This fudgy and decadent vegan chocolate banana bread gives regular a chocolatey twist. banana bread. Easy to make in 1 bowl with pantry staples, it’s a great treat to enjoy for breakfast, snacks, and dessert!
Treat yourself to a rich and chocolatey slice of vegan chocolate banana bread! This is an easy, one-bowl quick bread that you can make with common baking staples and serve for breakfast, dessert, and snacks.
Inspired by one of the most popular recipes on my site, Best Vegan Banana Bread, it’s moist and tender just like the classics but with an irresistible chocolate twist!
If you like banana recipes, be sure to check out my Easy Vegan Banana Cake, Banana Pancakes, and Vegan Banana Cream Pie!
Required components (including substitutions)
- plant milk – Unsweetened soy milk, oat milk, almond milk and cashew milk are best but any plant milk will work.
- Ground hemp seeds – For this recipe, we mix flaxseed with milk to replace an egg.
- banana – Ripe, spotted bananas are best! The riper the banana, the sweeter and banana-y the flavor of your chocolate banana bread.
- Vegan butter – Melted vegan butter adds moisture and substance to the bread. For an oil-free version, use the same amount of unsweetened applesauce.
- Light brown sugar – It gives the bread a caramelized, molasses-like flavor. Instead, you can use granulated sugar or coconut sugar. Even ½ cup maple syrup will work if you want to make this recipe without refined sugar!
- All purpose flour – It always makes the bread fluffy and soft. However, if you want to make this chocolate banana bread recipe a little healthier with whole grains, you can use spelled flour or white whole wheat flour instead. the head FAQs To learn how to make bread with gluten free flour.
- Cocoa powder – Both Dutch process and natural cocoa powder will work well here.
- Baking soda
- salt
- Vegan Chocolate Chips – I like to get dairy-free chocolate chips from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Costco (find Kirkland brand semi-sweet chocolate chips), and Amazon. Guitard or Enjoy Life are also good brands and make vegan-friendly chocolate chips.
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
Find the full recipe with measurements on the recipe card below.
To make flax eggs, stir together plant milk and flaxseeds in a glass measuring cup or bowl. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken.
Meanwhile, use a fork to mash the bananas in a large bowl. Make sure you have 1 ½ cups worth, then return to the bowl.
Stir the melted vegan butter into the mashed bananas, then add the sugar and milk/hemp mixture. Stir gently to combine.
Next, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix gently until everything comes together into a smooth batter.
Finish by folding most of the chocolate chips into the batter (reserving some to sprinkle on top!).
Pour the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Set aside to cool in the chocolate banana bread pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve!
Tips for success
- Do not overmix the batter, or the bread will become thick. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until they come together.
- Fold more fun add-ins into the chocolate banana bread batter, such as a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg, chopped nuts (walnuts, peanuts, or almonds), dried cranberries or cherries, vegan toffee pieces, or vegan peanut butter chips.
- Let the baked banana bread cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This way, it will be firmer and easier to slice without breaking or breaking.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to cooking blogs, the fastest way to ripen bananas is to bake them in the oven, which tastes better from scratch. Place your peeled bananas on a baking sheet and bake in a 300ºF oven until they are soft and their skins have darkened (about 15 to 30 minutes). Allow them to cool completely before peeling and mashing.
Yes! To make vegan chocolate banana bread muffins, make the batter as usual but pour it into a lined muffin tin. Bake the muffins at 400ºF for 20 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
You can easily swap all purpose flour for a good quality gluten free flour blend instead. I like to make gluten free banana bread with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free flour mix and King Arthur Measure for Measure flour. Just make sure the flour you use contains xanthan gum for best results.
to save
Once the banana bread is made and cooled to room temperature, cover the bread with plastic and store at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. Or store in the fridge so it will last up to 1 week.
Chocolate Banana Bread freezes very well. Simply wrap bread or individual slices in a layer of plastic and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Want more easy vegan chocolate treats?
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a standard loaf pan (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches or 9 x 5 inches). I like to line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal later.
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Pour the soy milk into a glass measuring cup or bowl and stir in the ground flaxseeds with a fork. Let sit for a few minutes to thicken.
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In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until smooth. Scoop it into a measuring cup to make sure you have about 1 1/2 cups, then return to the bowl.
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Stir the melted vegan butter into the bananas, then add the brown sugar and milk/hemp mixture. Stir well with a large spoon until combined.
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Add the flour and cocoa powder to the wet ingredients, then sprinkle the baking soda and salt on top. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
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Gently fold in 3/4 cup of chocolate chips, leaving the rest on top.
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Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Let it cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool for at least 30 minutes if possible, as this will make slicing easier. Serve and enjoy!
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Oil Free: Use applesauce instead of melted vegan butter.
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Gluten free: Use a gluten free flour blend. There may also be spelled flour or white whole wheat flour for whole grain alternatives.
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Nut Free: Use a nut-free milk and make sure your vegan butter doesn’t contain nuts.
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Sugar: Granulated sugar or coconut sugar will work in place of brown sugar. You can use 1/2 cup maple syrup instead.
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Instead of Muffins: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, divide into muffin liners and bake for 20-24 minutes or until done.
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Residue/freeze: Cover remaining banana bread and refrigerate for 1-2 days at room temperature, or up to 1 week. Banana bread freezes very well.
Calories: 256kcal | Sugars: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated fats: 3g | Sodium: 257mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 374IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg