Make this moist peanut butter banana bread for the ultimate sweet meets savory treat! Loaded with ripe bananas, creamy peanut butter, and studded with chocolate chips this is a must-bake recipe!

Overview photo of peanut butter banana bread with four slices cut off.

What makes this recipe fabulous

With so many options and opinions about what makes the best banana bread, I thought it might be helpful to highlight just what makes THE BEST banana bread:

  • Ripe Bananas: You are looking for bananas that are speckled brown and maybe even more. The riper they are the sweeter the bread and the bolder of a banana flavor your bread will have.
  • Use brown sugar: While the bananas and granulated sugar add sweetness to the bread, brown sugar provides a nice richness (and extra moistness) to the flavor.
  • Don’t overmix: Gently fold the ingredients together. If you mix them up too much it creates air pockets that toughen the bread while it bakes.

The Key Ingredients

Side by side photos of ingredients for peanut butter banana bread.
  • Flour: All-purpose flour works to give the banana bread structure as it bakes.
  • Bananas: Ripe, mashed bananas add flavor, sweetness, and moisture to the bread. The riper the better!
  • Peanut Butter: I like to use creamy peanut butter as it is easier to mix in with the batter. I do not recommend natural peanut butter with oil separation, as it will cause the bread to be too greasy.
  • Sugar: I use a blend of granulated and light brown sugar to keep the bread sweet and moist.
  • Buttermilk: Tenderizes the batter to make it ultra moist and delicious. If you do not have any on hand, use my simple substitution.
  • Vegetable Oil: You can also use canola oil or other neutral-flavored oil like grapeseed.
  • Chocolate Chips: I usually reach for classic semisweet, but feel free to use dark, milk, white, or any combination of them!

Nut Butter Substitutes

If you are thinking about using different nut butters either to make the loaf nut-free or to try a different flavor, here are a few options to try!

  • SunButter: Made from sunflower seeds and entirely nut-free you can replace the peanut butter with a 1:1 ratio of SunButter.
  • Almond Butter: Also can replace the peanut butter with a 1:1 ratio, but be sure to use something like Barney Butter that does not have oil separation.
  • Nutella: Give your banana bread a chocolaty finish by replacing the peanut butter with Nutella.

Mix-In Ideas

Here are a few ways to can dress up this peanut butter banana bread to make a truly ultimate loaf!

  • Nuts: Pecans, walnuts, and dry-roasted peanuts add a soft crunch to the bread.
  • Raisins: Think of this as a twist on peanut butter and jelly.
  • Bacon: Think Elivs and use cooked, chopped bacon bits to add a salty touch to the loaf!

How to Make It

This is a very simple quick bread recipe, which consists of whisking the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, and then folding them together. It takes less than 10 minutes to get it all mixed together, and then into the oven it goes!

  • Prepare for baking: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan and then line with parchment paper so that it hangs over the two long sides.
  • Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  • Whisk the wet ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the banana, peanut butter, sugars, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Mashed bananas, oil, eggs, peanut butter, sugars, and buttermilk mixed together.

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  • Stir the wet and dry ingredients together: Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and fold together with a rubber spatula until completely combined and there are not spots with raw flour. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top into an even layer.
Smoothing banana bread batter into a loaf pan.
  • Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick or thin knife inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. If your bread appears to be browning too quickly, place a tented piece of foil over it.
  • Cool entirely: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Converting the Bread to Muffins

Want to take this peanut butter banana bread loaf and make it into portable muffins perfect for breakfast, lunches, or on the go snacks? Here are some tips to convert this quick bread recipe into individual muffins.

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a standard muffin tin or line with cupcake liners.
  • Follow directions for making the batter.
  • Fill the muffin tin cups two-thirds of the way full.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, checking doneness at 25 minutes and adding additional time as needed.
A stack of slices of peanut butter banana bread on a white plate.

Serving, Storing, and Freezing

  • Serving suggestions: Drizzle with honey, smear a slice with additional peanut butter, or dish out with slices of fresh banana mashed on top.
  • Storing: For moist banana bread, keep your loaf wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then stored in an air-tight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.
  • Freezing: You can store the whole loaf or slices of this banana bread in the freezer for up to 1 month. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then cover with foil. Leave wrapped while thawing.

Banana Bread FAQs

What is the difference between banana bread and banana cake?

The main difference between these banana-based desserts comes down to the method of their preparation. A banana cake batter is made by whipping butter while a banana bread typically uses bananas and oil in the base.

Why does my banana bread crack on top?

The loaf typically cracks when the top of the batter sets before the rest of the loaf finishes baking. It’s not a bad thing and is extremely common for a quick bread to crack at the top.

Are black bananas OK for banana bread?

Yes (but only to a point). The best bananas for banana bread are brown/black and ultra ripe! If you open your banana up and it doesn’t smell like banana, it’s probably not good for banana bread.

Why is my banana bread dry?

A few reasons lead to a dry loaf of banana bread. If you over-mix the batter, bake the loaf too long, don’t allow the bread to cool completely before slicing in, or use under-ripe bananas you might be looking at a dry loaf of bread.

Delicious Banana Recipes to Try Next

Overhead photo of slice of peanut butter banana bread on a white plate.

Tender peanut butter banana bread studded with chocolate chips is the perfect balance of salty and sweet. Whether you have fond family memories that revolve around banana bread, or you simply love the combination of banana and peanut butter, this is a banana bread version that you don’t want to skip!

If you make this recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Yield: 12 servings (1 loaf)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Sink your teeth into an amazingly moist slice of this decadent peanut butter banana bread with chocolate chips!
4.60 (50 ratings)
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
  • 3 medium bananas, mashed
  • ½ cup (129 g) creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup (80 ml) buttermilk
  • ¼ cup (54.5 ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (180 g) semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan and then line with parchment paper so that it hangs over the two long sides.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
  • In a separate large bowl, whisk together the banana, peanut butter, sugars, buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and fold together with a rubber spatula until completely combined and there are no spots with raw flour. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top into an even layer. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick or thin knife inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. If your bread appears to be browning too quickly, place a tented piece of foil over it (I did this at the 45-minute mark).
  • Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. The cooled bread should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap; it can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • Equipment: 8×4-inch loaf pan
  • Nut Butter Substitutes: You can use Sunbutter, almond or cashew butter (make sure it does not have oil separation – I recommend Barney Butter), or Nutella.
  • Mix-Ins: Use different types of chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans or peanuts work great!), raisins, or even cooked, chopped bacon bits.
  • Storing: For moist banana bread, keep your loaf wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then stored in an air-tight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.
  • Freezing: You can store the whole loaf or slices of this banana bread in the freezer for up to 1 month. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then cover with foil. Leave wrapped while thawing.
  • Converting to Muffins: Fill muffin cups two-thirds full and bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
Nutritional values are based on one serving.
Calories: 374kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 236mg, Potassium: 314mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 27g, Vitamin A: 75IU, Vitamin C: 2.6mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 2.4mg

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!

Author: Michelle Lettrich
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American

Photography by Lauren Grant.