The Best Chocolate Chip Chia Banana Bread (Gluten Free, Vegan)

Prep: 15 minutesCook: 30 minutesTotal: 45 minutes
Yield: 1 loafCategory: Baking
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This delicious Chocolate Chip & Chia Banana Bread is wonderfully fluffy, nutrient dense and just bursting with chocolate chips. Technically speaking this is my version of a banana bread recipe, can you believe it has taken me so long to write one up?!

I like to use a food processor when blending my bananas to use in this loaf as it eliminates the risk of finding unmashed pieces of banana in the loaf once baked. If you do not have a food processor or blender you can simply add the peeled bananas to a large jug or bowl and mash them using the back of a fork, or even a potato masher, until smooth.

I like to make this dessert really packed with chocolate and tend to use a bar of dairy free milk chocolate I have chopped into chunks myself as opposed to chocolate chips. I like to hold just under half of the chocolate back and scatter this across the top of the loaf once it has finished baking, however, if preferred you can simply throw all of it into the batter. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of chocolate used if desired. I tend to make this using a dark chocolate but you could use any you prefer – if you have a real sweet tooth I would recommend using a milk chocolate or dairy free equivalent as this bake relies heavily on the chocolate for sweetness.

Make sure you allow the coconut oil to cool before adding it to the blitzed bananas. Do not substitute this ingredient for other types of oil, eg olive oil, as they are heavier and will result in a much denser bake with a greasy texture. When you mix the water and chia seeds together set aside for ten to fifteen minutes and allow the mixture to form a gel like consistency.

I use a 21 x 11 cm (8.5″ x 4.5″) loaf tin lined with parchment paper when baking this loaf, however, you could try these as individual bars or muffins instead if preferred.

This loaf is best eaten on the same day it is made, however, it will stay moist in an airtight container for up to four days. If eaten after this point I would recommend warming it up and serving with a scoop of ice cream.

If you like my Chocolate Chip Chia Banana Bread you may also like my gooey Chocolate & Chia Loaf or my Chocolate & Chia Muffins. For more recipes using chocolate and bananas why not try my Chocolate Banana Pancake Poppers or my Banana Bread Breakfast Bars which you can find here.

If you like this recipe and want to show some support please leave a comment below or visit my Ko-Fi account to donate! x

Ingredients

metric
imperial
  • 3 bananas
  • 150g 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp dairy free chocolate chips
  • 140g 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp gluten free plain flour
  • 100ml 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp water
  • 50ml 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
  • 4 tbsp chia seeds
  • 4 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • splash vanilla essence
  • pinch sea salt

Method

  1. Combine the chia seeds and water in a small jug or cup and aside until a gel like consistency forms
  2. Place the bananas in a blender or food processor and blitz well. Alternatively you can mash them by hand until smooth
  3. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the cooled coconut oil, vanilla essence, maple syrup and the chia mix
  4. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt until a smooth batter forms
  5. Stir in just over half of the chocolate chips or chunks, ensuring the pieces are evenly distributed throughout
  6. Pour the mixture out into a lined loaf tin, ensuring it is smooth on top, and place in a preheated oven for thirty minutes at 180 degrees Celsius
  7. Once baked, scatter the remaining chocolate chips or chunks over the top of the loaf while it is still warm from the oven

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