This Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is the best banana bread recipe around. It’s moist, full of banana flavor, has a perfectly domed top, and is studded with chocolate chips. 
If you have brown bananas sitting around, the best use for them is almost always chocolate chip banana bread. This loaf is tender and moist, reliably dense without being heavy, packed with banana flavor, and dotted with chocolate chips. It develops a nice domed top and a large crack down the center — exactly what you want in classic banana bread. It works equally well for breakfast, a snack, or an easy dessert.
Finding a consistently excellent chocolate chip banana bread took some trial and error. Some recipes came out dry, others sank in the middle. I wanted a straightforward method that emphasizes bananas, avoids complexity, and delivers all the hallmarks of great banana bread. After experimenting, I settled on this version and the notes below explain why it works so well.
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe
If you want the recipe quickly, jump to the bottom. If you prefer tips and the baking science that makes this loaf reliable, read on. 
Key ingredient choices and why they matter:
- Very brown bananas — they provide the most banana flavor and natural sweetness.
- Melted butter — flavorful and lets you mix the batter by hand without a mixer.
- Light brown sugar — adds moisture and a subtle caramel note; you can substitute part white sugar if preferred.
- Two eggs — help keep the crumb tender and structured.
- Sour cream — prevents the bread from drying out and adds richness.
- Vanilla extract — enhances flavor.
- All-purpose flour — whisk first, then spoon and level when measuring to avoid packing too much flour.
- Baking powder and baking soda — provide a balanced lift for a nice dome.
- A pinch of salt — balances sweetness.
- Mini chocolate chips — I prefer mini chips for a better banana-to-chocolate ratio, but regular chips work fine.
The batter comes together in about 10 minutes in one bowl, then you bake. 
Common questions and troubleshooting:
Can I use yellow bananas? For the best flavor and moisture you want very ripe brown bananas. If all you have are yellow bananas, you can ripen them in the oven: place unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and bake at 325°F for 25–30 minutes until the skins darken and the fruit softens.
Oil or butter? I prefer melted butter for flavor. Oil can yield a greasier crumb, and creaming cold butter and sugar (with a mixer) in my tests tended to produce drier bread. Melted butter gives good moisture and ease of mixing.
Why was my banana bread dry? Dryness usually comes from too much flour, overmixing, or not enough banana. Spoon and level your flour to avoid adding extra, and mix only until the ingredients are just combined.
Why did my banana bread sink? Sinking most often means it wasn’t fully baked. Baking at too high a temperature can also cause collapse. This recipe bakes at 350°F and often takes close to an hour; test with a toothpick and make sure your baking soda is fresh.
How do I prevent over-browning? Use a light-colored aluminum pan to avoid excessive browning. If the top is getting too dark about 40 minutes in, tent with foil for the remainder of baking. Excess sugar can also make the crust brown faster.
This chocolate chip banana bread is moist, flavorful, and loaded with chocolate. Follow the tips below and you’ll get a dependable loaf every time. 
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Fiona Dowling
10
1
1 10
10 slices
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Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup mashed bananas, 3–4 bananas
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or grease and flour it.
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In a large bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, melted butter, and brown sugar.
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Whisk in the eggs and vanilla, then stir in the sour cream.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
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Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture until just combined, then fold in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips on top.
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Bake 50–70 minutes at 350°F, checking after about 40 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil for the remainder of baking. Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
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Cool the loaf in the pan briefly, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
**This banana bread freezes well. Cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
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