Those bananas on your counter that are basically black right now? Don’t throw them out. This is what they’re for. This double chocolate banana bread is made with cocoa powder and chocolate chips in the batter, more chips on top, and baked until it looks like a brownie loaf and smells like your whole kitchen has been taken over by chocolate. My kids come running when this comes out of the oven and there’s never any left by the next morning.

A loaf of chocolate banana bread with chocolate chips sits on brown parchment paper, with one slice cut and placed in front of the loaf.

A Quick Look At This Recipe

Recipe Name: Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Serves: 6
Calories: 425 cal
Main Ingredients: mashed very ripe bananas, egg, unsalted butter, plain Greek yogurt, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten-free flour, unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Why You'll Love It: This double chocolate banana bread combines ripe mashed bananas, Dutch-process cocoa, Greek yogurt, and semi-sweet chocolate chips into a rich, moist, deeply chocolatey loaf ready in about an hour.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It tastes like a chocolate brownie and banana bread had a baby and it is as good as that sounds.

Greek yogurt keeps it incredibly moist and adds a subtle tang that makes the chocolate flavor more complex and interesting than a standard banana bread.

Dutch-process cocoa gives it a deep, dark, intense chocolate flavor and color that natural cocoa just can’t match.

– Lyuda

Ingredients Needed to Make Double Chocolate Banana Bread

The Wet Ingredients

Very ripe bananas (as close to black as you can get them) mashed smooth are the flavor and moisture base. One room temperature egg adds structure. Melted butter adds richness. Plain Greek yogurt adds moisture, tang, and keeps the crumb incredibly tender. Brown sugar adds a slightly caramelized sweetness. Vanilla adds warmth.

The Dry Ingredients

All-purpose flour gives the loaf its structure. Dutch-process cocoa powder is specifically worth seeking out…. it’s darker, less acidic, and more intensely chocolatey than natural cocoa and it’s what gives this bread that deep, almost fudgy color. Baking soda provides the rise. Fine sea salt balances everything.

The Chocolate Chips

Semi-sweet chocolate chips folded through the batter and scattered on top add gooey chocolate pockets throughout every slice and a slightly crunchy chocolate topping. Dark or milk chocolate chips work just as well depending on your preference.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

How to Make Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Step 1: Prep the Pan and Preheat

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang on both sides so you can lift the finished loaf out cleanly.

Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients

Mash the bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth (a few small lumps are fine). Add the egg, melted and slightly cooled butter, Greek yogurt, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir until everything is well combined and uniform.

A hand uses a metal masher to mash bananas in a clear glass bowl. The bananas are partially mashed, with chunks and smooth parts visible.

A close-up of a mixing bowl with mashed bananas, brown sugar, and a dollop of sour cream about to be mixed together.

Step 3: Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to the wet mixture. Stir gently just until the flour disappears into the batter. Stop immediately. Do not keep stirring …. overmixing is the most common reason banana bread comes out dense.

A close-up of a mixing bowl with cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and sugar on top of a wet yellow batter, ready to be mixed.

A close-up of thick, chunky chocolate brownie batter in a glass mixing bowl, showing a rich, dark brown color and a slightly glossy texture.

Step 4: Add the Chocolate Chips and Bake

Fold in the chocolate chips with a few gentle strokes. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter additional chocolate chips over the surface. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

A close-up of chocolate chips on top of thick chocolate batter in a glass mixing bowl, ready to be mixed together.

A close-up of unbaked chocolate brownie batter in a pan, topped with scattered chocolate chips.

Step 5: Cool Before Slicing

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes then lift out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing , as cutting too early produces a gummy, underset crumb that looks underdone even if it isn’t.

A close-up of a loaf of chocolate bread or cake, topped with melted chocolate chips, in a baking pan.

Storing and Reheating

Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. The loaf actually gets more moist on day two as the flavors develop and the crumb settles. Refrigerate for up to 5 days wrapped in plastic wrap. Freeze individual slices wrapped tightly for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for 20 to 30 seconds from frozen.

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Serving Suggestions

Serve at room temperature or slightly warm with a pat of salted butter melting into the top of each slice. A drizzle of peanut butter over a warm slice is one of the best things you can do with this loaf. For a full baked goods spread, I love serving this alongside Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Frequently Asked Questions About Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Why do the bananas need to be so ripe?

Ripe bananas have converted most of their starches into natural sugars which produces a sweeter, more intensely banana-flavored bread than under-ripe bananas. The natural sugars also add moisture and help produce the tender, soft crumb that makes this loaf so good. Yellow bananas without any spots are essentially unsweetened starch at this stage and will produce a drier, less flavorful result. Wait for black spots, or go all the way to nearly black if you can.

What’s the difference between Dutch-process and natural cocoa?

Dutch-process cocoa has been treated with an alkalizing agent that neutralizes its natural acidity, producing a darker color, milder flavor, and more intense chocolate character. Natural unsweetened cocoa is lighter in color, more acidic, and has a slightly more bitter, sharper chocolate flavor. In this recipe Dutch-process produces the deep, almost fudgy dark color and rich chocolate flavor that makes the finished loaf so visually striking. Natural cocoa works as a substitute but the color will be lighter and the chocolate flavor slightly less deep.

Why use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream or buttermilk?

Greek yogurt adds moisture and a mild tang that balances the sweetness of the bananas and the chocolate in the same way that sour cream or buttermilk would, but with more protein and a slightly thicker consistency that helps produce a more tender, moist crumb. Full-fat or 2% Greek yogurt is recommended. Sour cream is the most similar substitute in the same amount. Plain regular yogurt works but is thinner and may produce a slightly wetter batter.

Can I make this gluten-free?

Yes. A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in the same amount as the all-purpose flour produces a very similar result. Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure are both reliable options that work well in quick breads. The texture may be very slightly denser than the all-purpose version but the flavor will be identical. Make sure your baking soda is also certified gluten-free if you’re baking for someone with celiac disease.

More Sweet Recipes

Chocolate Protein Balls

No-Bake Strawberry Tiramisu

White Chocolate Raspberry Blondies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Banana

If you make this, I’d love to hear how it turned out – a star rating or a note in the comments helps others find the recipe and helps me know what’s working in your kitchen. Tag me @gracefilledkitchen in your photos on social media so I can see your creations.