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Why I Love This Banana Bread
Let’s be honest: banana bread is really just a way to use up overripe bananas. I assume that at some point in history, someone was fed up with their bananas turning from green to brown so quickly and decided to bake something. Boom! Banana bread. But we’re taking things up a notch by making a chocolate and tahini banana bread!
What I especially love is that it still bakes like a classic quick bread, but tastes so much more elevated. The tahini adds some nuttiness that works really well with the banana, and the chopped chocolate melts into little pockets throughout the loaf. The glaze goes over the top with some sesame seeds to gild the lily. There’s nothing I love more than to have a loaf stashed in the freezer for later, ready to slice for breakfast, coffee break (like my grandma and grandpa did each morning), or a little something sweet in the afternoon.
Why you’ll love this tahini banana bread:
- A great way to use up overripe bananas!
- Tahini adds some nutty flavor, and chopped chocolate keeps the sweetness balanced.
- The glaze makes the loaf feel like it came from a bakery.
- Perfect for breakfast, snacking, and dessert.
Background
What Is a Quick Bread?
Banana bread is a quick bread, meaning that the entire process from mixing the ingredients together to baking is done in a matter of minutes. Unlike conventional yeast bread, there is no yeast in a quick bread. The leavening comes from baking powder and eggs. The outcome is often closer to a cake texture than a bread texture.
Many times, zucchini or other produce that had a bumper crop in the garden were used up by making quick bread and cakes. To cover up the absence of flavor, sugar was added. Thus, quick breads can have copious amounts of sugar.
Bananas have a lot of natural sugar. And by cutting the sugar in the recipe and making a switch to brown sugar, more banana flavor comes through along with caramel notes.
Tahini Banana Bread Ingredients
A few special ingredients make this bread the ultimate version:
- Mashed banana – The perfect, moist way to flavor this quick bread recipe when your bananas are overripe.
- Light brown sugar – Adds warmth and a soft caramel note.
- Eggs, all-purpose flour, and baking soda – The three components that provide the structure of the bread.
- Vanilla extract and kosher salt – Great ways to add additional flavor.
- Tahini – Adds richness and a little bit of a savory component.
- Unsalted butter – Makes the perfect texture for the bread’s crumb.
- Bittersweet chocolate – Chopped and added into the batter; also melted and used for a glaze on top.
- Coconut oil – Helps the glaze melt smoothly and set with shininess.
- Honey – Adds sweetness to the glaze while also helping it come together.
- Flaky salt and sesame seeds – A finishing touch to the bread.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Tahini Banana Bread
The steps to putting together this banana bread are simple: mix, bake, and glaze.
Mix the wet ingredients – In a large bowl, combine the mashed banana, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, tahini, and melted butter. Stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Add the dry ingredients – Add the flour, kosher salt, and baking soda. Mix until just a few dry streaks remain. Fold in the chopped chocolate.
Bake the loaf – Pour the batter into a greased and parchment-lined 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until a skewer inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, 60-75 minutes. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove it and cool completely on a rack for about 2 hours.
The recipe can easily be made into several smaller mini loaf pans, but the time will need to be adjusted accordingly.
Make the glaze – Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together. Add the tahini, honey, and salt, then stir until smooth. Let the glaze sit in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to cool slightly and thicken.
Finish the bread – Once the banana bread is fully cooled, pour the glaze over the top. Let it set before slicing.
Recipe Tips
- Use very ripe bananas – The darker and spottier the bananas, the stronger the flavor, the sweeter they’ll be, and the better the texture.
- Stir the tahini well first – Tahini can separate in the jar, so give it a good stir before measuring to keep the batter balanced.
- Chop the chocolate instead of using chips – Rough pieces melt a little more naturally into the loaf and give each slice a better mix of small flecks and larger pockets.
- Do not overmix – Once the flour goes in, stir only until combined so the loaf stays tender.
- Cool completely before glazing – This is super important and a nonnegotiable step! A warm loaf will make the glaze run right off instead of settling nicely on top.
Follow These Tips
Serving & Storage
Serving – Once the glaze has set, cut the loaf into slices and serve. It’s wonderful at room temperature with coffee, but I also love it lightly warmed so the chocolate softens just a bit.
Storage – Once the glaze is set, store the loaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (because of the chocolate). For the best texture, let slices come to room temperature before serving.
Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices, wrapped well or in a freezer-safe container, for up to 2 months. I like freezing individual slices so they’re easy to pull out one at a time.
To reheat, warm a slice in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, or toast it lightly until the crumb is soft and the chocolate is just a little melty. Just make sure not to heat for too long, as the chocolate will get soft.
More Bread Recipes
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
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Chocolate & Tahini Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups mashed banana (about 3 bananas)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup tahini
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 6 oz bittersweet chocolate roughly chopped
For the glaze
- 2 oz bittersweet chocolate
- 1 tsp extra virgin coconut oil
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp flaky sea salt
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, line with a parchment sling, spray the parchment, and set it aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the banana, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, tahini, and melted butter. Mix together until well combined and smooth.1 ½ cups mashed banana (about 3 bananas), ¾ cup light brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ½ cup tahini, 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until just a few dry streaks remain. Add the chocolate and fold together. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread to make an even layer.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp baking soda, 6 oz bittersweet chocolate
- Bake in the preheated 350°F oven until a skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out mostly clean, 60-75 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool on a rack for 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, prepare the glaze: Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together. Add the tahini and honey, and stir until smooth. Allow the mixture to cool slightly and thicken, 10-15 minutes in the fridge. Stir until the desired consistency.2 oz bittersweet chocolate, 1 tsp extra virgin coconut oil, 1 tbsp tahini, 1 tsp honey
- Glaze: Once the banana bread has cooled fully, pour the glaze over the top. Add the flaky salt and the sesame seeds and serve.2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional), ½ tsp flaky sea salt
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Styling: Addelyn Evans | Photography: Dera Burreson
DELICIOUS! I doubled the recipe for a ‘welcome to neighborhood’ gift for friends and for a ‘welcome home’ for my daughter who just returned from a year abroad. Everyone LOVES it! YUMMY!
I think this is missing a fat component ir something-the tahini wasn’t enough. It’s super dry. I didn’t bake it as long as suggested either or it would have been burnt. Usually your recipes are spot on.
Unfortunately not going to be a favorite. I followed the recipe exactly and will make it again but with a few changes (1/2 cup chocolate chips and all-purpose flour), I found it to be a bit to dense and too much chocolate. I will use a bigger load pan too. I’ll be back then with my thoughts.