What could be better than homemade Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread when you have some overripe bananas left to use up? Using better-for-you ingredients makes this recipe delicious, comforting and so wholesome! Maple Syrup as a sweetener gives it a natural flavorful sweetness. Fill your house with a mouthwatering banana and maple aroma by whipping this into the oven.
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💡 The recipe in a nutshell
- Vegan (eggless and dairy-free)
- Tender and moist
- Made with better-for-you ingredients
- Easy to make - perfect beginners!
- Eat for breakfast, as a snack or in the afternoon
- Wholesome and delicious
- Golden brown with a slight crunch outside
Using better-for-you ingredients
By using better-for-you ingredients this version of the classic banana bread is a healthier decision! Firstly, the base of this healthy vegan banana bread is fruit: bananas themselves. Second, instead of regular flour this recipe uses spelt flour. However, if wished, you can stick to all-purpose.
Using vegan dark, semi-sweet, and/or sugar-free chocolate chips is also a healthier decision. Generally, those are higher in cocoa content than milk chocolates! In fact, cocoa itself is full of antioxidants, and health-promoting flavanol phytonutrients (source).
Besides that, the recipe uses a mix of cane sugar and maple syrup to sweeten the bread. As a healthier fat choice, the recipe asks for avocado oil. However other vegetable oils work too.
Healthier chocolate chip brands
Some brands that offer healthier chocolate chips are
- Lily’s Sweets
- Enjoy Life
- Simple Truth
- Evolved
- Pascha Chocolate
- Sprouts and Trader Joe's
Bananas as an egg substitute
Bananas themselves are a great vegan egg substitute! In fact, they safely replace eggs in many plant based baked goods. Bananas serve as a great binder, and give moisture to your batter.
Should my bananas be ripe?
Yes! It's very important that you wait for your bananas to ripen before using them for banana bread. You want lots of brown spots on your bananas! In general the riper the banana, the sweeter they'll be.
Put bananas next to some apples, if you want to speed up the ripening process. All in all overripe bananas will give you that lovely banana flavor you're craving with a beautifully moist texture and sweetness. All in all overripe bananas are super easy to mash up.
🥣 Storage
Store covered in an airtight container, at room temperature. It will stay fresh for a few days on the counter. Stored in the fridge it will last for up to a week!
❄️ How to freeze
It will keep fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months. Wrap well, or place in freezer bag, and label with the date of freezing. To defrost: Thaw in the refrigerator over night, at room temperature, or lightly heat in oven.
More vegan breakfast ideas
Have you tried tofu scramble yet? It's a great vegan alternative, to the regular scrambled eggs. If you like your breakfast on the sweeter side, I'd recommend some healthy vegan oatmeal, German apple pancakes or make your own granola.
📖 Recipe
Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Equipment
- loaf pan, electric mixer, mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 ml water, filtered 2 fl oz
- 80 ml dark maple syrup 2.7 fl oz
- 60 ml avocado oil (or other vegetable oil of choice) 2 fl oz
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon flax meal
- 200 g spelt flour* 7 oz
- 50 g old fashioned oats 1.7 oz
- 100 g organic cane sugar 3.5 oz
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt optional
- 50 g nuts of choice** optional
- 150 g vegan dark, semi-sweet and/or sugar free chocolate chips 5 oz
Optional topping ideas
- 1 banana, peeled and halved
- more chocolate chips for topping, if wished
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven on 180°C / 355° F. Prepare your loaf pan by greasing it and sprinkling flour into it; or layer it with parchment paper.
- Mash up the 3 overripe bananas with a fork or potato masher in a mixing bowl. Then whisk in vanilla extract, water, maple syrup, avocado oil, cinnamon and flax meal. Set aside while you prepare your dry ingredients.
- In a different bowl mix spelt flour, oats, cane sugar, baking powder and salt, if using, together. Add dry ingredients to your wet banana mixture and whisk until combined and a batter forms. With a spatula fold in your chocolate chips and favorite nuts, like walnuts or pecans.
- Pour batter into your prepared loaf pan. It should fill up around ⅔ of the loaf pan. Optional: Cut 1 banana into halves and put on top.
- Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for at least 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Let it cool down, or serve immediately.
Notes
PS: Don't forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment on your experience - this helps improving my recipes and serve you with best instructions, tips and substitution ideas. Plus, I love hearing about your takes on my recipes! Tag me on Instagram @thesimplesprinkle to show me your pictures.
This recipe was perfect for using up the overripe bananas I had on the counter! And it was a bonus that the kitchen smelled incredible too! We loved this wholesome recipe!
all my favourite ingredients partying together. super tasty and moist
Great recipe! I loved the chocolate twist on this all-time classic!
Love this chocolate chips banana bread! It is fluffy, soft, and perfectly moist!