This Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe delivers rich, moist, and chocolatey goodness. Easy to make in just two bowls, it’s a decadent treat without the hassle.
author’s note
The Loaf That Gets Requested Nonstop!
I was craving something rich, chocolatey, and a little indulgent, but still wanted that classic banana bread vibe. So I grabbed my go-to recipe, the one I’ve made a million times, and gave it a chocolatey twist. A scoop of cocoa powder, a handful of chocolate chips, and a few smart swaps took it to the next level with even more flavor and extra moisture.
Now I make this one all the time. My kids are obsessed, it’s great for snacks or tossing into lunchboxes, and it always disappears fast. I’ve tweaked it just right so it’s got that deep chocolate flavor, soft texture, and just the right amount of sweetness.
Ingredients In Chocolate Banana Bread
| Ingredient | Tips or Swaps |
|---|---|
| Overripe Bananas | Use bananas with lots of brown spots for best results |
| Greek Yogurt | Honey Vanilla is my fave; plain Greek yogurt also works |
| Oat Flour | Blend old-fashioned oats until they resemble flour |
| Cocoa Powder | Dutch-process = richer flavor; natural works too |
| Chocolate Chips | Use dark, semi-sweet, or chopped chocolate chunks |
| Coconut Oil | Measure after melting; let cool before mixing into batter |
| Brown Sugar | Can swap with coconut sugar or white sugar in a pinch |
Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe Tips
- Mash bananas thoroughly to avoid chunks. I use a hand mixer when I’m short on time.
- Don’t overmix the batter or your bread will be dense instead of fluffy.
- Grease your loaf pan well or line it with parchment for easy release.
- Cool completely on a wire rack to avoid a sticky, damp bottom.
How To Know When Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe Is Done
Banana bread can be tricky to bake all the way through. Here’s how I check:
- The top looks set and the edges start to pull away from the pan.
- A toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- The loaf feels firm when lightly pressed in the center.
Bonus Tip: If the top is browning too fast but the center is still raw, tent foil over the top halfway through baking. Check your ovens calibrated correctly.
Storage
To store: Let the bread cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room tempe for 2–3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Wrap slices or the whole loaf tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp.
More Banana Recipes:
Desserts
Chocolate Banana Muffins
Desserts
Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
Desserts
Greek Yogurt Banana Bread
Breakfast
Gluten Free Banana Pancakes
Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 9 x 5-inch bread pan
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup oat flour old fashioned or quick oats; oats that have been blended
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder see note 1
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup honey vanilla Greek yogurt full fat
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup mashed banana 2 to 3 bananas
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch bread pan generously, then lightly dust it with flour or cocoa powder and set aside. Alternatively, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. For coconut oil preparation, melt the coconut oil, then measure it in liquid form and allow it to cool slightly to prevent cooking the egg.
- In a large bowl, whisk 1 large egg with a fork. Add in the vanilla Greek yogurt, cooled coconut oil, vanilla extract, and sugar.
- Mash 2–3 overripe bananas until they reach a thick applesauce consistency. Measure to ensure you have 1 full leveled cup. Add the mashed bananas to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Put old-fashioned or quick oats in a blender or food processor and pulse until they resemble flour. Measure after blending to get a leveled 1/3 cup.
- In a separate bowl, add oat flour, salt, baking soda, flour, cocoa powder, regular and mini chocolate chips. Stir to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix gently until just combined, as overmixing will result in denser bread. Use a spatula to scrape all the mixture into the prepared pan. If desired, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar on top for a nice crust.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50–65 minutes, or until a fork or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs and the bread starts to pull away from the edges. I recommend checking at 50 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then, transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing, as it can be crumbly when fresh out of the oven. Use a very sharp serrated knife for cutting.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yum! I made a few changes and it came out wonderfully! I added an extra egg, swapped in almond flour for regular flour, added a tablespoon of ground flax seeds, used cacao powder instead of cocoa and a squirt of honey instead of white sugar. I greased the pan with Ghee. It was a major hit with my kids, their friends. Thank you!
Delish! I am so thrilled to hear this was a hit! Thanks Hilary!
Hi Chelsea, I’ve made your chocolate banana muffins and they are amazing. Want to try this banana bread and noticed the measurements are different. 1 cup of flour 125g,in this recipe 94g, 1 cup yoghurt 116g, this recipe 85g. Which conversion cup to grams is the correct one? Thanks for your easy to make and yummy recipes
Hey Andrea, let me look over those grams again and make sure everything is right! Thanks for your comment! So glad you’re loving these! 🙂
Finally made it and it is as good as the muffins 🤩
Yay! I am so thrilled you loved this Chocolate Banana Bread! Thanks Andrea! 🙂
Tried this recipe last night and the bread came out great. It’s moist and delicious! Perfect chocolate fix without feeling too guilty. Thanks!
I’m so happy to hear Ana! Thanks so much! 🙂
This is delicious and super moist! I put half the batter into an 8.5 x 4.5 loaf pan and split the rest into two small decorative Ikea pans. Will definitely make this again!
I understand the serving size is one loaf….What is the serving size you usually follow? 12?
Yes! 🙂 Enjoy!
Just made this as muffins with the batter divided equally. All 12 muffins look, smell, and taste amazing!
Awesome! I’m thrilled you enjoyed these muffins Collette! 🙂
Hello!
Would all oat flour work for this recipe? Trying to make it as healthy as possible 🙂
I did not have success with using oat flour in these unfortunately 🙁
Hi…any chance I can make this not chocolate and leave out chocolate? 🙂
I would just recommend using my plain Greek yogurt banana bread. Recipe here: https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/healthier-greek-yogurt-banana-bread-video/ Enjoy!
Interesting that you put white sugar in this recipe with a bunch of healthier ingredients( oats, greek yogurt and coconut oil). I will definitely sub for a healthier sweetener.
Okay 🙂 Hope you enjoy!