Sweetened with maple syrup and ripe bananas, this recipe for Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread cuts the refined sugar and gluten without losing the delicious homemade taste. The recipe makes either bread or healthy banana chocolate chip muffins and is gluten free, dairy free, grain free, and Paleo friendly.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Spray the pan (and parchment) with spray oil to prevent sticking.
Whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, pure maple syrup and vanilla extract until well combined. Using a spoon or spatula gently add in almond flour, oat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
Spoon batter into prepared pan, smoothing with spatula. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips on top. Bake on the middle rack for about 50-65 minutes or until a tester comes out clean, a few crumbs clinging are okay. Allow bread to sit on wire rack cooling for 10 minutes, then using the parchment paper, lift out and cool completely on a wire rack. Just before serving, if desired sprinkle with some flaky sea salt or monkfruit sugar.
MUFFINS
This batter makes 14 to 16 regular size muffins. Or you can make 12 regular sized muffins, and 12 mini muffins. (Mini-muffins are great for popping into school lunches!)
Insert cupcake liner into muffin tin and fill ⅔ full with batter. Bake regular sized muffins at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the tops spring back lightly when touched.
Bake Mini Chocolate Banana Bread Muffins for about 15-20 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly when touched.
Storage: Keep bread well sealed on countertop for about 3 days, then transfer to fridge or freezer. Will keep in fridge up to 10 days. Freezes well if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, then in a freezer baggie, for about 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or freeze individual slices.
Notes
Variations
Nut Fans | Add chopped walnut, pecans or almonds would be delicious in this bread, about ⅓ of a cup.
Try Zucchini | To cut more sugar, reduce the banana count by one banana. Add 1 cup of shredded zucchini, that has been drained on paper towels for about 20 minutes.
Add More Protein | Add a scoop (or two) of a good vanilla or chocolate protein powder or collagen protein. *Make sure your protein is not whey based if making dairy free.
VEGAN | If you are vegan, make a flaxseed egg replacement by grinding a tablespoon of flaxseed and adding it to three tablespoons of water. Aquafaba is also a good choice.
NUTELLA | If you don't mind a little extra sugar, serve with a little nutella spread.
TFC PRO Tips
Time | Banana breads are always better the next day. If you can wait, after your bread cools, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and then dive in the next day.
Storage | Keep bread well sealed on the countertop for about 3 days. Then transfer to the fridge or freezer. Your bread will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days. This recipe freezes well if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and then in a freezer baggie, for about 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or freeze individual slices.
Ripe Bananas | All banana breads are great with very ripe bananas. To get this ripeness there are several options. The easiest is to buy bananas and wait a week until they turn brown enough. OR if you need your bananas to ripen quickly, you can bake bananas at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes, until the skins are browned.