This fudgy and decadent Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread puts a chocolatey twist on regular banana bread. Easy to make in 1 bowl with pantry staples, it’s a fantastic treat to enjoy for breakfast, snacks, and dessert!
Treat yourself to a rich and chocolatey slice of Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread! It’s an easy, one-bowl quick bread you can make with simple baking staples and serve for breakfast, dessert, and snacks.
Inspired by one of the most popular recipes on my site, the Best Vegan Banana Bread, it’s just as moist and tender as the classic but has an irresistible chocolate twist!
If you love banana recipes, make sure to also check out my Easy Vegan Banana Cake, Banana Pancakes and Vegan Banana Cream Pie!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Plant milk – Unsweetened soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, and cashew milk are best but any plant milk will work fine.
- Ground flaxseeds – For this recipe, we mix ground flaxseeds with the milk for an egg replacer.
- Bananas – Ripe, spotty bananas are best! The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more banana-y your chocolate banana bread will taste.
- Vegan butter – Melted vegan butter adds moisture and substance to the bread. For an oil free version, use the same amount of unsweetened applesauce.
- Light brown sugar – This gives the bread a caramelized, molasses-like flavor. Instead, you can use granulated sugar or coconut sugar. Even ½ cup of maple syrup will work if you want to make this recipe without refined sugars!
- All purpose flour – This always makes the bread fluffy and soft. However, if you want to make this chocolate banana bread recipe a little more wholesome with whole grains, you can use spelt flour or white whole wheat flour instead. Head to the FAQs to learn how to make the bread with gluten free flour.
- Cocoa powder – Both Dutch process and natural cocoa powder will work well here.
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Vegan chocolate chips – I like to get dairy free chocolate chips from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Costco (look for Kirkland brand of semi-sweet chocolate chips), and Amazon. Guittard or Enjoy Life are also good brands and make vegan-friendly chocolate chips.
How to make vegan chocolate banana bread
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
To make the flax eggs, stir the plant milk and ground flaxseeds together in a glass measuring cup or bowl. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken.
Meanwhile, use a fork to mash the bananas in a large bowl. Make sure you have 1 ½ cups worth, then return to the bowl.
Stir the melted vegan butter into the mashed bananas, then add the sugar and milk/flax mixture. Stir gently to combine.
Next, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt on top of the wet ingredients. Gently stir until everything has just come together into a smooth batter.
Finish by folding most of the chocolate chips into the batter (set some aside to sprinkle on top!).
Pour the banana bread batter into a prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Set the chocolate banana bread aside to cool in the pan before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve!
Tips for success
- Don’t over mix the batter or else the bread will become dense. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until they just come together.
- Fold even more fun add-ins into the chocolate banana bread batter, like a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg, chopped nuts (walnuts, peanuts, or almonds), dried cranberries or cherries, vegan toffee pieces, or vegan peanut butter chips.
- Let the baked banana bread cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This way, it will firm up and be easier to slice without falling apart or crumbling.
Frequently asked questions
According to the cooking blog, Tastes Better From Scratch, the fastest way to ripen bananas is to bake them in the oven. Lay your unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and bake in a 300ºF oven until they’re soft and their peels turn black (about 15 to 30 minutes). Let them cool completely before peeling and mashing.
Yes! To make vegan chocolate banana bread muffins, make the batter as normal but pour it into a lined muffin tin. Bake the muffins at 400ºF for 20 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean.
You can easily swap the all purpose flour for a good quality gluten free flour mix instead. I like making gluten free banana bread with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free flour mix and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure flour. Just make sure the flour you use contains xanthan gum for the best results.
Storing
Once the banana bread is ready and cooled to room temperature, cover the loaf with plastic and store it at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. Or store it in the fridge so it lasts for 1 week.
Chocolate banana bread freezes well, too. Simply wrap the loaf or individual slices in a layer of plastic and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge before serving.
Want more easy vegan chocolate treats?
- Vegan Chocolate Muffins
- Vegan Chocolate Cookies
- Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Chocolate Vegan Mug Cake
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Chocolate Glazed Donuts
Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup unsweetened soy milk or other plant milk
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
- 3 medium-large overripe bananas about 1 1/2 cups mashed
- 1/2 cup melted vegan butter or oil
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder or natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a standard loaf pan (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches or 9 x 5 inches). I also like to line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal later.
- Pour the soy milk into a glass measuring cup or bowl and stir in the ground flaxseeds with a fork. Let sit for a few minutes to thicken.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until smooth. Scoop it into a measuring cup to make sure you have about 1 1/2 cups, then return to the bowl.
- Stir the melted vegan butter into the bananas, then add the brown sugar and milk/flax mixture. Stir well with a large spoon until combined.
