Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
If banana bread was a person, it would be that sweet friend who’s always down to get a coffee and gives you a warm hug when you need it— everyone loves her. There’s nothing we don’t love about this recipe: it’s so soft, chocolatey, & comes together in under 30 minutes… we’re OBSESSED. Grab your bananas & get ready to bake!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This chocolate chip banana bread is the perfect combination of soft, moist banana bread with a rich, nutty flavor. The gooey chocolate chips add just the right amount of sweetness, making every bite so delicious! Plus, this recipe is customizable— feel free to add in some nuts, skip the chocolate, or add whatever mix-ins you like. We added a touch of cinnamon (highly recommend) but that’s totally optional! Next time you’ve got a bunch of overripe bananas sitting around, give this a try— you won’t regret it!
Why Brown Butter?
The magic ingredient here is brown butter! As the butter melts and browns in the pan, it takes on a toasty, caramelized flavor that adds an extra layer of flavor to your banana bread. If you want to learn more about how to make brown butter and all the ways you can use it, check out this post.
How to Make:
- In a saucepan on medium-low heat, melt the butter while constantly swirling the pan.
- Once melted, the butter will begin to bubble. During this process the the milk solids are separated from the fats. Make sure to continue swirling and do not leave the butter unattended as it can quickly burn. This process takes about 5 minutes.
- When the butter begins to foam, this means that the milk solids have separated from the fats. This is when the brown bits start to toast on the bottom of the pan and the butter turns a golden brown color. Give the pan a little swirl and then remove it from the heat. The brown bits will go from toasted to burnt within seconds so be careful not to keep it on the heat for too long. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and allow to cool before using.
How to Quickly Ripen Bananas
In this recipe, it’s important to use overripe bananas for sweetness and moisture— the riper, the better! But don’t worry if your bananas aren’t quite ripe enough. You can easily speed up the process by placing them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Stick them in the oven at 300°F for 15-20 minutes, until the peels turn dark and they become soft and syrupy. Just be sure to let them cool completely before using them in your batter. The darker the banana skin, the richer the flavor will be, so this trick will help you get the perfect loaf!
Watch how we made it:
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 ripe bananas mashed
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease and line a standard size loaf pan.
- To make brown butter: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, constantly swirling the pan. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam and get bubbly. Watch closely, being careful not burn. After the butter turns golden brown, remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to let cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add the bananas and mix well.
- Add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Then, fold in the chocolate chips using a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and evenly sprinkle the top with sugar. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
