One Bowl Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I originally published this blog post on March 16, 2020 – what a week! I refuse to change the copy because it’s so representative of that point in time. I mean, remember when we were ALL watching Tiger King and baking banana bread?!

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A huge benefit of staying home = more time to bake. This banana bread is so good that I’ve already made it twice this weekend alone. Plus, it only uses one bowl!

I know that we’re in a serious time of uncertainty. It’s so scary to be stuck at home more and to not have an end date in sight for all the craziness.

While I’m not a doctor and can’t offer medical advice, what I can offer is positivity. I’ve found that this extended time at home has actually been kind of nice. It’s helped me a lot to look at it from a positive and grateful point of view.

Above all, it’s been amazing to see how people have come together in this of uncertainty. We’re thanking healthcare professionals, grocery store and pharmacy employees. We’re calling each other more. We’re checking on our neighbors and the elderly more.

The compassion and kindness that has come out in the midst of all this craziness is nothing short of incredible.

That said, I’ve been focusing on things I can do while stuck at home. My list has included things like: cooking, reading, binge watching TV shows (currently about to finish Love is Blind), calling my family and friends nonstop, cleaning out my closet, and of course, baking.

So, if you, too, are thinking about baking, you must make this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread! It can be made in just one bowl and seriously, is the best one I’ve ever made.

It comes perfectly moist (I know, I know, I’m sorry) and is likely the easiest banana bread you’ll make. It’s sweetened with maple syrup and uses coconut oil and almond milk as the liquid, so it’s naturally dairy-free if that’s your thing!

Have it for dessert, a snack, or even breakfast. But trust me, just have it.

Add-ons & mix-ins

Feel free to get creative with toppings and mix-ins if you want to upgrade your banana bread. There are tons of different mix in that make this more than delicious.

Nuts: If you want to make a banana nut bread, add 3/4 cup of chopped nuts to the batter. I recommend walnuts or pecans.

Chocolate: You can use milk chocolate or dark chocolate. Or, roughly chop a chocolate bar for chocolate chunks.

Sprinkles: Add them with the chocolate or nix the chocolate and just do sprinkles. They add a fun pop of color! If you add sprinkles into the batter, be mindful that the color may bleed slightly, so be sure not to over-mix.

Peanut butter: A little creamy peanut butter is so delicious on a warm slice of banana bread. You can also try butter.

Notes

• Bananas: Have bananas that aren’t ripe yet? Place them on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 F for 10-15 minutes, until the outside is black. Let them cool and then mash them (they’ll be pretty mushy already). I also recommend freezing bananas anytime you notice overly ripe ones on your counter! Peel them and store them in a ziplock bag in the freezer. I always do this and it’s great to have ripe bananas on hand. Just defrost them before using to bake (or you can also use them for smoothies!).
• Coconut oil: As is, this bread is dairy free. But, you can swap the coconut oil 1:1 for melted butter.
• Milk: While I’ve only made this recipe with almond milk, it’s also a 1:1 swap for oat milk or cow’s milk.
• Flour: I highly recommend sticking to all-purpose flour. I haven’t tried making it with anything else!
• Cooking time: Because all ovens are slightly different, I recommend to start checking the banana bread around 50 minutes. I moved recently and my current oven runs MUCH hotter than my last one. In my last oven, this banana bread took the full 70 minutes. In my current oven, it was done at 50 minutes. Make sure to check to prevent over-baking! You’ll know it’s done when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Storage: Store banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature. It will last up to 4-5 days. If you want to extend its shelf life, try storing it in the fridge. I’ve seen hacks to add a paper towel to the bottom of the storage container – I haven’t tried this, but it’s worth trying out!