I want to declare my love for this banana bread in some sort of outrageous way.
Hmmm maybe I should call Oprah and ask her if I can come jump on her couch like Tom Cruise did when he proclaimed his love for Katie Holmes?
Probably not a good idea. After all this bread is Scientology free and I don’t want people to think I’m nuts. Plus there’s absolutely no way to fall out of love with this bread.
We’ll just have to think of another way to tell the world about the best banana bread I’ve ever made.
In the case of banana breads, the saying ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ is completely true. I hadn’t baked banana bread in over a month and was dreaming of a unique recipe for you. Luckily the lovely people at Driscoll’s sent me some coupons for raspberries. I knew right away what had to happen. Raspberries and dark chocolate are a combination I can’t resist, but putting them into a banana bread was like an epiphany.
Since I’ve been trying to eat less wheat lately, I decided that I would use oat flour in my recipe (yes, it’s gluten-free). Can I just say WOW?! The oat flour brought a hearty, incredible flavor to the banana bread! Thankfully oatmeal is naturally high in fiber and protein, which means it’s not only good for you but also super filling. I surprised myself when I didn’t inhale the entire loaf right when it came out of the oven.
Oh and by the way, did you know that making your own oat flour is really easy? Simply throw rolled oats (oatmeal) into your blender and blend until the oats are ground into a fine flour. Done!
I don’t know if it’s biting into the sweet tartness from the raspberries and the creamy bittersweet notes of dark chocolate, or if it’s simply this whole oat flour thing going on, but this banana bread just tastes like heaven. I plan on falling in love with it all over again this weekend.
So here’s what I’d really like to happen: You make this bread and inhale it. Or share it. Just tell everyone you know about it!
Here’s why: Raspberries are good for your health. And a little bit of dark chocolate won’t hurt you; it’s an antioxidant! There is also zero butter or oil in this recipe, minimal sugar, and no dairy. If you want to make it vegan, try it without the two egg whites!
I freaking love everything about it. From the way it smells to the way it tastes. Completely devour-able.
Have a great weekend!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Oatmeal Banana Bread
Ingredients
- About 3 cups oatmeal {gluten-free oats}
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup smashed raspberries
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Make oat flour: Place oatmeal into blender and blend for 1-2 minutes until oatmeal resembles flour. You may need to stop blender and stir oats a couple of times to ensure that all oats have been blended.
- Measure out just 2 cups of the oat flour and place in a medium bowl. Whisk in baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, beat mashed bananas, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs for 1-2 minutes until the consistency is smooth and creamy. Slowly add in flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in raspberries and dark chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean.
- Cool 10-15 minutes, then remove from pan and place on wire rack to finish cooling.
Recipe Notes
More quick bread recipes you’ll love:
Healthy Chai Banana Bread with Salted Cashew Butter Vanilla Glaze
My Favorite Healthy Banana Bread Recipe
Healthier Carrot Cake Banana Bread with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
The bread looks beautiful and folks always ask me if I have Gluten Free breads at the farmer’s market. I am not a GF person so I do not ask and have not researched it because there are only a few requests. Could you also use a gluten free flour? Thanks
You could try substituting, although since oat flour is heavily dense it helps carry the moisture; I’m not sure if gluten free flour would do the same. This bread is naturally gluten-free though.
I`ve been trying to eat less wheat too…but it`s way to hard. I kind of gave up. LOL
BUT, at least I can make this DELICIOUS looking banana bread and be happy. Hehe~
I love this recipe! I use oat flour in baking pretty frequently – It’s a great alternative to wheat, I love the flavor and don’t mind the density. I typically use oat flour that comes from the store cause I’m too lazy to grind up the oats myself. LOVE the raspberry, chocolate, banana combination. Delicious!
There is just all kinds of awesome going on here! I’ve made banana bread with coconut flour, too, and it’s really great. Moist and delicious.
This looks so good! Finally a banana bread I won’t feel guilty eating haha. Thanks for the recipe. I wonder what it would taste like with Blueberries??
lovely recipe! i adore chocolate with raspberry!
xo
http://allykayler.blogspot.ca/
I love this recipe! My 10 year old has been begging me to make it again for him since the last piece was eaten….Ill making another loaf tomorrow….the kids and my husband love it! Please Monique, Stop posting these awesome recipes …or I will be forced to leave my husband and kids and proclaim my love for you and your recipes in a bizarre stalking incident…lol! But seriously I suggest everyone try this recipe…it is amazing!
This is so funny! I love it. I’m so happy you, your husband, and kids enjoy the bread. 🙂
It's in the oven right now!
Will keep you updated after trying it.
