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The best and (easiest) Chocolate Chunk Coconut Banana Bread…for your Friday chocolate fix. One bowl, pantry staple ingredients, super quick to mix up, healthy…ish, and SO DELICIOUS! Yes, that pretty much sums up this banana bread, and it’s the perfect bread to bake up this weekend. With over-ripe bananas, good honey, and your favorite chocolate bar, this is sure to become one of your favorite banana bread recipes. Perfect for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or a late night dessert.
This past week all I’ve wanted to do is bake. I”m sure the very cold temperatures and snowy weather have something to do with this. Regardless, I really just want to bake. And if I’m not baking, I’m making homemade pizza in the pizza oven. Which is currently my very favorite thing to do, I can’t get enough pizza (new recipes are coming).
Or banana bread.
Clearly my “Healthy January” is going soo well…
In all honesty, I’ve found this year’s “Healthy January” to be a little tougher than in years past. I’ve had to really scratch my head to brainstorm “healthy” recipes over the last few weeks.
You see, I am very much craving warm comfort food…
Celery juice on the other hand? Not so much. Don’t get me wrong, I actually love celery juice. But it’s cold, and just not what I want to sip on a white blustery January day, you know?
Instead of denying those cravings, I tried to make my favorite cozy recipes a little on the healthier side. It’s all about balance over here, no diets, at least not temporary ones. Just creating recipes that are delicious and wholesome. Which is where this banana bread comes in. Yes, it has honey. And yes, my dark chocolate chunks are not 100% cacao. But hey, this bread is made with whole wheat flour, coconut oil, and plenty of overripe banana. All healthy things, especially when it comes to the dessert world. So, I’m going with it, and very excited to be sharing today’s recipe. Just in time for the weekend too!
PS. have you tried celery juice? I know it sounds odd, but I recently tried some (because of this book) and it’s actually so good.
Moving on to the details. This is the best and easiest banana bread I’ve ever shared. It’s my go-to…that is until I develop a newer version in .02 seconds, and that becomes my favorite. Ahh, the life of someone who makes up recipes for a living. We always have a new “favorite”.
Seriously though, this banana bread is moist, very banana-y, hinted with coconut, sweetened lightly with honey, and swirled with chocolate throughout. Every last bite is roll your eyes back delicious. Best part? It’s the easiest to make, requiring just one bowl and a handful of pantry staples.
Here’s the quick run down.
Find yourself some very ripe bananas, I’m talking practically black bananas everyone. Like, you think they are too black to eat? Nope, that just means they are perfect for banana bread. Use them.
Mash up the bananas and then mix with the wet ingredients, a little coconut oil, honey, a couple of eggs, and a splash of vanilla. Add whole wheat flour, a pinch of cinnamon, and a dash of salt. The cinnamon is that unexpected ingredient that might seem a bit off, but it’s actually what makes the bread really good. It’s subtle enough that you can’t really tell it’s there, but it adds a special touch.
Now stir in all the chocolate chunks that your heart desires. Bake, and less than an hour later your house is going to smell incredible, and you’ll have the prettiest deep golden, and chocolate filled loaf of banana bread.
Great for breakfast, delicious as an afternoon snack, and chocolatey enough for an evening dessert.
The perfect recipe, right?
If you can resist, you should wait 30 minutes or so to slice into the bread. That way the bread will have time to properly set-up and fully finish baking after coming out of the oven. Waiting is what any professional baker would tell you to do, but let’s be real, no one cares what you should do. Do what your stomach and your eyes are screaming at you to do. Slice the bread and enjoy it warm while the chocolate is gooey.
It might not be what you should do, but it’s the right thing to do. That I am sure of.
Oh, and major bonus points if you enjoy this with a little smear of butter and a drizzle of honey. It’s Friday, live a little. AND if you happen to have a snowy weekend in the forecast, you really need to bake this up. It’s great any day, but it’s best enjoyed on the coldest of days.
If you make this chocolate banana bread be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How To Video:
chocolate chunk coconut banana bread_WEB from Half Baked Harvest on Vimeo.
