Name: Whole Wheat Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 ripe medium bananas, mashed; 2 large eggs; 1/2 cup canola oil; 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce; 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed; 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

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Inside: Get the recipe for moist, sweet whole wheat banana bread with chocolate chips, It’s made using whole wheat pastry flour and perfect for breakfast, lunch boxes, and snacks.

A loaf of Whole Wheat Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips sits on a cooling rack. Four pieces are sliced and laying, overlapped.

Reader comment:

I’ve made this recipe a half dozen times now. It’s my go to for banana bread. My daughter is struggling with gluten, so yesterday I made it with gluten free flour and the taste was still great.

Everything is better with chocolate chips. That seems to be a family motto of sorts around here.

When there are overripe bananas lingering in the fruit bowl, they’re either frozen for smoothies or mashed into a loaf of this easy banana bread.

And when I ask my boys their preference, they always choose adding chocolate chips. Smart kids.

A loaf of Banana Bread with whole wheat pastry flour sits in a silver pan on a wood tabletop.

Ingredients You Need for This Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Bananas: the riper the better
Eggs: use large eggs for this recipe
Canola oil: a nice neutral oil
Unsweetened applesauce: gives the banana bread extra moistness
Brown sugar: lends a caramel-y flavor and a deeper hue to your loaf
Whole wheat pastry flour: find it is the baking aisle
Baking soda
Salt
Cinnamon
Baking powder
Semi-sweet chocolate chips

A bag of Bobs Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour sits on a wood tabletop.

Questions about Banana Bread with Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

What is Whole Wheat Pastry Flour?

This banana bread recipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour. If you’ve been baking your cookies and muffins with regular whole wheat flour, this switch will rock your world. Whole wheat pastry flour (also called graham flour) is made from a lower-protein wheat than regular whole wheat flour, so your baked goods will be softer and more tender. It’s best for baked goods like cookies, muffins, and pie crust but NOT yeast breads.

What Kind of Pan Should I Use for Whole Wheat Banana Bread?

Light-colored metal pans (such as aluminum) are generally recommended for quick breads like this. Darker metal pans tend to absorb too much heat, and you may end up with bread that’s burnt around the edges. When I tried this recipe using a glass loaf pan, the bread stuck horribly on the bottom despite generous greasing and flouring. Yet some people swear by glass pans for baking breads. If you decide to go glass, lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

As extra insurance, no matter what kind of pan you use, I recommend cutting a piece of parchment to fit just the bottom of the pan. Place it in the pan after greasing and flouring. No more worries about your loaf sticking to the bottom. It peels right off after baking.

Your loaf may also come out neater and cleaner if you allow it to rest in the pan for 15-20 minutes after baking before turning it out.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips

Can I Use This Recipe For Banana Bread Muffins instead?

Yes! To make muffins from this recipe, allow batter to sit for 15 minutes (your muffins will rise up higher). Line a muffin tin with paper liners, or grease and flour compartments well. Bake muffins at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

How Do You Store Banana Bread?

Keep this bread in an airtight container or sealed bag on the counter. This bread is moist, so don’t leave it at room temperature more than 4-5 days.

Recipe Card for Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips