Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This brown butter banana bread is deeply flavorful, ultra-moist, and loaded with melty chocolate chips in every slice. Browning the butter first gives the loaf a nutty, caramel-like depth that makes it taste so much more delicious than regular banana bread, without adding any complicated steps. If you have ripe bananas on the counter and you're craving a loaf, this brown butter banana bread with chocolate chips is the recipe to make.

Why You'll Love This Brown Butter Banana Bread

My aunt has always been an incredible baker, and lately she has been on a brown butter kick. She brought me a loaf of this brown butter chocolate chip banana bread, and I honestly could not believe how good it was. I'm not usually a huge banana bread person, but this version was next-level. The crust smelled like caramelized brown sugar, the inside was super soft and moist, and the chocolate chips made it feel like dessert. It was the kind of loaf you keep slicing “just one more piece” from until you realize it's basically gone. My wife and I finished it off in two days; we had some for breakfast, as a dessert, and as a late-night treat.

What makes this brown sugar banana bread special is how much flavor you get from a simple step. Browning the butter transforms a familiar recipe into something that tastes like a bakery loaf. The nutty brown butter pairs with sweet, overripe bananas and brown sugar to give the bread a deep, almost toffee-like flavor instead of just plain banana. The chocolate chips melt throughout the crumb, so every slice has hits of chocolate without overwhelming the banana. The end result is simple yet elevated and “grown-up” at the same time. It's perfect for breakfast, dessert, gifting, or an afternoon coffee break.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 overripe bananas, mashed
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

How To Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Step 1: Prep the Pan & Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.

Step 2: Brown the Butter

Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Melt it, then continue cooking, stirring often, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 4–5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.

Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown butter and brown sugar until smooth.

Add the mashed bananas, egg, and vanilla extract, whisking until fully combined.

Step 4: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Step 5: Combine & Fold

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently just until combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Step 6: Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55–65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Step 7: Cool & Serve

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Expert Tips To Make The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

• Brown the butter slowly and watch it closely. Melt the butter over medium heat and stir often as it foams and the milk solids sink to the bottom. You're looking for the bits at the bottom to turn a deep golden color and for the butter to smell nutty and caramel-like. As soon as it reaches that point, take the pan off the heat. Brown butter can go from perfect to burned very quickly, so once you see a rich golden color, remove it and let it cool.
• Let the brown butter cool before adding the egg. If the butter is too hot when you mix in the egg, it can partially scramble them, which affects the texture of the bread. After browning, let the butter sit for a few minutes until it's warm but not very hot. You should be able to touch the side of the pan comfortably. Then whisk it with the brown sugar and add the egg and bananas.
• Use very ripe bananas for maximum flavor. The darker and spottier the bananas, the better. Overripe bananas are sweeter and mash more easily, which gives the batter more banana flavor and a softer crumb. If your bananas are only lightly speckled, you can microwave them in short bursts or bake them in their peels at a low temperature for a few minutes to soften and concentrate the flavor.
• Mash the bananas well, but leave a little texture. Mash the bananas until they're mostly smooth with just a few small lumps. Very large chunks can create wet pockets in the bread, but a little texture gives you that classic banana bread feel. You can mash them with a fork or potato masher right in a bowl before adding them to the batter.
• Measure the flour correctly and do not pack it. For tender banana bread, use the right amount of flour. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife, or weigh it if you can. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour, which makes the bread dense and dry.
• Do not overmix the batter once you add the dry ingredients. When you combine the dry ingredients with the wet mixture, stir gently until the flour just disappears. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make the loaf tough and heavy. Fold in the chocolate chips at the end with a few gentle turns so you do not overwork the batter.
• Prep the pan well so the loaf releases cleanly. Grease and flour your 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper with a bit of overhang. This helps prevent sticking and makes it easy to lift the banana bread out in one piece. If you use parchment, you can simply grab the edges and lift the finished loaf onto a cooling rack.
• Check for doneness with visual cues and a toothpick. Every oven bakes a little differently. Start checking the bread around 55 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. The top should be set, and golden brown, and the loaf should spring back lightly when pressed. If the top is browning too quickly before the center is done, tent the loaf loosely with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
• Let the loaf cool before slicing. It's very tempting to cut into the banana bread right away, but letting it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then on a wire rack until just warm or room temperature, helps the crumb set. This makes the slices cleaner and prevents the loaf from crumbling or squishing when you cut it.
• Add extra chocolate chips on top for a bakery look. For a more bakery-style appearance, sprinkle a handful of chocolate chips on top of the batter after you pour it into the pan. They will bake into the top of the loaf, giving you a nice chocolate-studded crust that looks as good as it tastes.

Brown Butter Banana Bread FAQs

My Final Thoughts

This chocolate chip brown butter banana bread is rich, comforting, and full of flavor in every bite. With nutty brown butter, sweet bananas, and melty chocolate, it’s a loaf you’ll find yourself baking again and again. Whether you enjoy it warm with coffee or as a dessert, it’s guaranteed to be a favorite. Give it a try and let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment and review below.

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