Substitutions and Variations
There are so many great variations on banana bread, the possibilities are endless. I suggest that when you make this recipe you make a double batch. Make one to eat right away and one to freeze for later. You’ll thank me when the first batch is inhaled by your crew right away. If you are wondering if you can use salted butter in this recipe, the answer is yes. You will just want to eliminate the 1/2 teaspoon salt from the recipe. Some recipes suggest that you ripen bananas in your oven, but let me explain why I don’t recommend that. The sweetness of a banana changes as it ripens. The more ripe it is, the sweeter it is. Ripening them by popping them in the oven will get you the correct consistency of banana you are looking for, but it won’t get you the sweetness you want. A better bet is to let those bananas ripen fully. Then peel them and freeze them. When you are ready to make your banana bread, let them fully thaw, and use them (and any liquid that goes with them) in this recipe.
Swap the chocolate chips for something else. You can take out the chocolate chips (or half of them) and replace them with a cup of something else. We’ve made this with blueberries, strawberries, Nutella and even zucchini. I know a lot of people love nuts in their banana bread, and that would work as a swap too. Use mini chocolate chips. You eagle eyes will notice that I’m using mini chocolate chips in the video for this post and the final shot shows big chocolate chips. That’s because we love it both ways! I love how the mini chocolate chips distribute, but I also love how the big ones look. If you use the minis you will still want to use just one cup. Swap the yogurt for sour cream. They can be used interchangeably in this recipe, but I do not recommend eliminating the yogurt all together. Use gluten free flour. I haven’t tested this myself, but I have had readers report good results when they replace the flour in this recipe with 1 for 1 gluten free flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. Make muffins. This recipe is great as muffins. You can follow these instructions: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Other Spins on Banana Bread
Here are some other great banana bread recipes you will love!
Freezing as a Whole Loaf
This bread can be frozen as a whole loaf. Wrap it three times in foil or plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer bag. Store for up to three months in the freezer.
Freezing as Slices
It can also be frozen as slices. Once cooled, slice the bread into 10 equal slices. Place the bread on a wax paper lined tray and freeze it for about 4 hours. Transfer the slices to a freezer safe bag and store in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to eat, the slices will take about 30 minutes at room temperature to thaw.
Zucchini Banana Bread Strawberry Banana Bread Blueberry Banana Bread
If you try this recipe or any of my other recipes, leave me a comment and let me know what you think
