Peanut Butter Banana Bread Loaf (Printer-Friendly)

A moist banana loaf combining creamy peanut butter, chocolate chips, and peanut butter cup pieces for a delightful experience.

# What You Need:

→ Produce

01 - 3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cups)

→ Dairy & Eggs

02 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
04 - 1/4 cup whole milk or buttermilk

→ Pantry

05 - 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
06 - 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
07 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Mix-ins

13 - 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
14 - 3/4 cup chopped peanut butter cups

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, melted butter, sugars, peanut butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
03 - In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Fold in chocolate chips and chopped peanut butter cups, reserving a small handful for topping.
06 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle reserved chocolate chips and peanut butter cups on top.
07 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
08 - Let loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The peanut butter cups melt slightly into the crumb, creating pockets of fudgy surprise that make every slice taste different from the last.
  • You can have this cooling on the rack in under two hours, which means dessert that doesn't require weekend meal prep energy.
  • It's naturally moist because of the bananas and peanut butter, so even if you bake it a few extra minutes by accident, it won't dry out on you.
02 -
  • Room temperature eggs and slightly cooled melted butter are non-negotiable if you want a smooth, lump-free batter that bakes evenly throughout the loaf.
  • The difference between a dense brick and a tender crumb is knowing when to stop stirring—the moment you don't see dry flour anymore, you stop, even if it looks slightly rough.
  • If your loaf is browning too quickly on top, tent it loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent the chocolate and peanut butter cups from burning while the inside finishes cooking.
03 -
  • Reserve your chocolate chips and peanut butter cup pieces for the top of the batter instead of folding them all in—this ensures every slice has visible pockets of chocolate and candy rather than them getting buried in the crumb.
  • If you're baking at high altitude, increase the baking soda by 1/8 teaspoon and reduce the sugar by 2 tablespoons to account for faster rising and moisture loss.
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