Easy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Mini Loaves

How often have you resorted to making banana bread because you had a few overripe bananas on the counter? You may have gotten sick of the same old recipe. The neat part is that it doesn’t need to be just another boring loaf of banana bread. Mixing in add-ins like chocolate chips is a great way to make banana bread interesting again.

The other problem with banana bread: It’s easy to make too much at once. You could freeze slices of it, but it’s easy to lose them in the back of the freezer after a while. Mini loaf pans became my secret weapon for situations like this. Yes, I did have to tweak the baking time to make sure these smaller loaves didn’t get overdone, but that wasn’t a huge hassle.

Why This Recipe for Chocolate Chip Banana Bread?

Chocolate chip banana bread mini loaves sounds like a nice twist on banana bread, doesn’t it? What makes these mini loaves unique is that it’s easy to have one loaf on the counter to eat and freeze two more without having to slice them first. That makes it less likely that you’ll have to hunt for slices when you want to thaw them out because they got buried under everything.

Naturally, smaller loaf pans mean smaller slices, so you never feel like you’re overdoing it when you get a slice of this banana bread with a little softened butter spread on top as a snack.

As importantly, the addition of chocolate chips shows how customizable banana bread can be! I’ll get into substitutes and variations later, but if it occurred to you that chocolate chips aren’t the only add-in you could use, you’d be totally right.

It’s easy to make this bread with your stand mixer, and it requires no rest time. The worst part is staying patient while it’s baking, because it does smell good!

Important: Don’t procrastinate on making this banana bread, because those overripe bananas won’t last forever! In fact, we made it easy to print or pin this recipe with the recipe card below so you don’t lose it.

About These Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Ever been curious about any of these ingredients? Here’s a quick rundown of what each ingredient brings to the banana bread.

Medium Overripe Bananas

3 medium overripe bananas

A “medium-sized” banana is about 7-8 inches long and generally weighs about 118 grams (4.2 ounces) when peeled. So that adds up to about 354 grams of banana.

(I figure using a digital food scale is optional for a recipe like this, but it could help keep you from adding too much or too little banana. This is important to avoid gummy or too-dry bread because overripe bananas do add moisture, especially when properly mashed!)

The thing about bananas is that they do have some binding power, so we don’t have to use as many eggs or any additional binders in this bread. They also add a sweetener called fructose, so we don’t have to add as much sugar to this bread. In fact, the reason bananas get sweeter as they get riper is that they convert starches into sugar.

Butter

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter

Butter adds a buttery richness to this banana bread. It should be melted first so it can coat the sugar better. This is important for an even mix. It also adds a bit of moisture along with the fat.

Seriously? Butter has water in it? Yep! Butter can actually vary in its fat content because it has other components like water and milk solids. Clarified butter is basically pure butter fat that had its water and milk solids removed. The butter you want can vary from 80% fat in most American brands to as much as 86% fat in European varieties like “Irish butter.”

Light Brown Sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

Brown sugar is typically a mix of granulated sugar and molasses. In fact, I’ll typically look for those two ingredients on the packaging to make sure I’m getting the real stuff. If it just says “brown sugar” on the ingredient list, I tend to be a little leery because that doesn’t tell me what’s in it.

(Yes, I can be a little paranoid about making sure I’m getting the genuine version rather than “imitation” ingredients. The reason is that baked goods typically turn out with a better flavor when I’m choosy about the ingredients.)

Large Eggs

2 large eggs

I go with large eggs for most baked goods because they contain more egg white. The egg white provides most of the binding power with proteins that uncoil to form a network. This network holds in the moisture and air bubbles that give this bread the perfect texture. Think size doesn’t matter? Here’s a quick chart showing how much an average egg of each standard size has.

Egg size	Approx. edible weight	Protein per egg
Peewee	35 g	4.4 g
Small	38 g	4.8 g
Medium	44 g	5.5 g
Large	50 g	6.3 g
Extra-large	56 g	7.1 g
Jumbo	63 g	7.9 g

The yolks provide an emulsifier called lecithin, which helps the fats and water blend more completely by breaking up big globs of oily fat. That means less stress regarding whether the ingredients are mixing together well enough.

