Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread has been a go to recipe of mine for years! I make it in either muffin or loaf format, depending on the occasion. What makes this recipe so versatile is that it’s decadent enough to serve as a tasty dessert addition to lunch or brunch, but also healthy enough that you don’t feel too guilty about having a slice for breakfast on occasion. The secret is overripe bananas! I wait for bananas that have started developing brown spots, then I let them sit out until they are almost completely brown and quite soft. Because they are so overripe, these bananas are sweeter, resulting in a more flavourful banana bread.

This banana bread is hearty and delicious. The outside is slightly caramelized and crisp, while the inside is soft and moist. It’s sweet, but not overly so, and perfectly complimented by the semi sweet chocolate chips. This banana bread is an incredibly simple recipe to prepare, and I think it will become a favourite in your home too.

TOTAL TIME

• Preparation Time – 20 minutes
• Cooking Time – 25 minutes to an hour – depending on baking format
• Total Time – 1hr 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

The ingredients for this Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread are easy to find in any grocery store, just keep a few of the pointers below in mind to ensure you get the best result.

• 3 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Baking powder
• 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg
• 1 cup Dark brown sugar
• 1 cup Chocolate chips
• 1 cup Avocado oil (canola also works)
• 3 large Eggs
• 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
• 5 Overripe bananas

WHAT MAKES THIS BANANA BREAD HEALTHY?

I make this banana bread with oil instead of butter. This way it has all of moisture without the calories of butter.

WHY DO YOU USE DARK BROWN SUGAR FOR BANANA BREAD?

You want dark brown sugar for this recipe. Brown sugar (which is readily available from multiple brands) is simply white sugar with the molasses added back in. It’s the flavour from the molasses that adds extra depth to this tasty dessert, so make sure to include it for best results.

WHAT CHOCOLATE CHIPS SHOULD I USE?

You want to make sure you use good quality chocolate chips. I buy Bakers, President’s Choice, or Ghirardelli Semi Sweet chips. If you‘d prefer, you can use milk chocolate, just make sure they are good quality otherwise you’ll end up with a waxy flavourless chip in an otherwise delicious dessert.

CAN I USE IMITATION VANILLA FOR BANANA BREAD?

My strong recommendation is to buy a good vanilla extract and never, ever, buy imitation vanilla! I suggest Neilsen Massey or another high quality extract which will add beautiful flavour to your Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. Many brands sell authentic vanilla at varying price points so it’s easy to find one that suits your needs.

HOW RIPE SHOULD MY BANANAS BE?

Overripe bananas are the not so secret ingredient in my Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. Ideally you want bananas that have have entirely brown peels. I find that the best way to ensure that you always have these overripe extra sweet bananas, is to peel them and pop them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. This way they won’t go bad before you get a chance to use them, and you will have enough on hand when you randomly decide that you just have to have banana bread! You can definitely freeze them unpeeled as well, but then you’ll have to wait for them to thaw slightly before you can peel them and use them.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

HOW CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE GLUTEN FREE?

I have never made this recipe gluten free, but there are many brands of gluten free flour readily available these days. I’ve heard good things about Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour.

HOW CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE VEGAN?

Although I am not vegan, a number of my friends are. From them, I’ve learned that both chia eggs and Aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas) are excellent substitutes for eggs in baking. You can also use vegan chocolate chips.

HOW CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE DAIRY FREE?

The only dairy in this recipe is in the chocolate chips, so you could either substitute vegan ones, or remove them entirely.

EQUIPMENT FOR HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD

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Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.

• Kitchen Aid Professional Mixer – If you are an avid baker, I highly recommend purchasing a Kitchen Aid Professional mixer. For many years I owned a Kitchen Aid Artisan mixer. It was a fantastic tool, but I found that when I was making heavier batter, or a dense dough, it struggled. The Professional Kitchen Aid Mixer can handle even the heaviest of batters with ease. In addition, it has a large 6.6 L bowl which can accommodate multiple batches of dough. If you don’t own a mixer don’t worry, you can also make this by hand with a whisk, a spatula, and a large mixing bowl.

• Parchment Paper– I highly recommend lining your cookie sheets with parchment paper to ensure they don’t stick. Paper Chef is my favourite brand, and comes in a large format roll that is easy to cut to any size.

• Loaf Pan– My Wilton loaf pan is also a favourite. Although it has a non stick coating, I like to line it with parchment paper.

• Whisk – If you don’t own a mixer don’t worry, you can also make this by hand with a whisk, a spatula, and a large mixing bowl. A simple whisk is a tool that all home cooks need. I like using one that’s dishwasher safe.

• Kitchen Aid Muffin Pan – If you are making Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana muffins instead, you will need a muffin pan. I own a Kitchen Aid muffin pan. I find it evenly cooks my muffins and never warps which is key.

• Spatula

• Large Mixing Bowl

COOKING DIRECTIONS

In my opinion, this is the best Healthy Banana Bread recipe. It’s an extremely easy recipe to make, and I have no doubt it will come out beautifully the first time if you follow a few simple tips:

1. Always use overripe bananas: the browner the better.
2. Use only good quality chocolate chips.
3. Make sure to bake the banana bread until it is completely done. Always test it with a tooth pick and make sure it comes out clean. When in doubt, bake it a bit longer.

MAKE AHEAD STORAGE

I wouldn’t recommend making the Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread batter in advance, but since it comes together quickly in one bowl, it’s really not necessary anyways.

Your banana bread will keep beautifully at room temperature in an airtight container for two to three days. It also freezes wonderfully in an airtight container, and can either be left out to thaw, or gently warmed in the microwave before serving.

FINISHED DISH

Enjoy this Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread!

OTHER BREAD DISHES

Amazing Rosemary, Olive, and Goat Cheese Focaccia

OTHER DESSERT DISHES

Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dark Chocolate Mousse

Dark Chocolate Almond Bark with Salted Caramel

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment and rating below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #cooking.with.carbs.