Chocolate Covered Bananas
51 Comments
Aug 05, 2023
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
Chocolate covered bananas are a real treat! Frozen bananas are dipped in melted chocolate and sprinkled with a variety of toppings from nuts, to shredded coconut to dried fruit. They’re a healthy and fun summertime dessert!
Chocolate Covered Bananas
I’m convinced that these chocolate covered bananas are the ultimate sweet, summer treat. In Southern California, you can find them often in beach cities and you can certainly find them at Disneyland, where they’re quite famous.
But good news – they’re incredibly easy to make at home. And making them at home allows you to customize them to your hearts’ content with whichever toppings you prefer.
You can even make them ahead of time for a delicious, sweet dessert to help you cool down when the temperature starts blazing. Yep, I think this may be my favorite meal prep item yet.
Chocolate Covered Banana Ingredients
You really just need two ingredients – bananas and chocolate. That’s it! But if you’d like to get creative, I’ve got a few delicious topping ideas for you below.
How to Make Chocolate Covered Bananas
Freeze the bananas. Peel the bananas, slice them in half, and then insert a popsicle stick into the cut end. Lay the bananas on a piece of parchment paper or wax paper and freeze them for at least two hours.
Dip the bananas. Melt the chocolate in a double-boiler or in 20-second increments in the microwave, until smooth. Dip the frozen banana into the melted chocolate and twirl to remove and last little drips.
Sprinkle Toppings. If you’d like to get a little fancy, sprinkle some toppings while the chocolate is still wet, then place it on a piece of parchment paper or wax paper and allow the chocolate to harden. Then enjoy immediately!
The Best Toppings for Chocolate Dipped Bananas
Oh, the options are quite endless. But here are a few of my favorite toppings. Let me know in the comments below what your favorite toppings are.
- Chopped nuts (almonds, pistachios, peanuts, hazelnuts, pecans, etc)
- Seeds (sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, etc)
- Almond butter or peanut butter
- Dried fruit (I love dried raspberries and dried strawberries)
- Shredded coconut
- Cacao nibs
Tips for Chocolate Bananas
- Make sure your bananas are frozen. I know that sounds like a simple tip, but you really want your bananas good and frozen – at least 2 hours. Here are some tips on how to freeze bananas.
- Use good quality chocolate. We’ve really only got two ingredients in this dessert – bananas and chocolate. So when it comes to chocolate, make sure you use the good stuff. I love Pascha Chocolate as it’s organic and 100% gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and vegan.
- You can partially dip. You’re certainly welcome to dip the banana all the way to the popsicle stick, but I find it’s easier and less messy to dip 80% of the way. It’s also helpful to dip in a narrow glass jar (that’s heat safe) rather than a wide bowl as you can just dip straight down and up.
- Chop all your toppings ahead of time. Once you dip the frozen banana in the chocolate it’s like that old magic shell topping and it will harden quickly. Have your toppings pre-chopped or ready to go so the toppings will stick to the melted chocolate.
- Sprinkle, don’t roll. I’ve found it’s best to sprinkle the toppings on the dipped banana and quickly turn it, rather than roll it in the toppings which creates a bigger mess. You can see me do this on the video below.
- Freeze in separated layers. If you plan to freeze these after making them (rather than eat), you can place them in a storage container but make sure to have parchment paper or wax paper between layers. You don’t want them sticking together.
How to Store
Chocolate covered bananas will last for up to 3 months in the freezer in an airtight container.
More Easy Chocolate Treats
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Chocolate Almond Butter Banana Bites
- Peppermint Truffles
- Chocolate Chia Pudding
Chocolate Covered Bananas
Description
Video
Ingredients
Chocolate Covered Bananas
- 3 bananas
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Optional Toppings
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Shredded Coconut
- Almond butter or peanut butter
- Dried fruit
Instructions
- Peel the bananas, then slice them in half and insert a popsicle stick into the cut end. Lay the bananas on a piece of parchment paper or wax paper and freeze for at least 2 hours.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in 20 second increments in the microwave. Then dip the frozen banana into the melted chocolate and twirl to remove any excess.
- Sprinkle on any toppings while the chocolate is still wet, then place on a piece of parchment paper or wax paper and allow the chocolate to fully harden. Enjoy immediately.
Lisa’s Tips
- This recipe was included in my Summer Meal Prep video. Make sure to watch that video for more delicious summer recipes.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally published August 2018, but updated to include new information.
your instructions are off – why don’t you say “bananas, frozen” in the ingredients (like “eggs, room temperature”) before starting the instructions? you say split the banana in half then say to insert the stick in the split end – it’s cut in half!
The instructions and photos are accurate. You want to cut raw bananas in half, then insert the stick, then freeze. If the bananas are listed as frozen in the ingredient section, you would not be able to insert the stick.
I wonder what I’m doing wrong. This is the 3rd time I’m attempting chocolate covered bananas and every time I have the same problem- the chocolate doesn’t stick to the banana at all and just slides off. Could it be because my bananas are in the freezer for more than a day? I seal them in a zip lock bag after freezing and if there’s any ice on the outside I remove it. I even tried spreading the chocolate on the banana with my fingers but it just doesn’t stick. Any suggestions?
