Description
This Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread is a moist, delicious treat that combines ripe bananas with rich cocoa and chocolate chips for a guilt-free indulgence. Using wholesome ingredients like oat flour and optional protein powder, it’s perfect for a nutritious snack or breakfast.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas (about 12 oz / 360 g total)
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup (60 g) nut butter (almond, peanut, cashew, or sunflower seed butter)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (70 g) granular sweetener (monk fruit or brown sugar)
- ⅙ tsp sea salt
- 1 ½ cup (150 g) oat flour (or preferred flour)
- ½ cup (50 g) cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup (40 g) chocolate chips
- ½ cup (50 g) protein powder (optional replacement for ½ cup (50 g) flour)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare a 20 cm (7.9 inches) loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper or greasing it with oil.
- Mash Bananas: In a large mixing bowl, mash the three ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Then stir in the nut butter and eggs thoroughly.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the granular sweetener, vanilla extract, and sea salt to the banana mixture. Whisk or stir vigorously for about two minutes until the wet ingredients are fully combined and slightly fluffy.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in the oat flour (or a combination of oat flour and protein powder if using), cocoa powder, and baking powder. Mix until just combined, then gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Optionally, sprinkle some additional chocolate chips on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then, transfer it onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Protein powder replacement: You can substitute ½ cup (50 g) of oat flour with protein powder to increase the protein content.
- Flour options: While oat flour is recommended, other flours like whole wheat or gluten-free blends can be used.
- Sweetener variations: Monk fruit sweetener offers a lower-calorie option compared to brown sugar.
- Storage: Store the banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Freezing: This bread freezes well. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Breakfast / Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Healthy banana bread, chocolate banana bread, oat flour banana bread, easy banana bread recipe, low sugar banana bread
