One of my fondest kitchen memories is watching my grandmother make her famous banana bread. That warm, comforting smell would fill the house, drawing everyone into the kitchen in anticipation. My cousins and I received her handwritten recipes in a handmade family cookbook a few years ago. Of course, her banana bread was the very first recipe on my list!
Over time, I’ve added a few tweaks and personal touches—mainly, I love to toss in mini semi-sweet chocolate chips for a delightful pop of sweetness and texture. I’ve also scaled down the sugar to let the banana flavor shine through. It’s still the same “best-ever” recipe but with an extra dose of chocolate goodness.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (my favorite is King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 medium overripe bananas, mashed (the riper, the better!)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup oil (vegetable or canola work best)
- ¼ cup (plus 1–2 tablespoons) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
(Feel free to leave out the chocolate chips or adjust the amount to your taste.)
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep
Preheat your oven to 325°F (about 160°C). Grease and flour a 9×5×3-inch loaf pan (or use nonstick cooking spray). - Mix Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. This ensures everything is evenly distributed before you add the wet ingredients. - Combine Wet Ingredients
Whisk or stir the mashed bananas, eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Ensure the bananas are well-mashed, but don’t worry about a few small chunks. - Bring It All Together
Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined—overmixing can lead to a dense or gummy texture. Fold in the mini chocolate chips right at the end. - Bake
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the top is golden-brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (or with just a few moist crumbs). If you’re using two smaller loaf pans, check them after about 45 minutes. - Cool & Enjoy
Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, carefully remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice, serve, and enjoy that wonderful aroma and flavor.
Tips & Variations
- Experiment with Different Mix-Ins: Swap some chocolate chips for chopped nuts, dried fruit, or even peanut butter chips.
- Texture Trick: For extra crunch, sprinkle a few chocolate chips (or nuts) over the top before baking.
- Buttermilk Substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, use regular milk plus a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and you’ll have a quick fix.
- Freezing: This banana bread freezes beautifully. Slice it, wrap it tightly, and stash it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just thaw a slice for a quick breakfast or snack.
I hope you love this lightly sweet, incredibly moist, and chocolatey take on my grandmother’s classic banana bread recipe. It’s been such a joy to add my little twist, which I think she’d wholeheartedly approve of.
Let me know how it turns out for you or if you make any creative changes!
