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All my banana bread peeps, this is YOUR day!
We are going to chat about maybe, possibly, the bestest banana bread ever… no seriously.
Prepare for all the dramatic words in the world, because this banana bread is too good. And the only words that will do it justice are the super dramatic ones… AND even those may not be enough.
Here’s the deal, I am a serious lover of banana bread. But not just any banana bread, REALLY dang good banana bread… with chocolate chips. I mean, OF COURSE there would have to be chocolate. Growing up, when I first started to get into cooking and baking I was always on the lookout for “healthier” ways to eat my chocolate. For the millionth time, I was a really weird kid.
Anyway, bananas have always been one of my favorite fruits and they are the one and only fruit that I like with my chocolate. Any other fruit paired with chocolate is a NO GO. Wait, unless it’s pureed avocado…in the form of brownies or dates…these are, as of right now, my only two exceptions. Back in the day, mom and I used to bake banana bread as our “healthy” dessert. We figured that since there were loads of bananas in the bread, that must cancel anything “not so healthy” out… Yep, we’re super smart.
Clearly.
When I would bake banana bread back before the blog, I would double the amount of bananas…ok and the amount of chocolate chips… hehe, I totally knew how to do it right.
Just saying 🙂
Because of the double amount of bananas and chocolate chips, the bread would basically never bake completely in the center and I would end up with bread on the edges and dough in the middle. AKA my dream kind of banana bread. I am SO a dough girl. Like the doughier the better (umm, hello, cookie dough!).
But since I started the blog, I’ve learned a few things, and I’ve come up with the most perfect loaf of banana bread. And trust me, it’s perfect… I’ve made it SEVEN times in the last three weeks.
NO JOKE.
I now have at least three loaves in the freezer, the rest have all been consumed and highly enjoyed. The sole reason I made the bread so many times was for photo purposes. I just couldn’t get the bread to look the way it tasted, so I kept trying and trying and trying.
Good news is that one, I have made this loaf to be on the healthier side, and two, my family also loves banana bread so I have had some serious help in eating it all up (thank goodness they are back… and hungry!). Lets just say breakfast and snacks have been taken care of for the month. Oh and yes, the parents even took a loaf with them all the way to Korea. Now that they are back they are still eating banana bread. Last loaf was made… yesterday!
I think by now the people at the grocery store must think I live on bananas. I bought four bunches…TWO days in a row. I also have 3 extremely ripe bunches sitting in my freezer waiting for the next batch of banana bread to be baked. You’d think I would be so over this recipe by now – thank goodness it really is, SO GOOD. One of my favorites!!!
So the recipe for this Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Banana Bread is simple and basic, but you need three important things: ripe bananas (can be ripe off the counter or thawed from the freezer), really good almond butter and chocolate chips. With these three ingredients you will never fail. Sometimes I use chocolate chunks, but I actually just love using semi-sweet chocolate chips best. There are times in life when you just need cute little perfectly sweet chocolate chips, you know?
Again, good almond butter is key in this recipe. It’s what sets this bread apart and makes it completely delish. It’s what takes the banana bread from really good to “can’t stop eating, totally addicting”. Think about it, perfectly moist banana bread with swirls of salty almond butter and semi sweet chocolate chips in every bite.
Yup, PERFECTION!!
AND its all on the healthier side too. Whole wheat flour, greek yogurt, bananas, almond butter, maple syrup and chocolate…ok, the semi sweet chocolate may be a bit of a stretch, but hey, all the rest is pretty dang good for you, so it’s win, win in my book!!
I don’t know about you guys, but I would say my weekend plans are set. Banana bread baking and eating… with a side of the Oscars?!?!
Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Banana Bread.
Servings: 10 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 313 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup real maple syrup
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 overripe brown bananas, mashed (about 1 cup mashed)
- 1/4 cup coconut or brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup creamy almond butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, combine the maple syrup, greek yogurt, egg, vanilla, banana, and sugar until well combined. Beat in the flour, baking soda and salt until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips. Now take the almond butter and add it to the batter in teaspoon full size dollops and then gently swirl it into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips if desired...you may also now push in a few extra teaspoons of almond butter too!
