This classic banana bread is filled with sweet chocolate chips and topped with the best peanut butter icing! The peanut butter glaze and the melty chocolate chips make this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe absolutely to die for! You’re sure to love this quick and easy snack or dessert!
You know how back here, I mentioned how I just couldn’t get into the spirit of fall because it was a 100 million degrees and I wanted to swim in a vat of ice cream?
Well, I am a hypocrite.
A giant one, in fact, because today I woke up to overcast, 60-degree weather, and I wanted nothing more than to drink a pumpkin spice latte and start a fire in my non-existent fireplace.
Tomorrow, the forecast is scheduled to be a whopping 99 degrees, so clearly the weather is as bi-polar as my feelings of fall/winter are. It didn’t help that I watched You’ve Got Mail the other day and practically swooned over Christmas in New York during the wintery scenes of the movie. (On a completely unrelated note, can you believe that movie is almost 20 years old?)
If the weather is as warm as predicted, I might be swimming in the ice cream again, after all. But for now, let’s talk about this completely neutral, I-can-be-anytime-of-the-year-food, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.
I’ll be the first to admit it, I can be a little picky when it comes to banana breads. When it comes down to it, I have three criteria that my banana breads need to meet to make the cut:
1. Banana Flavor (It might seem like a given, but a lot of banana breads out in the world today lack a little something in the banana flavor department)
2. Moist (Because bread that tastes like sand should be outlawed)
3. Nut-less (I detest nuts in my banana bread, but love them in banana muffins. Try and figure that one out, because they are practically one in the same–I know, it’s weird)
This banana bread meets all the criteria, but also has a little something extra going on: chocolate chips and peanut butter icing.
Because, why wouldn’t you want to?
I ate the leftover icing with a spoon.
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 med-large bananas or 4 small ones
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon optional
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup if you prefer less chocolate
- 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 2-3 Tbsp heavy cream or enough to achieve a thick drizzling consistency
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 350. Grease one 9x5 pan or two 8x4 pans.
- In a small bowl, mash bananas, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add in eggs and beat until mixed.
- To the wet ingredients, sift in flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir until just combined.
- Pour in mashed bananas, and mix until combined. Add in chocolate chips; stir.
- Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes (for two 8x4 pans) or until cake tester comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs stuck to it. If using one 9x5 pan, bake at 350 for 30 minutes; then lower the temp to 325 and bake for 15-20 or until cake tester comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs stuck to it.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Move to a wire cooling rack.
- In a bowl, beat peanut butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer to create a thick drizzle consistency.
- When your banana bread has cooled, drizzle (or dunk) banana bread with icing.
- Enjoy!
If you like this, you might like these banana recipes:
Skinny Strawberry Banana Muffins
Sara @ Bitz & Giggles says
Now, you’re speaking my language!! Chocolate chips AND frosting!! Today I’m saying YES to banana bread because yours looks AMAZING!!
Michelle says
Thanks, Sara! 🙂
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake says
I totally agree with your banana bread criteria—and chocolate chips always help! This loaf looks amazing, especially with the peanut butter icing 🙂
Michelle says
Thanks, June! 🙂
Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat. says
Adding peanut butter icing to chocolate chip banana bread is a fantastic idea! This bread looks just amazing!
Michelle says
Thanks, Stacey! 🙂
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
This banana bread is awesome! And I feel you on the ‘not enough banana flavor’ problem in so many banana breads 🙂 Pinning!
Michelle says
Right? Thanks, Medha! 🙂
Kacey @ The Cookie Writer says
Haha, our weather is changing so much these days, one moment I want ice cream, the next I want soup! Peanut butter and banana are a perfect pair!
Michelle says
Thanks, Kacey! 🙂
Meg @ With Salt and Wit says
You’ve Got Mail! OMG. I haven’t seen that movie in ages! And I hear ya…I am SO ready for fall. But I think that has something more to do with my little man arriving in October. Either way, I will gladly take this amazing looking bread!
Michelle says
The date’s coming soon! How exciting, Meg! 🙂
Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats says
I mean.. I can’t even handle all the goodness in here… you just totally upped the anty when it comes to banana bread! Looks delicious!
Michelle says
Thanks, Krista! 🙂
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
Brilliant combo for this tasty bread! LOVE the icing so much! Soon, the weather will change…and this will still make a great treat!
Michelle says
Thanks, Patricia! 🙂
Ashley | The Recipe Rebel says
I always feel guilty for how much I crave fall and, yes, Christmas in New York, in the middle of August — those cooler days feel so good! And plus, comfort food and baking! Love this!
Michelle says
There’s just so much to look forward to in the fall! 🙂 Thanks, Ashley!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I’m not ready for summer to end just yet because soon enough it will be sub zero temps, but I am really looking forward to fall and everything pumpkins and apples! And I can’t believe You’ve Got Mail is almost 20 years old! I love that movie, especially since it takes place in NYC, my most favorite place in the world. This bread sounds amazing, Michelle! Looks like it would pair perfect with a pumpkin spice lattte (or my iced coffee)! 🙂
Michelle says
NYC is my favorite place too! There’s just something about that city 🙂 Thanks, Gayle!
Jaren (Diary of a Recipe Collector) says
You took banana bread to whole new level! Amazing!
Michelle says
Thanks, Jaren! 🙂
Julianne says
hi! This looks delicious! I think you forgot to write where you add in the chocolate chips though!
Michelle says
Hi, Julianne! You are so right! Total brain lapse–thanks for pointing it out! 🙂
Nicole says
I made this the other day. It was good fresh baked. But it was incredible after a night in the fridge! And I also enjoyed the leftover icing 🙂
Susan says
This was great! Made mini loaves and everyone I gave it too is still raving about it!
Cheryl Smith says
Love this bread. I’ve adjusted the icing to use milk instead of cream and a wee bit more peanut butter. Thank you for this recipe.