This banana bread is incredibly moist and flavorful! Perfectly balanced sweetness and banana flavor meets the most tender crumb, with plenty of chocolate chips throughout. This is the ultimate banana bread for any brunch or coffee pairing!

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Ah, banana bread. My daughter used to be obsessed with “bana bread.” I can’t even count how many times I let a slice just be her breakfast or lunch. At least she’s eating fruit, right?

So, last summer, she and I set out to find the perfect banana bread recipe. Wow, did this one deliver. I subbed mashed bananas for the yogurt in my lemon bread and it was perfection. Soft, tender, moist for dayyyyssss. And the banana flavor is so vibrant. Obviously, her favorite is with chocolate chips.

There’s just something so delicious yet not too heavy about bananas and chocolate. A bit of sweet, a bit of richness, a bit of health. It’s why this is pretty much the perfect banana bread.

Why this recipe works

One key part of this recipe is the combination of butter and oil. It stays moist because of the oil, but using half butter helps it stay fluffy, too.

The bananas can be slightly brown, but I actually used perfectly yellow bananas and it worked fine. The key is making sure you have some solid bits of banana so that you get a better banana taste. Don’t try to mash them to a soupy consistency.

Key ingredients

Mashed banana. This helps keep the bread so, so moist for days. Plus, it has just the right amount of banana flavor.

Flour. Be sure to sift it and to measure carefully—spoon the flour into the measuring cup then level it off with the flat side of a knife (known as spoon-then-level).

Salt. Try to use sea salt, if possible, as it won’t create an overly salted taste and is actually better for you!

Baking powder. Not baking soda! Baking powder is more delicate and helps this rise without being dense.

Cinnamon. I like a lot of cinnamon! You can actually use a tiny bit more, if you’d like. I also suggest using high quality cinnamon, as the flavor is better.

Eggs. Be sure these are room temperature so they mix well with the other ingredients! If you forget to take them out ahead of time, you can put them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 15 minutes.

Oil. I suggest avocado or grapeseed oil, as these have a mild flavor but are healthier than vegetable or canola.

Vanilla. Use pure! Imitation will have a slightly different flavor and won’t give you the same pleasant flavor.

Butter. I suggest European style, as it has less water. Be sure to use unsalted, or omit the salt in the recipe. Be sure to melt it without letting it boil, as we don’t want browned butter.

Brown and granulated sugar. Brown sugar helps this stay moist while granulated helped it rise. Using both gives you the best of both worlds.

Chocolate chips. Obviously. I actually used mini chocolate chips and it was perfect, but you can use any size and any type of chocolate chips you like!

How to make chocolate chip banana bread

1. Melt your butter.

2. Sift and whisk together the dry ingredients.

3. Mash the bananas and mix with vanilla, eggs, and oil. Stream in the butter, whisking quickly.

4. Whisk in the sugars for 1 minute.

5. Fold in the dry ingredients.

6. Fold in chocolate chips.

7. Bake for 45-50 minutes.

Enjoy!

Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe

How ripe should my bananas be?

I actually used bananas with no brown on them and it was fine. Bananas with too much green on them will be difficult to mash, but they will still work and will have a strong banana flavor. Brown bananas work fine, too, as long as they’re not too brow on the inside. Avoid using any parts that are so brown they’re turned to that rotted texture.

How do I know it’s baked through?

I always use a toothpick, but a small knife or kebab skewer will work, too. You want to catch the bread when it’s just barely stopped being raw, as it will cook a little more in the pan while it cools. The top will not change color as much as other breads, so try to use a toothpick to check for moist crumbs but no raw batter.

Do I have to sift the flour?

Yes! Sifting is key in baking, particularly in anything cake-y. It helps it mix into the wet ingredients more easily, preventing clumps as well as circumventing the urge to over-stir and create a tough, rubbery texture.

My banana bread tools

Here are my must-have tools I use for making this banana bread. Affiliate links provided.

Whisk (or stand mixer or handheld mixer)

Mesh sieve (because sifting is KEY )

8x4 loaf pan or 9x5 loaf pan

Potato masher

Can I make this in a 9x5 pan?

This also works in a 9x5 pan, but may be a little shorter. You can increase the recipe by 50% (or multiply each ingredient by 1.5) to get a full-to-the-top 9x5 loaf. That would equate to the following amounts :

• 2 ¼ cups (306g) all-purpose flour, spooned then leveled

• 2 ¼ teaspoons (9g) baking powder 

• ¾ teaspoon (4g) salt

• 1 ½ tablespoons (12g) ground cinnamon

• 1 ½ cup (about 450g) mashed ripe bananas (3 large or 4 medium)

• 1 ½ tablespoons (19g) pure vanilla extract

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• 6 tablespoons (84g) avocado or vegetable oil

• 6 tablespoons (84g) melted butter 

• ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar

• ¾ cup (150g) brown sugar

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