Unleash a flavor explosion in your kitchen with Chocolate Chip Toffee Banana Bread! This isn’t just your grandmother’s classic banana loaf; it’s a decadent upgrade brimming with rich chocolate chips and irresistible toffee bits. Whether baked into a comforting loaf or convenient grab-and-go muffins, this recipe promises to transform your breakfast or snack routine. Prepare to discover a new favorite – you might never settle for plain banana bread again!
This extraordinary recipe hails from the pages of the acclaimed cookbook, The Weekday Lunches & Breakfasts Cookbook: Easy & Delicious Home-Cooked Meals for Busy Families, penned by my talented friend, Mary Younkin.
Elevate Your Baking with Chocolate Chip Toffee Banana Bread
My esteemed colleague and a true gem in the blogging community, Mary Younkin, the creative force behind the popular blog Barefeet in the Kitchen, has once again graced us with her culinary wisdom. Her second incredible, family-focused cookbook, The Weekday Lunches & Breakfasts Cookbook, is an absolute game-changer for those seeking delicious, home-cooked meals without the fuss.
This latest release is a fantastic companion to Mary’s widely loved first book, The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook: Simple Family-Friendly Recipes for Everyday Home Cooking. For a taste of her earlier brilliance, you might recall the delightful Lemon Curd Mini Cheesecakes I whipped up from that cookbook back in 2016 – a true testament to her approachable yet exquisite recipes.
As someone with a confessed sweet tooth and a particular soft spot for anything “toffee,” I was immediately captivated when I stumbled upon her recipe for Chocolate Chip Toffee Banana Bread. I knew instantly that baking up a couple of loaves was a non-negotiable mission. The mere sight of bananas emerging from the freezer sent my “picky eater” daughter into a state of eager anticipation! And indeed, the resulting loaves, bursting with melty chocolate chips and perfectly chewy toffee bits, were nothing short of spectacular. This wasn’t just banana bread; it was a triumphant celebration of flavor and texture – truly one glorious banana bread that exceeded all expectations.
Mastering the Art of Banana Bread: Tips for Perfect Loaves
One of the secrets to consistently amazing banana bread lies in the ripeness of your bananas and how you store them. For years, I would simply toss whole, unpeeled ripe bananas into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and freeze them. This method, while seemingly convenient, often led to frustrating moments when a craving for classic banana bread or even a decadent hummingbird cake struck months later. I had heard whispers that peeling them first was the more efficient route, but my long-standing technique always seemed to “work” for me, so why bother changing?
Well, that tradition came to a rather messy end recently. Attempting to peel those rock-solid, frozen bananas proved quite the ordeal. The outer peel stubbornly split from an inner layer, forcing me to tediously scrape off the clinging residue from the ice-cold, soft, and rather oozy fruit. It was a sticky, frustrating endeavor! This experience solidified my resolve: from now on, all ripe bananas destined for the freezer will be peeled *before* freezing. This simple pre-emptive step ensures they’re perfectly ready for mashing the moment a banana bread craving hits, saving both time and sticky fingers. Always aim for bananas that are heavily speckled with brown spots, as this indicates maximum sweetness and flavor, which is crucial for a truly outstanding banana bread.
The Weekday Lunches & Breakfasts Cookbook: A Lifesaver for Busy Families
If you, like me, often find yourself trapped in a culinary rut when it comes to breakfast and lunch, then Mary Younkin’s The Weekday Lunches & Breakfasts Cookbook: Easy & Delicious Home-Cooked Meals for Busy Families is a godsend. It truly arrived at my doorstep just in the nick of time, promising to breathe new life into my meal planning.
While I certainly have my go-to recipes, the reality is that when I’m immersed in testing new dinner and dessert creations, other meals often get sidelined. This brilliant cookbook changes everything! Mary’s recipes are designed for real life, focusing on simplicity without sacrificing flavor. I’m particularly excited to try her tempting Spinach Couscous Salad with Chicken and Cranberries for my post-Easter weekday lunches. And to shake up my usual breakfast routine, her Savory French Toast Bake, featuring ham, Swiss cheese, and asparagus, sounds like the perfect way to make both my husband and myself happy and well-fed.
Of course, I can never entirely ignore the dessert section, so her “Perfect-Every-Time-Brownies” are definitely on our upcoming dessert menu—I have no doubt these rich and fudgy delights will earn universal family approval. For even more culinary inspiration, don’t forget to explore her previous triumph, The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook: Simple Family-Friendly Recipes for Everyday Home Cooking, which is equally packed with winning recipes for every busy household.
For a continuous stream of delightful and family-friendly recipes, be sure to visit Mary’s wonderful blog, Barefeet in the Kitchen, and connect with her across her social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. And if your love for toffee rivals mine, you absolutely must try these incredible Chewy Oatmeal Toffee Cookies—they are pure bliss!
Chocolate Chip Toffee Banana Bread Recipe
This rich chocolate and toffee filled banana bread is a sweet treat that comes together in no time!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 2 loaves or 24 muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 medium very ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups), mashed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup chocolate chips, divided (e.g., semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
- 3/4 cup toffee bits or chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Thoroughly grease two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans or line them with parchment paper. Alternatively, line 24 muffin cups with paper liners and lightly spray the liners with nonstick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and brown sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and eggs, continuing to beat until everything is smooth and well incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating on low speed just until they are combined and no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the mashed bananas and sour cream until just incorporated. Stir in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the toffee chips.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pans or muffin tins. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 cup toffee chips over the top of the batter.
- Bake the full-sized loaf pans for 55-60 minutes, or the muffins for 20-22 minutes. The bread is done when a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached (not wet batter).
- Let the loaves cool completely in the pans before running a knife around the edges to loosen and then gently removing them to a plate or wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
This banana bread freezes beautifully! To freeze muffins, simply cool them completely, then store them in a zip-top freezer bag. For a loaf, allow it to cool entirely, then wrap it (unsliced) tightly in aluminum foil before placing it in a large zip-top freezer bag. It can be frozen for 2-3 months.
Nutrition Information (per serving)
Amount Per Serving (1 muffin or slice):
Calories: 227
Total Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 44mg
Sodium: 202mg
Carbohydrates: 27g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 18g
Protein: 2g
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