Chef John's Banana Bread

Banana bread is one of those things people rarely make on purpose, only when those last three bananas are almost black. This scrumptious banana-walnut loaf, spiked with dark chocolate chips, is so good you'll want to make it well before the bananas get to that condition.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 334 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• cooking spray

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Coat a 9x4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

Step 2

Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.

Step 3

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Add mashed bananas and beat until combined. Beat eggs into the butter mixture one at a time, fully blending each egg before adding the next. Stir vanilla extract and milk into the mixture.

Step 4

Stir chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, and flour mixture into banana mixture until just incorporated.

Step 5

Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Tap pan on the counter to release any air pockets.

Step 6

Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour 10 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Step 7

Let the bread rest in the pan for 15-20 minutes; remove from pan, slice, and serve.