Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread

Name: Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Ingredients: 140 grams brown rice flour; 80 grams tapioca starch ((same as tapioca flour)); 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup butter, (room temperature); 1/4 cup maple syrup; 2 eggs; 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 ripe bananas, (mashed); 1/3 cup full-fat Greek yogurt; 1/2 cup chocolate chips, (melted (see notes below))

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Why have regular banana bread when you can have chocolate swirl banana bread? Deliciously moist with just the right amount of sweetness, this banana bread also has chocolate ribbons running through it, making it just that much better! It's also gluten-free, but you'd never know it!

Close-up of slices of brown and cream colored bread, the words gluten-free chocolate swirl banana bread on the bottom.

Who knew gluten-free could look so good?

And even moreso, who knew it could taste so good??

This delicious combination of chocolate swirled through banana bread is a total winner, and you're going to love enjoying a nice thick slice for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.

The recipe is based on my Crazy Good Gluten-Free Banana Bread, but it's made just a bit more decadent with the addition of chocolate...because chocolate can only make things better, right?

How to Make the Banana Bread

Most quick bread recipes start by creaming or beating butter and sugar, often in equal amounts.

However, instead of using granulated sugar, I use maple syrup. And instead of using equal parts sugar to butter, I use half.

Maple syrup is still sugar, but since it's not as processed as white granulated sugar, and since I'm only using half the amount to butter, this banana bread could be considered slightly healthier than a more traditional loaf.

Cream or beat the room temperature butter and maple syrup together, add your eggs and vanilla and beat again, and your wet ingredient base is done.

Making banana bread batter with butter, eggs, dry ingredients, mashed bananas, and white yogurt.

Next come the dry ingredients, which a simple gluten-free blend of brown rice flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, and salt. Whisk these ingredients together and then add them to the wet and beat well.

For the bananas, the riper they are, the better because their natural sweetness is what makes up for the reduced amount of maple syrup. Mash them up really well and add them to the batter, along with some Greek yogurt which will add some moisture and tenderness to the bread.

The Chocolate Swirl

I melt dark chocolate chips for this chocolate swirl banana bread, just because I don't want the bread overly sweet, but you can use your favorite grade of chocolate.

There are different ways to melt chocolate, but my favorite way is described in my How To Melt Chocolate post! Without having to deal with a stove or microwave, my method on melting chocolate is super easy and effective!

Dark brown chocolate chips in a white bowl, melted brown chocolate in a white bowl with a spoon.

Take that luscious melted chocolate and add about ⅔ of it to your banana bread batter and gently swirl it in with a rubber spatula. The key is to not try to mix it in but just cut through the chocolate so you get ribbons, and you only want to cut through maybe 3-4 times. No more!

Dark brown melted chocolate swirled into cream colored batter.

Transfer the chocolate swirled banana bread batter to a parchment lined loaf pan, then drizzle the remaining melted chocolate on top. Swirl through with a butter knife, chopstick, or toothpick until you have a pattern on top and bake at 350F/165C for about 50-55 minutes.

Commonly Asked Questions

Can I use white rice flour instead of brown rice flour?

Yes.

What is a substitute for brown rice flour?

Oat flour, sorghum, millet, or buckwheat are good substitutions. Keep in mind that the buckwheat may affect the coloring of the bread.

What is a substitute for the tapioca starch?

Cornstarch works.

Can I use honey instead of maple syrup?

Yes! Use any liquid sweetener of your choice. You can also use regular granulated sugar, if desired.

Can I freeze the bread?

Yes! You can freeze an entire loaf by wrapping it in plastic wrap and then storing it in a resealable freezer bag. You can also slice the banana bread and freeze smaller portions, wrapped and stored in the same way.

What is a good substitute for the Greek yogurt?

Sour cream works perfectly.

Do I have to melt the chocolate?

No. You won't have the swirls, but you can certainly just mix chocolate chips straight into the banana bread batter. Don't forget to sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the bread, too, before baking!

Brown chocolate swirled in the top of a brown bread loaf.

This bread goes delightfully well with a hot beverage like Ginger Milk Tea Latte or Soothing Ginger Honey Tea. Or on a hot day, enjoy it with an Iced English Tea Latte or an Easy Iced Milk Tea.

If you're interested in another banana quick bread recipe, take a look at my Super Moist Gluten-Free Banana Bread, which also contains no butter, oil, or xanthan gum!

Close-up of slices of chocolate swirl banana bread on a wooden cutting board.

If you love moist banana bread with a lot of banana flavor, and you love chocolate, and you're gluten-free (or even if you're not!), you are going to love this recipe. Banana bread is pretty good as it is, but with chocolate swirled throughout, it's that much better!

~ Lisa.

Recipe

This post was originally published on August 17, 2019 but was republished in August 2021 with new photos, instructional photos, writing, and updated recipe notes.