Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Let me just start by saying that I love all things peanut butter and chocolate. Maybe it has something to do with being from Ohio, the Buckeye state–and I mean the kind of buckeye which is a little bite of sweet peanut butter goodness covered in chocolate, not the tree. Or maybe it’s simply because it is just such a delicious combination. In any case, I am a firm believer that peanut butter and chocolate are a match made in heaven. I also believe that this mix is the perfectly decadent way to upgrade a classic treat, like in the case of banana bread. This peanut butter chocolate chip banana bread is so good. Like next level, where-have-you-been-all-my-life good. It’s got peanut butter in the batter, peanut butter chips, milk chocolate chips, and a swirl of sweetened peanut butter. Need I say more? You need to go make it right now.

Back story… (Scroll down to the recipe if you cannot wait to run to the kitchen and make this banana bread–I wouldn’t blame you.) I tried this recipe once before, changing things up just a bit, mainly to make it more like my favourite Chai Banana Bread. I really enjoyed it, but I thought I wouldn’t mind having just a bit more peanut butter flavour.

So, this time, I added a swirl of a sweet, creamy peanut butter mixture. It was inspired by my favourite childhood sandwich, which my grandma would make when she babysat me and my younger brother. She would mix peanut butter with a little margarine and maple syrup to make a sweet, creamy spread. We would always beg her to make it for us. I still make one of those sandwiches once in a great while.

Anyway, back to this awesome banana bread… The swirl really does add even more peanut buttery goodness, but it is totally optional. This banana bread is wonderful with or without it. I hope you’ll enjoy it.

Here’s the recipe…

• Servings: 1 loaf
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This peanut butter chocolate chip banana bread is so good. Like next level, where-have-you-been-all-my-life good. It's got peanut butter in the batter, peanut butter chips, milk chocolate chips, and a swirl of sweetened peanut butter. Need I say more? You need to go make it right now.

This recipe was adapted from Oh, Sweet Basil.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda/ bi-carb soda
• 1 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup/ 75g unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup mashed bananas (2-3 medium overripe bananas)
• 1 cup chocolate chips (milk and/ or dark chocolate)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For peanut butter swirl (optional but so good!)

• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp margarine
• drizzle of maple syrup

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/ 160-180C (if your oven runs a bit hot, like mine, then go for the slightly lower temp).
2. Prepare a standard size loaf pan by spraying with oil, lining with baking paper with extra on the sides, to pull bread out of pan when cooled, and then spraying the paper with oil.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda/ bi-carb soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside.
4. Cut butter in cubes and melt it. I like to use a Pyrex measuring cup loosely covered with plastic wrap. Microwave the butter in 30 second increments until just melted. Remove plastic wrap and allow to cool for a few minutes.
5. Whisk peanut butter into the melted butter.
6. In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add peanut butter mixture to bananas and whisk until combined. Stir in brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
7. Gently fold dry mixture into banana mixture.
8. Fold in chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.
9. If making the sweetened peanut butter swirl, whisk all ingredients together until very smooth, like the texture of buttercream frosting. Drop a few (like 5-6) blobs of sweetened peanut butter onto the top of the batter. Swirl around with a knife or offset spatula.
10. Press several chocolate chips on top of the batter, to make it look pretty (optional).
11. Bake banana bread for about 45 minutes, tenting with foil for the last 10 minutes or so, to avoid the crust getting too dark.
12. Once bread is baked, allow to cool in pan on wire rack for at least 20 minutes, loosely covered with a clean tea towel.
13. Pull bread out of pan, using the baking paper. Allow to cool completely before slicing. Store banana bread in a tightly sealed container. It will stay fresh for about 3 days.

This recipe was created by Kim Sequoia for a delicious moment.

All written content and photos are copyright Kim Sequoia 2020 for a delicious moment.