Chocolate Chip Banana Bread With Walnuts

We love classic banana bread as much as the next person who chronically “forgets” about those last two bananas until it’s too late to do anything else with them. But why make it plain when you could make a wonderfully moist banana bread strewn with crunchy, toasty walnuts and melty dark chocolate? Two flavors that, by all accounts, are the most complementary to bananas’ sweet tropical essence.

Don’t attempt to make this loaf with bright yellow bananas. For the best flavor and texture, you want well-spotted overripe bananas that mash easily into a paste. If you find you have ripened bananas before you’re ready to bake, peel them and stash the mashed bananas in a freezer bag, then pull out what you need and let them thaw while you gather the rest of your ingredients.

We call for standard dark chocolate chips, but you can use whatever you keep on hand, be it mini chocolate chips or a bar cut into shavings. If you prefer banana bread with a heartier crumb, substitute up to half the all-purpose flour in the dry ingredients with whole wheat flour. Not a walnut person? Pecans work equally well, as would toasted coconut, pistachios, or cashews.

You could also transform this easy banana bread into easy banana muffins: Spray a muffin pan with nonstick spray and fit the molds with paper or silicone liners. Fill them three quarters of the way to the top, and check your muffins for doneness after 25–30 minutes in the oven.