It is a very big serving though, next time I will prob only use 2 bananas and 2 cups of oats to make flour.
Hi Lauren, you use about 3 cups of oats to make the oat flour; make sure to only use 2 cups of oat flour though! Also 3 bananas are typically used in most banana breads.
It's the first time I'm making banana bread! I'm from france and it isn't common at all here.
But, anyway, good thing there is so much in fact as I ate strait out the oven and it is gorgeous!!!
Thanks for the recipe.
What a beautiful loaf of bread!
Does this freeze well? I doubled the recipe and made two loaves!
Hi! I can't wait to make this bread as it sounds absolutely delicious! But, the oatmeal you buy in most stores (i.e. Quaker) is not in fact gluten-free unless is specifically says so. Bob's Red Mill makes a gluten-free oatmeal, but regular oatmeal is only wheat-free. My son in the picture with me is 16 and was diagnosed with Celiac Disease when he was 5 (this is an older picture) so I've done a lot of research over the years.
Thanks for all your great recipes!
We use coconut flour and we just started using sorgum flour.
Hi Erin! In the notes section of my recipe, I mentioned to use gluten-free oats, but to make it more noticeable I have put it in the main ingredient list as well. Thanks!
Do you have your recipe up for warm apple crisp?Is this a healthy one?Love your recipes!Thanks!Julie A. Ward [email protected]
Hi Julie. No, I don’t have the recipe for my apple crisp up yet. Unfortunately it is not healthy. You only live once.
Just made this and it was delicious! Love the raspberry/dark chocolate combo. I’ve never baked with oat flour before, we just use rice flour for gluten free baking. This was SO much better! Thank you!
I love this bread! I subbed Stevia for the brown sugar and took an organic Green & Black dark chocolate bar and coursely chopped it up instead of using the dark chocolate chips. It is super yummy. My kids like it, as well! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Can’t wait to try this!! Going to make your chocolate chip banana bread tomorrow for some friends and their kids who are coming over 🙂
Can’t wait to try this!! Going to make your chocolate chip oatmeal banana bread tomorrow for some friends and her kids that are coming over 🙂
Janet – Let's make this for Beep!
Ambitious Kitchen, What kind of Oatmeal would be best to use? Old fashoined (cut), or the quick 1 min (processed)…also, would it be okay to add a few walnuts? -Thanks!
Use rolled oats, and walnuts would be perfect!
When I took it out of the pan, some of the loaf broke apart. I refrigerated the remaining half and sliced it this morning…delicious! I think when I make it again, I might try a bit more egg…
Anyone tried this recipe as muffins? Would the baking time be the same?
Hi Nadya! Try baking them for about 15-20 minutes as muffins. 🙂
Beautiful and de-li-cious!
First time making banana bread and I'm not sure what went wrong but mine fell apart after I took it out the oven too. Still tasted good! Thanks for recipe.
How can I print this recipe?
Susanne
Hit the print button next to all of the social sharing buttons. 🙂
I made this yesterday using Quaker oats and it came out perfectly! This is my new go-to banana bread recipe, I LOVE it! Thanks for sharing.
I made this yesterday using Quaker oats and it came out perfectly! This is my new go-to banana bread recipe, I LOVE it! Thanks for sharing.
I made this recipe yesterday just for fun, because we had three overripe bananas just sitting on our kitchen table. Well, we didn't have any raspberries, but we did have a bag full of a mixture of frozen blueberries (that we picked at a farm), blackberries (from our garden), and black raspberries (also from our garden). So, I replaced the chocolate chips with an extra half a cup of berries as well, and added a streusel topping that had chopped walnuts in it. It. Was. AMAZING! It did take a bit longer to bake, but it came out perfectly in the end!
Hi, I was just wondering what you would suggest to use in place of egg whites for a vegan version of this recipe? Can’t wait to make this!
Just add a tablespoon or two of oil and it should work just fine! 🙂
AMAZING…..simply amazing!
I made some muffin versions of the bread yesterday and my own family (being not health food eating) didn’t think they sounded appetizing, but i took them to the boyfriends’ house and they gobbled them right up, so naturally i posted a picture on instagram and my boyfriend’s uncle asked me to try making them paleo for him so he could try them, so i used almond flour for his and they’re baking as we speak, and my boyfriend begged me to make some he could bring to his ww2 reenactment, it is cooling, then being packaged up 40s style… the paleo muffins are out and may not look as good but wow they’re tasty (and really hot)! These will be made quite often from now on! Thanks for the recipe!
