Easy Double Chocolate Vegan Banana Bread

Have a few overripe bananas sitting on your counter? Treat yourself to a loaf of this Double Chocolate Vegan Banana Bread. It's moist, fluffy and chocolatey, and it comes together in one bowl!

Have a few overripe bananas sitting on your counter? Treat yourself to a loaf of this Easy Vegan Double Chocolate Banana Bread. It’s moist and fluffy, coming together in one bowl!

This vegan version of a classic recipe is one of my favorite quick breads to make because it’s so straightforward and made with simple ingredients, but the end result is out of this world. It’s the best vegan banana bread I’ve made and it’s going to be the only vegan banana bread recipe you need from here on out!

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Banana Bread

Regular banana bread is amazing for so many reasons, but the double chocolatey-ness of this vegan recipe takes it to a whole new level. In every bite, you get the sweetness of the ripe bananas, the decadence of cocoa powder, the gooeyness of the vegan chocolate chips, and the fluffy texture of the bread itself.

I actually developed this recipe while Eric and I were visiting his family in New York. Over the course of two weeks, I tested the banana bread three times and each time we brought some over to his sister’s family.

Eric’s two year old niece, Darcie, was absolutely obsessed with it and wouldn’t stop talking about it. She kept asking her mom, “Aunt Sarah? Uncle Eric? More banana bread?”

And as we all know, kids tell the truth. So whether you make this double chocolate banana bread for breakfast, dessert, or anything in between, you’ll probably like this recipe too.

a loaf of double chocolate vegan banana bread in a loaf pan

Ingredients for Double Chocolate Vegan Banana Bread

  • Bananas. The more ripe and spotty, the better. I typically use 3 medium-sized bananas, which amounts to roughly 1 1/2 cups when mashed.
  • White sugar. I use regular granulated sugar. You can use a blend of white and packed brown sugar if you’d like a slightly more dense loaf.
  • Vegetable oil or vegan butter. This is what’s going to give you a moist bread. Either will work in this recipe. If using oil, make sure to use a vegetable oil with a neutral flavor. If using vegan butter, you’ll want to melt it and then allow it to cool slightly before adding it.
  • Aquafaba. The liquid from a can of chickpeas. This will act as a binder in place of eggs in this vegan banana bread. I’ve found that using aquafaba is the best way to replace the eggs, but you can also use flax egg or apple sauce in this recipe. See the FAQ below for more info on this!
  • Vanilla extract. A touch of vanilla flavor goes a long way.
  • Flour. This recipe has been tested with regular all-purpose flour. Though I haven’t tried it personally, I generally have good results with a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, like the one from Bob’s Red Mill.
  • Cocoa powder. This adds the rich chocolate flavor to our banana bread. The higher quality your cocoa powder is, the more decadent your bread will be.
  • Salt.
  • Baking soda. To help the bread rise.
  • Chocolate chips. My favorite vegan-friendly chocolate chips are the ones from Trader Joe’s. They’re affordable and delicious! Guittard and Enjoy Life also make dairy-free chocolate chips that we love, though they are a little more expensive.

How to Make Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread

  1. Mash the bananas. Mash your ripe, spotty bananas in a mixing bowl. For the best banana bread texture, mash thoroughly so there are no big lumps.
  2. Combine the wet ingredients. Add the oil (or melted butter), aquafaba, vanilla extract, and sugar into the bowl with the bananas and stir until very well-combined.
  3. Sift in the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda into the wet mixture. Stir until just combined — be careful not to over-mix. Then fold in the chocolate chips, reserving a handful to top the loaf.
  4. Bake and cool. Transfer the batter into a prepared loaf pan (either greased or lined with parchment paper) and top it with the remaining chocolate chips. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Allow the loaf to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Recipe Tip: Making Banana Bread with Underripe Bananas

Okay, so usually we all feel the call to bake banana bread when we remember we bought a bunch of bananas a week ago that are now soft and spotty. But sometimes we want to make banana bread and we only have bananas that are yellow and firm. So what do we do?!

Luckily, there’s a simple trick for this. Just lay out your underripe bananas, unpeeled, on a baking tray and pop them in a 350° oven for about 10 minutes. You’ll see them turn brown and when your timer goes off, they’ll be perfect for banana bread!

Recipe FAQ

Best Egg Substitutes? Aquafaba vs. Flax Egg vs. Apple Sauce

I’ve found that aquafaba is the best egg replacer for this recipe, but you can also use the classic flax egg or apple sauce if it’s easier for you.

If you’d like to use flax, make two flaxseed “eggs” by mixing 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed mixed with 5 tablespoons of water. Allow this to sit for about 10 minutes to form a gel.

If you’d like to use apple sauce, just substitute in an equivalent volume (6 tablespoons) and you’re good to go.

Can this banana bread be made gluten-free?

While I’ve never tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, usually the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour works well for turning recipes gluten-free.

Can I add nuts to my banana bread?

Go for it! Chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds are all great additions to this vegan banana bread. If you’re someone who’s nuts for nuts, feel free to add up to 3/4 cup of your favorite variety into the batter.

Storage and Reheating

You can store your leftover chocolate banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days, or in the fridge for up to a week. If you want to freeze it for later, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store it in the freezer for up to three months.

Once your banana bread has officially become leftovers, it’s a good idea to pop a slice in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before eating. This just rehydrates the bread a little so it’s not as dry.

More Vegan Desserts

a loaf of double chocolate vegan banana bread sitting sliced on a cutting board

Easy Double Chocolate Vegan Banana Bread

Have a few overripe bananas sitting on your counter? Treat yourself to a loaf of this Double Chocolate Vegan Banana Bread. It's moist, fluffy and chocolatey, and it comes together in one bowl!
4.4 from 33 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Sarah Sullivan

Ingredients

  • 3 very ripe spotty bananas about 1 1/2 cups mashed
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup neutral vegetable oil or vegan butter melted and cooled
  • 6 tablespoons aquafaba
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup nondairy semisweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a standard 9×5" loaf pan, or line with parchment for easier removal.
  • In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas very well. Add in the sugar, oil, aquafaba, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.
  • In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
  • Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Try not to over-mix. It's okay if there are some small lumps as long as there are no pockets of visibly dry flour.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving about 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top. (If adding nuts, fold them in at this point as well.)
  • Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the reserved 1/4 cup chocolate chips over the top.
  • Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. (It's ok if there's a few crumbs sticking to it, but there should be no wet batter.)
  • Remove the banana bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Video

Notes

Storage: Chocolate chip banana bread keeps well for up to 4 days on the counter, either wrapped or in a sealed container. It can also be wrapped or sealed and frozen for up to 1 month.
Nondairy chocolate chips: We love the semisweet chips from Trader Joe’s (for taste and affordability). Guittard and Enjoy Life also make semisweet chips that are delicious.
Gluten-free: While I haven’t personally tested it yet, I generally get good results when using a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, such as the one from Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour.
Did you make this recipe?We’d love for you to leave a review on the website! You can also share a photo on IG and tag @sarahsvegankitchen_ or #sarahsvegankitchen.

One Comment

  1. 5 stars
    This recipe is DELICIOUS, just legit scrumptious. I’m refraining heavily from using various expletives, but this is not lasting long in my fridge. I may cut the sugar some next time and see how I feel, though I’m wondering what that might do to the structure. I used pecans and have no regrets. I’ve been having it in the morning with my coffee, and then again at night for dessert. I even saved more bananas to make it again in the next few days when I get more chocolate chips! New favorite, for sure.

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