Description

This healthy Chocolate Banana Bread is a delicious, guilt-free treat made with overripe bananas, oats, and rich unsweetened cacao powder. Sweetened naturally with honey and enhanced by mini chocolate chips, it’s a moist, flavorful loaf perfect for breakfast or a snack. The recipe uses simple ingredients and a blender to make oat flour, resulting in a gluten-free, wholesome bread that everyone will love.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

3 medium over-ripe bananas (the browner the better)
2 large eggs
¼ cup pure honey
¼ cup melted coconut oil
½ cup milk (almond milk used)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups rolled oats (or oat flour)
½ cup unsweetened cacao powder
⅓ cup mini chocolate chips (plus extra for garnish)
2 teaspoons baking powder
Good pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat and Mash Bananas: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Peel and place the overripe bananas in a large bowl, then mash them thoroughly with a fork until you have about 1 cup of mashed bananas.
Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, milk, melted coconut oil, honey, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas, then whisk everything together until smooth and well combined.
Add Cacao Powder: Mix the unsweetened cacao powder into the wet ingredients, whisking until fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
Make Oat Flour: Using a blender, add the rolled oats and blend to create a fine oat flour. Shake the blender between pulses to ensure there are no large bits. If needed, work in batches for an even texture.
Mix Dry Ingredients: Add the freshly made oat flour and a good pinch of salt to the wet mixture and stir thoroughly, ensuring no dry bits are left at the bottom of the bowl.
Fold in Chocolate Chips and Baking Powder: Add the mini chocolate chips and baking powder, folding them gently into the batter with a rubber spatula.
Prepare the Loaf Tin: Line a loaf tin (8.5 × 4.5 inches / 21 x 11.5 cm) with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the tin, gently tap it on the benchtop to remove air bubbles, and smooth the top. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top and lightly press them into the batter.
Bake the Bread: Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out mostly clean with possibly some melted chocolate but no wet batter.
Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and let the bread sit in the loaf pan for 10 minutes to set. Then transfer to a wire cooling rack, remove the parchment paper, and allow to cool for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve with tea, coffee, or milk and enjoy your healthy chocolate banana bread!

Notes

The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful the bread will be.
You can substitute almond milk with any milk of your choice, including dairy or other plant-based milks.
Ensure not to overblend the oats into flour to keep some texture in your bread if preferred.
For a nut-free version, use a seed oil instead of coconut oil and dairy or nut-free milk options.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
Reheat slices lightly before serving for a fresh-baked feel.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Category: Baking
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: healthy banana bread, chocolate banana bread, gluten free banana bread, oat banana bread, cacao banana bread, easy banana bread recipe, healthy chocolate bread