Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Banana bread loaded with peanut butter and chocolate chips. Uses mashed bananas, sugar, peanut butter, oil, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips. Baked at 345-355°F range for slightly varied time frame. Glazed with peanut butter, butter, milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Offers a tender crumb with pockets of melted chocolate and nutty aroma. Moist texture from oil and buttermilk balance sweetness and richness. Served in 9×5-inch loaf pan. Classic comfort bread with a nutty twist and gooey chocolate bursts.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
10 slices
#banana bread
#peanut butter
#chocolate chips
#glaze
#baking tips
#moist breads
#American cuisine
Banana bread tweaked again but with peanut butter—because why not? Tried cutting sugar, swapping oils, and otop-notch peanut butter. The smell of bananas warmed with peanut butter and rich chocolate chips—no waiting, pure temptation. Old tricks remind me: too much stirring makes glue, and don’t trust oven timers blindly. The golden crust cracks like a promise; the crumb stays moist thanks to the buttermilk’s subtle tang. Glaze adds extra peanut punch, creamy and sweet, a little messy but worth it. If you hate dryness or bland bites, this one shows how texture and flavor can live loud. I added almond butter once—almost changed the game but sometimes the classic peanut butter steel just wins. Tech and timing—everything about noticing when the loaf says it’s done. Grit of the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas mashed (about 1½ cups)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (can reduce to ⅔ cup for less sweet)
- ½ cup creamy natural peanut butter (swap for almond butter for twist)
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- ½ cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt thinned with a splash of milk)
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (can substitute ½ cup with whole wheat flour)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (dark for less sweet or chopped nuts for crunch)
- For glaze:
- 4 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp whole milk (or milk of choice)
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
About the ingredients
Peanut butter must be creamy and not overly salty. Natural types with oil separation work fine—stir well before measuring. Oil can swap to coconut for flavor notes but watch melting points. Buttermilk acidity activates leavening and tender crumb. You can use plain yogurt thinned with milk as a backup in a pinch. Flour mixes matter—adding whole wheat adds heft and nuttiness but lowers rise so keep it below half. Baking soda and powder together create perfect lift and avoid weird metallic tones. Chocolate can be chopped bars, chunks, or chips; each melts differently and impacts texture. Glaze is flexible: swap milk for cream or non-dairy milk. Powdered sugar sifting prevents lumps but can be used straight if whisked well. Vanilla smooths flavors; avoid cheap imitation for best result.
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F Adjust rack one notch below center to avoid overbrowning top but still good rise
- Grease or parchment-line a 9×5 loaf pan Light-colored pans show browning better—dark pans absorb more heat risking burnt crust
- Mix wet: mash bananas with fork in a large bowl Stir in sugar, peanut butter, and oil until streaks disappear Then whisk in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla till combined Be gentle with eggs, avoid foaming—tough crumb risk
- Separate dry bowl: whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt Sifting optional here—just break clumps well Avoid overmixing gluten development—dense bread
- Fold dry gradually into wet with rubber spatula Stop mixing when just incorporated Batter should look mottled but not dry Still bits of flour okay; stir too much and bread turns chewy
- Fold in chocolate chips gently Reserve few chips for sprinkling on surface if desired
- Pour batter into prepared pan Smooth the top with spatula or back of spoon
- Bake 60–65 minutes or until toothpick comes out mostly clean Tiny moist crumbs fine but no wet batter Center may jiggle less after 1 hr 5 min but check visually crust golden with cracked top
- Cool in pan on wire rack about 30 minutes Bread pulls slightly from edges, smells nutty and sweet Almost too hot to touch but not burning
- Remove from pan Cool completely This is key—warm bread with glaze melts glaze and makes it slide off
- Glaze: Microwave peanut butter, butter, and milk in 30-second bursts Stir between until smooth and melted No overheating or separating
- Whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla If glaze too thick add splash milk if too thin add sifted powdered sugar Adjust till spreadable but not runny
- Spread glaze evenly over cooled bread Let set 10–15 minutes before slicing Use serrated knife for clean cuts
Cooking tips
Start with oven preheated fully. Adjust rack lower than normal; it prevents burnt tops before loaf cooks fully inside. Use a spatula over a mixer to control gluten development. Bananas must be very ripe—spots and softness mean flavor depth, but waterier bananas need slightly less buttermilk or risk sogginess. Folding chocolate chips last prevents color bleed and ensures even distribution. Baking time varies per oven and pan color: check around 55 minutes by sight and toothpick test. A jiggle center means still moist inside but don’t open oven early or risk collapse. Cooling 30 min before pan removal lets loaf firm up—too soon and it breaks. Timing glaze when bread is completely cool is crucial; warm bread melts glaze and runs off. Adjust glaze thickness carefully—a runnier glaze looks shiny but may slide; thicker glaze sets faster but can crack. Serrated knife slicing preserves crumb; a dull blade crushes it.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Mash bananas fully but leave some small lumps for texture. Overmixing batter develops gluten; fold dry ingredients slowly. Batter looks mottled yet moist—avoid stirring till smooth, or bread gets tough. Bananas ripe enough when very soft, spotted. Less ripe means reduce liquid slightly.
- 💡 Butter and peanut butter in glaze must melt gently. Microwave in short bursts with stirring to prevent separating. Adjust thickness by adding powdered sugar in small amounts; if glaze gets too stiff add milk drop by drop. Apply to fully cooled loaf or glaze will run off and slide uselessly.
- 💡 Oven rack placement affects crust and crumb. Position rack one notch below center to avoid overbrowning but still allow proper rise. Light pans brown better; dark pans absorb more heat causing quicker crust formation and burnt edges. Watch oven early at 55 minutes for jiggle test.
- 💡 Chocolate chips last folded in. Prevent color bleed by folding gently. Reserve a few chips to sprinkle on top pre-baking. Different chocolates melt uniquely—semi-sweet holds shape better while chopped bars create gooey pockets. Avoid chunks causing uneven structure or melting too fast.
- 💡 Use serrated knife for slicing cooled bread. Dull knives crush crumb making it dense. Bread cools 30 minutes in pan then fully out before glazing. Removing too soon results in cracks or fall apart. Timing moisture level visible by slight jiggle at center but no raw batter.
Common questions
How ripe should bananas be?
Overripe works best, very soft, dark spots all over. If too firm, reduce buttermilk to avoid sogginess. Softness equals flavor depth but watch water content; watery bananas need less liquid to keep crumb intact.
Can I swap peanut butter?
Natural creamy peanut butter preferred, withstands folding. Almond butter works but shifts flavor. Avoid grainy or salty types to keep balance. Oil swap to coconut oil changes moisture and scent; watch melting points for texture shifts.
My bread turns dense or gluey - why?
Overmixing main cause. Gluten develops with too vigorous stirring or long mixing time. Fold dry into wet gently, stop as soon as no dry streaks remain. Too much flour or less ripe bananas increase density. Check batter look, should be slightly lumpy.
How to store leftovers?
Wrap tightly at room temp for 2 days max or refrigerate wrapped in foil/plastic for up to a week. Freeze individual slices in airtight bags. Thaw at room temp. Glaze less stable in fridge—sometimes hardens or cracks. Reheat gently if needed.