- Place loaf pan on a baking sheet and set in the oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until center is set. If the top begins to brown (mine did after about 45 minutes), tent the bread with aluminum foil. Remove and let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Bread will keep (covered) for 3-5 days.
Yupp. I am so game for that. But really, this bread?? It’s a GAME CHANGER. 🙂
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I LOVE this recipe and have made it many times, my birthday is on Saturday and I am dying for a cake version of this recipe! Any suggestions? Thanks!
Hey Anna,
Thank you so much for making the recipe. I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Do you mean just bake it in a cake pan? You could definitely do that! xTieghan
Can I substitute almond butter for plain butter or peanut butter?
Hey Ridhima,
I would give these recipes a try:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/chocolate-chunk-coconut-banana-bread/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/nourishing-7-ingredient-chocolate-chip-ricotta-banana-bread/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/chocolate-chip-olive-oil-zucchini-banana-bread/
I hope you love the recipes, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I usually don’t like pancakes that don’t come from the usual boxed mix and especially banana ones but these were sooo good! Will def make again when I have ripe bananas again 😀
Hey Sadia,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, thanks for much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! Do you think this would work as muffins as well? If so, what would you recommend for the bake time? Thank you!
Hey Christine,
Sure, that would work! I would start checking for doneness at 25 minutes! I hope you love the recipe. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Greetings from Lockdown Two UK. This looks like a fabulous recipe… Question….here in the UK we can buy plain flour you then add baking powder and baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) to cake recipes or you can buy self raising flour and you don’t add baking soda and baking powder. I’m confused as recipes mentions baking soda but not baking powder…. please advise want to make the cake soon…. big thanks.
Hey Nina,
For this recipe you only need to use baking soda, not baking powder. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Ok, my bar for posting is high and I almost never respond to requests for feedback. That said, this is my second post on your page in two days! I first made the peanut garlic noodles and now this amazing banana bread. When I first took it out of the oven my husband said it looked rustic. I asked it that was intended in a good way and he said, yes it looks amazing. It tastes equally as good. My husband typically does the cooking, so thanks for upping my kitchen credibility this weekend.
I have your cookbooks and I find your recipes to be easy to follow and have not had a failure yet. Thanks so much!
Wow I am so glad you have been loving my recipes, Carol! Thank you so much for trying them! I hope you love all of the recipes you try of mine! xTieghan
Hi! Can I use almond flour?
Hi! Can I use almond flour?
Hey,
I haven’t tested this recipe with almond flour, I would recommend using gluten free flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this last week and making again now! Wow!! I did muffins instead, because I like to freeze them and not eat everything at once (I live alone), they took 16 minutes but I started checking a little early with a toothpick to make sure they were done. I also added just a bit extra banana, because you said you always add extra banana to recipes that call for them. I also used peanut butter instead of almond because that’s what I had on hand. These are so moist, perfectly sweet, and just the right amount of nuttiness… Wow! I loved them, my boyfriend loved them,his kids loved them…
Thank you for your great recipes!!
Hi Daniela! That is so great that these turned out so well and quickly! Also, so sweet of you to share with everyone! xTieghan
hi! i’m wondering if the bake time is the same if you cut the recipe in half. thank you!
Hi Mimi,
I haven’t tested this but I would reduce the baking time by 10-15 minutes. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
hi! i’m so excited to make this but i’m planning to make them as muffins instead — what would be the baking directions for those?
Hi Naomi! Just lightly swirl the almond butter in the batter (once its all mixed together) and bake 15-18 minutes! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
We love this banana bread! Even my picky daughter and husband love it. I put bittersweet chocolate chips in it and it works. Yum!.
Thank you so much Adrienn!! xTieghan
Hi! If I don’t have almond butter what can I substitute it with? Peanut butter or normal butter?
Thank you!!
Aude
Peanut Butter will work great! It will just have a different flavor! I hope you love this Aude! xTieghan
Could you use crunchy almond butter instead of the creamy one?
Hi Ayne! Yes I am sure that will be great! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
Hi could I make this in a Bundt pan instead??
Hi Farah! Yes, of course! Please watch it though as the cooking times may vary! xTieghan