The Best Healthier Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This is the BEST healthier banana bread. It’s fluffy, light, and moist, bursting with banana flavor, studded with dark chocolate chips, and made with tons of nutritious ingredients.

Banana bread has been a staple in my house for breakfast for as long as I can remember. As soon as there was overripe bananas, my mom would make a loaf of this delicious treat and my whole family would devour it within days (maybe seconds, really!).

My mom used the fool proof Betty Crocker recipe from her old recipe book that yielded a perfect banana bread every time. 

My dad has been asking for a healthier version of this banana bread for some time. The one my mom makes is certainly delicious, but not the most nutritious. It is made with over a cup of sugar, starchy white flour, and tons of butter. Hence, why it was so delicious but my dad was hoping it could be lightened up a bit. 

I was willing to take on the task and create something that is just as amazing as I remember but made with more nutritious ingredients.  But I didn’t underestimate the enormity of this task. Banana bread is an all-American, nostalgic treat that has a special place in my family’s heart. I knew I was going to have to create something truly magical to compete with my mother’s classic recipe. 

But I am confident I accomplished the task! My version is light and fluffy, filled with big banana flavor, and totally addicting. But it’s made with wholesome ingredients like whole wheat, oat flour, coconut oil, greek yogurt, and coconut sugar. It’s packed with protein and healthy fats that will help fuel you through the day, making this a healthy breakfast treat.

Let’s get to baking.

One of the beauties of banana bread is it’s fairly simple to make. It just takes a few ingredients, two bowls, a loaf pan, and a whisk. 

First, pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8×4 bread loaf pan and line it with parchment paper that slightly hangs over the sides – this assures the banana bread can be easily removed from the pan after baking.

In your first bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. If you made any of my other baked recipes, you know I am a huge fan of whole wheat pastry flour and oat flour. Both are packed with fiber and protein and mimic white flour almost perfectly. They are a great substitute for baking healthier treats.

I also used a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg in the recipe. The cinnamon adds a nice warming note that pairs well with the banana. The pinch of nutmeg makes the bread taste like it was fresh from a bakery. Super simple additions that makes the bread taste like magic! 

Next, in the separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Mix in the greek yogurt, coconut oil, and vanilla. Finally, mix in the mashed bananas. The greek yogurt adds moisture and tang, plus is also packed with protein, potassium, and calcium. The coconut oil, a healthy saturated fat that qualifies as a superfood, also adds fat and moisture to the banana bread. Finally, the bananas themselves not only add that beautiful banana flavor, but are rich in potassium plus keep the banana bread moist and fluffy. 

Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. The last step is to fold in the dark chocolate chips (you can omit if you want but they are highly recommend as banana and chocolate are besties!). Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Sprinkle with extra dark chocolate chips on top, for good measure. And bake for 40-50 minutes. 

It’s as easy as that! Once the banana bread is cooled, cut into slices and devour!

I’ve been eating this banana bread every day for breakfast for the last week. I can’t get enough! It’s as good as the one my mom made growing up, I promise! It’s packed with so much flavor from the bananas, spices, and dark chocolate chips. And the healthy swaps I used to lighten this treat up did not sacrifice flavor or texture at all. 

I am bringing a loaf home for the Holidays for my dad. It’s one of his Christmas gifts and I am sure he will love it!

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The Best Healthier Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This is the BEST healthier banana bread. It’s fluffy, light, and moist, bursting with banana flavor, studded with dark chocolate chips, and made with tons of healthy ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup plain or vanilla greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 overripe bananas about a cup
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips plus 1 tablespoon

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugars. Mix in yogurt, coconut oil, and vanilla. Fold in mashed bananas.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until jus combined. Do not over-mix or bread may become tough.
5. Finally, gently fold into the dark chocolate chips.
6. Pour the batter into a greased 8×4 bread pan and top with additional dark chocolate chips. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick or fork comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool. Cut into slices.
8. Serve and enjoy!

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