Vanilla Extract

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla extract gets part of its signature sweet, creamy flavor from a flavor compound called vanillin. Genuine vanilla will have a complex flavor because it contains about 250 known flavor compounds. So if you do a taste test, you’ll know the difference between genuine and imitation vanilla extract just about right away because imitation vanilla only has vanillin!

The exact flavor of genuine vanilla extract can vary depending on which region the beans were harvested in. For this recipe, I used Madagascar vanilla (also known as Bourbon vanilla) for the more intense creamy flavor and hint of chocolate.

Buttermilk

1/4 cup buttermilk

The buttermilk adds more creamy moisture and the mild acid called lactic acid. This acid is important to the chemical reactions that’ll create the carbon dioxide bubbles that give this banana bread the perfect texture.

Despite the name and apparent thick consistency, buttermilk is actually not as full of fat as you might think at first glance. In fact, it gets its name from being the “leftover” milk from making butter. That’s right, most of the fat has already been removed!

Flour

2 cups flour

Although I do a lot of gluten-free baking, I went with an all-purpose wheat flour for this recipe. Two proteins in wheat flour form the gluten when mixed with water. This gluten serves as a valuable binder that helps retain the moisture and air bubbles. It also provides the batter with elasticity that helps it rise and expand as it bakes. This keeps the banana bread from being flat, dense, and too crumbly when you take it out of the oven.

Baking Soda

1 teaspoon baking soda

Baking soda is a chemical leavening agent that reacts with the acid in the buttermilk. This chemical reaction produces the carbon dioxide bubbles that give this bread a fluffier texture.

Why do we need to add the acid separately? Unlike baking powder, baking soda doesn’t bring its own acid! It’s pure sodium bicarbonate, a mild base that “fizzes” if you add a small amount to a cup of water and add a little vinegar. (At least, it should if it’s fresh! Baking soda can lose its potency as it gets old, especially if it was used for other purposes like absorbing odors in your fridge.)

Salt

1/2 teaspoon salt

Salt adds a little extra flavor that balances the sweetness in this bread. I dialed it back for this recipe to keep the bread from being too salty, because I naturally don’t want to overwhelm the banana and chocolate flavors!

Chocolate Chips

1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips

Chocolate chips provide the chocolate flavor that goes well with the banana. I like to go with sugar-free dark chocolate to get more of the chocolate flavor and less sugar (since it’s sweet enough already!).

How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This banana bread takes less than an hour, but won’t make itself. So let’s jump right into it so we can enjoy this bread’s chocolate-banana flavor that much sooner!

Step One: Preheat Oven

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees Celsius).

Step Two: Prepare Mini Loaf Pans

Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the mini loaf pans with the vegetable shortening.

Step Three: Combine Melted Butter and Sugar

In a stand mixer bowl, add melted butter and sugar. Beat for about 2-3 minutes until evenly combined. It should look like the picture below. (Using a stand mixer will work too, if you’d rather not bring the stand mixer into it just yet.)

Step Four: Add Eggs and Vanilla Extract

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then stir in the vanilla extract.

Step Five: Add Mashed Banana and Buttermilk

Add the mashed bananas to the bowl and beat until very well combined. Then mix in the buttermilk.

Step Six: Combine Remaining Dry Ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly mixed.

Step Seven: Add Flour Mixture to Banana Mixture

Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and mix just until it’s all incorporated. Use the rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl as needed.

Step Eight: Add Chocolate Chips

Gently fold the chocolate chips into the batter.

Step Nine: Bake Bread

Transfer the batter to the prepared pans and bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Alternatively, you can use a digital food thermometer. This bread is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 200 to 210 degrees Fahrenheit (93 to 99 degrees Celsius).

