The Best Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Chocolate Chunks

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By using simple, healthy, whole ingredients—and one secret ingredient—you can make a moist Whole Wheat Banana Bread that is incredibly flavourful. It’s a satiating snack that will quickly become your family’s favourite recipe for using up those overripe bananas.

Nothing beats the comforting aroma of freshly baked banana bread. This recipe takes it up a notch by using fresh-milled whole wheat flour, adding a wholesome twist to a timeless favourite. A crowd-pleasing snack for any occasion at any time of day.

This recipe is my go-to sweet snack to make for guests or to take on-the-go. It is satisfying and nourishing and a the best use of old bananas, in my opinion.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

What Are The Benefits Of Freshly Milled Whole Wheat Flour?

Nutrient-Rich: Fresh-milled whole-grain flour retains all the nutrients found in whole grains, including fibre, vitamins, and minerals, which are often lost in commercially processed flours.

Better Flavour: Fresh-milled flour has a deeper and more complex flavour compared to store-bought flour, taking your baked goods to the next level.

Healthier: Whole grain flour contains the bran, germ, and endosperm of the grain, providing a balanced nutritional profile, aiding digestion and contributing to a robust microbiome.

More Fun: Milling your own flour is fun! It allows you to experiment with different grains and create custom blends tailored to your baking needs or interests.

Fresher: Freshly milled flour doesn’t contain preservatives or additives, offering a more natural and wholesome ingredient for your recipes.

If you’re really enjoying working with whole grains but you don’t have a mill you love yet, consider a Harvest NutriMill! This is the one I use almost everyday and love both for its beauty and practicality.

Get your Harvest NutriMill when you’re ready to invest using this link and my discount code BRONSBREAD20 at checkout to get $20 off your order!

browse nutrimill

Ingredients

• whole wheat flour: freshly milled or store-bought
• white flour: all-purpose flour is my go-to and easily accessible
• brown sugar: you can also use cane sugar + teaspoon molasses
• eggs: I’m using eggs from our chickens but any eggs will do
• baking soda: just regular ol’ baking soda
• salt: I use unrefined Himalayan sea salt but any salt will do.
• ground coffee: this is an addition I like to use in this recipe for an added depth of flavour but it’s definitely optional
• overripe bananas: Many grocery stores sell overripe bananas, especially for baking, at a discount. If you can’t find overripe bananas at your grocery store, you can also get in the habit of buying more yellow bananas than you will eat. This way, you can let them go very brown, and then peel, bag, and freeze. When you’re wanting to make banana bread again, simply pull the frozen bananas to thaw a couple hours before you’re ready to mix your batter! This is how I do it and it works great because I can make banana bread on my own schedule and not on the aging bananas schedule!
• sour cream: if you don’t have sour cream, you can use other thick additions such as yogurt, applesauce, sourdough discard, or a mix of them!
• butter: coconut oil or lard would also work for this recipe
• chocolate chunks: I like to chop up Baker’s chocolate but you can do chips or substitute with walnuts if you desire, or do a mix of each!

Materials

• large bowl for mixing
• 8″x4″ loaf pan for baking
• silicone spatula for mixing
• kitchen scale for measuring
• small saucepan for melting butter

How to Make Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

STEP 1: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. While melting, add the brown sugar to a medium mixing bowl.

STEP 2: Pour the melted butter over the sugar and whisk to combine. Add the eggs, sour cream, mashed bananas, and vanilla, mixing well after each addition until smooth.

STEP 3: Add the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, and coffee grounds. Mix until just combined, then gently fold in the chocolate chunks.

STEP 4: The Hydration Rest: Let the batter rest in the bowl for at least 20–30 minutes. This allows the whole wheat flour to hydrate, ensuring a moist crumb that won’t turn crumbly.

STEP 5: Preheat your oven to 450°F. Prepare an 8″ x 4″ loaf pan with parchment paper or grease and flour it well.

STEP 6: Pour the rested batter into the pan. Place in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 350°F.

STEP 7: Bake for 60–70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to slice and enjoy.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Chocolate Chunks

AuthorAuthor: Bronwyn Case

By using simple, whole ingredients—and a few secrets—you can make a Whole Wheat Banana Bread that is incredibly moist and deeply flavourful. It’s a satiating snack that will quickly become your family’s favourite recipe for using up those overripe bananas.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep TimePrep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook TimeCook Time 1 hour hour

Total TimeTotal Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

ServingsServings 1 Loaf

Ingredients  

• 60 g butter
• 150 g brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 200 g sour cream or yogurt or applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 overripe bananas 150-200g
• 175 g whole wheat flour
• 100 g all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground coffee
• 1 cup chocolate chunks or chips or walnuts

Instructions 

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. While melting, add the brown sugar to a medium mixing bowl.
2. Pour the melted butter over the sugar and whisk to combine. Add the eggs, sour cream, mashed bananas, and vanilla, mixing well after each addition until smooth.
3. Add the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, and coffee grounds. Mix until just combined, then gently fold in the chocolate chips.
4. The Hydration Rest: Let the batter rest in the bowl for at least 20–30 minutes. This allows the whole wheat flour to hydrate, ensuring a moist crumb that won't turn crumbly.
5. Preheat your oven to 450°F. Prepare an 8" x 4" loaf pan with parchment paper or grease and flour it well.
6. Pour the rested batter into the pan. Place in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 350°F.
7. Bake for 60–70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to slice and enjoy.

Notes

Putting banana bread into a hot oven and then reducing the temperature helps it rise better. The initial high heat gives the bread a quick lift, and then lowering the temperature allows it to bake evenly without burning the crust. This technique ensures a well-risen loaf with a tender inside.

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