This post may contain affiliate links, that if you make purchases through, I will earn a small commission. 

Never throw those bananas away again, make a giant loaf of this Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Banana Bread today! Tender, chocolatey, and better than your mama’s! There, I said it!

Dish Count :: 2 Mixing Bowls, 1 Loaf Pan

Someone in our house keeps asking me to buy bananas for his lunch, and only about half of them are getting eaten before they become black leathery slugs on our kitchen counter. And what I can tell you is that someone isn’t the dog. After they about five black dots on them, I tap out and won’t touch them for eating sake – I just let them languish on the counter biding my time until I can bust out some a serious loaf of banana bread. The only thing is…. this is my fourth loaf in as many weeks, it’s becoming a routine part of my diet – like last week when Ben had to work on a Saturday night and I had three slices and a glass of wine for dinner.

But let me tell you, this goes beautifully with an unoaked chardonnay. 

I had a moment where I wasn’t sure if she was trying to offload so much garden fresh loot on us out of generosity or because she thinks I’m not feeding her son. I’ll go with the too-generous-for-her-own-good thing. Heart of gold, that one. And yes, I still feed Ben. It may be banana bread – but he’s getting fed.

Ingredients for the Best Banana Bread Recipe

• 2 cups Flour
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3 VERY ripe Bananas, about 1 1/2 cups
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream, or Greek Yogurt
• 2 Large Eggs, room temperature 
• 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 6 Tbsp Butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2–3 Tbsp Sparkling Sugar, optional

 How to Bake the Best Banana Bread

1. Preheat the oven in advance of baking to make sure that you can get the oven up to the proper temperature prior to putting your bread in the oven. Mix all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Set it aside.
2. In another large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat together the wet ingredients from the bananas through to the butter until combined thoroughly. There may be some chunks of banana left, and that is okay! 
3. Fold the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients together until just combined. And lastly add in the chocolate chips, folding in just until they are evenly distributed. 
4. Spray a 5×9″ loaf baking pan with non stick spray, and line with a sling of parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan, and then if desired – sprinkle with the sparkling sugar. 
5. Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted 2″ from the edge comes out cleanly. Set it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Allow it to cool at least 10 to 15 minutes in the pan prior to removing it and allowing it to cool on the wire rack. 
6. When cooled completely, you can slice and serve. 

What else can you add into banana bread?

Are you in the mood to add more fixings to this super easy banana bread recipe? I can definitely help! Some common add ins are below! Pick and choose what chocolate chips you want in this chocolate chip banana bread recipe. I use semi-sweet chocolate chips as my go-to chip. Because this is sweet from the sugar and the bananas, I think they have a little punch of bitterness that milk chocolate just doesn’t. So I do not recommend milk chocolate here, but use what you have. Stir them in at the very end.

• Cinnamon – even a half teaspoon would be a great addition!
• Cinnamon Chips 
• Walnuts
• Zucchini – swap half of the banana with shredded zucchini
• Raisins – controversial, I know! 

How to Ripen Bananas Fast

My favorite way to ripen bananas fast is just to put them in your freezer! Even a few hours, or overnight will do the trick. Thaw them on a plate on the counter in the morning you want to bake them and then you will be ready to go with bananas perfect for banana bread! Extra overripe bananas means a better banana flavor in your banana bread recipe. They expel more sugar the more ripe they are. So black like “slugs” is my go to. 

Another common trick is to place bananas into a brown paper bag. This will seal in warmth, and carbon dioxide and will ripen them in just a day or two.

OR – you can even roast them! Yup! Roasting them right in their skins in the oven works. Place them on a baking sheet in the oven, and prick them with a knife so they can release some steam. Allow them to cool so you don’t burn yourself prior to handling them. Then use as needed for banana bread!

Inspired Homemade Recipes

Classic Homemade Banana Pudding

Double Chocolate Sour Cream Banana Bread

Banana Cake with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Buttercream

*contains affiliate links below*

Print