Fit for a king, this Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips is a fun take on Elvis’ favorite flavor combination – peanut butter and bananas.
Banana Bread is a favorite when we have overripe bananas on hand. For more versions, check out my traditional Banana Bread Recipe, this Blueberry Banana Bread with Coconut, or Banana Oat Bread.
Love banana bread but get tired of the same banana bread every time?
This Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips is your answer!
A deliciously moist banana bread with great peanut butter flavor is studded with chocolate chips – with those flavors, you really can’t go wrong!
You may end up like me – grabbing for this banana bread recipe every time!
Ingredients
- Flour: I have only tested this recipe using all-purpose flour. I would guess you could sub in half whole wheat and it would be fine.
- Sugar: I use granulated sugar.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Yes, you’ll need both for this recipe!
- Salt: I like to use sea salt, but table salt will be fine.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can just use cinnamon and it will still be delicious.
- Bananas: The more ripe the bananas are, the sweeter they are. I like to make sure they are nice and brown!
- Eggs: You’ll want to use large eggs.
- Peanut Butter: I have always used smooth peanut butter. And I think this recipe works best with a peanut butter like Jif or Skippy instead of natural.
- Applesauce: Add in some unsweetened applesauce cuts back on the fat without sacrificing texture or moistness. If you don’t have applesauce, just use an equal amount of oil.
- Vegetable Oil: You can use any neutral oil you like.
- Vanilla Extract: I always suggest real vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Chocolate Chips: I like to use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use what you like the best. Mini chocolate chips are also great in this recipe!
How to Make Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
1: Start by whisking together the dry ingredients in a large bowl – the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
2: Add your bananas to another large bowl and mash them. I usually just use a fork, and you don’t have to go too crazy. You do want them mashed all the way, but you will still have some small chunks.
3: To the bananas, add the eggs, peanut butter, applesauce, oil, and vanilla.
4: Mix it all together.
5: Pour this banana mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture.
6: Gently mix this together until it is almost combined.
7: Add the chocolate chips.
8: Now mix again to incorporate the chocolate chips, but be careful to not overmix the batter.
9: Pour the batter into a 9×5-inch loaf pan. I like to line mine with parchment paper so that it is easy to remove, but you can also just grease the pan.
10: Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the center of the bread is set and a tester comes out clean, about an hour. I like to start checking on it around 45 minutes.
Storing and Freezing
Store the bread covered at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. You can store it in the refrigerator to give it a few extra days, but the refrigerator will often dry it out.
This peanut butter banana bread can be frozen as well. Cool the loaf completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil and then place in a ziplock bag. Label, and freeze. It will last in the freezer up to 4 months. You can freeze the whole loaf, or just part if you have half a loaf that you want to save for later!
Troubleshooting
- One of the biggest problems in encounter when it comes to quick breads is that the wrong size of loaf pan is being used. If all of the batter is not fitting in your loaf pan, check to make sure it is a 9×5-inch loaf pan. A lot of people own a 1-pound loaf pan, which is actually only 8.5×4.5 inches. A 9×5 inch loaf pan is a 1.25 pound loaf pan. Not all loaf pans are created equal! I have been using this pan lately and it works well and is very affordable.
- If your bread is falling in the middle, you are either over-mixing the batter, or more likely, removing the bread from the oven too soon. When testing to see if the bread is done, your tester should come out mostly clean. You might have a few moist crumbs, but you won’t have wet batter. Remember that everyone’s ovens bake a little differently, so it might take a little longer or a little less time.
- Since the bread does bake so long, it may start to get a little dark on top. If this happens, just place a piece of foil loosely over the top. I like to bend it and tent it over the top of the loaf so that the foil doesn’t touch the bread.
More Quick Bread Recipes
Strawberry Bread
Red Velvet Quick Bread with Cream Cheese Filling
Peanut Butter and Jelly Banana Bread Recipe
Pumpkin Bread
Zucchini Bread
Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 4 medium ripe bananas mashed
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease an 9x5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
- In another bowl, mix together the bananas, eggs, peanut butter, applesauce, oil and vanilla. Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes, covering the top with foil when it starts to get brown. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Tanya says
What in gods name? This is way too much batter to fit in one 9×5 loaf pan. Is this a typo? I had to split it into 2 pans, otherwise it would just overflow all over my oven. Otherwise tastes great.
Lela K. says
This is my go to banana bread recipe. We never eat our bananas fast enough so I always have some ready for banana bread. It always comes out moist and delicious!! Pinned this recipe.
Thanks for the recipe!!
jabeve says
This would not fit in a 9×5 load pan. There was way too much batter. As another reader did, I put it in a bundt pan. It is in the oven now..don’t know how it will turn out…fingers crossed!
Shelley Valdivia says
I made this recipe exactly according to the directions, but it sorted of blew up while baking. The batter was oozing out of the pan like banana bread batter erupting out of a volcano. It went all over the oven. I tried to even things out, and then it looked pretty good. But when I tried to remove it from the pan it split into about six chunks. However, it is absolutely the most delicious banana bread I have ever had!
Sue Berger says
I made this recipe but used a bundt pan. Lowered temp to 325 and extended the cook time to 1 hr. I added a peanut butter glaze! OMG… it’s amazing and will be a standard recipe from now on! Easy to remember, too. I call it a 1 2 3 4 recipe. 1 c sugar, 1 tsp salt, soda, powder, 2 cups flour, 2 eggs, 3 tsp vanilla, 4 nanners, 1/2 c pb, 1/4 c oil, 1/4 c apple sauce… equals 1 more cup. 1,2,3,4!
Catherine says
Fit for a king and queen! This banana bread sounds like a wonderful start the day.
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Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
Oh this bread is calling my name!!!
Sherry says
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try!
Joanne says
You had me at peanut butter and chocolate. I think I’m in love!
Deirdre Reid @ Grabbing the Gusto says
And, wow, does that banana bread look tempting or what!
Chels R. says
The crust on this bread is just to die for.
Annalise says
Why have I never thought to put peanut butter in my banana bread? Genius!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
I can’t get enough banana bread, I love it! But with the addition of peanut butter, even better!
Jessica | A Happy Food Dance says
Is there anything better than banana bread ?! Well yes, peanut butter and chocolate chip banana bread! Looks amazing!
Jenny Flake says
Oh my goodness, this looks amazing!! Fabulous photos 🙂
Jess Knight says
Yum! This bread looks so moist and you can’t go wrong with this flavor combo. Can’t wait to try, pinned this recipe!