It was experiment time again in my kitchen last night. I needed something snack-ish to put in the kids’ lunches and the chief cookie maker was away at 4-H with the tall hormonal kid. I hate making cookies. I’m definitely a short list of ingredients and all in one pan kind of cook. I thought I’d make an easy banana bread, but instead of going to my usual recipe, I decided to try a sweet variation of my beer bread. It turned out great and is nicely tucked away in the lunchpails right now (what little I was able to save from the hungry adults). It’s got a nice crunchy outer crust (not squishy like the usual banana bread) – this one is perfect for toasting. It got a thumbs up from Uncle John when he dropped by for coffee and a taste test (and he’s got a serious sweet tooth – he’s been known to put ice cream in coffee).
Chocolate Chip Banana Beer Bread
- 3 cups self-rising flour (If, like me, you don’t have this in your cupboard, make your own)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 mashed banana
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer
Stir together dry ingredients and mashed banana, add in beer and stir just until all ingredients are wet; pour (or more likely pat – it’s a pretty thick doughy batter) into a lightly greased loaf pan. Sprinkle with some cinnamon sugar just before baking just for some added oomph. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
It’s good just as is, once it has cooled, but try if there is any left over, definitely give it a try toasted with butter the next morning.
Linking to Frugally Sustainable, Sorta Crunchy
lightlycrunchy 
This is my kind of recipe–but I like your sense of humour–a little food, a little laugh–what more could one ask (tall hormonal one got me–ha, ha, ha or lol)
hahah! My husband put ice cream in his tea. Looks very yummy.
*anna
Okay, I’ve always wondered, can you taste the beer in it? What does the beer do to the ingredients?
Nope, not at all. The beer takes the place of yeast in the bread – this is an actual crusty bread recipe, not a quick bread like banana bread. I like it with herbs and cheese in it too – it works out great. Just take out the cinnamon, chips and banana, change the sugar to white sugar and add in herbs and cheese and you have a nice loaf to eat with dinner.
There wouldn’t be any good beer leftover at our house! 🙂 Sounds great and I love anything that has chocolate chips and uses leftovers. Thanks Heidi!
So, just the flour, beer and sugar? No salt? What sort of cheese and herbs do you suggest? Since this is no-knead, it’s right up my alley. It’s going to be in the upper 90’s here today, should I go ahead and turn on the oven??? 😉 ( this is when a kitchen seperated from the house would be a good idea!)
There is salt in the self-rising flour. The link back to my original beer bread is back in the post – for one idea of a savoury combination. Other variations possible: 1 cup gruyere and 2 tbsp fresh rosemary or 1 cup cheddar, 2 tsp dried dill or 2 tbsp fresh dill, or even orange/nutmeg – zest of one orange, 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg.
I love the idea of mashing in a banana, I bet that helps keep it moist and even sweeter. I’ll try that next time I make a chocolate chip beer bread (and there will be a next time!).
One banana was pretty subtle, but I could still taste it. I wonder if 2 would make it sticky. No way to tell unless I make it some more, too.
[…] make most of our cookies and desserts. This month I posted recipes for Chocolate Chip Banana Beer Bread, Grand Marnier Fudge (not for the kid’s lunch pails) and some drinks you can make with […]