Chocolate Chip Protein Banana (Printable Version)

Wholesome banana bread with protein and dark chocolate chips, naturally sweetened and moist for a tasty snack.

# What You Need:

→ 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, unsweetened
13 - ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas thoroughly. Whisk in eggs, maple syrup or honey, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
03 - In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk together to distribute leavening agents evenly.
04 - Add dry ingredient mixture to wet mixture. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
05 - Fold chocolate chips and nuts, if using, into the batter until evenly distributed throughout.
06 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on the surface if desired for visual appeal.
07 - Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with only a few melted chocolate streaks remaining.
08 - Allow bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • You get a naturally sweet, moist loaf without any of that grainy protein powder taste that usually gives these things away.
  • It's the perfect excuse to use up those bananas you swore you'd eat before they went bad.
  • Dark chocolate chips folded throughout make every slice feel like a small treat, not a sacrifice.
02 -
  • Do not overmix the batter after combining wet and dry—this is how you end up with dense, tough banana bread instead of the tender crumb you're after.
  • Use truly ripe bananas because underripe ones won't provide enough natural sweetness and moisture, no matter how much maple syrup you add.
03 -
  • Always let your chocolate chips come to room temperature before folding them in—cold chips can seize up and affect the batter texture.
  • The loaf will continue cooking slightly after you remove it from the oven, so don't overbake or you'll end up with dry edges; a toothpick with a few chocolate streaks is actually perfectly done.
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