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This single serving chocolate banana bread is rich, moist, and filled with chocolate chips. Made with one overripe banana and simple pantry ingredients, it bakes into a perfectly portioned mini loaf that’s ready in about 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Moist & Fudgy One‑Banana Bread: Just one overripe banana turns into a rich, tender, single serve loaf, perfect when you only need a quick chocolate fix.
- Double Chocolate Delight: Made with both unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate chips for an ultra‑chocolatey bite in every mouthful.
- Uses Everyday Pantry Staples: No specialty ingredients needed, just common kitchen basics to whip up a decadent loaf in just 30 minutes.
What I love most about this chocolate banana bread is how it feels like such a treat without being complicated.
It’s the recipe I turn to when I have just one overripe banana sitting on the counter and want something warm, sweet, and chocolatey. Baking it in a little ramekin makes it feel extra special, and every bite is rich, tender, and full of comfort.
Looking for more recipes using just one banana? Try our one banana bread recipe, small batch banana pancake recipe, mini banana cream pie, bananas foster for one and mini hummingbird cake.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small chocolate banana bread recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Cocoa Powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder for rich chocolate flavor.
- Banana: Use one overripe banana for natural sweetness and strong banana flavor. Extra bananas can be used in a small batch of banana muffins.
- Butter and Egg Yolk: Provide moisture and richness. Save the egg white for egg white recipes like small batch meringues, a mini Texas sheet cake, mini angel food cake, or our recipe for two chocolate cupcakes.
- Chocolate Chips: Add melty bursts of chocolate. You can also use chunks or chopped chocolate. Leftovers work well in mini chocolate lava cake, single serve chocolate chip banana bead or in our small batch blondies recipe.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
This single serving chocolate banana bread is easy to customize. Try these simple variations for extra flavor:
- Banana Nut Bread For One: Stir in chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds for crunch and nutty flavor.
- Fruit Banana Bread: Mix in dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, or chopped dates for a sweet, chewy bite.
- Coconut Banana Bread: Add shredded coconut for a tropical flavor and extra texture.
- Nutella Banana Bread: Swirl Nutella or hazelnut spread into the batter for a gooey chocolate-hazelnut center.
How To Make Chocolate Banana Bread
These photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a single serve chocolate banana bread. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 10-ounce ramekin with butter or cooking spray and place it on a baking sheet with raised edges to catch any spills.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Mash the banana on a small plate with a fork, then transfer it to a medium bowl. Add the sugar and whisk (or use an electric mixer) until smooth.
- Whisk in the melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla until fully combined.
Note: Using just the yolk gives the bread richness and moisture. Save the egg white for another recipe like small flourless chocolate cake and enjoy the creamy, luxurious texture that only the yolk can give to your single serving bread.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared ramekin.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool slightly before serving.
Expert Tips
- Read First: Review the recipe and ingredient notes before starting to ensure success.
- Use Ripe Bananas: Bananas with brown spots are the sweetest and add the best flavor.
- Avoid Overmixing: Stir the batter just until combined for tender, soft bread.
- Check Doneness Early: Begin testing at 25 minutes. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- For a Bakery Look: Press extra chocolate chips on top of the batter before baking for a pretty finish and more chocolate flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
A 10-ounce ramekin is highly recommended for optimal results.
Yes! Thaw it first and then mash it before incorporating the banana into the batter.
Store any leftover banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a day or in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat in the microwave for a warm treat.
You can use the toothpick test to check for doneness. Insert a toothpick into the center of the bread; if it comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter, it’s done.
Absolutely, you can easily scale up. Use either two 10-ounce ramekins or use a 5×5-inch baking dish to accommodate the increased amount of batter.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve made this mini chocolate banana bread recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Please rate the recipe and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Snapped a photo? Tag us on Instagram; we’d be thrilled to see your creation!
Chocolate Banana Bread For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 medium banana -mashed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon salted butter -melted (plus more for greasing the ramekin)
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips -or finely chopped chocolate (1 oz)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 10-ounce ramekin with butter or cooking spray and place it on a baking sheet with raised edges to catch any spills.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Mash the banana on a small plate with a fork, then transfer it to a medium bowl. Add the sugar and whisk (or use an electric mixer) until smooth.
- Whisk in the melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla until fully combined.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared ramekin.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Read First: Review the recipe and ingredient notes before starting to ensure success.
- Use Ripe Bananas: Bananas with brown spots are the sweetest and add the best flavor.
- Avoid Overmixing: Stir the batter just until combined for tender, soft bread.
- Check Doneness Early: Begin testing at 25 minutes. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- For a Bakery Look: Press extra chocolate chips on top of the batter before baking for a pretty finish and more chocolate flavor.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I did not have a ramekin so I used a mini cast iron skillet loaf pan and it cooked beautifully and came right out with no issue! This hits the spot for sure 🙂
Hi Joanie,
I noticed the size for baking the chocolate banana bread, a 10 ounce ramekin, remained the same whether using the 1X or 2X version of the recipe. Surely if you’re going to double the recipe it would need a different size baking dish. I’m going to use a small glass loaf pan that’s larger than a 10 ounce ramekin as that’s all that I have on hand. I thought I would bring it to your attention so that the 2X version reflects the correct size baking dish.
Thanks, Cindy
Hi Cindy,
Thank you for your message. Our automated recipe box can’t update the baking dish size, which is why we provide the correct sizes for doubling in the FAQ section under “Can I Double This Recipe?”. For doubling, you can use either two 10-ounce baking dishes or one 5×5 inch baking dish. If you use a loaf pan, you may need to reduce the baking time since the bread will be thinner. I hope you enjoy the chocolate banana bread!
Delicious recipe. Baked in a 5 x 5 pan in the toaster oven. Very chocolatey and moist.
This was delicious. I baked it in a 5×5 in a toaster oven. Very moist and chocolately.
I’m on a low sodium diet do you have to use salted butter
No, unsalted butter is fine to use.
WOW! I’m not a big chocolate fan but this recipe sounded (and looked) so good I just had to give it a try and I’m soo thankful I did. Thank you Joan for your excellent attention to details (egg yolk vs whole egg) which I followed to the letter. And you’re right – I had ALL the ingredients on hand-yay!
The only addition was chopped walnuts & I forgot to fold in the chips so I sprinkled them on top. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! 25 min later a perfect BANANA CHOCOLATE BREAD. Totally sharing with family and friends!
Good recipe. If you wanted to use nuts or dried fruit in it, how much would you use?
While there’s no exact measurement for this, I usually go with a “handful” approach. A handful is roughly 2 to 3 tablespoons. Feel free to adjust to your own taste preference.
Thank you very much.