Dark Chocolate Chip-Walnut Banana Bread

Dark Chocolate Chip-Walnut Banana Bread is a classic quick bread recipe that’s moist, flavorful and an easy way to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Happy Thursday! Help yourself to a slice of Dark Chocolate Chip-Walnut Bread! It’s easy to make~ no mixer required and makes the kitchen smell wonderful while baking too.

I had a bag of Nestle Toll House Dark Chocolate Chip Morsels in the pantry left over from my Smorgasbord Cookies. The morsels are a little larger than standard chocolate chips and add a little indulgence, but you can use the chips you prefer; bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate chips will work fine.

The walnuts in this banana bread add a little texture and a satisfying crunch. If you’re not a nut fan, omit them or substitute pecans if that’s what you have. If you love nuts in your banana bread, you may want to double the amount. Toasting the nuts first releases their oils and boosts the flavor. To toast nuts: Spread nuts out in an even layer on a sheet pan in a 350° oven for 6-8 minutes or until fragrant. Your nose knows ;) when they’re done. Remove from oven and allow them to cool.

For easy removal, I like to line my pan with parchment paper. Spray your pan and then line your pan with parchment paper that hangs over the edge of your pan. The spray will keep your paper in place and from slipping so no batter gets underneath the paper. Parchment is nonstick and you can lift the bread out of the pan using the ends of the paper. Parchment paper also helps regulate the temperature and can neutralize hot spots as a barrier between the pan and your batter.

Dark Chocolate Chip-Walnut Banana Bread

Makes one 9-inch loaf

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped coarse (may omit or substitute toasted pecans)

 1 cup dark chocolate morsels, divided 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup (use milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips if preferred)

3 very ripe bananas, soft, mashed well

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

I stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper that hangs over the edge of your pan. Spray parchment paper; set aside.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl; set aside.

In large bowl, mix mashed bananas with eggs, cooled melted butter, and vanilla. Fold in walnuts and 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients with rubber spatula until just combined (do not overmix which will make bread dense). Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Bake 55 – 65 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, with no batter (melted chocolate on toothpick is fine).  During last 10 minutes of baking time, cover top of bread with foil to prevent overbrowning if needed. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then lift bread from pan using parchment paper and transfer to wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:

 I always get comments about baking times varying when I share recipes. Oven temperatures vary, depending on brand, age, whether electric or gas and it’s not unusual for an oven to run 5 or 10 degrees hotter or colder. Also, make sure you preheat your oven long enough, at least 20 minutes. If you’re not familiar with your oven, invest in an inexpensive oven thermometer to monitor the temperature.

A note about pans: Pans affect baking times too. To prevent your banana bread from overbrowning, avoid glass plans. Glass is an insulator will often burn bread.  Use a light-colored metal pan. Dark pans absorb the heat and can also cause overbrowning. If your pan is dark, wrap the outside with heavy duty aluminum foil before baking.

Banana bread may be frozen up to 3 months. To freeze, allow bread to cool completely, then wrap in a freezer safe plastic bag, with all air removed, or wrap in plastic wrap and then foil.

Print Recipe

Dark Chocolate Chip-Walnut Banana Bread

This Dark Chocolate Chip-Walnut Banana Bread is a classic quick bread recipe that’s moist, flavorful and an easy way to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: banana bread, chocolate chips, quick bread, walnuts

Servings: 16

Equipment

• 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan

Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts chopped coarse (may omit or substitute toasted pecans)
• 1 cup dark chocolate morsels divided 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup (use milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips if preferred)
• 3 very ripe bananas soft, darkly speckled, mashed well
• 2 large eggs beaten lightly
• I stick unsalted butter melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper that hangs over the edge of pan. Spray parchment paper; set aside.
• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl; set aside.
• In large bowl, mix mashed bananas with eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Fold in walnuts and 3/4 cup chocolate chips.
• Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients with spatula until just combined (do not overmix which will make bread dense). Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
• Bake 55 – 65 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean with no batter (melted chocolate on toothpick is fine). During last 10 - 15 minutes of baking time, cover top of bread with foil to prevent overbrowning if needed.
• Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then lift bread from pan using parchment paper and transfer to wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

• If you’re not a nut fan, omit the walnuts or substitute pecans if that’s what you have. If you love nuts in your banana bread, you may want to double the amount. Toasting the nuts first releases their oils and boosts the flavor. To toast nuts: Spread nuts out in an even layer on a sheet pan in a 350° oven for 6-8 minutes or until fragrant. Your nose knows ;) when they’re done. Remove from oven and allow them to cool.
• Make sure you preheat your oven long enough, at least 20 minutes. Invest in an oven thermometer. Oven temperatures can vary and it's not unusual for an oven to run 5 or 10 degrees hotter or colder.
• About pans: To prevent your banana bread from overbrowning, avoid glass plans. Glass is an insulator will often burn bread. Use a light-colored metal pan. Darker pans absorb the heat and can also cause overbrowning. If your pan is dark, wrap the outside with heavy duty aluminum foil before baking.
• Banana bread may be frozen up to 3 months. To freeze allow bread to cool completely, then wrap in a freezer safe plastic bag, with all air removed, or wrap in plastic wrap and then foil.

If you’re looking for other recipes to satisfy your family’s sweet tooth, I highly recommend Smorgasbord Cookies, the ultimate chewy, chocolate chip cookies, packed with additional sweet and salty mix-ins for a smorgasbord of flavor.

Or indulge in another quick bread recipe:

Cinnamon Swirl Apple Fritter Bread.

Happy Baking ♥

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