Put your overripe bananas to great use with this moist and decadent healthy double chocolate banana bread! It's a chocolate lovers dream with a fluffy chocolate bread, dark chocolate chips scattered throughout, and hints of almond butter in every bite - the perfect excuse to have cake for breakfast!
Want to know why I love this banana bread...
Well, first of all I'm chocolate's biggest fan. So naturally this healthy chocolate banana bread is high on my favorites list. But besides being chocolate heaven, it also:
- is completely gluten-free and dairy-free
- made with paleo friendly ingredients
- has a moist, soft, and fluffy texture
- contains hints of almond butter nuttiness to compliment the chocolate
- packs in some serious chocolate flavor (I had to say something else about the chocolatiness)
If you're not a chocoholic like me, grab my gluten free healthy chocolate chip banana bread recipe and if you are more of a muffin fan, check out my chocolate almond flour banana muffins!
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Ingredients
You only need a few simple pantry staples to make this healthy double chocolate banana bread. Here are a few ingredient tips:
- Overripe bananas - the best bananas are slightly brown but not super brown/almost black. If you only have yellow bananas, you can expedite the ripening process by putting them in the oven at 350 F for 7 - 10 minutes. They will turn a dark brown color which is okay. Let the bananas come to room temperature before using them in this recipe.
- Eggs - make sure your eggs are room temperature. Let them sit out for about 20 minutes before making this recipe or soak them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes to get the chill of them.
- Almond butter - any nut butter will work for this recipe. Just make sure it's the 'creamy' style kind and not chunky.
Step by step instructions
You can whip up this healthy chocolate banana bread in no time! All you need is a bowl to mash the bananas, a mixing bowl, and a loaf pan.
Step 1 : Mash the bananas
You will need 1 ½ cups of mashed bananas for this recipe. Depending on the size of your bananas, this is 3 - 4 medium sized bananas.
Place the overripe bananas in a bowl and mash them down with either a stiff whisk or the back of a fork. Mash them enough so there are no large clumps remaining. Then set this bowl aside.
Step 2 : Mix the wet ingredients
In a separate large mixing bowl, mix the eggs, coconut sugar, almond butter, and vanilla together. The consistency should be slightly thin and the sugar should be dissolved. You can test this out by rubbing a bit of the mixture in between your thumb and pointer finger. If you feel sugar granules, you need to keep mixing.
Similarly, the almond butter should be well mixed as well. If you can still see clumps of almond butter, mix a little more until you reach a thin consistency.
Step 3 : Add the mashed bananas and flours
Next, measure out 1 ½ cups of the mashed bananas and add it to the egg mixture. Mix well to distribute the banana throughout the batter. If you come across some clumps, break it up with your whisk or spatula.
Once the mashed banana is mixed in, add the almond flour, cacao powder, and baking powder. Mix until the flours are disbursed and no flour clumps remain. Be careful not to over mix this step to prevent the healthy chocolate banana bread from being dry.
Step 4 : Fold in the chocolate chips
Finally, fold in the dark chocolate chips (these are my favorite vegan chocolate chips) into the batter. This is best done with a rubber spatula, not a whisk. Again, be careful not to over mix.
Pour the batter into an 8-inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper or greased with oil. Sprinkle some additional chocolate chips on top if desired (there is no such thing as too much chocolate!).
When baking, place the pan in the middle rack of the oven. To ensure the healthy chocolate banana bread is done, push a toothpick in the center of the bread. If it comes out clean, the bread is done. If there is batter on the toothpick, the bread needs to bake for a little longer.
Let the gluten-free chocolate chip banana bread cool before cutting it into slices and enjoy!
Storing
This banana bread is best stored in an airtight container. It will keep for 5 days out on the counter or a week in the fridge. If you don't have a loaf container, wrap the bread really tight with saran wrap to ensure it stays nice and moist.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your bananas are still yellow and not soft like overripe bananas, don't worry. You can expedite the ripening process by baking 3 - 4 bananas in the oven at 350 F for 7 - 10 minutes. The bananas will turn dark brown which is okay. Let them cool completely before peeling them and using them in this recipe.
Make sure your bananas are 'overripe'. If needed, refer to the above FAQ to ripen them yourself in the oven. Using bananas that aren't ripe will produce a dry banana bread. Once baked, be sure to store the (uncut) banana bread in an airtight container. When ready to enjoy, warm up a slice in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
If you don't want to add chocolate chips or want to add something else to your banana bread you can use chopped nuts, seeds, or dried fruit. Cherries would be awesome in this chocolate banana bread!
Use a metal pan for this recipe. If needed, a glass loaf pan will work however you will need to increase the baking time by about another 15 - 20 minutes. Definitely test it out with a toothpick if baking in a glass dish.
For more banana goodness, check out my:
PS : If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star review and comment below! Also be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest to stay up to date on all tasty recipes here at The Fit Peach!
Recipe
Healthy Double Chocolate Banana Bread with Almond Butter
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup mashed bananas - 3 - 4 medium bananas
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup almond butter - sub. any other nut butter
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup cacao powder
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips - plus more to sprinkle on top, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl, mash the bananas with a stiff whisk or the back of a spoon; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut sugar, almond butter, and vanilla until well mixed. The mixture should almost double in size and the sugar granules should dissolve. You can test this by rubbing a bit of the mixture in between your thumb and pointer finger. If you feel sugar granules, keep whisking.
- Next, measure out 1 ½ cups of the mashed bananas and add it to the batter. Mix well to distribute the banana throughout the batter. If you come across some clumps, break it up with your whisk or spatula.
- Add the almond flour, cacao powder, and baking powder. Mix until the flour is well disbursed and no clumps remain. Be sure not to over mix the batter.
- Fold in the dark chocolate chips. This is best done with a rubber spatula. Again, make sure not to over mix. Pour the batter into a 8-inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper or greased with oil. If desired, sprinkle a few extra dark chocolate chips over top. Bake in the oven for an hour. The bread should be cracked on top and you should be able to insert a toothpick into the middle and it come out clean. If not, bake for an additional 5 - 10 minutes.
- Let cool slightly before cutting into slices. To store the banana bread, keep it in an air-tight container uncut. It will keep for up to 5 days. Warm up a slice in the microwave for 20 seconds when ready to enjoy!
Can I use xylitolinstead coconut sugar?
Hey...Such a tempting Recipe... Can I make it eggless?
Hi Pani! I haven't tried to make this vegan but if I were to, I would use 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce in place of the eggs. Hope you love it!
can I make muffins with this recipe?
Yes these also make 12 muffins. Bake them at 425 F for 7 minutes and then drop the temperature down to 350 F and bake fore another 10 - 14 minutes.
I love this bread! I subbed in 1/2 Swerve granular and 1/2 Swerve brown and Lily's Dark Chocolate chips. I also added pecans and some dried cherries. It was divine! Mine seemed a bit wet at an hour so I left it in for 3 more minutes so my sides browned up a bit. Wondering if anyone else had that result. Looks over a bit, but still moist and delicious!
My 2-year old loves this. It’s so tasty and moist. I’m glad he’s getting his chocolate fix along with bananas, eggs and nut protein.
That makes me so happy! It's one of my favorite recipes. I hope my 5 month old daughter will enjoy it sometime soon!