Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

This is the most moist, melty, nostalgic banana bread out there! It’s literally my all-time favorite comfort bakes: Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread. And I know, I know… banana bread recipes are everywhere. But this is THE only banana bread recipe you’ll ever need. Trust me. This one feels like a warm hug wrapped in melty chocolate puddles and is my favorite way to use up brown bananas.

Chocolate chunk banana bread

I’ve tested this recipe in both my San Francisco kitchen and the cabin’s 1980s Sea Ranch-style galley, and I swear, something magical happens when this bread bakes in the cabin. Maybe it’s the cool coastal forest air drifting through cracked windows, or the redwood beams humming above me. Still, the bananas caramelize deeper, and the chocolate melts into those dramatic pools I literally die for. It gives the same cozy, moody energy my Lemongrass Cookies and Lemon Curd Cake bring to the table, rich, nostalgic, and totally irresistible. Plus, it’s a quick bread to make with a twist on the classic banana bread we all know and love. Isn’t everything better with chocolate anyway? So, If you’ve got three spotted overripe bananas on the counter, this is your recipe.

Chocolate chunk banana bread sliced on an orange, red, and white plate with a slice of melted butter.

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Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread
Recipe

  • Bakery-style chocolate chunks from chopped chocolate bars instead of chips for extra decadent, gooey bites.
  • Perfectly moist, never dry the crumb stays plush for days
  • One-bowl batter with accessible and simple ingredients
  • Beginner-friendly but polished enough for gifting, hosting, or Instagram
  • Cabin-cozy, it smells like nostalgia and tastes like home
Key Ingredients for Chocolate chunk banana bread including; extra ripe bananas, dark chocolate bars, unsalted butter and dark brown sugar.

Key Ingredients

  • Very Ripe Bananas: The darker and spottier, the better. Overripe bananas bring deeper caramel notes and natural sweetness, which means more flavor and a moister crumb without extra sugar.
  • Chopped Chocolate Bars (Not Chips): Chocolate bars melt into glossy puddles because they don’t contain stabilizers as chips do. Chop unevenly so you get both melty pools and little pockets of chocolate throughout.
  • Dark Brown Sugar: Don’t swap this. Dark brown sugar adds moisture and subtle molasses depth, giving the bread that bakery-style richness and helping it stay plush for days.
  • Unsalted Butter (Melted): Melted butter blends seamlessly with the bananas, creating a softer, more tender crumb. For extra depth, you can brown it first—but even melted, it delivers big flavor.

A complete list of ingredients with amounts and substitutions are in the recipe card below.

Tip

Let the batter rest for 10 minutes before baking. This gives the flour time to hydrate and the baking soda a head start, resulting in a taller loaf, softer crumb, and more dramatic chocolate puddles on top.

Variations and Substitutions

  • Double chocolate moment: Swap ¼ cup flour for Dutch-process cocoa powder and add ½ tsp espresso powder for a rich, brownie-adjacent loaf.
  • Salted bakery vibe: Sprinkle flaky Maldon sea salt over the top before baking and use 70% dark chocolate for that perfect sweet-salty contrast.
  • Brown the butter and keep the toasted walnuts for a deeper, nutty, cabin-level flavor.
  • No Butter? Neutral oil can replace butter, flax eggs can stand in for eggs, and a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend bakes up beautifully.
  • Short on bananas or looking to change it up: If you’re half a banana shy, add ¼ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream, or fold in berries or milk chocolate for a fun twist.

How to Make: Step-by-Step

A pan with parchment paper on a white farmhouse table, ready for Chocolate chunk banana bread ingredients.

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a loaf pan with parchment leave overhang for easy lifting. Butter the exposed sides.

a bowl full of dry ingredients for key Ingredients for chocolate chunk banana bread; flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.

Step 2: Whisk Dry Ingredients. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

melted butter with brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and mashed banana for chocolate chunk banana bread.

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter with brown sugar until glossy. Add the eggs one at a time. Whisk in vanilla and mashed bananas.

Folded in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients for chocolate chunk banana bread in a glass bowl.

Step 4: Fold it together, then add dry ingredients into the wet and fold with a spatula just until combined.Lumpy batter = moist banana bread. Don’t over mix.

Folded in half the chocolate chunks in a glass bowl into wet and dry ingredients with a spatula on a large white farm house table.

Step: 5: Add Chocolate (the right way). Fold in half the chocolate chunks. Pour batter into the lined pan. Scatter the remaining chocolate chunks across the top. This gives you those bakery-style molten puddles.

Ingredients for chocolate chunk banana bread are ready to bake in a parchment-lined pan.

Step 6: Bake Cool+ Serve: Bake 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out dry. If the top is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil at minute 40. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack, slice thickly, and serve warm.

Tip

For deeper, bakery-level flavor, roast your bananas unpeeled at 300°F for 10 minutes, then mash. This quick step caramelizes their natural sugars, concentrates the flavor, and adds a subtle toffee-like sweetness. Let cool slightly, mash, and use as usual, especially good with dark chocolate chunks.

