Moist, chocolatey and packed with banana flavour, this easy protein banana bread is the perfect way to use up overripe bananas. With cottage cheese, vanilla protein powder and sugar-free chocolate chips, it’s a delicious snack that happens to pack in some extra protein.
There seems to be a very specific banana situation in my house.
We either have no bananas whatsoever, or I open the fruit bowl at the end of the week and discover a whole bunch that have seen better days.
And honestly, I usually have a plan for them.
My go-to way of using up old bananas is my ABC Muffins (Apple, Banana & Carrot Muffins), which are one of my favourite healthy snacks to make for the kids. They’re an easy way to sneak a few nutritious ingredients into something they actually want to eat.
But this time, I’d already made a batch of ABC Muffins.
And I still had a draw full of bananas.
Clearly, my banana-buying strategy needs work. But that’s a problem for another day.
Enter: Chocolate Chip Protein Banana Bread
I wanted to make something that would use up those bananas, give me a decent hit of protein and still taste like an actual treat.
You know, the kind of recipe where you eat a slice because it’s delicious, not because you’ve convinced yourself that the protein content makes it taste better.
I’ve experimented with protein baking enough to know that adding more protein powder doesn’t automatically make a recipe better. Sometimes it just makes the finished product taste like a protein shake that’s been left in the oven too long.
Not exactly what we’re going for.
After experimenting with different amounts of banana, cottage cheese and protein powder, I settled on a version that keeps the things I love about banana bread: a rich banana flavour, a moist, dense crumb and little pockets of melted chocolate.
And this time, I’m not trying to make it low-carb.
Because sometimes banana bread is supposed to taste like banana bread.
The bananas and oats provide carbohydrates, making this a handy option to enjoy before or after a workout. The eggs, cottage cheese and protein powder contribute extra protein, too.
It’s not a magic fitness food. It’s simply a delicious homemade snack with a little more nutritional oomph than your average slice of cake.
And the chocolate chips? Absolutely non-negotiable. Well, almost.
Why you’ll love this protein banana bread
It’s wonderfully moist. The generous amount of ripe banana and fat-free cottage cheese helps create a soft, dense texture without needing loads of butter or oil.
It’s packed with banana flavour. We’re using 350g of banana, so this isn’t one of those recipes where you need to squint to detect the banana.
It contains extra protein. Vanilla whey protein, cottage cheese and eggs all contribute to the protein content.
There’s no added sugar. The sweetness comes from the ripe bananas and vanilla protein powder, with sugar-free chocolate chips for those lovely chocolatey pockets.
It’s easy to make. No stand mixer, complicated techniques or an entire afternoon spent washing dishes.
It’s a great way to use up overripe bananas. The browner and spottier they are, the better the flavour.
The ingredients
Very ripe bananas
We’re using 350g of peeled banana for this recipe. That’s more than you might find in a standard banana bread, but it’s intentional.
The bananas provide natural sweetness, flavour and moisture. They also help give the loaf that dense, tender texture I wanted to preserve.
If you’re using frozen bananas, thaw them completely first and drain away any excess liquid. We want the banana flavour, not a swimming pool in the mixing bowl.
Tip: Weigh the bananas after peeling them. Banana sizes vary considerably, so weighing them gives you a more reliable result.
Fat-free cottage cheese
This is one of my favourite ingredients for adding protein to recipes without piling on the calories.
I use 200g of fat-free cottage cheese. I usually buy the smooth cottage cheese, but if you don’t have or can’t find, you can just blend it until completely smooth before adding it to the batter.
Don’t skip the blending step. It helps the cottage cheese disappear into the mixture, leaving you with a smoother crumb rather than little pockets of cottage cheese.
It also contributes moisture, which is particularly important when baking with protein powder.
Eggs
The eggs provide structure and help bind everything together. They also contribute protein and help the loaf set as it bakes.
Because this recipe contains quite a lot of banana and cottage cheese, the eggs play an important role in helping the centre hold together.
Vanilla whey protein powder
We’re using 60g of vanilla whey protein powder.
Vanilla works particularly well because it complements the banana and chocolate without overpowering either flavour.
However, not all protein powders behave the same way. Some absorb more moisture than others, and some are considerably sweeter.
