Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

This chocolate chunk banana bread is the reason I stopped feeling guilty about letting bananas go brown. Those sad, spotty bananas on your counter are about to have a really good day.

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• 🍌 The case for brown bananas
• 🧾 Ingredients
• ⭐ Ingredient notes
• 🥣 How to make chocolate chunk banana bread
• 💫 Variations
• 🧺 Storage and freezing
• 👩‍🍳 Pro tips
• ❓ FAQ
• 📝 Recipe

Greek yogurt keeps everything soft and moist without weighing it down, and using actual chocolate chunks means you get real melted chocolate in every slice. Small detail, big payoff.

One bowl, a mixer, and about an hour in the oven. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool before cutting in. Most people don't make it that far.

Love banana bread? Then my fluffy and moist classic banana nut bread is an absolute must. And if you're already in a chocolate mood, my chocolate zucchini bread and chocolate mug cake will keep that flavor vibe going strong.

🍌 The case for brown bananas

Here's the thing about overripe bananas: they're actually better for baking than fresh ones. As they ripen, the starches turn to sugar, which means more flavor, more sweetness, and a softer texture. The blacker, the better. Basically, forgetting about your bananas for a week is just advance meal prep.

🧾 Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Cinnamon
• Butter
• Granulated sugar
• Light brown sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Eggs
• Greek yogurt
• Overripe bananas
• Dark chocolate chunks (60%-70% cacao)

⭐ Ingredient notes

• Bananas - The riper the better. Dark and mushy is exactly what you want here.
• Greek yogurt - Keeps everything moist without making it heavy. Sour cream works too if that's what you have handy.
• Dark chocolate chunks - Go for 60%-70% cacao. It balances the sweetness of the bananas really well. You can chop a bar yourself or buy pre-made chunks.
• Brown sugar - Just a little adds a subtle warmth.
• Butter - Softened, not melted. Take it out of the fridge about an hour before you start.
• Cinnamon - Just enough to add a little something.

See the recipe card below for full ingredients and measurements.

🥣 How to make chocolate chunk banana bread

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.

Mash the bananas in a small bowl with a fork until mostly smooth. A few lumps are fine.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the eggs, Greek yogurt, and mashed bananas to the mixer and mix until combined.

Now add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the bread dense, and we're not here for that.

Finally, gently fold in the chocolate chunks with a spatula.

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Place a few extra chocolate chunks on the top of the batter so you get those melty chocolate pieces on top when it bakes.

Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. If the top is browning too fast, loosely tent it with foil around the 45-minute mark.

Let it cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Or don't. No judgment here.

💫 Variations

• 🍫 Swap the chocolate - Milk chocolate chunks work great if you prefer something sweeter. White chocolate is also really delish.
• 🥜 Add nuts - Walnuts or pecans are a classic addition. Fold in about half a cup with the chocolate chunks.
• 🥄 Add a swirl - Drop a few spoonfuls of peanut butter on top of the batter and swirl it in with a knife before baking. Highly recommend.
• 🧁 Make it muffins - Pour the batter into a greased muffin tin and bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes. Same result, easier to grab and go.
• 🍂 Spice it up - Add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom along with the cinnamon for a little extra warmth.

🧺 Storage and freezing

Store wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. It actually gets better on day two once everything settles.

To freeze, you can wrap the whole loaf tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, or slice it first and wrap individual slices for easier grabbing later. Either way, it keeps for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave a slice for about 30 seconds straight from frozen.

👩‍🍳 Pro tips

• Use really ripe bananas - The blacker the better. If yours aren't quite there yet, pop unpeeled bananas in a 300°F oven for about 15-20 minutes until the skins turn black. Works like a charm.
• Don't overmix - Once the dry ingredients go in, mix just until you don't see flour anymore. That's it.
• Room temperature ingredients matter - Cold butter won't cream properly, and cold eggs can make the batter seize up. Take everything out of the fridge about an hour before you start.
• Let it cool before slicing - At least 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack.

❓ FAQ

Do you love fun, easy recipes as much as I do? Check out a few more of our delicious recipes:

• Banana Nut Bread
• Chocolate Zucchini Bread
• Lemon Blackberry Bread
• Chocolate Mug Cake
• Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzels
• Applesauce Crumb Cake
• Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
• Sour Cream Coffee Cake

📝 Recipe