Chocolate Chip Protein Banana (Printable Version)

Moist and wholesome banana bread with protein and dark chocolate chips, naturally sweetened and sugar-free.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
04 - 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or light olive oil
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

06 - 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
07 - 1/3 cup vanilla or unflavored protein powder
08 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Add-ins

12 - 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, 70% cocoa, no added sugar
13 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

# How To Make It:

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 the bananas thoroughly. Whisk in eggs, maple syrup or honey, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
03 - In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
04 - Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir gently with a whisk until just combined, avoiding overmixing to maintain a tender crumb structure.
05 - Gently fold the dark chocolate chips and nuts, if using, into the batter using a spatula until evenly distributed.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and level the surface. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top if desired.
07 - Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean with only a few melted chocolate streaks.
08 - Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No refined sugar means you can eat a slice without the guilt spiral that usually follows treats.
  • The protein powder transforms a simple banana bread into something that actually fills you up, making it a legitimate breakfast or post-workout snack.
  • Dark chocolate chips feel indulgent but the whole thing still feels wholesome, which is a rare balance.
02 -
  • Overmixing is the most common mistake—your instinct will be to keep stirring until everything is perfectly smooth, but that's when you lose the tender crumb you're after.
  • Room temperature eggs and mashed bananas mix more smoothly than cold ones, and this small detail changes the texture noticeably.
03 -
  • Weigh your ingredients if you can—baking becomes so much more predictable and reliable than measuring by volume.
  • Let your mashed bananas sit in the bowl for a minute after you mash them; they release extra moisture that helps the crumb stay tender throughout the week.
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