Chocolate Chip Protein Banana Bread (Printable)

Wholesome protein banana bread with dark chocolate chips and natural sweetness, ideal for snacks or breakfast.

# What You'll 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, no added sugar
13 - ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

# Directions:

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. Whisk in eggs, maple syrup or honey, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Fold in chocolate chips and nuts 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 - Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It actually tastes indulgent—like dessert for breakfast—without the sugar crash that follows.
  • The protein powder makes it fill you up longer, so you're not hunting for snacks two hours later.
  • Dark chocolate chips in every bite feel like a small luxury you're giving yourself.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time in the pan—I learned this the hard way when I eagerly turned out a warm loaf that fell apart at first slice.
  • Mashed bananas release moisture as they sit, so if your batter seems soupy after combining wet and dry ingredients, trust it and bake anyway; the protein powder and flour will absorb the liquid as it bakes.
03 -
  • Weigh your ingredients if you have a scale—this ensures consistency across batches, especially with the protein powder, which can vary in density between brands.
  • If your chocolate chips are sweetened and you want to reduce overall sugar further, use unsweetened cocoa nibs instead—they integrate beautifully and taste more sophisticated.
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