I turned a single spotted banana into One Banana Banana Bread studded with chocolate chips and walnuts, and it quickly became my favorite quick loaf to pull together.
I called this One Banana Banana Bread after the lazy afternoons when one very ripe banana mashed on the counter is all you have left. It’s basically Banana Bread So Easy It’s Bananas, and folks laugh when I say only one banana and then reach for a second slice.
The crumb is surprising, with pockets of semisweet chocolate chips that steal the show. It’s messy, kinda imperfect, but that’s the point.
I mean, it tastes like the kind of thing you’d hide from guests, then reluctantly offer a slice, and they act like it’s a revelation.
Ingredients
- Banana: natural sweetness, fiber and potassium, adds moisture and brown sugary flavor when ripe.
- Egg: provides protein, binds batter, helps rise, makes crumb tender and slightly richer.
- Sugar: simple carbs for sweetness, helps browning and keeps bread slightly soft, not healthy.
- Oil or butter: adds fat, flavor and moistness, oil makes lighter while butter adds richness.
- Flour: supplies carbs and structure, all purpose keeps loaf tender not too cakey.
- Chocolate chips: sweet fat pockets that melt for gooey chocolate hit and extra texture.
- Walnuts: crunchy, add healthy fats, some protein and fiber, toasty bits on top.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 very ripe banana (about 100 to 120 g) mashed
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (95 g) all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 1/3 cup (55 to 60 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup (30 g) chopped walnuts plus a few for topping
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a small 8×4 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment, it’s easier to remove that way.
2. In a medium bowl mash 1 very ripe banana (100 to 120 g) with a fork until mostly smooth, a few small lumps are fine.
3. Add 1 large room temp egg, 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar, 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the banana; whisk until blended.
4. In another bowl whisk together 3/4 cup (95 g) all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon if using.
5. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and fold gently with a spatula until just combined; dont over mix or the bread will be tough.
6. Toss 1/3 cup (55 to 60 g) semisweet chocolate chips and 1/4 cup (30 g) chopped walnuts with a teaspoon of flour (this helps stop them sinking) then fold them into the batter, reserving a few pieces for the top.
7. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top and sprinkle the reserved chips and a few walnut pieces on top.
8. Bake 30 to 40 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. Start checking at 28 minutes cause ovens vary.
9. Let the loaf cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and remove the bread to cool completely before slicing. This helps it set so it doesnt crumble.
Equipment Needed
1. 8×4 inch loaf pan, greased and floured or lined with parchment paper
2. Two mixing bowls, one medium and one small
3. Fork for mashing the banana and a whisk for the wet mix
4. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you want grams to match the recipe
5. Rubber spatula for gentle folding and scraping the batter
6. Small bowl or plate to toss the chocolate chips and walnuts with a teaspoon of flour
7. Toothpick or cake tester to check doneness, plus a sharp knife to loosen the edges after baking
8. Wire cooling rack and oven mitts for safe handling and cooling
FAQ
One Banana Banana Bread! Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Banana: use 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (≈120 g). Keeps the loaf moist but you wont get banana flavor; add 1/2 tsp banana extract if you want that taste.
- Egg: use a flax “egg” — 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes until gelled. Works as a binder and is vegan friendly.
- Sugar: swap 1/3 cup granulated for 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar for a richer, caramel-like flavor. Or use 3 tbsp maple syrup but reduce oil by 1 tbsp since it’s wetter.
- Oil or melted butter: replace with 1/4 cup melted coconut oil (same measure) for a mild coconut note, or use 3 tbsp Greek yogurt to lower fat and add tenderness.
Pro Tips
1) Use a really brown banana for max sweetness, or roast a less-ripe one in a hot oven for 10-15 mins to caramelize it first. if you only have frozen bananas, thaw and drain a bit so the batter doesn’t get watery.
2) Toast the walnuts for a few minutes to boost their flavor and crunch, let them cool before chopping. toss chips and nuts with a teaspoon of flour so they dont all sink to the bottom.
3) Dont over mix the batter. fold until you barely see streaks of flour, stop there, overworking = dense tough bread.
4) Use an oven thermometer and start checking 5-7 mins before the listed time. if the top browns too fast, loosely tent with foil. cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before removing so it sets and slices neater.
One Banana Banana Bread! Recipe
I turned a single spotted banana into One Banana Banana Bread studded with chocolate chips and walnuts, and it quickly became my favorite quick loaf to pull together.
8
servings
218
kcal
Equipment: 1. 8×4 inch loaf pan, greased and floured or lined with parchment paper
2. Two mixing bowls, one medium and one small
3. Fork for mashing the banana and a whisk for the wet mix
4. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you want grams to match the recipe
5. Rubber spatula for gentle folding and scraping the batter
6. Small bowl or plate to toss the chocolate chips and walnuts with a teaspoon of flour
7. Toothpick or cake tester to check doneness, plus a sharp knife to loosen the edges after baking
8. Wire cooling rack and oven mitts for safe handling and cooling
Ingredients
-
1 very ripe banana (about 100 to 120 g) mashed
-
1 large egg, room temp
-
1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
-
1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
-
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
3/4 cup (95 g) all purpose flour
-
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
-
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
-
1/3 cup (55 to 60 g) semisweet chocolate chips
-
1/4 cup (30 g) chopped walnuts plus a few for topping
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a small 8×4 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment, it's easier to remove that way.
- In a medium bowl mash 1 very ripe banana (100 to 120 g) with a fork until mostly smooth, a few small lumps are fine.
- Add 1 large room temp egg, 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar, 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the banana; whisk until blended.
- In another bowl whisk together 3/4 cup (95 g) all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon if using.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and fold gently with a spatula until just combined; dont over mix or the bread will be tough.
- Toss 1/3 cup (55 to 60 g) semisweet chocolate chips and 1/4 cup (30 g) chopped walnuts with a teaspoon of flour (this helps stop them sinking) then fold them into the batter, reserving a few pieces for the top.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top and sprinkle the reserved chips and a few walnut pieces on top.
- Bake 30 to 40 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. Start checking at 28 minutes cause ovens vary.
- Let the loaf cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and remove the bread to cool completely before slicing. This helps it set so it doesnt crumble.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 58g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 218kcal
- Fat: 13.9g
- Saturated Fat: 3.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.03g
- Polyunsaturated: 3.3g
- Monounsaturated: 6.4g
- Cholesterol: 23mg
- Sodium: 160mg
- Potassium: 104mg
- Carbohydrates: 24.8g
- Fiber: 1.4g
- Sugar: 14.3g
- Protein: 2.9g
- Vitamin A: 33IU
- Vitamin C: 1.3mg
- Calcium: 12mg
- Iron: 0.6mg
