Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This vegan chocolate chip banana bread is moist, perfectly sweet, and bursting with chocolate. It’s my go-to recipe whenever I have ripe bananas. Plus with only one bowl and simple ingredients, clean up is easy!

Few things are better to me then waking up knowing I have a fresh, thick slice of banana bread waiting for me. Which is why I tend to make banana bread all the time (like seriously every other week!).

So, as banana bread’s #1 fan, I know what I want in a recipe. I want simple, aka no egg substitute (i.e. no flax eggs, no aquafaba), no fuss (one bowl please!), and reliable. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of amazing recipes out there that require these few extra steps, but when I’m baking banana bread I want it to be as simple as possible.

P.S. This post may contain affiliate links. Read more about my affiliate policy here.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

One Bowl – This banana bread recipe requires just one bowl. Mash the bananas, mix in the liquid ingredients, fold in the dry ingredients and all that’s left is to pour into a bread pan!

Minimal Ingredients – I like to keep most vegan recipes as simple as possible to show that vegan baked goods don’t have to be intimidating! This recipe is super beginner-friendly and only requires simple ingredients.

Freezer Friendly – Quick breads are one of my favorite things to make because they freeze so well! You can add slices to the freezer, and remove when you’re craving a sweet treat. Make sure to see the storage section below if you would like to freeze your bread.

---

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (WITH SUBSTITUTIONS)

To make this vegan chocolate chip banana bread recipe you will need the following ingredients:

All-Purpose Flour: This recipe uses all-purpose flour, but you can also sub whole wheat pastry flour. If looking to make it gluten free, you can sub a 1:1 GF flour replacement (using almond flour and/or coconut flour will not work!).

Ripe Bananas: For best results, you need very overripe bananas! The riper, the better. If they’re not ripe, it will impact both the flavor and texture of banana bread. You want bananas with lots of brown spots.

White Sugar: To sweeten things up we add a bit of white sugar. However, you can also use brown sugar, coconut sugar, or a mixture of white and brown sugar. If you are using super ripe bananas, feel free to decrease the sugar amount.

Avocado Oil: Any neutral flavored oil works here, such as melted coconut oil or vegetable oil. While it is possible to sub the oil for apple sauce, it will change the texture and yield a denser loaf. If you want to substitute I recommend starting with replacing half the oil with apple sauce.

Baking Soda: For banana bread, we’re just using baking soda. Baking soda leads to a light, fluffy loaf that gets a perfectly browned top.

Salt & Vanilla Extract: Adding a pinch of salt and vanilla brings out both the banana and chocolate flavor! If you have flaky sea salt, I highly recommend adding a bit on top. It is SO good!

Dark Chocolate Chips: Chocolate chip banana bread of course requires chocolate! You can use chocolate chips or a chopped up chocolate bar. If you’re wondering about which brands make vegan chocolate chips, see the FAQ section below.

HOW TO MAKE

Making this banana bread is incredibly easy! As always, for ingredient amounts and full instructions make sure to read the recipe card below.

Step One: Start by greasing a 9×5 inch loaf pan and preheating the oven to 350F.

Step Two: Peel the bananas and add to a large mixing bowl. Using a fork, mixer, or whisk, mash the bananas until pureed.

Step Three: Add the sugar to the same large bowl with the mashed bananas and mix, then add the rest of the wet ingredients (oil and vanilla) and whisk until everything is thoroughly combined.

Step Four: Next, add in the dry ingredients (baking soda, salt, and flour). Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, being careful not to over mix.

Step Five: Gently fold the chocolate chips into the batter and transfer to the greased loaf pan. Optionally, add extra chocolate chips and some flaky seat salt to the top of the loaf.

Step Six: Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked thoroughly. Then remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

TIPS FOR THE BEST BANANA BREAD

Don’t Over Mix – It’s super important not to over mix the batter, or else you will end up with a tough, dense bread. To avoid over mixing, make sure your wet ingredients are completely whisked together before adding the dry.

Then, when adding the dry ingredients fold them into the wet ingredients with a spatula. It’s okay if a few specs of flour remain, you can smooth it over when pouring the batter into the bread pan.

Use Ripe Bananas – As mentioned above, ripe bananas give banana bread a delicious sweet taste and tender texture. If you don’t use ripe bananas, not only will your bread be lacking in banana flavor, but it may also be drier because the bananas won’t mash as well.

Test the Bread – Before taking the bread out of the oven, make sure it is thoroughly cooked. To do this, insert a toothpick in the center of the bread. If it comes out clean, it is ready to remove!

Let it Cool – I know, I know, waiting for fresh banana bread to cool is not fun. However, when you cut into hot bread, it results in a slightly gummy texture. So make sure to let it cool before slicing!

STORAGE & REHEATING

You can store leftovers of this bread in an airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil at room temperature for 2-3 days. Then, transfer to the refrigerator for up to a week.

You can also freeze it for up to two months. I highly recommend freezing a slice or two and future you will be soooo happy! To freeze the bread, pre-slice and lay flat on a plate or baking sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes until the bread is frozen, then transfer to a ziploc bag or airtight container.

When ready to enjoy, let thaw at room temperature or reheat in the microwave/oven.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What chocolate chips are vegan?

While not all chocolate chips are vegan, there are a ton of great vegan-friendly options out there! My favorite vegan-friendly chocolate chips are the Costco brand, which you can order online, and the Enjoy Life brand. You should be able to find vegan-friendly chocolate chips at any large grocery store. You can also use chocolate chunks from your favorite dark chocolate bar.

2. What else can I mix-in banana bread?

While this banana bread calls for chocolate chips, you can also add in nuts and/or dried fruit. Additionally, you can include some extra spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg (see my recipe for Chai spiced banana bread here).

3. How can I ripen my bananas faster?

Want to make this banana bread ASAP but don’t have any ripe bananas? Here’s some tips on how to ripen bananas faster!

1. Place bananas in a paper bag, loosely folded. If you have any other ripe fruit (avocados, other bananas, apples, etc) place one in the bag as well – it will help ripen the banana! After about 1-2 days the banana should be ready to use.
2. For an even faster method, place bananas in the oven. To do this, preheat the oven to 300F. Place bananas (with the peel) on a baking sheet lined with tinfoil for 15-20 minutes, or until the peels are mostly brown and/or black.

4. Can bananas be too ripe?

Not for banana bread, nope! Unless they have gone bad (i.e. mold has grown on the skin), they are perfectly fine to use for banana bread – even if they are completely brown.

---

If you decide to try this vegan chocolate chip banana bread recipe out, let me know! I love seeing your recreations tagged on Instagram @nourishedwithnatalie.