Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

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I’ve been making this tasty and irresistible banana bread for years, and I recently shared it in my free ebook, Little Food Lovers: Healthy Snackers. With more time at home since Vienna’s school is closed, I’ve been baking quite a bit. I made this recipe the other week and realized I hadn’t yet posted it on my blog. Surprisingly, I bake this banana bread more frequently than my Buckwheat Banana Bread, Earl Grey Banana Bread, and Bountiful Banana Bread combined.

This recipe is a favorite because it tastes just as great as traditional white flour banana bread — moist, sweet, and delicious, like the kind your grandma might have made (bless all banana-bread-making grandmas!). It truly deserves to be called the Best Ever Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.

I know it sounds like high praise, but it’s hard not to be excited about a gluten-free, nut-free recipe that everyone in my family loves—even those who aren’t fans of healthy food!

You can find the recipe video to follow along, plus the recipe card below. With Vienna out of school during the pandemic, most of my upcoming videos will feature a guest.

The recipe details:
*You can swap out brown rice flour for most other flours, except for coconut flour, as it requires adjusting the liquid ingredients due to its moisture absorption. **If you can’t have bananas, you can substitute 1/2 cup applesauce. ***You can leave out the maple syrup if needed; just replace the 1/4 cup syrup with non-dairy milk or water.

Feel free to add more chocolate chips than I suggest—no judgment here! Adding walnuts would be lovely too, but I aimed to keep this nut-free for kids with allergies.

Stay healthy, everyone!

Joy, can I use almond flour instead of rice flour? If so, what’s the amount needed?

Almond flour has a different texture, so you can give it a try, but I’m not sure about the quantity as I haven’t tested it. It might end up denser. Let me know how it turns out!

Will flax eggs work in this recipe?

I usually hesitate with coconut flour-based recipes. You can try it and let me know!

This banana bread is delicious. I used all-purpose flour instead of brown rice flour and now it’s a weekly treat. It’s hard to resist eating it all at once!

I hear you! In our house, it barely lasts 36 hours. Glad you enjoyed it!

Hi Joy,

Thank you for this recipe. Here’s a funny story: I appreciate the warning about adding eggs after melting coconut oil, but I should have thought twice about adding melted coconut oil to frozen bananas. I hope you’re staying calm during this time!

Be well,
Helen

I made this today with my daughter. I swapped brown rice flour for all-purpose, and added chopped pecans. It turned out amazing—so moist and delicious! I’m definitely saving this recipe to make again.

Glad you loved it! The pecans are a fantastic addition.

LOL! Great point, Helen. Thanks for sharing.

Joy, I notice you often use maple syrup in your recipes. Is there a specific reason, aside from being Canadian? Here in NZ, maple syrup is pricey. Could I use honey instead without losing its benefits? My husband is a beekeeper.

Joy, can I replace coconut flour with buckwheat flour? Thanks, Patsy

It’s a different texture, but you can try it. I’m not certain how much is needed as I haven’t tried it myself. You might find it denser. Let me know how it goes!

Instead, I recommend a different recipe so you don’t need to alter other ingredients: Buckwheat Banana Bread – joyoushealth.com/91-recipe-buckwheat-banana-bread

Hi! Thanks for asking. I mostly use honey in raw recipes to preserve its benefits, which get lost when heated. If honey is more affordable, go ahead! You could also try coconut palm sugar, but you’ll need to adjust the liquid since maple syrup adds moisture.

Can I use a gluten-free flour blend instead of brown rice flour?

Delish! I tried it today.

Thanks so much! I always get excited for your emails 🙂 I’d love to make this recipe, but 4 eggs are too many due to my allergy. Can I use 2 eggs and substitute the other two with flax meal? Thanks again and God Bless!

Yes, that should work. Enjoy!

Glad you love it!

This recipe is wonderful! I substituted raisins for chocolate chips and found it moist and perfect. I’ll make this for my school lunches when they come back. Thanks for spreading joy with your great recipes!

Sounds fantastic!

Fatima, you could try it, but you might have better luck with the Buckwheat Banana Bread as it’s less finicky than coconut flour.

Yesterday, I made this loaf. It’s delicious. I froze half to avoid eating it all.

Smart move! I should do that too so I get to enjoy some later. I made one today, and it’s more than half gone—hah!

Could I make this recipe using only almond flour?

You can try it, but since almond flour has a different texture, it’s uncertain if 100% almond flour would work.

