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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!
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“Absolutely decadent!!! I’m telling you, I believe this is the best recipe I’ve baked in my lifetime, and I’ve done a lot of baking. It must be the bananas, coupled with the semi-sweet chocolate chips, that give them this incredibly moist texture. Take my word for it when I say this is a must-try recipe!” -Tamara
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!
Table of Contents
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.
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
Step 1: 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.
Step 2: Mix in the wet ingredients: eggs, sourdough discard, milk and vanilla.
Add in the bananas and mix. To ensure there are no chunks in the bread, pre-mash the bananas before adding.
Step 3: 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.
Lastly, gently fold in chocolate chips.
Step 4: 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 in a preheated 350℉ oven or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 5: Once baked, set on a cooling rack to cool before slicing.
Recipe Tips
- Mash the bananas before adding them to the batter to ensure there are no chunks in the bread.
- Cream the butter and sugars completely before you add the remaining ingredients
- Do not over-mix! This is the most important rule to follow to ensure that the bread stays tender and doesn’t turn out tough. It’s okay if the batter is a little lumpy, it does not need to be smooth. The more you mix the batter the more gluten development happens, which results in a tough bread.
- Do not overbake the bread. Check the bread with a toothpick or cake tester and as soon as it comes out clean, it is ready. All ovens are different, so your total time for baking may vary slightly.
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 FAQ
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.
Yes, either active starter or discard will work in this recipe.
Yes, if you would like to long ferment the batter for extra digestion benefits and added flavor, simply add the batter to the fridge for 12-24 hours and then add to the loaf pan and bake as instructed.
More sourdough quick bread
Sourdough Discard Recipes
Quick & Easy Sourdough Mini Muffins (Little Bites copycat)
Sourdough Quick Bread Recipes
Sourdough Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping
Sourdough Discard Recipes
The Best Lemon Poppy Seed Sourdough Muffins
Fall Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel
Tried this Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread or another recipe from the site? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments—can’t wait to see what you’re baking!
Sourdough Chocolate Banana Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 70 grams butter, 5 Tablespoons
- 100 grams sugar, ½ cup
- 110 grams brown sugar, ½ cup
- 2 eggs, 100 grams
- 5 grams vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
- 245 grams extra ripe bananas, about 3 medium bananas
- 5 grams baking soda, 1 teaspoon
- 3 grams salt, ½ teaspoon
- 45 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
- Mash ripe bananas. 245 grams extra ripe bananas
- Mix in the wet ingredients: eggs, sourdough discard, milk, bananas and vanilla.2 eggs, 120 grams sourdough discard, 60 grams milk, 5 grams vanilla extract
- Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.140 grams all-purpose flour, 45 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 or line with parchment paper and pour the batter into the pan. Top with remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake for 50 minutes and then tent with foil and return to the oven for an additional 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- 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 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
delicious
Thanks so much!
Hi! Any recommendations on making this dairy free?
Full-fat coconut milk in place of milk and plant-based butter 🙂
Can you use frozen bananas?
Yes! I just recommend thawing them so they are easy to mash and drain off the excess liquid.
This is my go to for the family. It’s fudgy , it’s decadent, it’s delicious. I ran out of cows milk and used coconut, it turned out just as good as the original recipe.
Love all of your recipes.
My husband said this was the best banana bread he has ever had!! And he has had many kinds! I agree. We ate it warm so it was like dessert after dinner, and then again room temperature for breakfast the next day. Both incredible! The flavor gets better the longer it sits. I would not change a single thing. Moist and delicious!!!
Thanks so much Kristin!
This is the BEST banana bread I have ever made!!! Such an easy recipe to follow. I love how the measured ingredients are incorporated with the instructions so you don’t have to scroll back and forth. Thank you for sharing!!
Thanks so much, Haley!
Absolutely decadent!!! I made this recipe into muffins today, and sampled one just as soon as they cooled. I’m telling you, I believe this is the best recipe I’ve baked in my lifetime, and I’ve done a lot of baking. It must be the bananas, coupled with the semi-sweet chocolate chips, that give them this incredibly moist texture. Take my word for it when I say this is a must-try recipe! Next up: Sourdough Carrot Bundt Cake!!!!
Wow, thank you so much!! What a compliment.
So good. Made the muffins and had to cook quite a bit longer than you suggest but wow. Very moist and delicious. Thanks!
Thanks so much!
A… MAZING!!!!! this is the first discard recipe I have liked, and the first recipe i have tried from Emily. I look forward to making more from her. So good!!!
A… MAZING!!!!! this is the first discard recipe I have liked. So good!!!
Yay!! So happy to hear that.