• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Real Mom Nutrition

A no-judgments zone about feeding a family.

  • About
    • Start Here
    • Work With Me
    • Press
    • Disclosure & Policies
    • Contact
  • New Posts
  • Recipes
    • Most Popular Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
  • Feeding Kids
    • Picky Eating
    • Packing Lunches
    • Nutrition Ideas + Advice
    • School Wellness
    • Snacks In Sports
    • Meal Planning + Food Shopping
  • Freebies
    • Free Picky Eating E-Course
    • Free Lunch Packing E-Course

May 13, 2019

Whole Wheat Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips

Jump to Recipe
  • Share
  • Tweet

This moist, sweet banana bread with chocolate chips is made using whole wheat pastry flour. It’s perfect for breakfast, lunch boxes, and snacks.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips

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.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips

This banana bread with chocolate chips is super moist thanks to the addition of unsweetened applesauce. Using brown sugar instead of white also lends more moistness–and I love the caramel flavor and deeper hue it gives too. 

Bobs Red Mill 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.

Banana Bread Batter in Pan

What Kind of Pan Should I Use for 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.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips

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.

  You might also like: Fudgy Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Whole Wheat Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips

Can I Use This Recipe For Banana Bread Muffins?

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.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips:Click to Tweet

Whole Wheat Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips

Continue to Content
Whole Wheat Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips

Whole Wheat Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

This moist, sweet banana bread with chocolate chips is made using whole wheat pastry flour. It's perfect for breakfast, lunch boxes, and snacks.

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

Instructions

  1. Butter/grease and flour a metal baking pan. For extra insurance, cut a piece of parchment to size and place just on the bottom of the pan after greasing and flouring. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Combine mashed bananas, eggs, canola oil, unsweetened applesauce, and brown sugar in a medium bowl and stir well.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and stir well.
  4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined (but don't over-mix). Fold in 1/4 cup of the chips into the batter.
  5. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup of chips. Bake on center rack for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Remove pan from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Let loaf rest in the pan for 15-20 minutes. Invert bread out of pan and set to cool. To store leftovers, store (cooled) bread in a ziplock bag or container with a lid and use within three days--if keeping any longer, refrigerate.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Bob's Red Mill Pastry Flour Whole Wheat
    Bob's Red Mill Pastry Flour Whole Wheat
  • Steel Loaf Pan 
    Steel Loaf Pan 
  • Parchment Baking Paper
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1/12 of recipe
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 52Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 220mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 3gSugar: 20gProtein: 4g
© Sally
Cuisine: American

Hi! I'm Sally, a dietitian-mom.

I believe that EVERY mom can feel successful and confident about feeding her kids, lose the stress, and finally enjoy mealtime again.

Sign up for my weekly emails for support and inspiration (plus dinner ideas!) and I'll send you 16 game-changing tips for feeding your kids--even the super-duper picky ones.

  • Share
  • Tweet

Filed Under: Breakfast, Family Favorite, Recipes, Snacks, Sweets Tagged With: banana bread, breads, breakfast, recipe, recipes

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Suzanne says

    May 14, 2019 at 11:18 am

    I’ve never heard of whole wheat pastry flour and I love the idea! I’ve held off on using whole wheat flour in a lot of baked goods because I don’t like the resulting texture. Are there other recipes you’ve used the pastry flour for?

    Reply
    • Sally says

      May 14, 2019 at 12:17 pm

      Hi Suzanne–yes, I’ve been using it for muffins. Would like to try it for pancakes and even pie crust next. It’s definitely a big improvement over regular whole wheat flour for baking, I’ve found.

      Reply
  2. Robin says

    May 14, 2019 at 1:11 pm

    I found your site through an HGTV email, but the recipe they showed didn’t come up. I’m disappointed that your being a dietician hasn’t changed your use of sugar in recipes like this banana bread. Of course your kids want the chocolate chips. There are great chocolate chips like Lily’s brand that would still taste great and be no-sugar. Best to you! Really!

    Reply
    • Sally says

      May 14, 2019 at 1:15 pm

      Hi Robin–I’m okay with using sugar in some of my recipes, as my personal approach is balance. I avoid stevia because I do not like the aftertaste but it’s great that there are options like the Lily’s chips for people who like it. What is the HGTV recipe you were looking for? I’d be happy to direct you to it.

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        May 16, 2019 at 6:50 pm

        Love your balanced approach. That’s why I’m a regular visitor to your site!!!

        Reply
        • Sally says

          May 17, 2019 at 9:50 am

          Thank you Melissa!

  3. Jenn says

    May 14, 2019 at 6:27 pm

    Can you use regular whole wheat flour still? Have some I need to use up! Maybe add another banana in for moisture?

    Reply
    • Sally says

      May 16, 2019 at 7:49 am

      Yes, you could. Just might be heavier and denser. I might use half whole wheat, half AP.

      Reply
  4. Adrienne says

    June 19, 2019 at 9:29 am

    Thanks for the great recipe! Do you know this whole wheat pastry flour would compare with King Arthur’s White Whole Wheat flour? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sally says

      June 19, 2019 at 9:58 am

      Both would work, but pastry flour results in softer baked goods.

      Reply
  5. Charlene says

    March 2, 2020 at 7:34 pm

    I made these as muffins today. . I might have added too many chocolate chips ha ha. But WOW these are awesome! I can’t believe how light and moist these are using a whole wheat flour. I used the same one as you and they came out great. My teenage boys are devouring them! They usually don’t like anything I make with ww flour. Thank you so much for this recipe

    Reply
    • Sally says

      March 3, 2020 at 4:22 pm

      Charlene–I’m so glad you (and your boys!) like them. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Paola Evans says

    April 5, 2020 at 1:53 pm

    Hi I don’t have apple sauce. Could I make it without?

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 50 (Meat-Free!) Protein Ideas For Kids' Lunch Boxes - Real Mom Nutrition says:
    September 23, 2019 at 8:16 pm

    […] Whole Wheat Banana Bread, 1 slice: 3 grams […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Get it!

How To See Seven UT & AZ National Parks In Six Days

How to Make An Epic ALDI Cheese Board

Veggie Nuggets

Healthy Veggie Nuggets Recipe That Kids LOVE!

Copyright © 2021 Real Mom Nutrition · Site Design by Rita Barry. Banner images by Michelle Daniel Photography
Disclosure & Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 · Brunch Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

End mealtime battles TONIGHT!

Get this free bonus download.

You'll also get my weekly message. Unsubscribe anytime.

x