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Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread

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If you love banana bread, this Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread is a must-try! It is full of sweet bananas, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips for a rich, chocolatey flavor, and sourdough discard to give a moist and tender texture! 

Slices of Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread next to chocolate chips

Banana bread is one of my favorite quick breads! I love using the bananas for the added sweetness and moisture, and I also love how versatile it is. My original Sourdough Banana Bread recipe is baked in muffin form and has the option of using chocolate chips or other mix-ins like walnuts or shredded coconut. For this recipe, I decided to take it up a notch and really infuse the banana bread with rich, gooey, chocolatey flavor by adding cocoa powder and chocolate chips. This banana bread is so chocolatey and delicious, you are going to love it! 

Slices of Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread on a white cloth napkin

Reasons you will love this Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread recipe

  • This bread is full of rich chocolate flavor and bursts of chocolate chips. 
  • It uses ripe bananas to add sweetness to the bread and is a really great way to use up overripe bananas!
  • It is super quick and easy to make.
  • This recipe is a great way to use your sourdough discard so it doesn’t go to waste. 

What is a quick bread?

Quick bread is a type of bread that uses baking soda or baking powder to make the bread rise instead of yeast, which means no rise time! You do not have to let the dough rise before baking, just bake it. Other quick breads you can make include Sourdough Banana BreadSourdough Zucchini Bread, and Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

Loaf of Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread sliced

What is sourdough discard?

This recipe calls for sourdough discard, which will help make the banana bread moist and tender. Discard is a term used for a sourdough starter that is past its peak and is no longer ideal for leavening. However, it still makes a great addition to baked goods and is used in a variety of sourdough discard recipes. If you don’t already have a sourdough starter, you can make one with my Easy Sourdough Starter recipe

Slices of Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread on a white cloth napkin

Tools to make Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread

Kitchen aid stand mixer or beaters – You can use either of these tools to mix the dough, or if preferred you can beat it by hand with a whisk.

Measuring cups and spoons – you will need a variety of sizes to measure out the ingredients or you can use a scale. 

Cooling Rack – Using a cooling rack helps the bread cool quicker by allowing air under the bread. 

Loaf pan – this is my favorite 9″x5″ loaf pan to bake with. 

Loaf of Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread with slices in it

Ingredients for Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread

  • Butter – Salted or unsalted butter will work just fine. 
  • White sugar & brown sugar –The combination of sugars gives it a soft texture and keeps the bread moist.
  • Eggs – Acts as a binder in the recipe. 
  • Vanilla extract – The vanilla will help enhance the flavor of the chocolate. 
  • Bananas – Use very ripe bananas, the riper they are, the more sweetness they will add to the bread. 
  • Sourdough discard – Cold or room temperature discard will work. I use mine directly from the fridge.
  • Milk – You can use whatever type of milk you have on hand.
  • Baking soda- This is added to leaven the banana bread.
  • Salt – Using salt in baked goods brings out the flavor. You can use whatever type of salt you have on hand. 
  • Cocoa powder – The addition of the cocoa powder gives the banana bread a rich chocolate flavor. 
  • Flour – Unbleached all-purpose flour is my flour of choice.
  • Chocolate chips – For gooey bursts of chocolate. You can use milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate if you prefer.

Directions to make Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Ingredients on being measured on a scale

First, beat the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy in a large bowl. You can also use your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. 

Sugar and butter creamed for Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread

Next, mix in the wet ingredients: eggs, sourdough discard, milk and vanilla.

Ingredients for Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread all in a clear bowl

Add in the bananas and mix. If you are using beaters there is no reason to premash but if you are mixing by hand it may be easier to mash the bananas beforehand. 

Batter for Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread in a bowl

Mix in the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda and stir to combine. Dump into the batter. Gently mix until just combined. Do not over mix here to ensure the banana bread stays tender. 

Dry ingredients for Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread including flour and cocoa powder

Lastly, gently fold in chocolate chips. 

Batter for Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread

Spray a 9” x 5” pan with non-stick spray and pour in the batter. Add additional chocolate chips on top if you would like. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread batter in baking pan with chocolate chips on top

Once baked, set on a cooling rack to cool before slicing. 

Can this Banana Bread be made into muffins?

Yes! If you prefer to make 12 muffins instead of one loaf you can add the batter into a muffin tin and then bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  

How to store Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread

To store the Sourdough Chocolate Banana bread, wrap it up with aluminum foil or plastic wrap or store in an airtight container once completely cooled. The bread can be left at at room temperature for several days. Or, if kept in the fridge it will last for about a week. 

To freeze, double-wrap the loaf when it’s completely cooled and then add it to a freezer bag. You can store it in the freezer for up to three months. When you would like to eat the banana bread, remove it from the freezer and let it defrost on the counter.

Recipe Card

Slices of Chocolate Sourdough Banana Bread next to a small wooden bowl of chocolate chips.

Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread

Emily Christensen
If you love banana bread, this Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread is a must-try! It is full of sweet bananas, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips for a rich, chocolatey flavor, and sourdough discard to give a moist and tender texture!
4.63 from 32 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 1 Loaf
Calories 326 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 70 grams butter 5 Tablespoons
  • 100 grams sugar ½ cup
  • 110 grams brown sugar ½ cup
  • 2 eggs roughly 100 grams
  • 5 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
  • 245 grams 3 medium bananas, ripe
  • 5 grams baking soda 1 teaspoon
  • 3 grams salt ½ teaspoon
  • 44 grams cocoa powder ½ cup
  • 140 grams all-purpose flour 1 cup
  • 120 grams sourdough discard ½ cup
  • 60 grams milk ¼ cup
  • 223 grams chocolate chips, divided 1 ⅓ cup

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350℉
  • Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
    70 grams butter, 100 grams sugar, 110 grams brown sugar
  • Mix in the wet ingredients: eggs, sourdough discard, milk, bananas and vanilla.
    2 eggs, 120 grams sourdough discard, 60 grams milk, 245 grams 3 medium bananas, ripe, 5 grams vanilla extract
  • Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda together. Dump into batter and gently mix until just combined.
    140 grams all-purpose flour, 44 grams cocoa powder, 3 grams salt, 5 grams baking soda
  • Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips. 
    223 grams chocolate chips, divided
  • Spray a 9” x 5” pan with non-stick spray and pour the batter in the pa. Top with remaining chocolate chips. Bake for 1 hour-1 hour 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. The last 20 minutes I recommend adding foil over the banana bread to keep the top from drying out.
  • Set on cooling rack to cool and enjoy!

Notes

  • For maximum sweetness be sure to use ripe bananas.
  • If you prefer to make 12 muffins instead of one loaf you can add the batter into a muffin tin and then bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 335mgFiber: 3gSugar: 33g
Keyword banana, chocolate, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, sourdough discard
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was totally Awesome, I’ve made it three times now. Both in the CAKE form and the Muffin form. There is nothing “bread”y about it, lets call it what it is. It’s CAKE and it is delicious! Always a big hit with my wife, my kids, and the grandkids!

    Thanks so much for the recipe!!!

  2. 5 stars
    This bread is so easy and tastes sooo good without being too rich. I added an extra egg to make it less cakey and actually poured the batter into two prepared pans, because it overflows only one. 10/10!

  3. 5 stars
    This chocolate banana sourdough discard bread was DIVINE. Will definitely make again very soon! It was so moist!

4.63 from 32 votes (28 ratings without comment)

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