Pro Tips for Making Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

  • Tent the loaf if needed: If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil around minute 40 to keep the crumb moist and a perfectly domed loaf..
  • Slice like a pro: Use a serrated knife once fully cooled for clean, bakery-style slices (and better photos).
  • Let it cool completely: Avoid refrigerating right away — cooling at room temp prevents a gummy texture.
  • Warm before serving: 10 seconds in the microwave brings the chocolate back to molten, bakery-fresh magic.
sliced and served chocolate chunk banana bread with a cappuccino on a white farmhouse table and a cutting board.

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What to Serve with Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

  • Salted or cultured butter: Let it melt into a warm slice for simple, cozy perfection.
  • Greek yogurt or crème fraîche: A cool, tangy contrast that balances the sweetness.
  • Fresh fruit: Serve with berries or sliced apples — or make it a moment with my apple blackberry crumble for brunch-level indulgence.
  • Coffee or something cozy to sip: This loaf is perfect alongside a strong cup of coffee or a homemade latte. I especially love it with a warm flat white coffee.
  • Warm banana bread + vanilla ice cream = magic. Add a drizzle of chocolate and call it a night.

Storage and Reheating Tips

  • Room temp Covered: 3–4 days
  • Fridge: up to 1 week in an airtight container
  • Freezer: 3 months (wrap slices individually!)

FAQs About Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

gorgeous sliced loaf of chocolate chunk banana bread on a white table with slices of butter, and a latte.
Can I use chocolate chips instead of chunks?

You can, but they won’t melt into silky puddles. Chopped bars = better.

What if I only have two bananas?

Add ¼ cup Greek yogurt to keep the moisture perfect.

Can I make this gluten-free?

Yes, swap for a 1:1 GF baking blend.

Delicious Brunch Desserts

Final Thoughts

a close-up shot of a freshly baked chocolate chunk banana bread on a wooden cutting board.

Chocolate chunk banana bread is one of those recipes that never fails; cozy enough for slow cabin mornings, reliable enough for weekday baking, and special enough to serve when friends stop by. The ripe bananas bring warmth, the chopped chocolate melts into glossy pockets, and every slice feels just a little indulgent without being fussy. I love serving this alongside a strong cup of coffee, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or as part of a relaxed brunch spread. If you’re in a baking mood, it pairs beautifully with my apple blackberry crumble, makes a great follow-up to my lemon curd cake, and sits perfectly next to something savory like my lemon chicken orzo pasta for a full weekend menu. Simple, nostalgic, and endlessly adaptable. This is the kind of bake you’ll come back to again and again. Enjoy! xo.

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5 from 1 vote

Easy Moist Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Recipe

By: Anthony Rodriguez
Chocolate chunk banana bread with rich banana flavor and glossy pools of chopped dark chocolate. An easy, cozy loaf you’ll bake again and again.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 55 minutes
0 minutes
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
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Ingredients 

Dry Mixture Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Wet Mixture Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 count large eggs, room tempature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 count bananas, very ripe
  • 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chunks, from a bar not chips!
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts (optional), optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a loaf pan with parchment, leaving overhang for easy lifting. Butter the exposed sides.
  • Whisk Dry Ingredients. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
  • Mix Wet Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter with brown sugar until glossy. Add the eggs one at a time. Whisk in vanilla and mashed bananas.
  • Fold it together, then add dry ingredients into the wet and fold with a spatula just until combined. Lumpy batter = moist banana bread. Don't overmix.
  • Fold in Chocolate (the right way). Fold in half the chocolate chunks. Pour batter into the lined pan. Scatter the remaining chocolate chunks across the top. This gives you those bakery-style molten puddles.
  • Bake Cool + Serve: Bake 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out dry. If the top is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil at minute 40. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack, slice thickly, and serve warm.

Notes

  • Use chopped chocolate bars, not chips for glossy, bakery-style melted pockets.
  • Very ripe bananas matter: Heavily speckled or nearly black bananas give the best flavor and sweetness.
  • Do not overmix: Fold just until combined — a lumpy batter means a tender crumb.
  • Bake to moist crumbs: A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
  • Cool before slicing: Let the loaf set fully to avoid a gummy texture; use a serrated knife for clean slices.

Nutrition

Calories: 1059kcalCarbohydrates: 115gProtein: 13gFat: 61gSaturated Fat: 32gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 595mgPotassium: 664mgFiber: 10gSugar: 57gVitamin A: 742IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 117mgIron: 11mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Anthony Rodriguez

Hi! I’m Anthony the creator of 136home. I’m a DIY, home decor, design, and interior styling enthusiast nestled in the heart of San Francisco. @136 home I support a highly engaged community mixing old + new to design a home I love one detail at a time. Here, I curate affordable finds, share tips, and DIY’s while discussing everything home all day, every day. Welcome to my home.

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  1. Anthony Rodriguez says:

    5 stars
    If you make this chocolate chunk banana bread, I’d love to hear how it turns out Did you roast your bananas or keep it classic? And tell me. walnuts in or walnuts out? I’m always curious how everyone makes this recipe their own.

    Reply