Easy Chocolate Walnut Banana Bread (Low Sugar Recipe)
This Chocolate Walnut Banana Bread is so delicious, moist and tender with a chocolatey and nutty flavor and wonderful aroma. Either as breakfast, dessert or mid-day snack, it will make you feel cozy and heartwarming.
A Spiced and Nutty Chocolate Banana Bread
We recently visited the National Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen and had a delicious slice of chocolate banana bread at their coffee shop. Just one thin slice was full of crunchy nuts with a chocolatey flavor and an amazing aroma of winter spices. Totally hyggelig(t) (hygge-like)!
Denmark is among the happiest countries in the world according to many rankings, and hygge is perhaps one of their secrets to happiness. There is no direct equivalent word in English, but some explanations include “social coziness” or “coziness of the soul”.
Hygge is humble and slow. And if you could taste it, the taste of hygge would be almost always familiar, sweet and comforting (The Little Book of Hygge – The Danish Way to Live Well, Meik Wiking).
So in short, the chocolate banana bread we tried was so delicious that I wanted to make it at home. And baking is also a hyggelig activity itself!
Recipe Video
The bread is very moist and tender, even on the next day. You can watch how quick and easy it is to make it in the video below.
Ingredient Notes
I modified Simply Recipe’s banana bread recipe to come up with this easy chocolate walnut banana bread. No electric mixer or fancy tools is needed.
My version of chocolate banana bread includes ripe banana, cocoa powder, walnuts, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg – they make such a perfect flavor combination that it is so difficult to eat only one slice. I have tried making the bread with both butter and oil and it turns out delicious either way.
If we have to choose, we like the banana bread made with butter slightly more than the one with oil because it seems to have lighter crumbs and more richness. If you don’t eat dairy, it is still very yummy with oil and I include both options in the recipe card.
I think the nuts and spices are essential ingredients you should not omit. The walnuts add a crunchy texture and the spices add a warming and sweet aroma. They give the bread more soul, characteristics and it is way more fun to eat. Chocolate chips will be a good addition too.
I’d love to hear what you think about this dish, so please feel free to leave a comment. New recipes are added every week so let’s connect on Facebook, Youtube,ย Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates.
Easy Chocolate Walnut Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1/3 cup melted butter (see Notes for non-dairy substitute)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and butter a loaf pan.
- Gather dry ingredients. Sift cocoa powder into the all-purpose flour, then add baking soda, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder and salt to that same bowl. Mix to combine them evenly.
- In a mixing bowl, mash bananas until there's no big lumps. Add the melted butter and stir well to combine. Then stir in the egg and sugar. Alternatively, you can quickly combine the bananas, eggs and melted butter in a blender for a few seconds.
- Add the flour mixture and chopped walnuts to the wet ingredients. With a wooden spoon or spatula, gently mix to combine. Do not over-mix.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let the bread cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. After that, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool completely on a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
sophie,
initially you say to use a loaf pan which is 9×5, but later you say you used a 8×4;
which is correct?
saying a loaf pan usually indicates a 9×5 bread pan??/
thx:) kelli
Hi Kelli,
My pan is 8×4. I wasn’t aware that saying “loaf pan” might indicate a 9×5 pan. I’m sorry about the confusion :).
thxx Sophie,
i’ve been making a very similar bread for over 30 years, but this one w/o cocoa, but a cup of nuts, that seems to be everyones favorite, though i’ve made at least 20 variations of a banana bread, but always a 9×5 pan,
thought many times an 8×4 plus a mini to taste myself!!
thx:) Kelli
Love the recipe but it needed more sugar and vanilla to make it better. I added and it turned out wonderful!
I canโt find my cooking pan what would you recommend on time for muffins
Iโm an absolute pathetic baker and none of my attempts amounts to anything remotely edible but this one was just amazing! Delicious and didnโt last very long as everyone helped themselves to it ! Only problem is that I will have to make it again.
The finished product was very disappointing. Almost a waist of good walnuts and cocoa. I will not make this again.
Can you use this recipe to make muffins?
Hi Lucy,
Yes, you can use the recipe to make muffins. Quite a few readers did that and the feedback was positive.
Delicious! I made this bread today and am working very hard to eat it all! I usually follow recipes exactly the first time but I did make a few changes this time. I was short a banana so I used 1/2 C applesauce which was perfect, I prefer pecans so that was my nut choice and finally I added 1/2 C chocolate chips just because. I baked it for 50 minutes and that was just right. Thank you for sharing. Hmmโฆmight be time for another slice! ๐
Delicious, easy to follow. I used the 1/4cup oil substitute suggestion because I was out of butter. Also added double the amount of walnuts.
delightful variation on banana breads. improves if kept wrapped, uncut, for 24 hours. also good very lightly toasted to warm the spices + a dab of butter. recommended with a pot of smokey black tea.