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Cooking with Kids: Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Everyone seems to have a recipe for banana bread. It’s such a popular thing to make that I thought long and hard before even deciding to do my own. Seriously, there are thousands of variations. This recipe for Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread is one of my personal favorites.

We consume a lot of bananas in our house. My kids adore bananas in a must-have-daily sort of way. So banana bread? It’s a natural fit for us — as long as we remember to let a few overripen.

This Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread recipe has a subtle banana flavor that is enhanced with meaty walnuts and smooth, sweet chocolate chips.

Serve this for breakfast as a treat. It’s lovely for Saturday morning or as a bread for brunch. This is also a fabulous dessert bread, perfect for after a great meal. I’m happy to have it either way. However you eat it, be sure to smooth a little butter onto a warm slice — it’s amazing like that.

This is also a perfect recipe for cooking with kids because there are so many opportunities for children to get involved in the process. From the peeling and mashing of the bananas to the measuring and mixing, there are so many prime opportunities for them to help make this bread. I love seeing the pride in my children’s eyes when they say that they helped to make something like this … it’s beautiful.

Will and Paige had a blast making this bread. And as soon as it slid in the oven, they dashed outside for more playtime. Thank goodness for spring … we’ve needed this reprieve.

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Yield: 1 loaf
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

KID STEPS: Peel and mash the bananas. Measure the ingredients. Add them to the mixer. Older kids can also help with preparing the pan for baking and smoothing the top of the batter before cooking.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, , softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 ripe bananas, , mashed
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup walnut pieces
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan with cooking oil spray. Set aside.
  2. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, beating well each time. Add the vanilla and bananas to the mixture and mix well on medium speed.
  3. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer running on its lowest speed, add the flour mixture to the bowl little by little, until just combined.
  4. Add the walnuts and chocolate chips to the batter and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread with a spatula to even it out.
  5. Slide the pan into the preheated oven and cook for about 1 hour. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before slicing and serving.

Mimi

Thursday 29th of August 2013

Thank you so much for this recipe, Sarah! I just made a loaf and my husband and I love it. Definitely the best I've had!

Sarah W. Caron

Thursday 29th of August 2013

So glad to hear it, Mimi. Thanks!!

Deanna @ Marzipan

Thursday 15th of April 2010

I made this yesterday and it was delicious! Thanks for the recipe! .-= Deanna @ Marzipan´s last blog ..Coconut Cream Tart and a recipe for Pecan Crust =-.

Julia @ Mélanger

Monday 12th of April 2010

A great bread for kids and adults alike. I am especially drawn to the chocolate chips! .-= Julia @ Mélanger´s last blog ..{ Chocolate pecan & maple scrolls } =-.

Sarah Caron

Thursday 8th of April 2010

Patsy, what's your favorite version? Would love to try it!

Liz, great question -- I typically cut my loaf into 3/4 inch to 1 inch slices, so we end up with about 12 slices, which means we get to eat this three times (there are four of us).

Liz - Meal Makeover Mom

Thursday 8th of April 2010

My kids are hooked on my mini banana chocolate chip muffins, so recently I also decided to create a banana bread recipe. I ended up adding a shredded zucchini to mine and the results were great. The chocolate chips are key. About how many servings did you end up with? Now that my kids are a bit older -- 11 and almost 15 (yikes), things like banana bread don't last too long in my house! .-= Liz - Meal Makeover Mom´s last blog ..Podcast 99: Menu Planning 101 with the Organizing Junkie =-.

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