Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

By Amy Dong
Updated Jun. 20, 2024

This Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is made with yogurt for an incredibly moist, densely satisfying bread that’s everything you love about banana bread and more. It’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, and snacks!

A sliced loaf moist chocolate chip banana bread on a wooden surface, with whole bananas visible in the background. — This banana bread is loaded with ripe bananas, protein-rich yogurt, flax, and a healthy dose of chocolate.

1-Minute Video: Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Why This Recipe Stands Out

This moist chocolate chip banana bread is one of our favorite sweet breakfast recipes. Here’s why we can’t get enough of it:

Loaded with Bananas: The key to the intense banana flavor of this bread is using very ripe bananas, just like in our Strawberry Banana Bread.
Extra Moist: Yogurt not only adds moisture but gives the bread a rich texture, like in our Double Chocolate Yogurt Banana Bread.
Chocolatey: Like with our Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread, the chocolate chips melt in just enough to give the bread a rich, dense, moist texture.
Freezes Beautifully: This bread freezes really well, making it a great make-ahead recipe for brunch.

Key Recipe Ingredients

Overhead shot of ingredients to make moist chocolate chip banana bread on a dark surface.

Butter – The softened butter adds a rich, moist texture to the bread.
Ripe Bananas – Overripe bananas are the secret to the bread’s moistness and also contribute to its natural sweetness.
Yogurt – The plain yogurt not only adds moisture but also gives the bread a subtle tanginess and extra protein.
Eggs – Eggs help to bind the ingredients together and add structure to the bread.
Mini Semisweet Chocolate Morsels – Mini morsels melt into the bread as it bakes, giving it pockets of gooey chocolate in every bite.

Substitutions and variations

Here are some of our favorite variations and substitutions for this recipe:

Add-Ins: Chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans will work great in this recipe to add some crunch. Or add some dried blueberries, like we do in our Gluten-Free Banana Bread.
Chocolates: While we love the mini chocolate chips in this recipe because they melt into the bread better, feel free to substitute them with regular-sized chocolate chips, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even peanut butter chips.
Make it Classic: If you’re looking for classic flavors, you can omit the chips. Or simply try our Best Banana Bread recipe!

Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions

Eggs and vanilla being mixed into butter and sugar mixture.

Mashed bananas and yogurt being folded into bread batter.

In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the butter mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the yogurt and mashed bananas.

Batter with chocolate chips being poured into a rectangular metal baking pan.

A hand holds a knife cutting into a loaf of moist chocolate chip banana bread on a wooden cutting board.

Fold in the mini chocolate chips and spread the batter in a greased loaf pan. Bake for about 60 minutes in a preheated oven at 350F.
Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack before slicing.

For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.

How To Prep Ahead

Take a look at some of our best prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:

The Night Before: Feel free to bake this bread the night before you plan to serve it. It’s even better the next day, making it a perfect make-ahead breakfast or dessert.

Freeze It: This banana bread freezes beautifully. Once it has completely cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

chocolate chip banana bread slices. — This moist chocolate chip banana bread is rich, moist, and dense with the right amount of sweetness!

Commonly Asked Questions

Can I use regular-sized chocolate chips instead of mini chips?

Yes, you can use regular-sized chocolate chips if that’s what you have on hand. However, mini chocolate chips are recommended as they tend to melt into the bread better, giving it a more even distribution of chocolate throughout.

Why are my chocolate chips sinking to the bottom of the banana bread?

If you find that your chocolate chips are sinking to the bottom of the banana bread, it may be because the batter is too thin. To prevent this, you can toss the chocolate chips in a little bit of flour before folding them into the batter. This will help them stay suspended throughout the bread as it bakes.

How long does chocolate chip banana bread keep?

This moist chocolate chip banana bread can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature or up to a week in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it airtight for up to 2 months.

Did you make this?

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