Chocolate Chunk Coconut Banana Bread
Servings: 9
Calories Per Serving: 356 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 medium overly ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cup mashed)
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chunks
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 inch bread pan.2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, coconut oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks. 3. Pour the batter into the prepared bread pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until center is just set. Remove and let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting...or just eat it warm with a smear of butter and a drizzle of honey (you should do this!). Enjoy!
Notes
Bread will keep (covered) for 3-5 days.
This post was originally published on January 25, 2019
Hi! I wanted to make it more moist. Can I add some Greek yogurt??
Hi Yera, You can try adding 1/4 cup yogurt, but I can’t be sure that will turn out as I have not tested. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Can I use Kodiak pancake mix instead of flour and remove baking soda? Thanks!!
Hi Samantha, I would not recommend using that as I don’t think the bread would bake up well. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Been using the same recipe for banana bread for 20+ years, but this just looked so S I M P L E. and what a nice change to not use veg oil or white sugar (umm, ok the chocolate might have bad stuff, but you gotta start somewhere, right??).
It took me less than 10 mins from defrosting frozen bananas to in-the-oven. Haven’t tried the finished product yet, but I’m feelin’ the love for this already!
Haha I hope this turns out so well for you!! Thank you so much Laura! xTieghan
Made exactly as written for family get together and have been put to work making more loaves for the constant demand. Perfect B bread. Thanks Teigan!
That is amazing! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made as per recipe, we enjoyed it. May reduce chocolate chips next time as the banana bread itself it pretty tasty.
Thank you so much! I am so glad you enjoyed this! xTieghan
This is definitely my new favorite banana bread recipe. I’m just sad I didn’t try it earlier! Yum!
Thank you so much Aimee! xTieghan
Hey Tieghan, I have about 3/4 cup of mashed banana. What do you think about supplementing the rest with unsweetened applesauce? Yes?
Hi Renee! I can’t say for sure, but I would imagine that will work well. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
One of my favorite things to do is stroll through Pinterest recipes( although as of late it is rather annoying with all of the ridiculous pop up advertisements)! I always know before even looking at the contributor which posts are yours. Your photos are second to none. So beautiful. I love the aesthetics of food photography. I hope you will one day publish a cookbook!
Hi Suzanne! I have two cookbooks out! I hope you check them out! Also, I am so glad you have been enjoying my blog! Thank you! xTieghan
LOVE this recipe! Found it on Instagram, Overall it is the perfect fresh-baked hug from the oven, especially in the Fall/Winter time of year!
Yes! I am so glad you loved this recipe Tkeys! xTieghan
Just made the chocolate banana bread. I added 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts with the chocolate.
If you mix a little bit of flour to the chocolate and nuts and mix, they will not sink to the bottom and will evenly distribute.
Also bake on the next to lowest rack in the oven.
Turned out excellent!!!
.
I am so happy to hear that Colleen! Thank you!! xTieghan
Love this recipe!
I did make a few adjustments to accommodate my dietary restrictions & compensate for high altitude. I made it gluten-free by substituting 1c Cup-4-Cup Gluten-free Flour & 1/2c Almond Flour sifted for the Whole Wheat flour. I also reduced sodium by cutting salt in half & substituting 2 tsp Baking Powder for 1 tsp of the Baking Soda (this also helps for High Altitude variation so that bread rises correctly). For High Altitude I also had to reduce baking time to about 40-45 minutes.
*If you want a more pronounced Coconut flavor, try adding about 1/2c Shredded Coconut. Next time I will probably use a bit less chocolate & add pecans.
Hi Anna! I am so glad you loved this recipe and thank you for sharing your modifications! I hope you love every recipe you try! xTieghan
This was delicious! Loving your recipes. ?
Thank you Yvette! xTieghan
Love love love the use of coconut oil in this bread! Really melds well with the flavor of the banana. Great post!
Thank you so much Eleanor! So happy to hear this! xTieghan
Would I be able to replace coconut oil with almond butter?
HI Priscilla! I would not recommend that. I don’t think the bread will bake up properly with only almond butter. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
This recipe is perfect, I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m usually not a banana bread person, too sweet and dense, but this bread was so delicious and fluffy. I used the whole wheat pastry flour and it turned out a loaf that my husband and I couldn’t leave alone until it was gone. I can’t wait to make it again!
You are too kind! Thank you so much Heather! xTieghan