The Best Banana Bread

This Banana Bread is the BEST! It’s made with coconut oil and has a wonderfully moist texture with big banana flavor and a hint of cinnamon. It’s loaded with chopped walnuts and huge chunks of melty chocolate.

🍫Chocolate chunk Banana Bread Recipe

This is one of the first recipes I posted on SugarHero, and it’s still one of my all-time favorites!

Although there are millions of different banana bread recipes out there, this super flavorful recipe is my ideal version. It has amazing texture and is loaded with crunchy walnuts and big fat chunks of semi-sweet chocolate.

I also use coconut oil in this recipe — you won’t get a strong coconut flavor, but it adds extra richness and moisture that vegetable oil just can’t match.

Whether you’re making it for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert, this banana bread delivers every single time. The crunchy top, the soft insides, the pockets of chocolate everywhere — it’s fantastic!

Table of Contents

• 🍫Chocolate chunk Banana Bread Recipe
• 🧾 What You’ll Need
• 🍞 Make-Ahead and Storage
• The Best Banana Bread Recipe
• 💡 Tips for Perfect Banana Bread

🧾 What You’ll Need

Ingredients

Simple ingredients make the best bread. Check out these ingredient tips as you gather everything you’ll need. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)

• All-purpose flour: When measuring your flour, it’s best to use a kitchen scale so that you don’t accidentally
• Baking soda
• Ground cinnamon: Just enough to warm up the flavor without overpowering the banana.
• Salt
• Large eggs: To prevent lumpy batter, bring the eggs to room temperature before mixing them in.
• Sugars: The combination of granulated and brown sugar adds depth of flavor and keeps the crumb perfectly tender.
• Coconut oil: Gives this bread exceptional moisture and a subtle richness. You can sub half canola and half coconut, or all canola, but I highly recommend going full coconut if you can.
• Very ripe bananas: The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be. We’re talking deeply speckled, almost fully brown peels.
• Sour cream: Adds moisture and a slight tang that balances the sweetness.
• Vanilla extract: This Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract is my favorite!
• Toasted walnuts: Toasting the nuts will give them the best flavor. Pecans are a great swap if you prefer.
• Semi-sweet chocolate: Use a good quality bar and chop it yourself for big, melty pockets throughout. Chocolate chips work in a pinch but won’t give you the same effect.

Equipment

• Loaf pans: Loaf pans: You’ll need two 9×5-inch loaf pans to make this recipe. If your pans are slightly larger or smaller, you can still use them; just keep an eye on them in the oven as the baking time might be slightly different.
• Mixer: Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to make the batter.

🍞 Make-Ahead and Storage

This banana bread keeps beautifully, making it a great option for baking ahead.

• Room temperature: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store for up to 4 days.
• Refrigerator: Keeps well for up to 1 week.
• Freezer: Wrap the cooled loaves tightly in plastic and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature before serving.

💡 Tips for Perfect Banana Bread

• Don’t overmix. Once you add the flour, stir by hand just until combined. Overmixing leads to a tough, dense loaf.
• Check for doneness early. Ovens vary, so start checking around 60 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with just a few moist crumbs.
• Tent with foil if needed. If the top is browning too fast before the center is set, loosely tent with foil and continue baking.
• Let it cool fully. The bread will slice more easily once completely cooled. Worth the wait!
• Customize it: Swap the walnuts for pecans, replace the chocolate with peanut butter baking chips, or fold in a handful of shredded coconut for a tropical twist.