
Test in a few spots. One clean spot does not always mean the whole loaf is done. Poke the center and a couple of other places to be sure.
Do not overmix the batter. Overmixing develops gluten and gives you a tough, chewy loaf instead of a tender one. I promise it is worth the restraint.
Use bananas that are truly brown. Yellow bananas with a few spots will not mash as sweet or as soft. The browner the better here.
Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes first. Skipping that rest makes the loaf more likely to fall apart when you lift it out.

Storage and Freezing

Wrapped in plastic wrap, the bread keeps on the counter for up to 4 days. It stays impressively soft the whole time, which is one of the reasons I bake two loaves instead of one.

This bread also freezes well. Cool it completely, wrap it in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil, and freeze it for up to 1 month. Defrost before slicing.

Freeze slices with a square of parchment between them and you can pull out a single piece whenever the 3 p.m. chocolate craving hits.

How to Serve Chocolate Banana Bread

This loaf works any time of day. A thick slice with coffee for breakfast. A smaller slice at 3 p.m.

when you need a chocolate pick me up. A warm slice after dinner as dessert. And if you are feeling bold, a slice topped with vanilla ice cream at midnight, which is a real suggestion in the original recipe and a real habit in my house.

It also makes a sweet Valentine’s Day treat and a welcome addition to a brunch table, a bake sale, or a holiday cookie tray. You might also like it next to a mug of hot cocoa on a snow day.

If peanut butter is your thing, there is a Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread in the same family of recipes that is worth a look.

Nutrition

One serving, based on 12 servings per loaf, comes in at about 311 calories. These values come from the source recipe.

Nutrient	Per serving (12 servings)
Calories	311 kcal
Carbohydrates	39 g
Protein	4 g
Fat	15 g
Saturated fat	8 g
Fiber	4 g
Sugar	25 g
Sodium	201 mg
Cholesterol	25 mg

Final Thoughts

So there it is, the Chocolate Banana Bread I bring to every gathering that needs a little chocolate. Grab the brownest bananas you can find, keep Dutch process cocoa in the pantry, and stop stirring the moment the flour disappears into the batter.

Whether you serve it for breakfast, for a 3 p.m. pick me up, or warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this is the loaf that makes you the person everyone is happy to see walk through the door. I promise it will earn its spot on your table.

FAQs

How do I make sure my chocolate banana bread is moist?

Use very ripe brown bananas and the combination of melted butter and oil specified in the recipe. Butter adds flavor, while oil, like canola or melted coconut, helps create a tender crumb that stays moist. Also, use ¾ cup of packed light brown sugar, as its molasses content adds moisture and a subtle caramel flavor.

Can I use natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch process cocoa?

Yes, you can substitute natural cocoa powder for Dutch process cocoa in this recipe. However, the chocolate flavor will be less intense and slightly more acidic. For the richest, smoothest chocolate taste, Dutch process cocoa is the preferred choice in this chocolate banana bread.

How ripe should the bananas be for chocolate banana bread?

Use large bananas that are completely brown or heavily speckled with brown spots. These very ripe bananas are softer and have a higher sugar content, which provides natural sweetness and superior moisture to the bread. You need 1½ cups of mashed banana, which typically comes from 3 large brown bananas.

How do I store and freeze chocolate banana bread?

Store the cooled chocolate banana bread wrapped in plastic wrap on your counter for up to 4 days. To freeze, cool the bread completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil; it will keep for up to 1 month. Thaw it on the counter or in the refrigerator before slicing and serving.

Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe: Moist and Rich Quick Bread

Chocolate Banana Bread