Oooh yes! This Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is the best of all possible worlds! This riff on the classic banana bread is so good, the whole bread is gone before you know it.
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
While this banana bread may look like a simple piece of bread sprinkled with chocolate chips, it’s so much more than that.
The resulting quick bread is rich in peanut butter and banana flavor, chunks of semi-sweet chocolate, and a dense but not heavy crumb.
How to make this banana bread
This bread is a riff on Elise’s classic banana bread with just a few tweaks to accommodate the peanut butter.
I use a creamy commercial brand of peanut butter here. I don’t usually bake with natural peanut butter because it takes a bit more finesse to incorporate. I lightly whip the peanut butter before mixing it into the batter like you often do with cream cheese. I want it to be softer and smoother so it’s easier to work in.
You could use chunky, but I prefer creamy. It shouldn’t cause any problems if you replaced one with the other.
You can use mini or regular chocolate chips here, or even chopped chocolate bars. It’s really your preference. If you use chocolate bar just know that it melts easier than chips (which usually contain a stabilizer to keep their shape). I avoid coating the dough with chocolate bars as they can melt and burn during baking. Just add some on top when it comes out of the oven.
Store and freeze banana bread
This bread will keep at room temperature, well wrapped in plastic and on the counter for at least a couple of days, although it won’t last that long because you’ll be eating it all!
You can also freeze the whole loaf or slices by wrapping it well in plastic and then in foil. (Double wrapping protects against freezer burn and keeps the bread from absorbing freezer odors.)
Need more information on freezing and storing banana bread? Click here for all the ins and outs on how to best get your banana bread!
Note: We updated this recipe on August 20, 2021, reducing the baking soda to 1/2 teaspoon and changing the pan to an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch pan.
Try these other great quick bread recipes!
- Classic banana bread
- Chocolate Banana Bread
- Banana bread with cream cheese
- Pumpkin bread with chocolate chips
- Cranberry Nut Bread
- Pumpkin Gingerbread
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
ingredients
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2 to 3 very ripe bananas, peeled
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1/3 cup (74 g) melted unsalted butter
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1/2 cup milk (whole, 2 percent, or even a nut milk works)
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1 large egg
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1 cup (200g) sugar
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1/2 cup (113 g) creamy peanut butter
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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pinch of kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
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1 1/2 cups (191 g) all-purpose flour
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3/4 cup (143 g) chocolate chips
method
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Preheat oven and prepare pan:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray or grease a 4 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch loaf pan very well.
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Make the dough:
In a mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Stir in melted butter, milk, egg and vanilla. mix in the sugar.
In another mixing bowl, using a hand mixer (or a whisk), beat the peanut butter until smooth. Whip this into the banana mixture. Scrape down the bowl and beat in the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
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Fold in the flour and chocolate chips:
Fold in the flour until fully combined, followed by the chocolate chips.
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Baking bread:
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the loaf is deeply golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Cool the bread:
Remove the bread from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before turning out.
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Enjoy!
Store the leftover bread, tightly wrapped in plastic, at room temperature for 3 days. Leftovers are great lightly toasted in a pan with butter.
