Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Is As Good As It Sounds Recipe

As a food blogger I finally perfected a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Loaf that hides one surprising trick I have been keeping to myself.

I baked this because I wanted something ridiculous, and wow it actually worked. My Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Loaf looked like a normal loaf but tasted like a dare.

I love how creamy peanut butter sneaks into every bite while pockets of semisweet chocolate chips melt into goo, so every slice feels a little wild. I’ve tried a bunch of versions, and this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe is the one that disappears fastest at my table.

If you like things a little salty and a little sneaky sweet, you should be suspiciously excited to try this.

Ingredients

• Bananas: mashed, bring natural sweetness, moisture, potassium and fiber, mild banana flavor
• Peanut butter: creamy fat and protein, nutty richness, keeps crumbs tender and adds savor
• Butter: adds richness, helps texture, saturated fat makes it decadent and slightly dense
• Brown sugar: molasses sweetness, deep caramel notes, keeps loaf moist, more complex than white
• Chocolate chips: sweet bursts, little pockets of melted cocoa, mostly carbs and some fat
• Flour: provides structure via gluten, mostly carbs, holds everything together once baked
• Eggs: bind ingredients, add protein and moisture, help rise and golden crumb

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (room temp, not melted)
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, room temp
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts or chopped roasted peanuts, optional but nice

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment, then set it aside.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt until evenly mixed.

3. In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter and 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar until light and a bit fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes; scraping the bowl down once or twice helps.

4. Add 2 large room temp eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating briefly after each, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

5. Mix in 3 ripe bananas mashed to about 1 1/2 cups; you can leave a few small lumps, dont overmix.

6. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture gently until just combined, dont over stir or the bread gets tough.

7. Fold in 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and about 1/2 cup chopped peanuts if using, reserving a handful of chips and peanuts to sprinkle on top.

8. Pour batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, sprinkle the reserved chips and peanuts on top and tap the pan on the counter once to settle the batter.

9. Bake 55 to 65 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs; if the top is browning too fast cover loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool more before slicing so it sets up and slices clean.

Equipment Needed

1. 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, greased or lined with parchment
2. Medium and large mixing bowls (you’ll need both)
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Electric hand mixer or a sturdy whisk and some elbow grease
5. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for folding and scraping
6. Fork or potato masher to mash the bananas
7. Toothpick or cake tester and a cooling rack to check and cool the loaf
8. Oven mitts and a sheet of foil to tent the loaf if the top browns too fast

FAQ

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Is As Good As It Sounds Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: swap for whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for a nuttier, slightly denser loaf, or use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend (same amount) — it may need 1–2 tbsp extra liquid if the batter seems dry.
• Unsalted butter, softened: use solid coconut oil 1:1 for similar texture and a faint coconut note, or replace half the butter with unsweetened applesauce (so 1/4 cup applesauce + 1/4 cup butter) to cut fat and keep it moist.
• Creamy peanut butter: use almond butter or sunflower seed butter 1:1 if you want a different flavor or need a nut-free-ish option; almond is milder, sunflower is earthier.
• Eggs: replace each egg with a flax “egg” (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes) to make it vegan, or use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg to keep moisture and binding.

Pro Tips

1. Get everything truly room temp before you start. Cold eggs or almost melted butter will make the batter look weird and can make the loaf dense, so take them out 30 to 60 minutes ahead. If you forgot, set eggs in warm water for 5 minutes or pop the butter in the fridge for 10 minutes until it’s soft but not greasy.

2. Use very ripe bananas for the best flavor, but dont overdo it. If your bananas are extra spotty try roasting them in the oven until the skins go dark, scoop the flesh and use that for deeper, caramelized banana flavor. Mash but leave a few small lumps so the bread isnt mushy.

3. Fold, dont stir. When you combine the dry into the wet use a spatula and fold gently until just combined there should still be a few streaks. Overmixing = tough loaf. Toss the chocolate chips and peanuts in a tablespoon of flour before folding them in so they dont all sink to the bottom.

4. Watch the bake and cool for clean slices. If the top is getting too brown, cover loosely with foil for the last part of baking. Let the loaf cool in the pan 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack, and for neat slices chill it 30 minutes in the fridge or freeze 20 minutes before cutting. Loaf freezes well wrapped tight, and slices toast up really nice.