I reworked a classic loaf into Peanut Butter Banana Bread with a clever ingredient swap that keeps chocolate chips evenly distributed and adds a surprising peanut butter twist.

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I can’t stop thinking about Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Is As Good As It Sounds. The loaf lives somewhere between banana sweetness and peanut butter boldness, with creamy peanut butter and semisweet chocolate chips arriving like tiny surprises.

The crust can crack just enough, the middle stays tender and slightly sticky, and those molten chocolate hits make you pause. I keep promising myself I’ll save a slice, and then I fail.

If you’re into Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe vibes but want something with more attitude, this one will wreck your plans in the best way.

Ingredients

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Peanut butter: Loads of protein and healthy fats, gives peanutty flavor and moist, dense crumb.
Bananas: Natural sweetness, fibre and potassium, they keep the loaf super moist and sweet.
Butter: Adds richness, butter helps tenderize the crumb and carries flavor well.
Eggs: Provide structure and protein, bind everything together even if batter seems loose.
Brown sugar: Gives molasses notes, soft sweetness and moisture, makes crust slightly caramelized.
Flour: All purpose flour supplies carbs and structure, too much makes loaf tough.
Chocolate chips: Bitter sweet melty pockets, add sugar and fat, balances peanut flavor.
Chopped peanuts: Optional crunch, extra protein and salt, watch they can make it gritty.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup creamy peanut butter (about 250 g)

3 ripe bananas mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (115 g), melted

2 large eggs

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour (about 220 g)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (about 170 g)

1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts, optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment, make sure the paper comes up the sides so you can lift the loaf out easy later.

2. Mash the ripe bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth, a few small lumps are fine, then add creamy peanut butter (if it’s stiff warm it 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave so it mixes easier), melted unsalted butter, both sugars, eggs and vanilla; whisk until the mixture looks glossy and mostly smooth but dont overbeat.

3. Stir the mashed banana into the peanut butter mixture until combined, you want a uniform wet batter.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together the all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and fine salt so the leaveners are evenly distributed.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold gently with a spatula until just combined, dont overmix or you’ll get a tough loaf.

6. Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips and the chopped roasted peanuts if using, but reserve a handful of chips and peanuts to sprinkle on top for a pretty crust.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and scatter the reserved chips and peanuts over the loaf.

8. Bake about 55 to 65 minutes, start checking at 50 minutes; a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. If the top browns too fast tent the pan loosely with foil.

9. Let the loaf cool in the pan 10 to 15 minutes, then lift it out with the parchment and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Store at room temp in an airtight container for a few days or freeze slices for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×5 inch loaf pan, greased or lined with parchment that comes up the sides so you can lift the loaf out later
2. Parchment paper (a sheet long enough to line the pan)
3. Large mixing bowl for mashing bananas and mixing wet ingredients
4. Medium mixing bowl for whisking the dry ingredients together
5. Fork or potato masher to mash the ripe bananas
6. Whisk for eggs, sugars and vanilla (or a fork if you prefer)
7. Rubber spatula for folding the batter and scraping the bowl
8. Measuring cups and spoons for flour, sugars, peanut butter etc
9. Wire cooling rack, a toothpick to test doneness, and oven mitts for handling the hot pan

FAQ

Q: Can I use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy? A: Yes, you can. Crunchy will give the bread a bit more texture and the batter might seem thicker, but the bake time stays about the same. If you like extra crunch skip the chopped peanuts, or if you want it smoother use creamy.

Q: My bananas arent very ripe, will that matter? A: Ripe bananas give the best sweetness and moisture. If yours are underripe roast them in the oven at 400F for 15 to 20 minutes until the skins darken, then mash. Frozen very ripe bananas thawed and drained work great too.

Q: Can I swap the butter for oil or reduce the sugar? A: Yes oil works one for one with the melted butter, a neutral oil is best. You can cut the granulated sugar a little if you want less sweet, but brown sugar adds moisture so dont cut too much or the texture will change.

Q: How do I avoid a gummy or sunken middle? A: Dont overmix after you add the flour, measure flour by spooning into the cup then leveling it, and make sure your baking soda and powder are fresh. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter, and let the loaf cool in the pan 10 to 15 minutes before removing.

Q: Can I make muffins or double the recipe? A: Yep, this batter makes great muffins, bake at 350F for about 18 to 22 minutes. Doubling the recipe is fine, just use two loaf pans and watch the time since larger loaves can take longer to finish.

Q: How should I store and reheat leftovers? A: Keep the loaf wrapped or in an airtight container at room temp for 2 to 3 days, refrigerate up to 5 days, and freeze slices up to 3 months. To reheat warm a slice 10 to 20 seconds in the microwave or pop it in a 325F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Is As Good As It Sounds Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Peanut butter: swap for almond butter or sunflower seed butter, use equal amount (1 cup). Sunflower is great if someone has a peanut allergy, it may be a bit thinner so chill the batter a tad if it looks runny.
Unsalted butter, melted: use melted coconut oil 1:1 for similar texture and a hint of coconut, or use 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce to cut fat (loaf will be less rich).
Eggs: make two flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water, stir and wait 5 mins) for a vegan swap, or use 1/2 cup applesauce as another egg replacer.
All purpose flour: swap with whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for a nuttier loaf, or use a cup-for-cup gluten free blend if you need gluten free. Oat flour works too but it can be denser so add a splash more liquid or a little extra baking powder.

Pro Tips

1. Weigh the flour if you can, dont scoop from the bag or you will pack too much in and end up with a dry loaf. A simple kitchen scale makes this foolproof and you wont need to worry about overmixing to compensate.

2. Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots for the best sweetness and moisture, but if theyre overripe and watery, drain off excess liquid before mashing or your batter will be too loose. You can roast the bananas in the oven for 10 minutes to deepen the flavor if you want a richer banana note.

3. If your peanut butter is the natural separated kind, stir it first so the oil is reincorporated, or warm it briefly so it blends smoothly with the batter. Cold, stiff peanut butter will give you streaks and uneven texture.

4. Keep the batter folding gentle and stop when you see a few streaks of flour, it will finish blending while it rests in the pan a minute or two. Overmixing = tough bread, so resist the urge to keep stirring.

5. To prevent a too-dark top but a still-uncooked middle, check the loaf at 50 minutes, tent loosely with foil if needed, and rotate the pan once midway if your oven bakes unevenly. Let it cool in the pan until slightly firm so it doesnt sink when you lift it out.