I’d recommend sticking to a whey powder you’ve used successfully in baking rather than experimenting with a new one for this recipe. For this recipe I’ve used the Vanilla USN Diet Fuel Ultralean.
Oat flour
Oat flour gives the loaf structure while keeping the texture relatively soft and tender.
You can buy ready-made oat flour or make your own by blending rolled oats into a fine powder.
If you need the recipe to be gluten-free, make sure you use certified gluten-free oats and check the labels on your other ingredients.
Almond flour
A small amount of almond flour adds richness and helps create a more tender crumb.
This recipe is therefore not nut-free. If you have a nut allergy, don’t simply swap ingredients without checking suitable alternatives and avoiding cross-contamination.
Butter
Just 10g of butter adds a little richness and flavour.
We’re not trying to remove every last calorie. We’re trying to make a banana bread that tastes good enough to want to make again.
Sugar-free chocolate chips
We’re adding 30g of sugar-free chocolate chips for little bursts of chocolate throughout the loaf.
They make the banana bread feel like a proper treat without adding brown sugar to the batter.
Keep in mind that sugar-free chocolate chips can still contain calories and carbohydrates, and their nutritional values vary by brand.
Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda
These are important for helping the loaf rise.
Baking powder provides lift, while bicarbonate of soda works with the naturally acidic ingredients in the batter.
Getting the quantities right matters. More raising agent doesn’t automatically mean a taller loaf; too much can cause the batter to rise rapidly and then collapse before the centre has set.
What to watch out for when making protein banana bread
This recipe is deliberately moist and dense. However, there’s a difference between a lovely, tender centre and a loaf that hasn’t cooked properly.
Here are the things I’d pay attention to.
Why didn’t my banana bread rise in the middle?
This was one of the problems I wanted to address when revising the recipe.
The bread contains 350g of banana and 200g of cottage cheese. Both contribute plenty of moisture, and the protein powder and oat flour behave differently from conventional wheat flour.
If the batter is too wet for its structure, the loaf may rise around the edges but remain flatter in the centre. A large loaf tin can make this more noticeable because the batter spreads out over a wider area.
To improve your chances of getting a better rise:
- Measure the banana by weight rather than guessing.
- Drain excess liquid from thawed bananas.
- Don’t add milk unless the batter genuinely needs it.
- Check that your baking powder is fresh.
- Use a smaller loaf tin if you want a taller loaf.
- Bake until the centre is set before removing it from the oven.
Why is the centre gummy?
A gummy centre can mean the loaf needs more time in the oven, particularly when using a large amount of banana and cottage cheese.
It can also happen if you slice the loaf while it’s still warm.
Check the centre carefully before removing the bread from the oven, and allow it to cool before cutting. If the centre is still wet rather than simply moist, return the loaf to the oven and bake it for longer, covering the top if necessary. The best way to check the banana bread is to push lightly on the top when it is in the over, if it pushes back up, it’s ready. If it maintains the press mark, it needs more time.
Why is my banana bread dry?
Protein powder can absorb a surprising amount of moisture, and protein-rich baked goods can become dry if overbaked.
Measure your ingredients accurately, avoid adding unnecessary flour, and start checking the loaf towards the end of the suggested baking time.
Different protein powders can also affect the texture, so changing brands may mean you need to adjust your method slightly.
Can I make it sweeter?
The ripe bananas and vanilla protein powder provide most of the sweetness in this recipe and for me, it’s more than enough. However, if you prefer a sweeter loaf, you can add a little of your preferred sweetener. Just remember that different sweeteners can affect the flavour and texture, and not all of them behave like sugar when baked.
High-Protein Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 350 g very ripe banana peeled and mashed
- 200 g fat-free cottage cheese smooth or blended until smooth
- 2 large eggs
- 60 g vanilla whey protein powder
- 100 g oat flour
- 20 g almond flour
- 10 g butter melted
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
- 30 g sugar-free chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat the oven.
- Preheat your oven to 170°C fan or 180°C conventional. Spray a loaf tin generously or line with baking paper, leaving a little overhang so you can lift the banana bread out easily.
- A smaller loaf tin, approximately 20 × 10cm, will generally give you a taller loaf than a large, wide tin. If you only have a larger tin, the bread may be flatter, so keep an eye on the baking time.
