Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Instructions

1. Prepare the oven and pan
   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal.
2. Combine wet ingredients
   In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. Stir in the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
3. Mix dry ingredients
   In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, being careful not to overmix. The batter should be thick but still have some lumps.
4. Add chocolate chips
   Gently fold in the chocolate chips and optional walnuts, reserving a small handful of chocolate chips for topping. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips on top.
5. Bake the bread
   Bake in the preheated oven for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil after about 30 minutes of baking.
6. Cool and serve
   Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift it out onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. For the best flavor and texture, wait until the bread is completely cool before slicing.