Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread
Chocolate lovers alert! Are you ready for your house to smell amazing? Enjoy this lower-sugar, healthy chocolate banana bread. It satisfies a chocolate craving and your sweet tooth in a less guilty fashion.
This recipe is a simple way to make deliciously moist bread that will have your family wanting more.
Honestly, we are a little obsessed with this chocolate-y banana nut bread at our house. My husband has started requesting it, and he doesn’t even have a big sweet tooth. The best part is that we are using whole-wheat flour and coconut oil, and you cannot tell a difference from recipes with refined flour.
This is one of the few bread recipes that comes out perfectly done after one hour of baking every time for me. I still like to put a toothpick in it to ensure it is done, but it always comes out clean and the bread is so incredibly moist.
Bananas: the Riper, the Sweeter
Do you have a bunch of ripe bananas and don’t want to make several loaves of typical banana bread? Then this healthy recipe will be a fantastic way to utilize ingredients! It includes about five bananas.
Remember, the riper the banana, the sweeter the taste. I’ve used bananas that were completely black on the outside, and the resulting banana bread was so delicious!
Do I have to use whole-wheat flour?
Nope. You can use all-purpose flour if you don’t have whole-wheat flour or if you prefer all-purpose. The bread will be a little less dense and may rise a little higher if you use AP flour.
Can I make chocolate banana bread gluten-free?
Feel free to try a gluten-free approach with GF flour, almond flour, or the flour of your choice. If you use almond flour, realize it has more fat content because it’s milled nuts. Therefore, you may need to add more of a binder if you use almond flour (add an extra egg). Also, almond flour cooks faster than regular flour, so reduce your cook time to 45 minutes and monitor your bread closely so that it does not burn.
Help! I don’t have coconut oil! What can I substitute for the coconut oil?
That’s okay, you can use vegetable oil if that is all you have. Extra-virgin coconut oil gives this bread an incredible taste, and I think it’s healthier than vegetable oil in some ways. It has fatty acids that support your brain, metabolism, and skin health. However, some people need to limit saturated fat, which coconut oil has. This will still be healthy and delicious banana bread with the oil of your choice.
Can I use a different type of sugar in chocolate banana bread?
Absolutely! Instead of brown sugar, you can use coconut sugar if you desire. It’s low glycemic. Just realize it’s not as wet as brown sugar, so you will want to add another tablespoon of milk.
Can I use milk variations in chocolate banana bread?
Yes! Many people are lactose intolerant or just prefer to avoid dairy. Feel free to use almond milk or coconut milk if you’d rather not use cow’s milk.
Do I have to add walnuts or chocolate chips?
No and No. I love the flavor combination of walnuts with bananas, but you can reduce the amount or not add them at all. Feel free to use a different nut too, such as, pecans. We like to toast the nuts first on the stove top with a little butter, but that is optional too. Also, feel free to add chocolate chips or chunks or leave them out per your taste preference. Make this healthy chocolate banana bread your own!
Chocolate Drizzle Hacks
The chocolate drizzle is the finishing rich touch to this banana bread. You may have to add a little more coconut oil to the chocolate if it is still too thick. If you get it too thin, add more chocolate chips. You don’t want it watery or soupy, but creamy. The consistency should resemble sweet and condensed milk.
Check out more scrumptious banana recipes below.
Southern Fried Banana Pudding Pie
Banana Pudding In Mason Jars
Bananas Foster Recipe (with video)
Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread
Ingredients
Bread Ingredients
- 1 cup and 3 Tbsp whole wheat flour
- ½ cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup brown sugar can use coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin coconut oil melted
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 3 tsps milk
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts toasted makes it yummier
- 1 1/2 cups ripened, peeled, mashed bananas typically 5 bananas
- ½ to ¾ cup bittersweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chunks
Chocolate Drizzle Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp milk
- ¾ cup chocolate chips
- 1- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin coconut oil
Instructions
Bread Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line the loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine: sugar, coconut oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until combined. Stir in the mashed bananas. Add your dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Proceed by folding in the toasted walnuts and chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow bread to cool for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack and applying the chocolate drizzle. Once the bread has cooled, and the chocolate drizzle has hardened, slice and serve!
Chocolate Drizzle Instructions
- Once the bread has come out of the oven, let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Then you can start making your drizzle.
- Combine chocolate chips or chunks in a microwave-safe bowl and add milk. Microwave your chocolate in 30-second increments and stir with a spatula in between each heating. If your chocolate is too thick, add a tablespoon of coconut oil and continue to microwave until you get a semi-thick drizzle consistency. Let it cool for a minute before covering your banana bread. It will take about 2 hours to completely harden, but you can enjoy a slice of your bread before that if you just can’t wait.
I was really sad to see that you don’t have a PIN link in this recipe. My daughter would love it but she lives in TX and it is much easier for her to see it if it is pinned.
Thanks,
j
Thank you so much for letting me know. My plugin must not be working.
This recipe is great. I made it without the chocolate chips or the drizzle; and it was perfect. I am in the process of transitioning to mostly whole and minimally processed foods, and my husband especially tries to stay as low carb as possible because it really makes a difference in his health. But he enjoyed this bread very much without feeling like it was affecting him in any way that was detrimental. Thanks for sharing.
Sherry, that makes my day!! Thank you so much!! I do love the recipe too, and it’s great not to have the guilt or repercussions that too much sugar plagues on us!