Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is super easy to make. It is soft, moist, and filled with chopped chocolate chunks and topped with a chocolate streusel. This will be your new favourite twist on a classic homemade banana bread recipe!

Hi hi! Just popping in to share this recipe for chocolate chip banana bread. I love making banana recipes as I often have old bananas hanging around that need using up. I love the texture and sweetness that they add. I will often make a batch of my vegan banana muffins as they are so quick and easy, but I often also turn to my super easy, moist banana bread recipe too, which is, in my opinion, the best banana bread recipe.
I decided that it was time for a wee twist on the classic - enter this easy chocolate chip banana bread recipe! This recipe is pretty similar to my classic banana bread recipe, with a few tweaks to help accomodate a hefty dose of chocolate, and a super delicious chocolate streusel topping. So if you are after something a wee bit different, a banana bread with chocolate chips - I got you!
How to make the best chocolate chip banana bread
Chocolate chip banana bread is super easy to make and comes together in the time that it takes to preheat your oven. I added a simple chocolate streusel to mine, which you don't need to do if you don't want to, although I do highly recommend as it adds an amazing crunch factor.
- Make your chocolate streusel. This can be done in advance if you like and stored in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- Mash your bananas with the greek yogurt. I prefer to do this with my hand mixer - it makes it super easy and mess free, and washing the masher sucks, so you avoid that step too.
- Cream together the butter and sugar. Make sure, if you can, that your butter is nice and room temperature, which helps to beat a lot of air into the mix, giving you a fluffy but still moist banana bread.
- Add the banana and yogurt mixture. I then often give the bowl the bananas were in a quick wipe out and use it for my dry ingredients.
- Add the eggs and mix well to combine.
- Mix together the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, and salt, and add to the bowl. Mix to incorporate but do not fully mix. Then add in the chocolate chips or chocolate chunks and fold to combine. I love using chopped chocolate but feel free to use your favourite chocolate chips here too.
- Transfer to the pan - I used a pullman pan, but a regular loaf pan will work too, then add the streusel.
- Bake until a skewer inserted comes out clean, and the banana bread is nicely risen. For me this takes 60-70 minutes.
Banana Bread with Streusel Topping
I topped my chocolate chip banana bread with a quick chocolate streusel topping, which is super easy to make. You basically add all the ingredients to a bowl - flour, raw sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, and a wee bit of salt, then add melted butter and stir until clumpy.
The streusel adds an amazing chocolate topping to the banana bread which really compliments the chocolate chips. It may look like it is a lot when you add it to the pan - that's because it kind of is a lot, but the thick streusel layer is just so, so good. Trust me on this one.
Tricks for a super moist banana bread recipe
Here are a few tips and tricks for super moist banana chocolate chip bread:
- Don't over mix your batter. This won't directly impact the moisture as such, but it means the crumb will be a little tight from the formation of the gluten, so affects the texture.
- Yogurt banana bread recipe - adding greek yogurt to baking recipes helps with the moisture without making the batter too loose. I lean on this trick quite often. You can also use sour cream if you do not have any greek yogurt.
- Use super ripe bananas - ideally, the best bananas for banana bread should be almost black. Spotty ones are fine in a pinch, but that really rich banana flavour and moist texture is helped along by nice ripe bananas (and a high ratio of banana : ingredients in this recipe)
- Don't over bake. Over baked banana bread can mean that it is a little dry, so try to avoid this if you can. If the streusel is looking like it is getting dark before the bread is done, you can pop some foil over the top to stop it from burning. Use a skewer or a toothpick inserted into the bread to check for doneness - it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tools and equipment do you use?
You can find a full list of the tools and equipment I use on my products page
How do you store banana bread?
You can either store banana bread wrapped in plastic wrap, or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
How to ripen bananas
The quickest way to properly ripen bananas is to place them into a paper bag with other fruit such as an apple - the ethylene gas produced helps to ripen them (bananas produce a lot too so they work great for ripening avocados etc). In a pinch, you can also microwave bananas, which doesn't technically ripen them, but it will get them soft enough for baking. Often I just go for the banged up ones at the grocery store if I am in a pinch though! If you notice your bananas are going too ripe before you need to use them, you can store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.
How to use frozen bananas
If you want to make banana bread with frozen bananas, defrost them at room temperature, then discard the liquid, and use the weight of banana called for in the recipe.
Can you freeze banana bread?
I freeze my easy banana bread recipe by cutting it into thick slices and wrapping before placing into the freezer. It should work the same for this chocolate chip banana bread, the streusel may come a little loose when defrosting!
For more easy banana recipes, check out:
❤️ Made this recipe and love it? ❤️
I would LOVE for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram!
Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: One Loaf
- Category: Banana Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is super easy to make. It is soft, moist, and filled with chopped chocolate chunks and topped with a chocolate streusel. This will be your new favourite twist on a classic homemade banana bread recipe!
Ingredients
Chocolate Streusel
- 80g all-purpose flour
- 35g raw / turbinado sugar (or use white sugar)
- 35g brown sugar
- 10g cocoa powder, sifted
- Pinch of salt
- 60g melted unsalted butter, cool (melt and the re-weigh to check you have enough)
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- 420g over ripe bananas (weight is flesh of bananas only, not including skin)
- 70g full fat greek yoghurt or sour cream, at room temperature
- 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature (salted is fine, just reduce the quantity of salt in the recipe)
- 80g granulated sugar
- 120g light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs (about 100g without shell), at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 235g all-purpose flour
- 5g salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 150g dark chocolate, finely chopped (I used 72%), or chocolate chips of your choice
Instructions
CHOCOLATE STREUSEL
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, turbinado sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the melted butter and mix with a spatula until incorporated and the mixture forms clumps.
- Set aside until ready to use.
CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD
- Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Grease a 9"x4" (23cm x 10cm) loaf pan with butter or baking spray and line with a piece of parchment paper with the edges extending over the sides to form a sling (see notes on alternative pan sizes). You can clip the parchment down to make adding the batter easier but take the clips off before baking or you will bake them into the banana bread.
- Add the over ripe bananas and greek yoghurt to a medium bowl. Either using a handheld stand mixer or a fork, mash the bananas until fairly smooth and the yoghurt is incorporated.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until well incorporated. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
- Add the banana and yoghurt mixture to the bowl and mix until incorporated.
- Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl (I quickly wipe out the banana bowl and use it for the dry ingredients but use a new one if you like). Add to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, then add the chopped chocolate and mix to combine. Be careful not to over beat the mixture. I like to stop just before it is incorporated and finish it off by hand.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and crumble over the chocolate streusel (the streusel may have clumped up so separate it back out - do not pack it down. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Tent the top with foil toward the end of the baking period if you are worried it is getting too brown.
- Remove the banana bread from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing and placing on a wire rack and allowing to cool completely.
- Store leftovers lightly wrapped at room temperature.
Notes
If you only have a larger loaf pan that is fine, the banana bread will just bake up flatter.
Make sure that when you are testing the banana bread for doneness you look for crumbs of the batter on the tester rather than melted chocolate.
Keywords: banana bread, chocolate chip banana bread
Comments
This banana bread is the BEST. Honestly, you think it'll be good when you're making it because when is banana bread not a good time, but then you get it out of the oven and eat it and wonder where it's been your whole life. The streusel really takes it over the edge and is worth a few extra minutes of effort! Also, don't ignore the advice to create a sling with your baking paper 🙃
★★★★★
Made this for Father's Day today and it was fantastic. Followed the recipe exactly except I was slightly short on the banana weight (only had 320gm). The streusel topping is incredible!! I'm going to use the recipe for the streusel next time I make chocolate cake/banana cake - it has such a lovely texture and makes a nice change from icing. Thanks Erin 🙂
★★★★★
This recipe looks yummy but a lot of people don't have a food scale in their kitchen. Anyways I hate weighing ingredients. Would like to make this.
★★★★
Hi there, this is addressed above every recipe. If this recipe doesn't suit you there are plenty other free recipes online you can look for!
A super straight forward recipe that tastes delicious! A fresh take on a nostalgic recipe for this Queenslander. 😍
★★★★★
This is insanely good banana bread!! Streusel on top is genius. My kids don’t like icing so it was nice to see them excited about a yummy “chocolate crumble”. This is now on the lunchbox baking rotation
★★★★★
I love all kinds of banana bread but this one tops the list hands down. The streusel topping is so good and won over my banana bread doubting man!
Thank you so much for a great recipe 😁
I LOVE this recipe and honestly measuring in grams instead of cups has changed my life for the better! Have you tried this recipe with a little less sugar? I reckon sugar in my part of the world is somewhat sweeter and so this bakes a little sweet for me. I’m thinking of cutting out some sugar but don’t want to compromise the quality of the bake. Any help/advice appreciated!
★★★★★
This is a LIFE CHANGING recipe. Everyone who has tried it is blown away by the taste and texture. Not only is the banana bread itself delicious, but the streusel just takes it to a whole other level of amazing. I’ve made this a few times already, and it comes out perfectly every time (because weighing ingredients is A GOOD THING). Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
★★★★★
Magnificent- wow this recipe is the bomb. Sorry I don’t have a photo, we ate it all up in about 5 seconds. I won’t bother making any other banana bread recipe because this one has completely knocked it out of the park. Thank you
★★★★★