Blend the cottage cheese if you haven't bought smooth cottage cheese.
- Add the cottage cheese to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
- This helps it incorporate evenly into the batter and gives the finished loaf a more consistent texture.
Mash the bananas.
- Place the peeled bananas in a large mixing bowl and mash them with a fork, or I like to use a potato masher. A few small lumps are fine, but try to avoid leaving large pieces.
Mix the wet ingredients.
- Add the eggs, blended cottage cheese, melted butter and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas.
- Whisk until everything is well combined.
Add the dry ingredients.
- Add the vanilla protein powder, oat flour, almond flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Fold everything together until no obvious dry patches remain. Avoid overmixing, but make sure the raising agents are distributed evenly throughout the batter.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Add the sugar-free chocolate chips and gently fold them through the mixture.
- Try to save a few to scatter over the top if you want your loaf to look especially tempting.
Check the consistency.
- The batter should be thick and scoopable rather than thin and pourable.
- Because the recipe contains a generous amount of banana and cottage cheese, the batter will naturally be moist. Resist the temptation to add milk.
- If your particular protein powder makes the mixture unusually stiff, you can add a teaspoon of milk at a time, but you probably won't need any.
Transfer to the loaf tin.
- Spoon the batter into your prepared tin and level the surface by giving the tin a good tap against your countertop. If you wish, sprinkle with a few chocolate chips.
Bake until the centre is set.
- Bake for approximately 50–60 minutes, checking towards the end of the baking time.
- The top should be golden, and a skewer inserted into the centre should come out without wet batter clinging to it. A few moist crumbs are fine.
- If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil and continue baking.
Let it cool.
- Leave the loaf in the tin for around 15–20 minutes before lifting it out. Allow it to cool further before slicing.
- I know it's tempting to cut into it while it's still warm, especially when the chocolate smells incredible. But this is a moist, protein-rich loaf, and the centre needs time to firm up.
- Cutting it too early can make it seem undercooked or gummy, even when it's had enough time in the oven.
Video
Notes
- Calories: Approximately 160 per slice
- Protein: Approximately 11g per slice
- Carbohydrates: Approximately 16g per slice
- Fat: Approximately 5g per slice
High Protein Banana Bread Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen bananas?
Absolutely. Frozen bananas are perfect for this recipe. Thaw them completely, weigh out 350g after peeling, and drain off any excess liquid before mashing. Too much extra liquid can affect how well the centre sets.
Can I taste the cottage cheese?
The cottage cheese should blend into the banana bread without leaving obvious lumps or a strong cottage-cheese texture. Blending it until completely smooth makes a big difference.
Can I use a different protein powder?
You can, but the results may vary. Whey concentrate, whey isolate and plant-based protein powders can absorb liquid differently and may produce different textures. A vanilla whey powder is my preferred option for this version. If you change the protein powder, check the batter consistency before baking.
Can I leave out the almond flour?
Yes. You could replace the 20g almond flour with 20g additional oat flour. The texture may be slightly different, but this is a straightforward substitution if you don’t have almond flour available or if you have a nut allergy.
Can I use regular chocolate chips?
Of course. Regular dark chocolate chips will work perfectly. They will change the nutritional values, so recalculate the calories and macros if you’re tracking them.
Is this banana bread gluten-free?
It can be made gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free oat flour and check that your protein powder, chocolate chips and other ingredients are also suitable. Oats can be contaminated with gluten during processing, so ordinary oat flour isn’t automatically gluten-free.
Is this banana bread nut-free?
No. The recipe contains almond flour, so it isn’t suitable for someone with a nut allergy as written.
How should I store it?
Once completely cooled, store the banana bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Because it contains cottage cheese and eggs, refrigeration is the safer option for longer storage. It should generally keep well for around 3–4 days when properly refrigerated.
Can I freeze it?
Yes! Slice the loaf once it has cooled completely, then freeze the slices individually or separate them with baking paper in a freezer-safe container. You can thaw a slice in the refrigerator or at room temperature, or gently warm it before serving.
Can I make muffins instead?
You can experiment with baking this batter in muffin cases, but the baking time will be shorter and the results may differ. If you’re looking for another way to use up ripe bananas, my ABC Muffins are also a family favourite.
