Chocolate Banana Bread

Extra rich and chocolatey, this moist Chocolate Banana Bread is surprisingly healthy, oil-free and gluten-free. This easy recipe comes together in a bowl with simple ingredients, and is perfect for breakfasts or desserts.

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I always keep a stash of ripe bananas at home – perfect for my protein banana bread, oatmeal breakfast bars, or even a batch of homemade banana chips. Last week was Black Friday, and the only sales I cared about were grocery deals. On Friday I headed to Aldi, and right as I walked in, I spotted bananas on sale.

Of curse, I couldn’t resist and walked out with 9 pounds (4 kilos) of fruit stuffed in my backpack. But soon, those bananas were ripening faster than I could use them up. Yesterday, I had to get creative – beyond my usual banana waffles or banana protein pancakes – so I whipped up this healthy chocolate banana bread, made without oil or sugar. For more protein I added a scoop of protein powder, which of course is optional.

Why this chocolate banana bread is healthy

Before you think this is just another clickbait recipe, let me explain why this chocolate banana bread is good for you. So healthy that you can enjoy it every day – as a snack, dessert, or even for a chocolatey breakfast.

• Oil-free and butter-free. This recipe skips any oil or butter. Instead it uses nut butter, which is rich in heart healthy fats and essential minerals.
• No added sugar. Sweetened naturally with bananas and a sugar-free sweetener, this chocolate loaf has no refined white sugar.
• Whole-grain and refined-flour free. Made with oat flour, it’s packed with nutrients. Oat flour is gluten-free, rich in fiber, and packed with protein.
• Protein boost. For an extra boost, you can add a scoop of protein powder to make this bread even more satisfying. I like using chocolate casein protein powder, it keeps the loaf so moist.
• Superfood cocoa. Cocoa powder packs this bread with rich flavors and a good dose of vitamins, minerals, and powerful antioxidants like polyphenols.

Ingredients

This chocolate banana bread recipe calls for just a handful of simple, healthy ingredients. Here’s everything you need to gather before baking. Be sure to read further for detailed tips and substitutes, precise measurements can be found in the recipe card at the end.

• Bananas. The riper, the better. Look for brownish bananas with dark spots, as they’ll add natural sweetness and moisture. If your bananas are still yellow, let them ripen fully before using.
• Eggs. For a richer, healthier loaf, opt for fresh, free-range eggs. For a vegan option, replace with flaxseed or chia eggs.
• Nut butter. Choose any nut butter you like, I used almond butter. Almond, peanut, cashew, or walnut butter all work well. If you’re allergic to nuts, try tahini or sunflower seed butter instead.
• Oat flour. Both store-bought and homemade oat flour are perfect, gluten-free if needed. You can also substitute with almond flour, wholewheat flour, or all purpose flour. For a high protein chocolate banana bread, use a combination of oat flour and protein powder.
• Cocoa powder. Prefer natural, unsweetened cocoa powder for a healthier chocolate treat.
• Granular sweetener. To keep this recipe sugar-free, I used monk fruit sweetener. You can also sweeten with erythritol, coconut sugar, brown sugar, date sugar, or your favorite option.
• Flavors. Vanilla extract and a pinch of salt add depth, making this bread extra delicious.
• Baking powder. Essential for a nice rise and moist texture.
• Chocolate chips. I recommend extra-dark, sugar-free chocolate chips. Feel free to substitute with semi-sweet or sweet chocolate chips if you prefer.

How to make chocolate banana bread

Step 1 – Prepare. Heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and fold a 20 cm (7.9 inches) loaf pan with parchment paper. As an alternative, grease it with oil or butter to prevent sticking.

Step 2 – Mix wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, mash three ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir nut butter and eggs into your mashed bananas, then add granular sweetener, vanilla extract and salt. Stir the wet mixture with a whisk or fork for around two minutes, or until all is well combined.

Step 3 – Add dry ingredients. Stir in oat flour (or a combination of oat flour and protein powder), cocoa powder and baking powder. Give it a good stir until all is well combined, then fold through chocolate chips.

Step 4 – Bake. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, and if desired top with chocolate chips. Bake in hot oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of your banana chocolate bread comes out clean.