Made this last night for breakfast today… And someone had already devoured a quarter of the loaf before I was even awake! It was delicious, moist, perfectly tart and chocolatey. I only used half the chocolate chips. Also, when my cup of whole raspberries was mashed it turned into 1/2 a cup. Should I have used a full cup mashed? Regardless, I’m excited about this recipe! Definitely sounds like I could modify with other ingredients and flavors. I think I’ll try mint chocolate chip or white chocolate and lemon next.
I’ve heard you can substitute applesauce for regular sugar, but can you do the same with brown sugar?
I don’t think that really works the same. Applesauce isn’t as sweet. You can substitute applesauce for oil though.
Holy yum! I can't wait to make this. I will probably sub strawberries for raspberries because that is what I have.
Just made this for the first time. All the ingredients were fresh and.it baked ok…but the top of the bread appeRs discolored a bit. Maybe a greenish tone. El
Hi Monique, I just wanted to clarify: it’s 1 cup of raspberries AFTER they’re smashed, correct? Any idea approximately how much raspberries would yield that much? 1 pint? 2? Thanks for any guidance!
1 pint would be fine!
Any reason you can’t use light brown sugar? Thanks!
Nope that will work just fine!
Made this with oat bran and lemon zest instead of vanilla and it was wonderful, did bake it for 45 minutes though
Make this recipe probably every other week! Have used raspberries, blueberries and even mixed fruit combination. I also used oat bran so it makes it even easier (no making oat flour!). Delicious! My family loves them and ask for them all the time. I make them in mini loaves so great for breakfast or snacks! thanks Monique for this and all your other recipes!
delicious! made this last night, let it cool overnight and had it with my coffee this morning! mmm, this recipe is a keeper. definitely be making it again. thank you!
Wow Monique I’m not sure how I missed making this but since my garden is bursting with raspberries it it a great way to use them. This recipe is DELICIOUS!! I love the oat flour variation & only used half the sugar (rest stevia) but it was still super awesome. 🙂
This looks absolutely delicious. I was wondering, do you think leazving out the chocolate would make this bread a bit bland? Neither my bf or I are fans of it but im afraid the bread would be missing something withouy it. Maybe i could replace it with coconut?
You can absolutely replace it with coconut, or maybe add some peanut butter to the batter?
I love this bread! I’ve made it 3 times before and every time it’s a crowd pleaser. Thank you for sharing! I love all of your recipes – You’ve got great taste!
going to give these a try go into add vanilla frosting on top ty for recipe
Made this for my Dad who loves raspberries and asked for banana bread… such a hit! Love the use of oat flour and the raspberries make for a tangy treat. Will definitely be baking this again.
Perfect! I’m glad you both enjoyed 🙂
I used flax eggs and made them into muffins. Delicious!
Perfect! Love that idea.
Hi! what kind of sweetener can I use instead of brown sugar? Xylitol? Coconut sugar? And how much? Thanks!
You can use coconut sugar! Enjoy 🙂
I make this every week for the last 3 weeks and I never get bored with this oh so delicious bread. It fits perfect while I am doing IF.
2 slices at 12.00 o’clock and I can get by until 15.00 for a little snack. Often a muffin also from your incredible page! My kids love this bread to!
Thank you for your fabulous recepis and have a beautiful pregnancy.
🙋♀️
So happy to hear that, Desiree! Glad you and the kiddos are loving this one 🙂 and thanks so much!
Best, moistest banana bread recipe. I’ve been making it for years and it’s my go to without fail. Thanks, Monique!
Amazing! Glad you love this one!
Hello Monique,
I wanted to try this recipe but I was wondering if I can make it without eggs? You have written down in the recipe that we can skip eggs. Should I use any substitute? Thank you in advance!
Hi! Try flax eggs!
I love the flavor combination in this bread, but I’m not a fan of the denseness. Can I substitute whole wheat pastry flour for the oatmeal? I’m not gluten-free. I usually make it with a flaxseed egg.
I haven’t tried it, but feel free to and let me know if it works out!
We love this recipe and make it all the time!
I often will do 1 egg and 1 TBSP greek yogurt instead of the two egg whites
I’m wondering if you omit the raspberries will that create a less moist bread?
Yes that would work, or just add more oat flour/oatmeal.
so good, highly recommend!! I used honey instead of brown sugar (because we didn’t have any) and it came out amazing. ambitious kitchen recipes never fail!
So glad to hear that, Shan!! Thanks so much for the review 🙂
Hi Monique! 🙂 can i use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar?
Hi, Morela! Yes definitely 🙂
Hi Monique
can I omit the sugar all together?
I realized this morning that I’ve been making this bread for about 8 years, and my whole family loves it. Appreciate all of your tasty and delicious recipes. Thank you!
Oh my gosh, an oldie but a goodie! So glad you and the family love it!