Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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Our Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is an extra moist banana bread recipe made with lots of chocolate chips. The sweetness of overripe bananas is combined with the pure, sweet flavor of almond extract that bakes into the perfect dessert or after-school snack.

Over-ripe bananas are the key to making a delicious loaf of banana bread, which is why you will always find over-ripe bananas in our freezer. Any time bananas are going bad on the counter, simply toss them straight into the freezer.

Table of Contents

Ingredients

2 cups gluten-free flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
3 medium overripe bananas
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips, plus extra

PRO TIP: The banana peels will turn black in the freezer, but the banana itself is not affected. Let frozen bananas thaw slightly before peeling and mashing.

How To Make

Ready to bake? We sure are! Grab your overripe bananas and remaining ingredients to get started then follow the simple step-by-step instructions below.

Preheat the oven and prepare your pan

Start by preheating the oven to 400°F. Then, spray a bread pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

dry ingredients for banana bread in a bowl

Blend the wet ingredients

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the wet ingredients including sugar, eggs, oil, and almond extract. Stir in the mashed banana.

Mix It Up: 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or 3 teaspoons of bourbon, rum or brandy can be used in place of the almond extract.

wet and dry ingredients combined in a bowl

Combine dry ingredients

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients including flour, salt, and baking soda.

Blend the wet and dry ingredients

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients stirring just until the ingredients start to blend.

Blend in the chocolate chips

Add the chocolate chips to the batter and stir. Prevent over-stirring by stirring until just blended. Pour the banana bread batter into a pan. Top with additional chocolate chips.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Banana Bread shown in a baking pan

Bake for 8 minutes then lower the heat

Bake for 8 minutes at 400°F, then turn the heat down to 350°F. Continue baking for 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

The purpose of the initial high temperature is to let the bread rise. The temperature is then lowered to let the inside of the bread bake without burning the top. The end result? A crunchy outside and moist inside!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Banana Bread shown sliced on a cutting board

FAQ

What mix-ins can be added?

There are so many delicious mix-ins to stir into the batter when the chocolate chips are added. A few of our top recommendations are walnuts, pecans, dried cherries and shredded coconut.

How to make whole wheat chocolate chip banana muffins?

Turn the loaf into muffins by pouring the batter into a muffin tin. Then, bake at 400°F for 8 minutes, turning down to 350°F and baking for an additional 7 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.

How to store banana bread?

Let the bread cool then wrap in plastic wrap or foil and place in a large ziplock bag. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If freezing, wrap individual slices of bread for easy grab-n-go snacks.