Chocolate Chip Protein Banana Bread (Print Version)

Moist banana bread packed with protein, sweetened naturally and studded with dark chocolate chips.

# Ingredient List:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
04 - ¼ cup melted coconut oil or light olive oil
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

06 - 1½ cups whole wheat flour
07 - ⅓ cup vanilla or unflavored protein powder
08 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
09 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
10 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Add-ins

12 - ½ cup dark chocolate chips, 70% cocoa, no added sugar
13 - ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

# Recipe Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, mash the bananas thoroughly. Whisk in eggs, maple syrup or honey, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
05 - Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts or pecans if using.
06 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top if desired.
07 - Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Melted chocolate streaks are acceptable.
08 - Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • No refined sugar crash—the natural sweetness from bananas and maple syrup keeps you satisfied without the afternoon energy dip.
  • Protein built right in, so it actually fills you up instead of being that snack you eat three slices of and still feel hungry.
  • Dark chocolate chips make it taste indulgent while staying wholesome, which means you can eat it for breakfast without guilt.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the quickest way to turn this into dense bread; if you mix for more than 30 seconds after combining wet and dry, you're overdoing it.
  • Don't skip mashing the bananas properly—watery bananas make watery bread, so use ripe ones and really break them down.
  • The toothpick test matters more than time; every oven is different, and a few minutes either way changes everything.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly and create better texture; cold eggs and oil can make the batter lumpy and uneven.
  • Don't skip the cinnamon—it deepens the banana flavor and makes the whole thing taste more sophisticated than the sum of its parts.
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