Triple Chocolate Banana Bread
Made with cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips in the batter and topped with a decadent glaze, this Triple Chocolate Banana Bread is bursting with chocolate flavor. This quick bread requires just a few simple ingredients and just a few minutes of prep. It freezes well too!
The Best Chocolate Banana Bread
Overripe bananas on the counter? Craving chocolate? This Triple Chocolate Banana Bread is the answer!
This quick bread recipe takes your basic banana bread and turns it into a chocolate lover’s dream with cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate in the batter and a decadent semi-sweet chocolate glaze over the top.
The end result is an easy banana bread that’s moist and perfectly sweet, oozing with chocolate flavor. If you enjoy the chocolate banana flavor combination, you’re going to LOVE this recipe!
The Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make the Chocolate Banana Bread (the exact measurements and full recipe instructions are below in the printable recipe card):
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking soda & baking powder
- Butter
- Sugar – Both brown sugar and granulated sugar are used.
- Eggs
- Bananas – Be sure to use ripe bananas. Brown spots are perfect. The riper the banana, the sweeter the bread will be.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – See below for notes on substituting with other chocolate.
- Half & half
- Vanilla extract
Can I Use Milk Chocolate?
Milk chocolate is not recommended in this banana bread recipe. Since it bakes for close to an hour, the milk chocolate can burn and cause a burnt flavor and texture in the bread. Instead, I recommend sticking with semi-sweet chocolate chips or even dark chocolate chips or chunks.
How to Make Chocolate Banana Bread
Like all quick bread, this recipe is super simple to pull together.
- Make the batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and bananas. Add this mixture to the dry mixture. Stir to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Bake. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.
- Make the chocolate glaze. Heat the brown sugar and half and half over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips, until fully melted. Transfer to a small bowl and allow to cool.
- Add the glaze and serve. Drizzle the glaze over the banana bread then slice and serve.
Tips for Success
Ready to make the best banana bread possible? Here are a few tips!
- Use ripe bananas. Whenever you make banana bread, you want to use ripe or overripe bananas. They will not only mash easier but add more moisture to the bread. They are also sweeter too!
- Do not overmix. Once you add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the bread dense and chewy.
- How to tell when the bread is ready? Banana bread is ready when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out without any crumbs.
- Take care not to burn the glaze. When melting the sugar and half and half, be sure to stir constantly to avoid burning the brown sugar. Remove the pan from the heat before adding the chocolate to avoid burning that as well.
Can I Make Mini Chocolate Banana Bread Loaves?
Yes, you can turn this recipe into cute little mini loaves! Simply follow the recipe instructions as usual, then divide the batter into mini loaf pans. You will also need to adjust the baking time.
The baking time will depend on the size of your mini loaf pans, but the baking time should fall somewhere between 25 and 45 minutes. The best bet is to start checking the loaves for doneness at 25 minutes and keep checking every 5-10 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the loaves comes out clean. Keep track of how long it took for your mini loaves to bake so you’ll know for sure in the future.
How to Store & Freeze
- How to store. Once cooled, the chocolate banana bread will last for 3 days at room temperature or in the fridge. Wrap tightly in plastic.
- How to freeze. You can freeze the unglazed chocolate banana bread for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic, then in foil. I also like to place it inside a ziploc bag.
More Quick Bread Recipes:
Chocolate Banana Bread
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/3 cups mashed bananas (about 4 small bananas)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Topping
- 1/4 cup half and half
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Bread
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan generously with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs and mashed bananas.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
Topping
- Heat the half and half and brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture begins to bubble around the edges, stirring often. Stir in the butter and vanilla until combined.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add in the chocolate chips, whisking until melted.
- Pour the chocolate glaze into a small bowl and set aside to cool completely. Once cooled, drizzle the glaze over top of the chocolate banana bread.
Nutrition
Decadent!
EasyPeasy!
Really yummy. I didn’t do the chocolate on the top. Super moist. My slices would fall apart. Still good
Would help if the quantity of ingredients where listed!
All the ingredients are listed in the recipe box. We also have a jump to button at the top of the post to make it easy to view. Thanks!
This looks fabulous – would it freeze well?
My question is. Can you make cupcakes or muffins with this recipe? Thanks
Very good, but barely taste the banana IMO. I’ll just add more banana’s next time
This looks decadent! But I am trying to cut back on sugar. Do you think it could be made with sweetener, like Lakanto?
Can’t wait to try this recipe among some of the others they sound sooooo goooood thank you
Looks delicious! I will try it!
Wondering if the bananas are just for moistness, or if there is a banana flavor. I’m hoping this is a good moist chocolate tasting bread. My son doesn’t like bananas, I’ve made breads with pureed prunes, that just add moistness. Thx
The bananas are for moistness and you will get the taste of chocolate. This is a fantastic chocolate bread recipe!