Healthy Chocolate Walnut Banana Bread Recipe

Whenever I spot a few overripe bananas in the kitchen, I know it’s time to bake this wholesome chocolate walnut banana bread—comforting, rich, and surprisingly healthy. It’s a simple bake recipe. In this recipe, I have used ghee instead of butter. I used maple syrup instead of refined sugar. I also included unprocessed cacao powder and rolled oats. So, I have tried making this bread healthier yet tasty. It’s super moist, light, and soft—perfect for a snack, dessert, or breakfast.

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WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS BANANA BREAD RECIPE

• Healthy and tasty – Have you ever tried ghee instead of butter in your banana bread? I recently gave it a try. It is not only tasty, but healthier. This recipe also uses ground rolled oats, unprocessed cacao powder along with all purpose flour. It gives you the goodness of walnuts with maple syrup instead of refined sugar. This makes this chocolaty treat healthy yet tasty.
• Meal-prep friendly – If you have some extra bananas, whip up this super moist, delicious banana bread recipe. It’s perfect if they’re overripe too. The great thing about it is that it will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. It can last even longer in the fridge.

INGREDIENTS FOR BANANA BREAD

INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS NOTES

• Mashed banana – For the best flavour, use overripe bananas in your recipe.
• Ghee – The recipe calls for ghee, which adds rich flavor and is a healthier option to butter, but you can substitute with melted butter or cooking oil if desired.
• Maple syrup – Instead of refined sugar, I’ve used the natural sweetener maple syrup. However, you can substitute it with any other sweetener.
• Vanilla extract
• Egg – I have used 1 egg. But this recipe can be made without egg by replacing it with 1/2 cup of curd plus 1/4 tsp of additional baking soda, or by using flaxseed gel (which is 1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds plus 3 tbsp of water).
• All-purpose flour(APF) – Instead of all-purpose flour (APF), you can use whole wheat flour.
• Coarsely ground rolled oats
• Cacao powder – I included unprocessed cacao powder in this recipe because it contains a lot more nutrients than regular cocoa powder. But if you can’t find unprocessed cacao, cocoa powder also works.
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Chopped walnuts – Feel free to add other nuts if you would like.
• Chocolate chips – I have used semi-sweet milk chocolate chips but you can use dark/milk or even white.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE WALNUT BANANA BREAD

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a loaf pan with ghee or line it with parchment paper.
• Whisk or sift flour, cacao powder, baking soda, and baking powder together. To this mixture, add the coarsely ground rolled oats. Mix well and set it aside.
• In another bowl, combine mashed bananas, melted ghee, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla. Beat the wet ingredients with a hand mixer for 2–3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
• Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Gently fold until just combined; do not overmix.
• Fold in the chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350° F for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Slice once fully cooled.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHOCOLATE WALNUT BANANA BREAD

Room Temperature:

• Store the banana bread in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in foil or cling wrap.
• Keeps well for 2 to 3 days at room temperature.

Refrigerator:

• To extend freshness, store in the fridge in a sealed container.
• Will stay fresh for up to 1 week.
• Bring to room temperature or warm in the microwave for 10–15 seconds before serving for the best texture.

Freezer:

• Banana bread freezes beautifully!
• Wrap individual slices or the whole loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe zip bag.
• Freeze for up to 2 months. Don’t forget to date the banana bread loaf/slices.
• To use, thaw at room temperature or microwave slices for 30–40 seconds.