Moist Double Chocolate Banana Bread

This moist double chocolate banana bread is the best way to use up overripe bananas. It’s loaded with unsweetened cocoa powder AND chocolate chips for double the chocolate flavor in every single slice. The batter comes together in one bowl, no mixer needed, and the result is a rich, fudgy loaf that honestly tastes more like chocolate cake than bread.

I’ve been making this recipe for years and it is hands down the most requested banana bread in my house. It’s one of those “I have brown bananas on the counter and need to do something with them RIGHT NOW” recipes, and it delivers every time. The inside is incredibly moist and tender while the top gets this gorgeous crackly crust with melty mini chocolate chips. It’s dangerous.

If you love this recipe, make sure to check out my brown butter banana bread, my streusel pecan banana bread, and these Crumbl banana bread cookies. I’ve also got a brown butter scoopable cookies recipe that uses a similar one-bowl approach and is equally addictive.

Why This Is the Best Double Chocolate Banana Bread

There are a LOT of chocolate banana bread recipes out there, so let me tell you what makes this one different:

• It’s incredibly moist. The combination of oil and melted butter keeps this loaf ultra tender for days. Most recipes use one or the other, using both gives you the rich flavor of butter with the moisture-locking power of oil. Greek yogurt adds even more moisture and a subtle tang that balances all that chocolate sweetness.
• It’s DOUBLE chocolate. We’re using unsweetened cocoa powder in the batter and folding in a full cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Then we top the loaf with mini chocolate chips before baking so they melt into the crust. The result is a deeply chocolatey banana bread that tastes like a cross between banana bread and chocolate cake.
• It comes together in one bowl. No creaming butter, no stand mixer, no separating dry and wet into different bowls. You whisk everything together in one large bowl, fold in the chocolate chips, pour into your loaf pan, and bake. Start to finish, the active prep time is about 10 minutes.
• It uses up overripe bananas perfectly. Those brown, spotty bananas sitting on your counter? This is exactly what they’re meant for. The riper they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be. I actually let mine get almost completely black before I use them.

Ingredients for Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Here’s everything you need to make this easy chocolate banana bread. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and gram weights!

• Ripe bananas – You want 3 medium bananas (about 310g mashed). The riper, the better! Look for bananas that are heavily spotted with brown or almost completely black. They should be soft and very sweet. If you only have yellow bananas, see my FAQ below for tips on ripening them quickly. You can also use frozen bananas, just thaw them first and drain off any excess liquid before mashing.
• Oil and melted butter – This combo is the secret to an ultra moist chocolate banana loaf. The oil keeps the bread tender and moist for days, while the melted butter brings that rich, buttery flavor. I use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola.
• Brown sugar – Brown sugar adds a deeper, more caramel-like sweetness compared to white sugar, and the molasses keeps the crumb extra soft.
• Eggs – Two large eggs at room temperature. They help bind everything together and add structure.
• Vanilla extract – A teaspoon of pure vanilla extract rounds out all the flavors.
• Greek yogurt – This adds moisture, tenderness, and a subtle tang. Sour cream works as a 1:1 substitute if that’s what you have on hand.
• All-purpose flour – Just 1 cup. There’s less flour in this recipe than a typical banana bread because the cocoa powder adds volume too. For the best results, weigh your flour with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, use the spoon-and-level method to avoid packing it in.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – Use 1/2 cup of high-quality unsweetened natural cocoa powder. I recommend natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) for this recipe because the acidity works with the baking soda to help the bread rise properly. Dutch-process will still taste great, but the texture may be slightly different.
• Baking soda – Our leavening agent. It reacts with the acid in the cocoa powder, brown sugar, and yogurt to help the bread rise.
• Salt – A full teaspoon! Salt is essential in chocolate baking, it enhances the chocolate flavor and balances the sweetness. Don’t skip it.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips – One cup folded into the batter plus 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips sprinkled on top before baking. You can also use chocolate chunks, they melt into bigger, gooier pockets in the bread. Dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips work too depending on your preference.

Easy Variations

Brown butter double chocolate banana bread – Brown the butter before adding it to the batter for a nutty, toasty depth of flavor. Simply melt the butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until it turns golden amber and smells nutty. Let it cool slightly before whisking it in. This is an incredible upgrade. If you love brown butter, also check out my brown butter banana bread for a non-chocolate version.

Add nuts – Fold in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans for extra crunch. Lightly toast them first for even more flavor.

Double chocolate strawberry banana bread – Fold in 1/2 cup of diced fresh strawberries that you blotted with a paper towel then coated in flour along with the chocolate chips for a fruity twist. The strawberries add pops of brightness that contrast beautifully with the deep chocolate.

Peanut butter swirl – Dollop a few spoonfuls of creamy peanut butter on top of the batter before baking and use a knife to swirl it in. Chocolate + peanut butter + banana is an unbeatable combo.

Dubai chocolate banana bread – For a Dubai chocolate-inspired twist, sprinkle crushed pistachios on top of the batter before baking along with the mini chocolate chips. Then add a mixture of pistachio cream and shredded kunafa (kataifi) pastry on top once baked and cooled and drizzle some melted chocolate on top of that layer. The crispy pastry shreds add that trendy Dubai chocolate flavor and texture.

How to Make Double Chocolate Banana Bread

This is how you make this easy double chocolate banana bread step by step. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed instructions and measurements!

1. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl whisk the oil, melted butter, and sugar together.
3. Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, mashed bananas, and greek yogurt and mix.
4. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until the flour mixture disappears then fold in the chocolate chips of chocolate chunks to give it even more of a chocolate flavor.

5. Pour the chocolate banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan, top with extra mini semisweet chocolate chips, and bake in the oven.
6. You will know your banana bread is ready when you insert a knife or wooden skewer in the center and only a few moist crumbs come out.
7. Pull out of the oven and let the loaf cool down for a little bit before pulling it out of the pan and transferring it to a cooling rack to cool down some more.

Frequently asked questions – FAQ