Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread

Posted Dec 30, 2021, Updated Feb 20, 2024

5 from 4 votes

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This healthy chocolate banana bread recipe is easy to make with a handful of nutritious ingredients like applesauce, Greek yogurt and whole wheat flour. It’s sweetened with honey (no refined sugar) and makes a great breakfast or snack.

a loaf of Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread with two slices cut out of it

I love creating healthier versions of our favorite recipes recipes that my kids love to eat – like this healthy chocolate banana bread (adapted from our favorite chocolate banana bread recipe).

This recipe is easy to make with a handful of nutritious ingredients like applesauce, Greek yogurt and whole wheat flour. It’s sweetened with honey which means there’s no refined sugar.

We usually enjoy it for breakfast but it also makes a delicious healthy dessert or snack!

3 slices of Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread cut out of a loaf

Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread: Ingredients & Substitutions

Bananas. Make sure the bananas are overripe for the best flavor and maximum sweetness. If you use frozen bananas, let them thaw to room temperature before using in this recipe – and don’t drain off any liquid that forms in the thawing process.
Honey. Maple syrup is a great substitute for honey, and imparts a delicious maple flavor.
Unsweetened applesauce. Cinnamon applesauce is also a great choice. I prefer unsweetened but you can use any variety you’d like.
Vanilla greek yogurt. You can use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream if you’d prefer, just note you may want to add a little bit more honey.
Salted butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil, canola oil and ghee all work well as substitutes for salted butter.
Whole wheat pastry flour. White whole wheat flour, whole wheat flour or regular all-purpose flour all can be used in place of whole wheat pastry flour.
Unsweetened cocoa powder. Use a dark powder for a deeper chocolate taste.
Mix-ins. there are so many possible mix-ins that can be added to this healthy chocolate banana bread recipe. Chocolate chips, dried cranberries, raisins, dried cherries, coconut, pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc.

ingredients in this Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread recipe

How to Make Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread

This healthy chocolate banana bread recipe comes together in a few minutes with minimal dishes. Don’t forget to watch the video and follow along with the step by step photos below.

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and generously greasing a 9×5” Loaf pan, then set it aside.

Next combine the flour, cocoa powder baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt together in a medium bowl, then set it aside.

two photos showing How to make Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread - mixing dry ingredients

Then, in a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, eggs, vanilla, honey, applesauce, Greek yogurt and melted butter. Stir until mixture is smooth with just lumps of banana.

two photos showing How to make Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread - mixing wet ingredients

Once the wet ingredients are combined, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until combined.

two photos showing How to make Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread - combining wet and dry ingredients

Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread: Mix-ins

At this point, if you wish you can add mix-ins. We added chocolate chips, but here are some other suggestions:

Chocolate Chips (milk, dark, light, etc.)
Walnuts
Pecans
Cinnamon chips
White chocolate chips
Blueberries
Dried fruit (cranberries, rasins, etc.)
Swirl of peanut butter or Nutella
Unsweetened coconut

two photos showing How to make Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread - adding chocolate chips

Next, pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake the healthy chocolate banana bread on the lower rack in the preheated oven for 50-65 minutes, or until the top is set and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out with moist crumbs.

two photos showing Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread in the baking pan before and after baking.

Once the bread has finished baking, let it cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

side view of a loaf of Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread cooling on a wire cooling rack

Serve

Once the bread is cooled enough (you can serve it serve slightly warm or at room temperature), cut into slices and enjoy!

I suggest serving it with a slather of this cinnamon honey butter, homemade peanut butter or this homemade vanilla almond butter.

Store

Store this healthy chocolate banana bread recipe in an airtight container or plastic bag to ensure it does not dry out. If you plan on eating the entire loaf in a day or two, you can store it at room temperature. If it will take longer, I recommend storing it in the refrigerator.

Freeze

This healthy chocolate banana bread freezes very well. I recommend freezing it in slices in an airtight container so you can pull out one slice at a time to enjoy.

Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe FAQs

Are my bananas ripe enough to make banana bread?

Make sure you use overripe, brown bananas! They have the best flavor, maximum sweetness, and are the easiest to mash! They should be very dark brown or almost black and soft to the touch!

Can you freeze banana bread?

Yes, I recommend freezing it in slices in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Wrap each individual slice in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn.

How do I make my banana bread more moist?

If this bread isn’t moist it’s likely your loaf was over-baked. Bake for a shorter amount of time. Also make sure to use full-fat ingredients and don’t make substitutions.

up close view of a slice of Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread

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