- Add the flour and cocoa powder on top of the wet ingredients, then sprinkle the baking soda and salt on top. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to over mix.
- Gently fold in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips, leaving the rest for the top.
- Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips on top. Place in the center rack of the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let it cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool for at least 30 minutes if possible, as this will make it easier to slice. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
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Oil free: Use applesauce instead of melted vegan butter.
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Gluten free: Use a gluten free flour mix. May also sub spelt flour or white whole wheat flour for a whole grain option.
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Nut free: Use a nut free milk and make sure your vegan butter doesn’t contain nuts.
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Sugar: Granulated sugar or coconut sugar will work in place of brown sugar. You could also use 1/2 cup of maple syrup instead.
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Muffins instead: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, divide into muffin liners and bake for 20-24 minutes, or until done.
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Leftovers/freezing: Cover leftover banana bread and keep at room temperature 1-2 days, or keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Banana bread freezes very well, too.
I didn’t have flax so substituted 6 tablespoons of aquafaba whipped for about 5 minutes before adding. I also didn’t have cocoa powder so substituted 1/2 cup of powdered peanut butter. It turned out great! The combo of chocolate, banana, and peanut butter is delicious. The bread is moist and not dense.
Fantastic
Don”t the chocolate chips on the top melted after 1 hour in oven?
No, mine stay formed but soft. They don’t melt completely.
Nora does not play!!! I love this recipe. Super simple and i use up my extra ripe bananas (adding 4 is the best for me). I love adding walnuts, vanilla, and cinnamon. Also i only use less than 1/4 cup of coconut sugar. It does not alter the taste at all & I enjoy this in the morning with my coffee! I am going to try a dash of protein powder and see how that comes out! Thank you Nora!
Hi Vivi. Your banana bread sounds absolutely amazing! Thank you for taking time to share your wonderful feedback and review! I like the idea of adding a dash of protein powder! Wishing you happy cooking!
Loved this! I used cacao powder instead of cocoa because I didn’t have cocoa on hand, and forgot to decrease the amount (cacao absorbs more moisture), so it came out a a teensy bit less moist than your picture but other than that it is delicious and easy! The cacao made it taste more like a dark chocolate cake too. Will be making this again 🙂 Thank you!
Hi Anna. Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
The best !!!
Delicious! My daughter is egg and dairy allergic, so I love yummy and easy recipes that we all can enjoy.
Hi Laura. I’m glad your daughter is able to enjoy the bread! I know allergies can be a challenge! Thanks for your wonderful review!
Would this work for 8 mini loaves? I’m
actually looking to use several of your bread recipes for mini loaves…Suggestion on oven temp/bake time?
Thank you!!
Oooh I’m really not sure but it sounds so fun. I’ve never tried this and I don’t know the conversion. I’m guessing they won’t take that long, 15 minutes or so? I’d check carefully with a toothpick so they don’t get overbaked.
If I added a plant based protein powder to this recipe how much could I add and what would I be replacing it with from the recipe, if anything? Thank you!
You could add half to one full scoop of protein powder when you add the flour and cocoa powder. If you find the batter looks or feels dry, just add a splash of milk! Hope this helps 🙂
Omg this was so good. It was better than regular banana bread. Not too sweet but sweet and enough. Perfect! Nora’s recipes are the best out there for us vegans!!!
Hi Taja! Thank you for your fabulous review and feedback! I’m so glad you are loving my recipes!
Delicious! I made this using oat flour and cornstarch. I substituted an extra banana and a half cup of agave syrup for the brown sugar. Your recipes are the best!
Thanks for sharing the changes you made! I’m so glad you loved the banana bread 🙂
Waiting for it to cool! Made into mini muffin!
Yummy! Nora, another great recipe. You are my go to chef for vegan recipes. I like that l don’t have to order far- out ingredients from Amazon to make delicious food. Thank you
Hi Lee. You are welcome! I appreciate you using my recipes! Thank you for sharing your awesome feedback and review!
This. Is so. Good!! I used enjoy life dark chocolate chips. Yum!! The whole fam loves this. Impossible to tell it’s vegan if you have skeptics 🙂 another amazing recipe, Nora!
I’m thrilled you loved the recipe! Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback and review!
We’re allergic to flax seeds do you have a suggestion for a substitute. We’re also allergic to Chia, help and sesame. Thanks.
You can use JUST Egg or maybe Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacement. I would use 2 eggs worth and add 1/4 cup of milk instead of 1/3 cup. You may also be able to sub applesauce (perhaps around 1/4 cup) in addition to the milk. Hope that helps!
How much espresso powder would I use to make chocolate espresso banana bread?
You could use between 1 and 4 teaspoons of espresso powder (dissolved in hot water), depending on how much caffeine you want to add.