Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Pecans (Printable)

Moist banana bread featuring chocolate chips and crunchy pecans, perfect for any time of day.

# What You Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
04 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
05 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

→ Add-ins

11 - 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
12 - 3/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
04 - Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined; avoid overmixing.
05 - Fold in chocolate chips and chopped pecans, reserving a small amount of both for topping if desired.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle reserved chocolate chips and pecans evenly on top.
07 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
08 - Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely prior to slicing.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The chocolate and pecans turn ordinary banana bread into something that feels intentional and special, not just a way to use up fruit.
  • It comes together in under 20 minutes of actual work, then bakes while you do something else entirely.
  • A slice tastes even better the next day, which means you can make it without worrying about timing.
02 -
  • Don't overmix once the dry ingredients go in—it's the most common mistake and turns soft bread into dense cake.
  • Those moist crumbs on the toothpick aren't underbaked; they're what keeps the bread tender and keeps it from drying out as it cools.
03 -
  • Room-temperature ingredients blend together more smoothly and create a more tender crumb than cold ingredients straight from the fridge.
  • If you notice the top browning too quickly while it bakes, loosely tent it with foil for the last 15 minutes so the inside has time to set.

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