One Banana Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

One Banana Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts ~ when there’s just one banana left on the counter, this one-banana, one-bowl quick bread recipe steps up to the plate.

This bread makes great use of that one lone banana that got left a little too long on the counter. It’s got a wonderfully moist texture and even though it only uses one banana it still has that classic-banana bread aroma and taste.

This one banana banana bread is perfect for those of you who appreciate banana flavor but don’t want to be hit over the head with it.

The scent of banana bread baking in the oven has to be one of the most comforting smells in the world.  I love the idea of making the batter for this bread the night before, and baking it up fresh the next day.  Just be sure to add the mashed banana just before baking, so it doesn’t brown.  You can basically roll out of bed and enjoy thick slices of fresh-out-of-the-oven banana bread  ~ score!

Tips for the perfect banana bread ~

• Ripe bananas yield the best flavor, although you can use bananas at any stage.
• Don’t over mix your batter.  Blend it just until everything is combined.
• Use a heavy duty aluminum loaf pan.  I don’t like glass or dark coated pans, which tend to cook too quickly or unevenly.
• Line your loaf pan with a long sheet of parchment paper so you can lift the cooked bread out for cooling and neater slicing.
• Invest in an inexpensive oven thermometer so you can be sure of your oven temperature.  A few degrees either way can make a big difference in the success of your banana bread.
• A little bit of good vanilla extract really brings out the banana flavor.
• Did you know that you can make this batter the night before, and bake it fresh in the morning?  Just leave out the banana and add it in the morning to prevent browning.
• Banana bread freezes well, just cool it completely before wrapping.  I like to double wrap my bread, first in plastic or foil, and then in a sturdy zip lock freezer bag.

Reader Raves ~

“I absolutely loved this recipe! It is a great mixture of banana and chocolate. I tried making it with half brown sugar and half white sugar instead of all white and I think this will be our family’s to go chocolate chip banana recipe.”  ~Nazanin

“Thank you very much for this recipe for my lone banana. I think this is the way I’m going to make it from now on. I made this recipe last night and everyone loved it.”  ~Hilary

*Recipe adapted from A Farmish Kind of Life.

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3.25 from 358 votes

One Banana Banana Bread

One Banana Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts ~ when there's just one banana left on the counter, this one-banana, one-bowl quick bread recipe steps up to the plate.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Yield 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 egg plus milk to make 1 cup
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips optional
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Add the softened butter and banana to the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, and mix until blended and smooth. (Or, if you don't have a stand mixer, mash the banana by hand with a fork, and add in the softened butter along with the rest of the ingredients)
• Add the egg and milk, vanilla, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt, and mix until no lumps remain.
• Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts until evenly distributed.
• Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan, and bake for about 40-45 minutes, until risen and golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out without batter clinging to it. (Moist crumbs are fine.)

Make it your own ~

• The add-in’s are optional, so feel free to choose your own mix! Pecans would be great in place of the walnuts, and peanut butter chips can be used for that classic banana-and-peanut butter vibe.  Try 1/2 cup of sweetened shredded coconut, too.
• Use tangy buttermilk or yogurt in place of the milk.
• Got 2 bananas?  Try chopping an additional banana and folding it in with the chips and nuts.
• Bake the batter in a muffin tray for delicious banana bread muffins.  Reduce the cooking time and keep an eye on them in the oven.

Don’t forget to pin this One Banana Banana Bread

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