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This Walnut Chocolate Chip Banana Bread With Sour Cream is rich, dense, moist, and offers up crunch and sweetness in every single bite.
I had an epic baking fail last week, but I’m not even mad about it. Had that recipe worked out, I wouldn’t have been strapped for a plan b and I wouldn’t have come up with this rustic beauty.
Recipe testing savory dishes is always a cinch in this house, but when it comes to baking, it’s pretty hit or miss. Though when you *do* see me posting a sweet treat, you can rest assured that it’s a slammin’ success. This Walnut Chocolate Chip Banana Bread With Sour Cream will confirm that. You’ll want it for breakfast, an afternoon snack, and for post-dinner dessert. It won’t last long :)
Walnut Chocolate Chip Banana Bread With Sour Cream.
When we moved into our new house back in October, I decided that the pound of frozen dark brown bananas in the freezer was coming with us—much to my husband’s chagrin, lol. But! I hate food waste. And who in their right mind gets tired of banana bread? I just had to finally get my ass in gear and make banana bread. Here we are, almost five months later.
So. Sour cream. Have you ever baked with it? It’s pretty awesome. It leaves you with a richer, denser texture, yet it still melts in your mouth. It also brings on subtle notes of acidity. That might sound wacky since we’re talking about cake here, but with the nuttiness of the walnuts and the sweetness of the chocolate chips, it works. You can swap the sour cream for plain whole milk Greek yogurt, but you may get a tangier flavor as a result. (I haven’t tried it yet. If you do, let me know in the comments!) However, I wouldn’t sub in regular ol’ plain yogurt; it’s not as thick and it contains too much liquid, which is what caused last week’s previously mentioned baking fail.
At the research and planning stages of this banana bread, I couldn’t decide between adding walnuts or chocolate chips. I typically go for the former because I love getting that crunch, but who doesn’t love a little chocolatey goodness? Unable to make a decision, I decided I’d just use both. The top of the bread is adorned with a halved banana and chia seeds for some extra nutrition. Both are totally optional—but those banana halves add some delicious gooeyness that you might not want to miss out on. You could also slice the banana into rounds and place them all over the top. I’m just in love with how those halves look!
Need to further satisfy that sweet tooth? Whip up these Blueberry Banana Oat Crumb Muffins!
Here are some other crave-worthy breads and muffins…
- Cranberry Orange Overnight Oatmeal Muffins from Crumb Top Baking
- Allergy Free Aloha Banana Bread from JustineCelina.com
- Gluten-Free Banana Bread With Chocolate from Chef Sous Chef
If you try this recipe or create your own variation, let me know in the comments! I love connecting with you.
Also, snap a photo and tag me on the Insta @killing__thyme and be featured in our newsletter.
Walnut Chocolate Chip Banana Bread With Sour Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup unrefined sugar (I used coconut palm sugar)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 5 TBSP full fat sour cream
- 2 large overripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/3 cups)
- 2/3 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
For topping.
- 1 ripe or just slightly overripe banana, sliced in half
- 1 TBSP chia seeds
Instructions
- Take the eggs and sour cream out of the fridge and set them out on the counter.
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease a bread pan (about 9×5″ in size) with a little bit of olive oil. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.In another large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar until you get a crumbly texture. Then, add the eggs and sour cream. Whisk again until cohesive, but don't over mix.
- Transfer the bowl of dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and add the mashed banana, chocolate chips, and walnuts. With a large spoon or spatula, carefully fold the ingredients together just until fully incorporated. Again, don't over mix
- Pour the mixture into the bread pan and bake for 40 minutes. Poke the center of the bread with a cake tester or toothpick. If it comes out clean, you can take the bread out of the oven and let it rest on the counter. If it doesn't come out quite clean yet, bake the bread for another 5-7 minutes, then check it again. Baking time varies from oven to oven.
- When the bread is done, place it on the counter and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Then, slide a knife around the inside edges of the pan to release the bread in case it sticks (though, if properly greased, it shouldn't be sticking at all.) Carefully turn the bread out catching it with your other hand and place on a cooling rack or cutting board right side up.
- Once the bread is cool enough to touch but still nice and warm, slice into it with a bread knife. Serve as is, or with a smear of butter :) (And with a glass of milk!)
To store:
- Cover with foil, paper towels, or a dish towel to prevent it from drying out. Place in a storage container with lid. If stored in the pantry, the bread will last about two days. If stored in the fridge, you extend the breads life to about a week. Simply reheat a slice in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds for a nice warm slice.