It’s hard to say as I’ve never had that problem. It sounds like your bananas may have some condensation on them, perhaps you’re letting them come to room temperature a bit before dunking in the chocolate. Make sure your chocolate is very melty, then take the bananas straight from the freezer and dip!
So simple yet delicious! All of the tips you give in this recipe are amazing!
Glad the tips in this post are helpful, Sarah!
These were so good! I cannot stop eating them!
Happy to hear you’re loving these chocolate covered bananas, Abbie!
Okay so I want to Re freeze them and I saw it said to put them in layers, but with parchment paper so my question is if I store them in the fridge after freezing them and dipping them will they still be good for the next day?
Yep, they’ll still be fine!
We dipped frozen bananas in melted chocolate chips and ate immediately but the chocolate fell off in chunks as it cooled while eating them. Is there a way to avoid this? Is it best to put back in freezer after coating in chocolate and toppings?
Hi Allison – yes, I do recommend freezing again after dipping in chocolate. The bananas will thaw very quickly, and as soon as they do, the chocolate will easily flake away from the banana.
I’m thinking of making these for a summer piano recital. How long can they sit out before they start to melt or get soggy?
I would say serve these straight from the fridge, otherwise they will start to soften a bit after 15 minutes.
Hi Lisa! Sorry if this is a stupid question, but, will there be a taste difference if I use frozen raspberry bits instead of freeze-dried raspberries?
Also, if I make and assemble these ahead of time, how long do they last in the freezer, and do they taste as good 1 day later as if I made them fresh?
Thank you, as always! :)
Freeze-dried raspberries have the moisture removed, so it’s a different texture than frozen raspberries (which would immediately become mushy when removed from the freezer). Yes, they’re great one day later as well! Hope you enjoy!
I love bananas and chocolate and adding nuts to your banana is good to!
Do you have a cookbook
Hi Carol – I don’t yet, but I hope to have one in the future. :)
Omggg!! These are the yummiest treats I’ve made in a long time. These chocolate bananas, with chocolate strawberries. A nice treat. I used some cake sprinkles on the bananas for some fun colour. Thank you for the recipe
Hi Donna- Glad you loved these chocolate covered bananas :) They’re always a fun and delicious treat to have.
These are amazing!! I’m making these stat for my kids. ok for me and hubby too. I know we’ll all love them. Thanks for the easy to follow video too😄
Hi April- I’m so glad everyone enjoyed this dessert! Definitely a great treat for the kids :)
These were a hit for the whole family! For the chocolate, I mixed semisweet and dark chocolate, and they turned out delicious! I used chopped peanuts and cocoa powder for toppings and they tasted great together!
Hi Sarah- Delicious! I’m so glad everyone in your family enjoyed this dessert :)
The pictures look fantastic. I’m looking forward to making these when it gets warmer. For the chocolate, are you using dark chocolate, chocolate, bitter sweet or semi sweet?
I love your videos and tips. Thank you
Hi Sophia – For the chocolate, I normally like to use a bittersweet chocolate – but you can use any type you’d like!
This satisfies me when I want ice cream.. They are so easy to make and so many varieties.
Hi Lyn – Always a great and health(ier) substitution for ice cream :)
It’s Autumn in New York for me right now and these treats saved me from a Haagen Dazs attack…my cravings are seasonally undiscerning. lol.. I’m dieting to lose weight and discovered your videos/blog for meal prep and I feel as though I have stumbled upon a gold mine of excellence in the kitchen. Thank you Lisa!
Hi Gina – I’m so glad you discovered Downshiftology as well! I try to make my dessert recipes as healthy as possible, so I hope you enjoy! Let me know which ones end up being your favorite as well ;)
Hi Lisa, These look amazing! How do you get a perfect peanut butter drizzle?
Hi Eclair – In the photo, I have actually used almond butter which is a bit more smoother when drizzling :)
Sorry, probably obvious to everyone but me… You eat them frozen right?
Yep! They’re delicious on a hot summer day. :)
Love this idea! Super easy and tasty
Thanks Jenny! Yes, these are the perfect sweet treat for warm weather. A definite favorite of mine as well. :)
I can’t wait to make these! I don’t know why I have never before. Thank you for showing how easy they are to make! I bought some bananas n chocolate today so I am off to make these now…
You’re welcome! And yes, they’re super easy and the perfect sweet treat. Enjoy!
Such a fun recipe Lisa! I love bananas dipped in chocolate fondu so these would be great! So cute too1
Thanks so much Jess! And yes, you can’t go wrong with chocolate fondue either. ;) x
Such a fun summer treat! I think I’d love a peanut butter, chocolate, toffee combo. The dried fruit is a great topping idea too!
Ooh, that sounds like a delicious combo and one I’d enjoy!
These look fabulous! I don’t think mine would make it back in the freezer – YUM!
A few of mine didn’t either. ;) Lol!
I love these chocolate covered bananas! I’ll definitely make these with my little girl…she loves ‘cooking’ in the kitchen with me :)
Wonderful! Hope you enjoy!
This is one of my favourite summer treats. So many different things that you can do with them too.
Yes! So many endless topping combinations.
I have a huge banana lover in the house. My little monkey will love these! He will also have fun making them too! Thanks for the great idea!
You’re welcome! Enjoy!