CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BANANA BREAD (2024)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread is a twist on the traditional banana bread recipe. Banana bread is even better when you add chocolate and peanut butter!

This banana bread recipe is so quick and easy to make. Banana bread recipes are always a hit with family and friends because they’re simple, versatile, and incredibly delicious. This chocolate peanut butter banana bread recipe is one of the yummiest ways to eat ripe bananas. You’ve got to try this cafe-style banana bread that’s perfectly textured and full of flavor.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BANANA BREAD

This decadent banana bread is made with ripe bananas, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and peanut butter. Some of the peanut butter is mixed into the batter and some is reserved to swirl on top (along with more chocolate chips!) before baking. This delicious quick bread recipe is so indulgent, you can serve it as dessert! But…there are bananas in it, and it is called bread, so it is perfectly acceptable as breakfast too!

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST QUICK BREAD

There are a couple of tips that will help you to get the perfect banana bread every time!

1. Make sure to use the right bread pans! The recipe for this quick bread is written for one9″X5″ pan.
2. If you use non-stick pans, you won’t want to use any cooking spray, but if you are not using non-stick pans, make sure to use abaking spray like this oneor line the pans with parchment paper so your bread doesn’t get stuck to the pan! There is nothing worse than making a beautiful loaf of bread and having the whole thing fall apart when you try to get it neatly out of the pan!
3. Make sure to test the middle of the bread at the end of the cooking time – I like to useone of thesefor that! If your bread is still gooey in the middle, bake for a few more minutes. If the edges and the top are starting to look too brown and the middle isn’t done yet, go ahead and put some foil over the bread for the last few minutes of baking until the bread is done in the center. This will prevent the outside from burning, but still allow the middle to cook all the way through.
4. Also, make sure that you don’t overmix the batter. You can blend the wet ingredients well and the dry ingredients as much as you want when they are separate, but once you put them together, you want to mix just enough to combine them.

INGREDIENTS IN CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BANANA BREAD

Flour:All-purpose flour is used in this recipe to give the bread its structure and to help it rise.

Sugar:You will need sugar to sweeten up the bread. The granulated sugar can be substituted with brown sugar or a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar.

Cocoa powder: This is needed to provide the chocolate flavor to the banana bread.

Baking powder: This is the leavening agent in the banana bread. For best results, make sure this is not old or expired.

Salt: A little bit of salt helps all of the other flavors to pop.

Bananas: Mashed and added to the wet ingredients, bananas add natural sweetness and moisture to the bread.

Milk: Milk provides most of the liquid in the banana bread. Any kind of milk works, even non-dairy alternatives.

Oil: You can use canola or vegetable oil. I like to use coconut oil in baked goods. If you use coconut oil, make sure to melt it down to a liquid before adding to the batter.

Peanut butter: You can use crunchy or creamy peanut butter. Some of the peanut butter is mixed into the batter and some will be added on top of the batter before baking. Soften the peanut butter slightly by microwaving it for 10-15 seconds before using.

Egg: The egg will help to bind all of the other ingredients together.

Vanilla extract: The higher the quality of the vanilla, the better.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Again, some of the semi-sweet chocolate chips are added to the batter and some are sprinkled on top.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BANANA BREAD

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9X5 inch baking tin with parchment paper or grease the pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Add the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.

Add the mashed bananas, milk, oil, 1/3 cup of peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.

Fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin.

Spoon the remaining 1/4 cup of peanut butter over the batter and swirl gently with a butter knife. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips over the top.

Bake the banana bread for 50 minutes, or until cooked through. Cover the banana bread loosely with aluminum foil if it is browning too quickly before it has cooked through. The banana bread is cooked through if it springs back when lightly touched in the center or when a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.Allow the bread to cool in the baking tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely.

HOW TO KNOW IF THE BREAD IS DONE

Your bread should register about 200° F on aninstant-read thermometerto ensure that it has been cooked fully. Not only that but the top should appear to be a nice golden brown color and as the bread cools, it shouldn’t sink, but should instead remain well-shaped with a rounded top.

DID YOUR QUICK BREAD SINK IN THE MIDDLE?

Here’s how to help your quick bread not sink in the middle after it’s baked. This happens to me occasionally too! Often it’s because I’ve over-mixed the batter. Quick bread (referring to a bread recipe that doesn’t use yeast) does not like to be stirred too much, so try to just barely mix all the ingredients together. Another culprit could be overfilling the pan. The bread pan should be only half full each time. As always, make sure your baking soda isn’t too old- it should only be on your shelf for 6-9 months before purchasing new.

AVOID SUNKEN BREAD

The easiest and best way to avoid sunken bread is to use a cooking thermometer to check the inside of the loaf. Fully cooked bread will register 200°F on a thermometer. My all-time favoritethermometer is the Thermapen. It’s super fast and incredibly durable. Anothergreat cooking thermometer is the ThermoPopwhich is a more basic version that works just as well!

CAN QUICK BREAD BE MADE INTO MUFFINS?

Any quick bread recipe can easily be converted into a muffin recipe! Make the batter as indicated and then pour it into a greased muffin pan. This banana bread recipe will yield 12 regular-sized muffins or 24 mini muffins. Bake at 375°. You will need to bake the large muffins for about 25-30 minutes and about 18-20 minutes for the small ones.

The easiest way to make muffins is using a cookie scoop. A large scoop works perfectly for large muffins and a smaller cookie scoop works great for mini muffins – no more messy pouring or trying to get the exact same amount in each well of the muffin tin!

CAN YOU FREEZE QUICK BREAD?

Quick bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure the bread is completely cooled before wrapping the entire loaf in plastic wrap and then place the wrapped bread in aluminum foil or in a freezer bag. To thaw, leave in plastic and set at room temperature until completely thawed through.

LOOKING FOR MORE BANANA BREAD RECIPES? CHECK OUT THESE SUGGESTIONS!

• Gingersnap Banana Bread
• Vanilla Pudding Banana Bread
• Mango Banana Bread
• Sour Cream Banana Bread
• Apple Banana Bread
• Strawberry Banana Bread
• Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
• Zucchini Banana Bread
• White Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
• Double Chocolate Banana Bread
• Easy Banana Bread
• Yogurt Banana Bread
• Cranberry Banana Bread
• Raspberry Banana Bread
• Caramel Banana Nut Bread
• Pineapple Banana Bread

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread is a twist on the traditional banana bread recipe. Banana bread is even better when you add chocolate and peanut butter!