Step 5 – Let cool. Remove from the oven and let cool in its loaf pan for about 15 minutes. Take out of the pan and let cool completely before slicing.

Recipe variations

• Vegan. Replace eggs with two flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2 1/2 tbsp water per egg). Use dairy-free dark chocolate chips to make it fully vegan.
• High protein. Substitute up to 1/2 cup (50 g) of flour with a scoop of protein powder. Use vegan protein or casein for a moist texture and rich taste. Avoid whey, as it can make the bread dry. Vanilla or chocolate protein powders work well, but feel free to choose your favorite flavor.
• Low carb. Swap out oat flour for blanched almond flour and use a keto sweetener. For more nutrients, you can also make almond flour chocolate banana bread with protein powder (see above).
• Mix-ins. Stir in the batter chopped walnuts or pecans, sliced almonds, cranberries, chopped dates or fresh blueberries. Chocolate chips are a must for the complete experience.

Storage directions

Before storing, let the bread cool completely to room temperature. Once cooled, place into an airtight container or wrap it well in aluminium foil. In the cupboard it will last for up 3 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days.

For a longer storage, transfer into zipper bags and freeze for a maximum of 3 months. To reheat, bake in hot oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 5 minutes or microwave for 30 seconds until warm and fluffy.

More healthy desserts with bananas

• 3 ingredient brownies with banana
• Protein banana bread
• Banana bread cookies
• 2 ingredient banana oatmeal cookies
• Low calorie banana bread
• Keto banana bread
• Banana oatmeal muffins
• Healthy banana cake
• Oatmeal banana bread
• Banana protein pancakes
• Banana waffles

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4.88 from 40 votes

Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread

Extra rich and chocolatey, this moist Chocolate Banana Bread is surprisingly healthy, oil-free and gluten-free. This easy recipe comes together in a bowl with simple ingredients, and is perfect for breakfasts or desserts.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 slices

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Ingredients

• ▢ 3 medium bananas, ripe (about 12 oz/360 g in total)
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ ¼ cup (60 g) nut butter, almond, peanut, cashew or sunflower seed butter
• ▢ ⅓ cup (70 g) granular sweetener, monk fruit, or brown sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ ⅙ tsp sea salt
• ▢ 1 ½ cup (150 g) oat flour, or preferred flour
• ▢ ½ cup (50 g) cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ ¼ cup (40 g) chocolate chips

High protein option

• ▢ ½ cup (50 g) protein powder, as a replacement for ½ cup (50 g) flour (see notes*)

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Instructions 

• Heat oven to 350°F (180°C) and fold a 20 cm (7.9 inches) loaf pan with parchment paper or grease with oil.
• In a large mixing bowl, mash three ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir nut butter and eggs into the banana mixture.
• Add the granular sweetener of choice, vanilla extract and salt. Stir the wet mixture with a whisk or fork for around two minutes, or until all is well combined.
• Stir in oat flour (or oat flour + protein powder), cocoa powder and baking powder. Give it a good stir until all is well combined, then fold through chocolate chips.
• Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, and if desired top with chocolate chips. Bake in hot oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of your chocolate banana bread comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and let cool in the loaf pan for about 15 minutes. Take out of the pan and let cool completely before slicing.

Notes

• Protein powder. You can substitute up to 1/2 cup of flour with protein powder to increase the protein content. For best results, use vegan protein or casein to maintain moisture. Avoid whey, as it can lead to a dry texture. Recommended flavors include vanilla, chocolate or unflavored.
• Nutritional values. Nutrition facts are calculated using monk fruit as the sweetener. Using brown sugar or regular sugar will increase both the calories and carbohydrates in the recipe. Additionally, adding protein powder will alter the nutritional values by reducing carbs and increasing protein. Be sure to calculate your own macros based on the specific ingredients used.

Nutrition

Calories: 141.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.8g | Protein: 4.9g | Fat: 5.8g | Saturated Fat: 1.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 117.6mg | Potassium: 254.2mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4.4g | Vitamin A: 63.9IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 59.7mg | Iron: 1.7mg

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