Coconut Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

This easy Coconut Banana Bread recipe with chocolate chips is a fun way to kick your banana bread up a notch. Moist and delicious with a taste of something tropical and loaded with gooey chocolate chips. Only 10 minutes to prep and is certain to be a family favorite!

This recipe was originally published March 2019 and updated July 2021.

I can never get enough banana bread--but who can? This Coconut Banana Bread packed with dark chocolate chips was inspired by my favorite of all time: White Chocolate Almond Banana Bread.

Taking your bread to a tropical destination with all of the coconut in this simple loaf that is a great way to use up ripe bananas!

Why this Coconut Banana Bread is the Best:

• Uses up food that would go to waste. I HATE wasting food. And bananas always go brown before we can get to them all. Sometimes they end up in these Banana Overnight Oats, but banana bread is always on the list. Love that we don't have to toss the bananas!
• Kid friendly. Banana bread is always well loved by kiddos. Toss in some chocolate chips and you know they will come running! Even if they are not so sure about the coconut, the sight of chocolate is usually what will get them in the kitchen.
• It's freezer friendly. Freeze the whole loaf or freeze individual slices. You should be good to go either way!
• A fun twist on a classic favorite. I am a fan of a good classic recipe, but sometimes shifting things up a bit is the best. Some coconut in this banana bread makes all the difference!

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• bananas: make sure they are mushy and brown. That will make for the best coconut banana bread
• egg: large egg, and make sure its room temperature for best results
• flour: I use all purpose. You should be ok with a 1:1 all purpose gluten free flour
• butter: unsalted for this recipe, but if you have salted, just omit the salt or half it
• brown sugar: light brown sugar is my preference
• baking soda: easily test if your baking soda is fresh
• vanilla extract
• shredded coconut: I use unsweetened. You could use sweetened but it will definitely up the sugar and sweetness of the recipe!
• chocolate chips: you can vary as you would like here. I use dark chocolate chips in this coconut banana bread recipe but white or milk would be great as well!

Step-by-Step Instructions:

• Mash the bananas well (step 1)
• Add the egg and whisk to incorporate. (step 2-3)
• Mix in the butter, brown sugar, vanilla and egg until smooth. It's ok if you have some lumps in the banana when mashing. No need for perfectly smooth! (step 3-4)

• In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt. Add this mixture to the banana mixture and stir until combined. Do not over stir--just until incorporated. (step 4)
• Fold in one cup of the coconut and ⅔ cup chocolate chips. (step 5-6)

• Pour into a parchment lined or well greased bread pan and top with remaining chocolate chips and coconut. (step 7-8)
• Bake at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean. About 50-60 minutes. (step 9)
• Cool and serve!

Recipe Tips and Notes:

• I added coconut both inside the bread and on top. The toasted coconut on top is the best! For best results, gently press the coconut and chocolate chips that you sprinkle on top onto the batter so it doesn't fall off when serving nearly as much.
• Dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, dairy free chocolate chips--you choose. Whatever kind works best for you or whatever you have in the pantry should work just fine.
• For a gluten free version, a gluten all purpose flour should work just fine. Just make sure it is a 1:1 conversion.
• Pro tip: I have a friend who uses banana bread to make French Toast. She is clearly a genius. Can you imagine this bread as French Toast?!?

Other Banana Bread Recipes:

• Banana Bread Overnight Oats
• Pumpkin Chip Banana Bread
• White Chocolate Almond Banana Bread
• Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
• No Bake Banana Bread Bites

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