Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
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My Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread will be your new favorite, tasty addition to your banana bread baking collection. There is nothing quite like the comforting aroma of banana bread wafting through the kitchen. Isn’t it just the best?! It’s a timeless treat with decadence in each bite.
This loaf has the rich, nutty flavor of peanut butter mingling with the natural sweetness of bananas, and you can’t forget the cutest little mini melty chocolate chips studded throughout.
One of my favorite parts of this recipe is the creamy, sweet peanut butter frosting. It pairs perfectly with the flavorful and moist banana bread, making each slice totally irresistible.
It’s perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert and of course is a great way to use up those overripe bananas sitting on your counter.
It’s tender, moist, perfectly peanut butter-y, and I just know it will become a new favorite in your house!
Why this recipe works
- Using vegetable oil ensures the banana bread will stay soft for several days.
- I chose to use all granulated sugar for a neutral sweetness that wouldn’t overpower the bananas, allowing the banana flavor to shine. It also helps create a fine crumb and moist texture with a traditional banana bread taste.
- Adding buttermilk creates a moist bread and a flavorful, well-risen loaf.
- Creamy peanut butter is distributed evenly into the batter and enhances the overall texture of the bread.
Ingredient Notes
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
- Vegetable oil: I recommend using vegetable or canola oil since both are neutral in taste. I have not tested this recipe with avocado, coconut, or olive oil.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar sweetens the bread and complements the natural sweetness of the bananas. It also contributes to the bread’s tenderness and moisture.
- Eggs: Be sure they are at room temperature. This helps with even mixing, proper emulsification, and even baking.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds a pleasant aroma and flavor to banana bread. It enhances the overall taste without overwhelming the banana flavor.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk can help create a more delicate and tender crumb in the banana bread. This should also be at room temperature.
- Bananas: Be sure to use ripe or slightly overripe bananas. They should have brown spots or streaks on them. These bananas are perfect for banana bread because 1. They mash effortlessly, and the texture of the mashed bananas is smoother, ensuring a more consistent distribution throughout the batter. 2. You’ll get a richer and more intense banana flavor from ripe to overripe bananas, enhancing the overall taste of your bread.
- Significantly overripe and mushy or underripe bananas that are still green are unsuitable for banana bread.
- Flour: spoon and level the flour to get an accurate measurement. Too much flour will result in dry bread with an unbalanced flavor and can cause the bread not to rise and become dense. Other dry ingredients needed: cornstarch, kosher salt, and baking soda.
Step by Step Directions
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe instructions.
Whisk together wet ingredients
Whisk the mashed bananas, sugar, peanut butter, oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
Whisk together dry ingredients
Flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, and baking soda.
Fold in dry ingredients
Fold in just until combined, do not over mix.
Pour into loaf pan & bake
Bake until golden and perfect!
Add peanut butter frosting
Take it to the next level and top with a peanut butter frosting. It’s SO DANG GOOD! Enjoy!
Tips
- Mash Bananas Thoroughly: Mash the bananas well to ensure a smooth and consistent banana flavor throughout the bread. A few small lumps are okay. I usually like to use my hand mixer to get them perfectly mashed.
- Don’t add too much banana: I always measure out 1 1/4 cup mashed banana for my recipe, which is usually 4 small or 3 medium bananas. Using too much mashed banana can lead to texture issues and the bread may not cook or rise properly.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a tough and dense texture.
- Ripening Bananas Quickly: If you don’t have ripe bananas on hand, you can ripen them quickly by placing them in a paper bag for a day or two. The ethylene gas they produce will speed up the ripening process.
- Resting Time: Allow your banana bread to rest for a few hours or even overnight before slicing. This resting time allows the flavors to meld and results in a moister and more flavorful loaf.
- Loaf pan: Light-colored pans reflect more heat and can yield a lighter crust, compared to dark pans. I have not tested this recipe in a glass or ceramic loaf pan, those pans will require an adjustment to the baking times.
Storage
- Room temperature: Will stay at room temperature for 2-3 days. Wrap in plastic wrap and place the wrapped banana bread in an airtight container, such as a plastic storage container with a tight-fitting lid or a resealable plastic bag. If you’re stacking multiple slices or pieces, separate them with sheets of parchment paper or wax paper to prevent sticking.
- Refrigerator: wrap and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: If freezing the loaf, I recommend freezing the banana bread and frosting separately. Apply the frosting after thawing the bread. To freeze, wrap the banana bread in plastic wrap or foil and then place it in an airtight freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 2-3 months. Be sure to label and date to keep track of how long it has been frozen. When ready to enjoy, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours or overnight. Or, microwave a slice!
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 3 overripe bananas, ~1 1/4 cup mashed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 Tbsp. buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Frosting
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp. whole milk, or more as needed
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Be sure to adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position.
- Grease a 9×5-inch light-colored loaf pan or line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, sugar, peanut butter, oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.3 overripe bananas, ~1 1/4 cup mashed, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 3 Tbsp. buttermilk, room temperature, 2 eggs, room temperature, 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- In another bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 3/4 tsp. baking soda
- Add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula until mostly combined.
- Add chocolate chips and fold until combined, being careful not to over-mix.1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing out the top. Bake ~60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. The batter will appear set, and the tops will be golden brown.
- Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for ~30 minutes. Remove it from the pan, cool completely, and then make the glaze.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the peanut butter, butter, and milk in 30-second intervals until melted. Whisk together, and then add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth, adjusting ingredients to reach the desired consistency: add a splash of milk for a thinner glaze or more powdered sugar if you prefer it thicker.1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 2 Tbsp. whole milk, or more as needed, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Spread on top of cooled bread, slice, and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Room temperature: Will stay at room temperature for 2-3 days. Wrap in plastic wrap and place the wrapped banana bread in an airtight container, such as a plastic storage container with a tight-fitting lid or a resealable plastic bag. If you’re stacking multiple slices or pieces, separate them with sheets of parchment paper or wax paper to prevent sticking.
- Refrigerator: wrap and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: If freezing the loaf, I recommend freezing the banana bread and frosting separately. Apply the frosting after thawing the bread. To freeze, wrap the banana bread in plastic wrap or foil and then place it in an airtight freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 2-3 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
It wasn’t very good. The bread itself didn’t have much of a peanut butter flavor, and the outside “crust” tasted a little weird.
I am sorry you didn’t like this recipe Jane. I tested it multiple times and always thought it had plenty of peanut butter flavor and never had a weird crust taste..what type of peanut butter did you use? what type of pan did you bake in? did you follow the recipe exactly or change any ingredients?
I just made this recipe but in muffin tins. It made 20 muffins and baked them for about 20 minutes. I warmed one up a bit before eating and it’s pure heaven!!!!!!
okay wow those look GOOD! Thank you 🙂
Delicious
I’m not a big fan of banana bread, but my husband really loves it, so I’m always on the hunt for a recipe that might win me over. I tried this recipe the first day I saw it! Success!! This is THE recipe! Chocolate chips and peanut butter are exactly what banana bread needed! My husband was an instant fan! The glaze is amazing 🤌🏼 the recipe is truly easy and quick to make. I love that it’s not fussy, yet it takes traditional banana bread to a whole new level. A real crowd pleaser for our big family. Well done!