Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Name: Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 190 min
Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups mashed banana ((about 3-4 bananas, mash then measure the banana - 350 grams)); 1/2 cup brown sugar ((packed - 110 grams)); 2 tablespoons coconut oil ((melted and cooled)); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/3 cup oat milk ((room temp- or any non-dairy milk unsweetened - 75 ml)); 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour ((250 grams)); 1/8 teaspoon sea salt; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

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This Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is super moist and soft, studded with chocolate chips and delightfully banana flavored.

Three slices of Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread stacked n top each other side view image.

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Why you will love this recipe
Ingredients
Variations
How to make Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
More Vegan Recipes
Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Why you will love this recipe

Texture and Flavor: This Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is a soft, moist flavorful piece of bread filled with the rich, sweet taste of vegan chocolate chips, brown sugar and has a hint of vanilla and cinnamon and the bananas add a nice creaminess giving you a delicious slice of chocolate chip banana bread.
Easy Recipe: The banana loaf chocolate chip bread mixes together quickly and its ready to bake in about 10 minutes, you only need 11 ingredients that you might have on hand, it's a one bowl chocolate chip banana bread that's so quick and easy to make best of all the clean up is also quick and easy.
You'd never know it's vegan: This bread is so soft and moist, that any non-vegans wouldn't know it's dairy free and without eggs, each slice of vegan chocolate chip banana bread tastes perfect.

More vegan baking recipes you will love:

Ingredients

Check out the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities to make this Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.

Banana: The star of the quick bread! 3-4 bananas are needed, they need to be really ripe otherwise they won't be sweet or easy to mash.
Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and moisture to this bread.
Coconut Oil: I like coconut oil but any neutral oil will work fine.
Vanilla: Helps bring out the natural flavors of the banana bread.
Oat Milk: I like oat milk because of the mild flavor but any plant milk will do fine, make sure it's unsweetened.
Flour: I used unbleached organic all purpose flour. I have not tried gluten free flour but if you decide to try it at your own risk I recommend King Arthur 1:1 gluten free baking flour I usually have good results with that flour.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: You need both, do not skip one or the other or substitute either.
Salt and Cinnamon: Enhances and compliments the flavor.
Chocolate Chips: These are optional, you don't need them the banana bread is amazing without them but this is a recipe for chocolate chip banana bread. I like Tolls House plant based chocolate chips or Enjoy Life brand.

Variations

Mini Bread Loaves: This banana bread and chocolate chip recipe is for a regular size loaf of bread, if you have mini pans you can easily make mini chocolate chip vegan banana bread, generally 2-3 mini loafs are needed, it will bake up faster than the full size loaf of bread, I'd check this mini vegan chocolate chip bread at 25 minutes by inserting a toothpick in the center to check for doneness and adjust the timing from there.
More Chocolate: This is the best vegan chocolate chip banana bread recipe it has chocolate chips in the recipe already, but if you love the taste of chocolate you can add more vegan chocolate chips into this mixture, I wouldn't add more than ½ cup of vegan chocolate chips.
Add Nuts: You can certainly make this chocolate chip banana bread into a chocolate chip banana nut bread by adding any chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds or any other nuts that you like, it will add a little crunch to the bread.
Topping on Bread: This chocolate chip chocolate banana bread definitely has chocolate chips in the recipe mixture already but you can also sprinkle chocolate chips on top of this bread if you'd like, which I have done and it tastes amazing. I haven't frosted the top of this vegan banana bread with chocolate chips but if you'd like a creamy frosting on top you can certainly frost the full topping with a smooth layer of vegan chocolate chips.

How to make Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Prep: Pre-heat the oven to 350˚F and spray, grease or parchment paper line a 4.5 X 8.5 loaf pan. (see images below of how to cut parchment paper for a nicely lined loaf pan.)

How to cut parchment paper for loaf pan.

How to cut parchment paper to line a loaf pan.

hHow to cut parchment paper for loaf pan.

Measure the bottom of the loaf pan, cut extra up the sides and make two cuts on each side the height of the loaf pan, fold the sides in first and the center piece last for easy removal.

Nicely lined loaf pan.

Wet ingredients added to glass bowl with whisk.

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl add the banana and mash it, then measure it (or weigh it) to make sure it's the correct amount. Next add in the brown sugar, melted coconut oil, oat milk and vanilla. Whisk together.

Dry ingredients added to glass bowl of wet ingredients ready to mix.

Step 2: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and fold together with a spatula.

Chocolate chips added to batter in glass bowl.

Step 3: Fold in the vegan chocolate chips. (Save some to sprinkle on top).

Step 4: Pour into a greased or lined loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes on the middle rack, testing with a tooth pick poked into center and make sure it comes out clean before removing from the oven, let cool 2 hours on a wire cooling rack before cutting into it. Makes 8 slices. I like to store mine in the loaf pan it cooked in and cover it with plastic wrap. Leave on the counter for 3-4 days.

Loaf cut into so you can see a side view on the inside of the banana bread.

Expert Tips

Banana measurement: For this vegan banana and chocolate chip bread be sure the bananas are mashed first before you measure them out, this will ensure the proper measurement.
Ripe Bananas: This banana and chocolate chip bread has a little sweetness in each bite, some of that comes from using ripe bananas and not only are the bananas a little sweeter, ripe bananas are also easier to mash and measure up for the recipe. For a perfectly ripe banana look for slightly yellow bananas with lots of brown specks or spots on it.
Absolutely anytime of the day: This banana loaf chocolate chip bread is a perfect treat, snack and a easy quick slice of bread to grab for breakfast, lunch, after dinner desert or anytime of the day to add a delicious taste of chocolate, to make it extra special you can add a nice glass of homemade Oat Milk, Cashew Milk, Coconut Milk or Almond Milk, to this easy vegan chocolate chip banana bread you might decide you want 2 slices of this delicious bread.
Storing: This chocolate chip and banana bread can be stored at room temperature on the counter for 2-3 days covered with a plastic wrap or you can refrigerate it for 5-7 days and you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months, I'd let it unthaw in the frigid overnight prior to eating.

Recipe FAQs

Why are some bananas not vegan?

If you don't purchase vegan bananas there is a pesticide called Chitosan that's used on regular bananas to fight bacteria and it helps prevent the bananas from over ripening and it's made of shrimp and crab shells, which is animal matter, for some vegans that makes the bananas non vegan.

Can vegans eat brown sugar?

You definitely need to read the labels and sometimes get in contact with the company that makes the brown sugar, because there are 2 types of brown sugar, there is vegan raw cane sugar and there is brown sugar that's non-vegan processed using bone char.

What makes bread not vegan?

All the ingredients used in the recipe you are making is the deciding factor of if the bread is vegan or not vegan (if buying check ingredients listed). This recipe is for vegan banana chocolate chip bread so all ingredients listed are vegan, which means it is animal-derived products, like no eggs, no milk, no butter and no honey and lots more that need to not be in the recipe if you want it to be vegan bread. Example I used oat milk which is dairy free. Just be sure to look at the ingredients of the bread.