By: Jill Mills Posted: Apr 8, 2025

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Creamy peanut butter, bananas, and mini chocolate chips combine in this Peanut Butter Banana Bread. It’s moist, dense, and so easy to make. A great way to use overripe bananas!

Sliced peanut butter banana bread on a cutting board

Banana bread is my favorite way to use bananas that have sat on the counter a few days too long. It happens far more often than I’d like to admit, so I’ve had plenty of opportunities to try different banana bread flavors, like chocolate banana bread and coffee cake banana bread. This peanut butter banana bread is my latest flavor, and my whole family is obsessed. A slice of this is perfect for breakfast or as a snack in the afternoon. I love enjoying a slice with coffee!

Why I Love This Peanut Butter Banana Bread

I can’t stop making this bread! Here are a few reasons why I love this bread.

Peanut butter + banana flavor combo. I love peanut butter with bananas in general. I think the two flavors are seriously underrated, and one of my favorite snacks is peanut butter spread on banana slices. So, of course, I love the two flavors in this bread!
Super easy to make. There’s not even a mixer required to make this recipe! A couple of bowls and a spoon are really all you need. The hardest part is just waiting for it to bake.
A little bit of chocolate! I mixed in a cup of mini chocolate chips to give this bread a chocolatey twist. It’s just enough to add some gooey melted chocolate without overpowering the peanut butter or banana flavors.

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make peanut butter banana bread

Recipe Ingredients

Besides the obvious bananas and peanut butter, this recipe is made with a handful of pantry staples. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

All-purpose flour
Baking soda
Salt
Bananas – Overripe bananas with brown spots are ideal for this bread. They should mash easily with a fork.
Peanut butter – I use creamy peanut butter from a brand like Jif or Skippy. Natural peanut butter can be used, but it doesn’t have as smooth of a texture.
Sugar – Equal parts granulated sugar and brown sugar are used to sweeten the bread. The brown sugar also helps to add extra moisture.
Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 1/4 cup of milk with 3/4 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
Vegetable oil – Adds moisture to the bread.
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Chocolate chips – I used mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Regular chocolate chips could also be used, I just like how the mini chocolate chips easily distribute throughout the batter and don’t make it too chocolatey. They could also be omitted for plain peanut butter banana bread.

Overhead view of slices of peanut butter banana bread on a cutting board

Variation ideas

Here are a few ways to make this peanut butter banana bread recipe your own!

Other mix-in ideas. For extra flavor, mix in 1/2 cup of chopped nuts (like walnuts or pecans) or 1/2 cup shredded coconut along with the chocolate chips.

Try a different nut butter. It’s easy to swap out peanut butter for almond or cashew butter. It’ll give the bread a slightly different flavor but it’s so yummy.

Use dark chocolate chips. I usually reach for semi-sweet chocolate chips since that’s what I keep on hand but dark chocolate chips are also super yummy in this bread.

How To Make Peanut Butter Banana Bread

This bread is so easy to make that you’ll want to make it again and again. I personally love making a double batch to have a loaf to freeze! The printable version of the instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Flour and other dry ingredients in a bowl

Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan (or line it with parchment paper).
Make the batter. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the other ingredients (except the chocolate chips) until smooth and well combined. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Chocolate chips added to banana bread batter

Peanut butter banana bread batter in a loaf pan

Bake. Spoon the batter into the loaf pan, filling it 2/3 of the way full and spreading it evenly with a spoon. Top with extra chocolate chips if desired. Bake for 55-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Can I Turn This Into Muffins?

Yes! This peanut butter banana bread recipe also works perfectly for muffins. Just prepare the batter as instructed and bake it in a muffin tin instead of a loaf pan. Reduce the bake time to 18-22 minutes.

Overhead view of a loaf of peanut butter banana bread

Tips & Variations

This peanut butter banana bread recipe is so simple to make but there are a few things to keep in mind.

Do not overmix. Avoid overmixing to ensure the bread stays moist and tender. Overmixing can make it dense. Mix just until there are no streaks of flour remaining.
Don’t overfill the pan. This bread will rise in the oven so be sure to fill the pan just 2/3 full. If it’s overfilled, it will create a mess.
Avoid overbaking. The exact time it takes for this bread to cook will depend on the oven and the pan used. I recommend checking at 55 minutes and every few minutes after that. A few moist crumbs should be on a toothpick inserted in the middle. If it’s overbaked, it’ll be dry.
Use extra batter. If I have extra batter after filling the loaf pan 2/3 full, I like to bake it in a muffin tin or mini loaf pan for 18-22 minutes.

Three slices of peanut butter banana bread on a white plate

Proper Storage

Room temperature. Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh at room temperature for 2–3 days.
Fridge. This bread can also be stored in the fridge for up to a week. Enjoy a slice chilled or let it come to room temperature first.
Freezer. This banana bread freezes well. Wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw at room temperature when ready to eat.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread