THE BEST Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Tried, tested and true, this vegan chocolate chip banana bread holds up like no other.

When I say that this is the best, I truly mean it. It’s got that perfectly baked, golden brown top layer, along with that super moist and soft banana bread texture that’s lightly sweet, but also really decadent from the dark chocolate chips. It’s got the best of both worlds: dense and delicious, without being too heavy, but also fluffy and cakey, without falling apart and making a mess when you eat it.

It’s the perfect banana bread, I’m telling you.

The secret to this recipe?

For starters, it’s gotta be the coconut oil. It’s absolutely amazing to bake with as a butter substitute because of its incredibly creamy texture, and it makes anything you bake with super moist and soft. Also, when I bake with coconut oil, it makes me feel like the recipe is slightly cleaner (hello, healthy fats!).

I also use the most brown, overripe bananas known to man. They are so ripe, that when I go to peel them, the peel literally slides off effortlessly, like silk. This may seem gross for most people, but banana bread LOVES those kinds of bananas! I also make sure to leave small banana chunks when I’m mixing. The key to perfect banana bread texture is to mix as little as possible. The more you mix, the tougher your bread will be.

Now, the best part about this banana bread is quite obviously the chocolate, which I definitely didn’t skimp on (“Oh no! I think I put too many chocolate chips!” said no one ever).

This recipe also requires minimal ingredients, and can double as a breakfast AND a dessert. I also make this in a muffin form, for easier distribution. Recipe for vegan banana chocolate chip muffins is here. 

Is it the healthiest banana bread recipe you’ll find online? No. But could it be a healthier dessert alternative? Absolutely. You can always gauge how much sugar you’d like to use in this banana bread, or use an alternative sweetener if you’re going for sugar-free. I have tried lowering the sugar count to about 1/3 cup, but that just didn’t cut it for me. Keep in mind that banana bread needs to be a little sweet, otherwise you’ll lose the overall flavour. 

I try to bake this at least once every couple of months, because my friends and family love it so much. I guess you could say it’s a staple in my household.

One small loaf serves about seven, but sometimes, this is just too good to share, and you might end up eating the entire thing by yourself over the weekend. And that’s okay too, friend. We’ve been there. You can always bake another one next week! 🙂

THE BEST Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Print This

Serves: 7 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 35

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
4 overripe bananas 
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted 
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon juice

 

THE BEST Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread was last modified: May 14th, 2019 by themindfulstrawberry

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Lightly grease one loaf pan (about 9×5) with coconut oil. 
2. In a medium bowl, mash your bananas. Add coconut oil, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Mix until combined.
3. Sift all dry ingredients in a separate large bowl (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt).  Slowly add in banana mixture and mix until flour is just combined. DO NOT OVERMIX!
4. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
5. Transfer batter into loaf pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, depending on the size of your loaf. Mine bakes for 35 minutes, or until edges are slightly brown and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
6. Let cool completely before removing from loaf pan.
7. Enjoy fresh from the oven (WARNING: You will get chocolate all over your fingers!).

THE BEST Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread was last modified: May 14th, 2019 by themindfulstrawberry