The Essential Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe

This recipe starts by mixing dry ingredients—flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon—in one bowl. In another, mashed bananas, an egg, oil, and vanilla extract are combined. The wet mixture is folded into the dry just until combined to keep the bread tender. Chocolate chips are folded in and sprinkled on top before baking.

Baked at 350°F (180°C) in a loaf pan, the bread rises to a golden crust and has a soft crumb with bursts of chocolate and sweet banana. The cinnamon adds a warm spice note. The loaf yields a hearty treat great for breakfast or snack.

The bread keeps well at room temperature for three days and can be frozen for up to two months. Allow frozen bread to defrost at room temperature before serving. A microwave method is also detailed for those needing a quicker option.