Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I like that banana chocolate chip muffins don’t take long to mix up, and because they’re small-format they bake in less than 20 minutes. It’s like chocolate chip banana bread, but faster! The resulting treats are moist, flavorful and enhanced with cinnamon and vanilla.

These banana muffins are small but have big crowd appeal. Bring them to share for breakfast at the office or to a brunch gathering, or tuck them in lunch boxes. Because they freeze well, bake a batch when it’s convenient and thaw one when you’re ready for a treat.

Ingredients for Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

• Flour: These muffins call for all-purpose flour. To make them gluten-free, use one of our recommended gluten-free flour blends.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar is typical in muffin recipes, but if you like the taste of brown sugar, use it as a substitute.
• Baking soda: In addition to leavening, baking soda encourages the muffins to caramelize in the oven.
• Cinnamon: The fragrant spice is a nice match for bananas and chocolate, but it’s not a must. Use homemade pumpkin pie spice for even more oomph.
• Egg: An egg helps hold the muffin batter together.
• Bananas: You want nice, ripe bananas for baked goods. Not only does ripe fruit have the sweetness you’re seeking, but the bananas will be soft and easy to incorporate into the batter.
• Butter: Even if you don’t have butter, you can still make this muffin recipe with butter alternatives. (Coconut oil is a great move here.)
• Vanilla: Look for real vanilla extract rather than imitation vanilla. The difference in flavor is significant.
• Chocolate chips: A premium chocolate chip brand gives your muffins a grown-up taste, while classic chocolate chips are reminiscent of childhood. Either one is delicious!

Directions

Step 1: Whisk up the batter

TMB Studio

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

TMB Studio

In another bowl, whisk the egg, bananas, melted butter and vanilla until blended.

TMB Studio

Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Step 2: Fill the muffin cups

TMB Studio

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full.

Step 3: Bake

Bake the muffins for 17 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the pan for five minutes, then remove the muffins to a wire rack. Serve warm.

TMB Studio

Recipe Variations

• Mix in toasted nuts: Walnuts are a classic addition to a banana chocolate chip muffin recipe, but most nuts would work, including peanuts, almonds and hazelnuts.
• Change up the chips: For variety, swap in other flavored baking chips, like peanut butter, white chocolate or butterscotch chips.
• Add whole grain flour: For a nutritional boost and a nutty flavor, substitute whole wheat flour for 1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour in this recipe.

How to Store Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Let muffins cool completely before storing. Place the muffins in an airtight container with a paper towel on the bottom. For best results, place a paper towel atop the muffins, too.

How long do banana chocolate chip muffins last?

Properly stored, muffins will last for up to four days. However, they’ll be most delicious on the first and second days.

Can you freeze banana chocolate chip muffins?

Yes. Place the muffins in a zip-close bag or another airtight freezer container. Use within three months.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins Tips

TMB Studio

How do you quickly ripen bananas for muffins?

This is one of my favorite baking tips! You can quickly ripen bananas by heating them in the oven, peel and all. Some people do this at a pretty low temperature, but I like to heat them at 300° until the skins have blackened and the fruit is soft, around 15 to 20 minutes.

Do you need baking soda and baking powder for muffins?

This recipe only calls for baking soda, but if you don’t have any, use baking powder. Because baking powder is weaker, you’ll want to use four times as much, which amounts to 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon in this recipe. You could also leave out the leavening entirely, which would give you a denser finished product.

How do you keep muffins moist?

These muffins should be naturally moist due to the inclusion of ripe bananas, butter and egg. In fact, you’ll be storing them with paper towels in order to absorb excess moisture so that the muffins don’t get too soft.

What can you serve with banana chocolate chip muffins?

Tangy cream cheese is an amazing complement to sweet breads and muffins, and I love to top these muffins with dollops of cream cheese frosting. Peanut butter, or a peanut butter buttercream, would be wonderful, too.