Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Banana Bread (Vegan GF)
This Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Banana Bread is moist, tender and cakey, packed with edible cookie dough pieces and decorated with a chocolate chip cookie dough yoghurt frosting. This bake is healthier, vegan and gluten-free.
The banana bread for August 2023 is here and it’s a delicious one (I do think that every month, though). If you love cookie dough, banana bread and cake then this one is perfect for you as it’s packed with my edible Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls inside and on top as well as boasting a luscious yoghurt protein mousse frosting and lots of chocolate. Made with good-for-you ingredients, this bake is easy and quick, while being a real showstopper.
Why will I love this?
This banana bread is amazing:
- Moist, tender, cakey and delicious
- Chocolatey, vanilla-y and packed with cookie dough
- Easy to make and bake
- A real showstopper to serve to friends and family
- Packed with real cookie dough balls
- Topped with a luscious cookie dough yoghurt frosting
- High in protein, fibre and goodness
- Naturally vegan, egg-free and dairy-free
- Easily gluten-free and nut-free
- Perfect for using ripe bananas
- Naturally sweetened
If you already love the sound of this bake then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
The ingredient list uses basic ingredients and you can see my favourites in the “shop the recipe” section below.
For the banana bread:
- Ripe bananas: the riper the better as they are softer, sweeter and mix more easily into the bakes.
- Olive oil: for adding moisture and texture to the loaf I love using olive oil but you can use melted and cooled coconut oil, too.
- Thick coconut yoghurt: make sure your yoghurt is thick and creamy like the Cocos Organic one as runny yoghurt won’t be as good (the batter will be too wet). This yoghurt is also great for gut health and adds a lovely texture.
- Coconut sugar: I love the natural caramel-like flavour and richness of coconut sugar but you can use caster sugar, too.
- Plant-based milk: any dairy-free milk is great like soya, oat, almond or coconut (from the carton).
- Apple cider vinegar: mix this with the dairy-free milk to curdle and form a buttermilk which helps to bind the batter.
- Vanilla and salt: for flavour.
- Plain or GF plain flour: to keep this loaf nice and light, plain flour is best and if you need this loaf to be gluten-free, use your preferred 1:1 GF flour blend with xanthan gum as a binder.
- Vegan protein powder: I love the peanut brittle, cookie dough or vanilla buttercream proteins from Macromike here (my code AMB-AMY saves you 10%). The protein adds sweetness, cookie dough flavour and texture, too. It absorbs more liquid than flour so creates a great spongey cakey, but if needed, swap this out for more flour.
- Bicarbonate of soda: for rise.
- Dark chocolate chips: I love dark chocolate but any dairy-free chocolate is great whether it is in chip or button form. Or, chop up your favourite chocolate bar into small chunks.
For the frosting:
We need the same ingredients above:
- Thick coconut yoghurt
- Vegan protein powder
- Maple syrup
- Dark chocolate chips
- Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
Is this loaf gluten-free and nut-free?
This is easily gluten-free as long as you use your preferred 1:1 GF baking blend of flour that contains xanthan gum. In the UK, Doves Freee From is good (with added xanthan gum) or in the US, I know people love the Bob’s Red Mill cup for cup.
How do I make this?
This banana bread is easy to make:
- Make the Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls: and use half for the loaf and half for on top.
- Mash the banana: and stir together the milk and apple cider vinegar to curdle.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients: until combined.
- Sift in the dry ingredients: and whisk to a smooth batter.
- Fold in the chocolate chips: and pour half the batter into a line loaf tin.
- Break up some cookie dough balls over the top: and lightly press in.
- Top with the remaining batter and ore cookie dough: pressing them in otherwise they’ll catch in the oven.
- Bake for 50 minutes: or until well risen, golden and spongey.
- Allow to cool fully: first in the tin and then on a wire rack.
- Whisk the frosting together: until smooth.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled loaf: and decorate with cookie dough balls.
How long will this last?
Once decorated, keep this loaf in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-5 days and allow to rest at room temperature before eating. You can freeze the unfrosted loaf for 1 month, wrapped well, and allow to defrost before frosting and enjoying.
What other recipes can I try?
If you are looking for more banana bread recipes, how about my:
- Peaches and Cream Banana Bread
- Mocha Banana Bread
- Chocolate Bourbon Biscuit Banana Bread
- Cinnamon Streusel Banana Bread
- Cherry Bakewell Banana Bread
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Banana Bread (Vegan GF)
This Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Banana Bread is moist, tender and cakey, packed with edible cookie dough pieces and decorated with a chocolate chip cookie dough yoghurt frosting. This bake is healthier, vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
For the Banana Bread:
- 1 batch Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
- 400g ripe banana (3 large or 4 medium bananas)
- 45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil, or melted and cooled coconut oil
- 1 tbsp thick coconut yoghurt
- 100g coconut sugar
- 60ml plant-based milk
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 260g plain or GF plain flour
- 20g vegan protein powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 60g dark chocolate chips
For the Frosting:
- 160g thick coconut yoghurt
- 40g vegan protein powder
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 40g dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Make the Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls.
- Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180ºC and line a 9x5-inch loaf tin with parchment paper. Stir together the plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar and leave to curdle for 5 minutes.
- For the banana bread: weigh out the bananas and mash well until smooth. Add to a large mixing bowl with the olive oil, yoghurt, sugar, milk mix and vanilla. Whisk till smooth. Sift in the flour, protein powder and bicarbonate of soda and add the salt. Whisk again to a thick, smooth batter. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- To prepare the loaf: pour half of the batter into the tin and smooth over the top. Using half of the cookie dough balls, break them into smaller pieces (into 2 or 3) and press into the batter. Top with the remaining banana bread batter and more cookie dough (press them down so that they don’t rise too much while baking and catch in the oven). Save the rest of the cookie dough for decoration.
- To bake: place in the middle of the oven for 50 minutes, or until well-risen and an inserted skewer comes out basically clean. It will feel firm to touch and you can cover with tin foil after 35 minutes, if it’s browning too quickly.
- To cool down: leave in the tin for 10 minutes then carefully lift out to cool fully on a wire rack.
- Make the frosting: whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth and luscious.
- To decorate: roll some of the cookie dough into small balls. Spread the frosting all over the cooled banana bread and top with the cookie dough.
- Enjoy straight away or keep in a sealed container for 3-5 days, in the fridge overnight, and eat at room temperature. You can also freeze the unfrosted loaf for 1 month, wrapped well, and allow to defrost before decorating.
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Banana Bread so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make this, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With cookie dough banana bread love x
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