Step Ten: Allow Bread to Cool

Cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes. Then transfer the loaves to the wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Substitutes for Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

The easiest way to make chocolate chip banana bread gluten-free is to replace the flour with King Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour. This flour can replace all-purpose wheat flour at a 1:1 ratio. Also, look for “certified gluten-free” labels on ingredient packaging.

You can go dairy-free by using dairy-free buttermilk instead of “regular” dairy buttermilk. To make your own dairy-free buttermilk, add one tablespoon of white vinegar to the bottom of a measuring cup. Then fill the measuring cup to the 1-cup level with an unsweetened dairy-free milk. Oat milk will work if you like a very mild oat flavor that won’t overwhelm the other flavors of the banana bread. Almond milk is more obviously nutty, and coconut milk can add a slightly sweet coconut flavor.

A plant-based stick butter can also replace dairy butter while keeping the butter flavor. I like Country Crock plant butter.

Besides chocolate chips, chopped pecans and peanut butter chips make good add-ins.

You can reduce or eliminate the salt if you’re using a low-salt diet.

Flaxseed meal and ground chia seeds make the best egg replacement for baked goods. For each egg you want to replace, mix one tablespoon of flaxseed meal or ground chia seeds with three tablespoons of water. Allow the mix to sit for a few minutes to form a gel before adding it to your recipe. Keep in mind that flaxseed or chia seeds must be ground to a “meal” consistency; otherwise, they will not work.

FAQ About Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Did you think this chocolate chip banana bread was easy to make? Sometimes we do get questions about it! I did my best to answer some of the most commonly asked ones here. If you think of one we haven’t answered yet, feel free to ask in the comments section!

How can I tell if bananas are ripe enough for banana bread?

Bananas ready for banana bread will have peels that have large brown patches. It’s okay if the banana itself has a couple of brown spots. Avoid bananas that are moldy or smell off because they may have gone bad. It should look like the image below.

It’s important to make sure the banana is ripe enough, as more starch will have been converted into sugar during ripening. Overripe bananas are also easier to mash before adding them to the banana bread.

Can I freeze banana bread?

I usually freeze a couple of loaves for later! Just place them in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag and place them in the freezer. To thaw them out, place them in the refrigerator overnight.

How do you keep banana bread fresh?

Banana bread should be kept refrigerated at all times. If stored properly, basic banana bread will last for about two weeks.

How can I tell if the banana bread is done baking?

The easy way is to use the “toothpick test.” Stick a toothpick in the center of the loaf of bread. If it comes out clean, the bread is done.

If you have a digital food thermometer, the banana bread is done when it reaches 200-210 degrees Fahrenheit (93-99 degrees Celsius).

Why is letting it cool before I slice it important?

Letting the bread cool completely before slicing gives the center extra time to set. This helps make sure the bread doesn’t seem “underbaked” and gummy in the middle when you slice it.

How can I keep chocolate chips from sinking in banana bread?

An easy way to keep chocolate chips from sinking is to make sure the batter is dense enough. Adding 1/2 cup of extra flour will make it a little denser. The trick is to avoid adding too much flour, or the bread may turn out too dense or dry.

Do extra chocolate chips make banana bread even better?

You can try it if you like an extra chocolate flavor! However, one risk of adding more add-ins is that they can overwhelm the bread’s ability to hold together. In general, I like to limit add-ins to 1 cup total so my bread won’t fall apart.

What else can I do with bananas if I don’t want banana bread?

That’s a good question! We do have a few other recipes for delicious banana-flavored treats if you’d like to try them.

• Easy 4-Ingredient Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Cups
• Strawberry-Banana Cashew Cream Whip
• Healthy Banana Oat Seed Bars
• Fried Bananas
• Banana Chia Oatmeal
• Peanut Butter Banana Smoothies

Be sure to PIN THE RECIPE CARD for easy reference if you’d like to make this recipe again! If you tried this recipe or have any questions, feel free to leave a comment in our comments section to let us know what you think. (And don’t forget to rate this recipe!)