This s’mores banana bread is a moist chocolate chip banana loaf finished with melted chocolate, graham cracker crumbs and toasted mini marshmallows. It bakes at 350°F in a 9×5 inch pan for 50 to 60 minutes and gives you 10 thick slices.
The trick is where the marshmallows go. They are broiled on their own for a minute or two, then pressed onto the cooled loaf, so they stay soft and toasty instead of melting away inside the bread. I first had a loaf like this at a college get-together, made from a friend’s leftover bananas, and it was gone before anyone found a knife.
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Yes, but not the way most people try first. Mini marshmallows stirred into the batter melt during the long bake. They turn into sugar syrup, float up or sink, and leave sticky hollows and gummy streaks in the crumb. You get the sweetness but none of the toasted marshmallow you were after.
That is why this recipe keeps them out of the batter. The loaf bakes with chocolate chips only. The marshmallows are toasted separately under the broiler and go on top with the chocolate and graham crumbs once the bread is cool. Each slice gets a soft, browned marshmallow layer you can actually see and taste.
If you like marshmallow baked right into a dessert, the marshmallow brownies or the peanut butter s’mores dump cake are built for it, because they bake for a much shorter time.
Banana Batter and S’mores Topping Ingredients
The loaf itself is a straightforward one bowl banana bread: 3 ripe bananas, ½ cup melted unsalted butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ½ cup chocolate chips.
- Bananas: very ripe, with lots of brown spots and soft to the touch. Three mashed bananas should give you roughly 1¼ to 1½ cups. Much less and the loaf turns dry; much more and the center stays damp.
- Brown sugar: adds a light caramel note that goes well with the graham crackers on top.
- Baking soda: reacts with the acidic bananas and brown sugar to lift the loaf. Check that yours is fresh.
- Topping: ¾ cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate for melting, 1 cup mini marshmallows, and ½ cup graham cracker crumbs (about 4 full sheets, crushed).
In total you need 1¼ cups chocolate chips: ½ cup for the batter and ¾ cup for the topping. Chopped bar chocolate melts a little smoother for the drizzle if you have it.
Mixing the Batter Without a Mixer
Mash the bananas with a fork until smooth with only small lumps left. Stir in the melted butter, then the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until the mixture is one even color.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a second bowl. Add them to the bananas and stir with a spatula only until you no longer see dry flour. Fold in the ½ cup chocolate chips last. A few streaks are fine. Beating the batter smooth develops the gluten and gives you a tough loaf with tunnels through it.
Baking a Chocolate Chip Loaf That Is Done in the Middle
Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment, leaving a little overhang so you can lift the bread out later. Spread the batter evenly and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50 to 60 minutes.
Start checking at 50 minutes. The toothpick test is a bit tricky here because melted chips smear it. Glossy chocolate on the pick is fine. Wet, pale batter means it needs more time, so test a second spot to be sure. An instant-read thermometer should show 200 to 205°F in the center. If the top is browning fast before the middle is set, lay a loose sheet of foil over the pan for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it onto a wire rack and let it cool all the way. This matters for the topping. On a warm loaf the melted chocolate runs down the sides and the crumbs sink into it.
Broiling Mini Marshmallows for the Top
Heat the broiler on high and set a rack about 6 inches below it. Lightly grease a sheet of parchment on a baking sheet and spread the 1 cup of mini marshmallows in a single layer.
Broil for 1 to 2 minutes and do not walk away. They puff and turn tan in about a minute, then go from tan to black in another 20 or 30 seconds. Pull the pan when most tops are deep golden. Let them cool for a minute, then slide a thin spatula under them. On greased parchment they lift off in clumps; on dry parchment they stick and tear.
A kitchen torch works too. Press untoasted marshmallows onto the chocolate layer and toast them right on the loaf.
Layering Chocolate, Graham Crumbs and Marshmallows
Melt the ¾ cup chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 15 second bursts, stirring between each one, until smooth. Chocolate scorches quickly, so stop heating while a few small lumps remain and stir until they melt.
Drizzle the chocolate over the cooled loaf. Scatter the graham crumbs over it right away while the chocolate is still wet, so they stick. Then set the toasted marshmallows on top and press them down gently. Give it a few minutes for the chocolate to start to firm up before slicing.