I made this banana bread and it’s amazing. Moist but not overly sweet, which I prefer. Thank you!

You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed it, Sarbani.

I adore this recipe and have made it often since the Little Food Lovers ebook came out! I need to bake mine for about 45 minutes, but my oven might be on its last legs. My 5-year-old daughter also loves watching the videos with Vienna participating.

Thanks for the feedback on cooking time! Every oven is unique, and I’ll update the timing on the recipe. Glad you love it!

WOW!! The best gluten-free banana bread I’ve ever made! It’s easy to make.

Happy to hear you love it too! Just baked another loaf this afternoon.

This recipe is fantastic. I used tapioca flour and almond flour, and it turned out light and moist—amazing! Thank you!

Glad your adjustments worked, Marilyn!

This banana bread is delicious! Your Chocolate Chip Tahini cookies are another favorite at home. Thanks for these decadent yet healthy recipes!

Yum! Glad you enjoyed the bread and cookies—they are such a treat. Thanks for commenting!

Delicious banana bread! One of your best baked goods recipes. I prefer using a mix of brown rice flour with coconut flour, rather than coconut alone. I added pecans as a reader suggested. The only regret was unsweetened chocolate chips versus sweetened; it was healthier but didn’t blend as well with the flavors. Thank you!

I agree—the flour combo is fantastic! If you haven’t tried it with blueberries yet, it’s unbelievably yummy!

This recipe is simple and delicious. I’ve made it twice but each time, spots with banana bits turned green the next day. I used aluminum-free baking powder and kept it refrigerated, so mold seems unlikely. Any thoughts on the green areas?

I’ve heard of this before but haven’t experienced it myself—it may have to do with the baking powder. Even though you used aluminum-free, I’m puzzled. Does it still taste good?

Although I had heard baking powder could be a cause, my container wasn’t labeled aluminum-free this time. That might explain it! I love this bread and want to make it again. Thanks for the recipe!

You can use honey instead of maple syrup. Just use the same amount! Enjoy!

Hope it still tasted as good despite the baking powder mix-up!

Joy, just wanted to thank you for this recipe. I make it weekly, and my three boys love it. It never lasts long at home. Another family favorite from you.

Great to hear you and your boys love it—success!

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I love this banana bread! Could I use all brown rice flour instead of coconut flour? Thanks, I truly enjoy your recipes.

Sure, but you’d need to adjust the quantities since coconut flour is highly absorbent. It won’t be a direct swap. Hope that helps!

Good morning. I’m planning to make this today—can I substitute choc chips with blueberries?

Absolutely! My hubby enjoys it with blueberries instead of chocolate chips too!

I made these as muffins and they were a hit with my granddaughter! Thank you!

Great idea!

Made this for the first time this weekend, and it was delicious! It came out beautifully. I used Bob’s 1:1 Gluten-free flour instead of brown rice flour.

Thank you, Joy, for the banana bread recipe—I will try it soon. Merry Christmas.

You’re welcome—enjoy!

Glad it turned out well! Enjoy!

The best banana bread ever! It’s so moist and soft, almost like a bread pudding when I made it the first time. The center didn’t quite set, not sure why? The second time was firmer. Thank you for this recipe—I’ll make it again and love it!

Glad you loved it! Sounds like it needed a touch longer in the oven. Riper bananas can make it more wet, hence longer baking. I have stopped adding 1/4 cup maple syrup, as I prefer less sweetness. I’ll update the recipe to mention the syrup as optional.

Could I make muffins instead of a loaf?

Absolutely!

The go-to recipe for banana bread! I skip the chocolate chips, but it’s still 10/10!

I agree—it’s yummy without the chips too. Have you tried blueberries lately? It’s my current favorite.

Oooh, no, I haven’t! I should try that—do you use fresh or frozen blueberries?

With frozen, I let them thaw first, but both fresh and frozen work!

Recently, I experimented with the recipe and found my ideal version. I swapped brown rice for almond flour, used half maple syrup, half full-fat coconut milk for liquid, replaced chocolate chips with raisins, and added vanilla—moist and perfectly sweet for me and my husband. Tried coconut milk for all maple syrup, which was fine, but my husband sprinkled sugar on a slice.

Sounds amazing! You seem like a seasoned baker—great job tailoring it to your preferences!

Super yummy! Your recipes are easy to make—thank you!

Yay! Happy to hear that!

Joy, can I adapt this recipe for muffins instead of bread? What do you suggest?

Definitely! I’d reduce baking time by half, but keep an eye on them as ovens vary.

The best banana bread EVER! I’m amazed. Thank you, Joy.

Hah! Glad you love it like we do!

I turned this into muffins for my kids! Used 2 frozen ripe bananas, skipped maple syrup, and swapped rice flour with whole wheat. Baked 30 min at 350—perfect! Just 3 eggs worked!

Glad to hear that! Thanks for noting your changes and how you made it work for you!

This recipe is a family favorite—delicious and easy to make each time! With a picky 2yo and a 3yo, I feel great feeding them this with quality ingredients. I replace rice flour with almond flour; it turns out great.

Also, love Joy and her content! Her Instagram posts bring comfort, kindness, and mindfulness to my day.

Andreea, thank you so much! I really appreciate it and am glad you’re enjoying my recipes and Instagram content. It’s not easy to please kids, so I’m glad it’s kid-approved. My daughter prefers it with blueberries, so I often swap them for chocolate chips. Enjoy!

The best banana bread! Thanks for this great recipe. I use walnuts instead of chocolate chips—it’s delish!

Oh, yum! The walnut crunch is a lovely addition to this banana bread!

Omg, it turned out heavenly delicious! I had just 1 banana, so I used 1/4C applesauce for the second banana. Swapped coconut oil for grape seed oil (just didn’t feel like melting the coconut oil, and grape seed oil is lower in saturated fats). Added chopped walnuts. Decorated with frozen banana slices—lol. Thank you for the recipe! It’s a keeper.

Glad your substitutions worked out and you loved the recipe!

Joy, could I use 3 bananas instead of 2?

You could, but it might take longer to bake—or you can add more flour. Enjoy!

How long should it bake? You mentioned 35 mins in your video, but the blog says 50-60 mins.

I updated the time on the blog after hearing it took longer for many people than it does for me. My small oven and convection setting probably influence my results.

Today, I made my favorite banana bread again—around 100 times now—it’s beloved here! I haven’t used other banana bread recipes in ages. Thanks for the great recipes and healthy advice!

My pleasure, Laureen! It’s a favorite in our home too.

Yummy! How many blueberries if no bananas?

1 cup of wild blueberries. If frozen, thaw them first—baking could take longer as it’ll be wetter.

I wish I could upload a picture. I was so excited to make this and followed the recipe exactly, baking for 50 minutes at 350. Luckily, I checked at 35 minutes—it was brown on top and nearly burnt at the sides. I haven’t cut it yet because it’s for Thanksgiving. It seems dry, but I hope the inside is good. I’ll set the time to 30 minutes next time!

Wow, that’s fast! Is yours a gas oven? Generally, people need longer baking times—my small convection oven often speeds up cooking. First time this happened! Was the batter moist and easy to transfer to the pan?

Yes, the batter was fine. My electric oven is new. I’ll try the convection setting next time. Thank you for the response! Happy Thanksgiving!

Sounds good!

This recipe is perfect for repurposing bruised bananas since my family eats them frequently. I always double the recipe and triple the bananas, filling a large cake pan and a mini one to share.

Both flax and chia eggs work great. I learned soak chia seeds in ginger bug for enhanced bioavailability, giving a subtly clean taste, complementing the spices brilliantly. The chia seeds create a fluffy, moist texture, unlike the denser, grainy flax version, though I enjoy both.

Tonight, I replaced maple syrup with an equal part of turbinado sugar and water. Sweetness will please kids, though I prefer less sweet—I might use less or leave it out next time.

When it browned at edges but wasn’t done, I covered it with a cookie sheet for the last 15 minutes, achieving a beautiful golden top. Total cook time was about an hour.

Thanks for the detailed additions! Sounds delicious!

Looks amazing! I’m making this today!

Enjoy!

How can I make this without eggs for a vegan option? It wasn’t moist using egg replacer. Any suggestions?

Have you tried applesauce or flax eggs? It might need baking longer, but check the comments—other users might’ve shared egg-free success stories. Seen IG posts about it working egg-free, probably using a chia or flax egg mix—those often succeed.

Joy, what’s your measurement for banana quantity, considering size variations? Would half cup like applesauce work?

Since applesauce is more moist, half a cup is a good start. Adjust based on batter moisture. Hope that helps!