Easy Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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This easy vegan chocolate chip banana bread is moist and flavorful and will make your house smell amazing. It's the perfect way to use up those spotty bananas while enjoying a dairy-free and egg-free treat.

Vegan banana bread slices on a counter next to chocolate chips.

Make sure to check out my Vegan 3 Ingredient Homemade Bread recipe for another easy bread recipe.

If you'd like more easy vegan baked goods recipes check out my Sweet Potato Brownies, Easy Vegan Zucchini Muffins, or Egg Free Chocolate Chip Cookies next.

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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
🍌 Ingredients & substitutions
👩‍🍳 Recipe tips
🔪 Directions
🐵 If your bananas aren't ripe yet
❄️ Storing tips
❓ Recipe FAQs
🧁 More recipes
📖 Recipe

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

Moist and flavorful: This vegan banana bread is incredibly moist and packed with delicious banana flavor. Each bite is satisfying and indulgent.
Easy to make: With just one bowl and simple ingredients, this recipe is easy to prepare, making it perfect for both novice and experienced bakers.
Dairy-free and egg-free: This recipe is completely free of dairy and eggs, making it suitable for vegans or those with dietary restrictions or allergies.
Great use for spotty bananas: If you have ripe and spotty bananas sitting on your counter, this recipe is a fantastic way to use them up and prevent food waste.
Versatile: You can customize this banana bread by adding in your favorite mix-ins like vegan chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried fruits to make it even more delightful and personalized.
Perfect for breakfast or snacks: Enjoy a slice of this vegan banana bread alongside your morning coffee or whenever you have a sweet tooth. It's a delightful treat to start or end your day.

🍌 Ingredients & substitutions

Ingredients for vegan banana bread laid out in small glass bowls on a counter.

This easy recipe is made with easy to find and simple ingredients

All purpose flour - If you prefer a different type of flour, you can try whole wheat flour or spelt flour but it will change the texture slightly.
Vegan chocolate chips - Look for dairy-free chocolate chips made from plant-based ingredients. You can find them in most grocery stores or specialty stores. Some popular brands include Enjoy Life and Simple Truth. If you can't find vegan chocolate chips, you can chop up a vegan chocolate bar into chunks and use them instead. You can add in some chopped walnuts as well for even more flavor and texture.
Baking powder & baking soda - these leavening agents help the bread to rise. Make sure your baking powder and soda are fresh, otherwise, your bread might not rise.
Overripe bananas - the riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be. Use bananas with lots of brown spots for the best results.
Vegetable oil - Vegetable oil adds moisture to the bread. You can also use melted coconut oil, canola oil, avocado oil or sunflower oil. Melted vegan butter also works. I love Miyokos or Country Crock.
Vanilla extract - this enhances the flavor of the bread. You can use vanilla bean paste or vanilla powder as alternatives.
Soy milk - adds moisture to the batter. Feel free to use any non-dairy milk such as almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk as a substitute.
Apple cider vinegar - helps activate the leavening agents and contributes to the bread's rise. If you don't have apple cider vinegar, you can use white vinegar or lemon juice as a substitute.
Granulated cane sugar - you can use brown sugar as well, or a mix of both. Maple syrup would also work.

👩‍🍳 Recipe tips

Don’t over mix the batter. It will make the bread tough. Stir it just enough to fold in the flour.

Sprinkle brown sugar on top right before baking. Trust me, this brown sugar crust will knock your socks off.

If you need more tips on vegan baking, check out my vegan egg substitute guide for baking.

Let the batter sit for 15 minutes before baking - this allows the ingredients to hydrate and bind together, resulting in a better texture and flavor in the finished bread. This resting period also helps activate the leavening agents for proper rising during baking.

Measure the flour correctly! Use the spoon and level method by scooping the flour out of the bag with a spoon, and putting it into the measuring cup. Then level it off with the flat end of a knife. Measuring like this ensures that you're not using too much flour.

🔪 Directions

Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for full step-by-step instructions.

Mashed banana in a mixing bowl with a fork.

Step one: Mash the bananas in a medium bowl with a fork or potato masher.

Wet ingredients for dairy free eggless banana bread in a mixing bowl.

Step two: Add the wet ingredients and sugar to the mashed bananas and mix well.

Dry ingredients for egg free banana bread in a large mixing bowl.

Step three: Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Vegan chocolate chip banana bread batter in a mixing bowl with a blue rubber spatula.

Step four: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold in the chocolate chunks of walnuts. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes to give it a chance to rise even more.

Vegan banana bread batter with chocolate chips in a bread pan.

Step five: Grease a bread pan or line with parchment paper. Add the banana bread batter and sprinkle brown sugar or extra chocolate chips on top of the loaf.

Vegan chocolate chip banana bread in a bread pan on top of a dish towel.

Step six: Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick into the center of the bread and it comes out clean. Take out of the oven and out of the bread pan and let the bread cool on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before cutting into it.

🐵 If your bananas aren't ripe yet

Here's how to ripen bananas quicker. Banana bread is a lot better if the bananas are naturally ripened, but if you don't want to wait you can:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place unpeeled bananas on a lined baking sheet and bake for 15-35 minutes, or until the skins turn black all over.

2. Strain bananas over a strainer to get rid of excess moisture, as baked bananas will have more moisture. Peel and mash.

❄️ Storing tips

To store your delicious moist banana bread, make sure it cools down to room temperature. Then, you have a few options:

Counter: Keep the banana bread in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Store it on the counter for up to 2-3 days.

Freezer: Banana bread freezes exceptionally well. Wrap individual slices or the whole loaf tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil or place it in a freezer-safe container. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Thaw it at room temperature eating.

Remember, when storing banana bread, moisture can affect its texture. Keeping it in an airtight container or wrapping it tightly will help maintain its freshness and prevent it from drying out.

❓ Recipe FAQs

Can you store banana bread in the fridge?

If you live in a warm climate or want to extend the shelf life, you can store banana bread in the fridge. Wrap it tightly and place it in a resealable bag or container. It will stay fresh for about a week.

Can I turn this into banana muffins?

These would definitely be good as banana muffins as well. Oil a muffin tin and divide equally. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. You can also check out my Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins recipe.

Can I make this oil free?

Absolutely! Just replace the oil with applesauce. Use unsweetened if you'd like less sugar.

Can I make this gluten free?

I haven't tried making this gluten free, but I've heard readers having success using an all-purpose gluten free flour mix, like Bob's red mill.