Clean Slices, Storage and Freezing
For neat slices with the layers intact, chill the topped loaf for 15 to 20 minutes. Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry, and clean it between cuts.
- Room temperature: airtight, up to 2 days.
- Fridge: up to 5 days. The marshmallows firm up when cold; a few seconds in the microwave makes a slice soft and gooey again.
- Freezer: freeze the plain loaf, wrapped well, for up to 3 months. Thaw it at room temperature and add the chocolate, crumbs and marshmallows on the day you serve it. Topped slices turn sticky and weepy after thawing.
More Chocolate and Banana Loaves to Try
I once swapped the chips for peanut butter chips and went back to chocolate; the topping needs that dark chocolate to taste like s’mores. For a plain loaf to start from, use my classic banana bread. Chocolate fans can bake the mocha chip banana bread or the chocolate chip walnut banana bread for crunch.
For a lighter topping, the maple glazed banana bread is finished with a thin glaze, and the orange cranberry banana bread is bright with citrus. Still craving campfire flavors? Make s’mores pudding shots for a party.
Quick Questions About This Marshmallow Loaf
Can I use regular size marshmallows?
Yes. Cut them in half crosswise with oiled scissors so they sit flat on the loaf and toast evenly. The broiling time stays about the same.
Can I make s’mores banana bread ahead?
Bake the loaf a day ahead, cool it, and wrap it at room temperature. Melt the chocolate, add the crumbs and broil the marshmallows a few hours before serving.
Why did my marshmallows deflate?
Toasted marshmallows shrink a little as they cool. That is normal. If they collapse into a flat, glossy layer, they were broiled too long.
S’mores Banana Bread Recipe
This s’mores banana bread is a moist chocolate chip banana loaf topped with melted chocolate, graham cracker crumbs and toasted mini marshmallows. It is made with ripe bananas, melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, bakes at 350°F in a 9x5 inch loaf pan for 50 to 60 minutes, and makes 10 slices. Instead of stirring marshmallows into the batter, where they melt and leave sticky holes, you broil them for 1 to 2 minutes and press them onto the cooled loaf, so every slice gets a soft toasted marshmallow layer. Serve this banana bread with marshmallows for dessert, brunch or a cozy afternoon snack. It keeps 2 days at room temperature or 5 days in the fridge; freeze the plain loaf and top it on the day.
Ingredients
- FOR THE BANANA BREAD:
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- FOR THE S'MORES TOPPING:
- ¾ cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
Instructions
- PREPARE THE BANANA BREAD: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- MIX THE WET INGREDIENTS: In a large bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Add the melted butter and stir until combined. Mix in the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- COMBINE THE DRY INGREDIENTS: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- BAKE: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack.
- TOAST THE MARSHMALLOWS: Preheat the broiler on high. Spread the mini marshmallows in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Broil for 1-2 minutes, watching closely, until golden brown. Let them cool for a minute before gently removing them with a spatula.
- ADD THE S'MORES TOPPING: Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled banana bread. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs evenly on top. Carefully place the toasted marshmallows over the bread, pressing them down slightly to adhere.
- SLICE AND SERVE: Let the banana bread sit for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to set slightly. Slice and serve.
Notes
Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots; three should give about 1¼ to 1½ cups mashed.
The batter has chocolate chips, so melted chocolate on the toothpick is fine; wet pale batter means it needs more time. The center should read 200 to 205°F.
If the top browns too quickly, tent the pan loosely with foil.
Top only a fully cooled loaf, or the chocolate runs off and the crumbs sink.
Lightly grease the parchment before broiling the marshmallows and watch them closely; they go from golden to burnt in under 30 seconds.
For a cleaner cut, chill the topped bread for 15 to 20 minutes and slice with a hot, dry knife.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Warm slices in the microwave for a few seconds. To freeze, wrap the untopped loaf for up to 3 months and add the topping after thawing.
Nutrition Information
Yield
10Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 349Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 40mgSodium 291mgCarbohydrates 64gFiber 3gSugar 38gProtein 5g
