Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Simple and delicious, these muffins are a perfect way to use up overripe bananas.

Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 45 mins
Servings:
12
Yield:
12 Muffins

What's even better than banana bread? Banana chocolate chip muffins! Kids and adults alike will clamor for such a tasty breakfast bite. Studded with semisweet chocolate chips, these muffins feature a basic batter made of all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, egg, butter, milk, and sweet ripe bananas. 

With just 20 minutes of prep, this banana recipe is quick and easy enough to make in an afternoon. The hardest part of the recipe is waiting for them to cool when they come out of the oven. Use a standard 12-cup tin to make regular-sized muffins or, for a kid-friendly version, a mini muffin pan. Regardless of the size, these muffins freeze beautifully, so you can make a big batch and enjoy these treats at a moment's notice.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Rachel Marek

Use Very Ripe Bananas

For the best flavor, use very ripe bananas. You can tell a banana is extra-ripe if it has a yellow peel with brown spots and a soft texture. Avoid underripe bananas, which have a partially green peel, as these are too bitter for baked foods.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 3 extra-ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup)

  • ¾ cup light brown sugar

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 large egg

  • ¼ cup milk

  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Ingredients for banana chocolate chip muffins

Rachel Marek

  1. Preheat oven and whisk dry ingredients:

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with baking cups. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

    Dry Ingredients in bowl with whisk

    Rachel Marek

  2. Combine banana, sugar, egg, butter, and milk:

    In a separate bowl, whisk together banana, sugar, egg, butter, and milk.

    Wet ingredients in a bowl with whisk

    Rachel Marek

  3. Mix wet ingredients into dry:

    Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

    Dough in bowl with spoon

    Rachel Marek

  4. Add chocolate:

    Stir in chocolate chips.

    Chocolate chip dough in bowl with whisk

    Rachel Marek

  5. Divide batter and bake muffins:

    Divide batter evenly between prepared cups, adding a scant 1/4 cup to each. Bake until tops spring back when lightly touched, about 20 minutes.

    Batter in muffin pan

    Rachel Marek

  6. Cool:

    Cool in pans 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

    Muffins in pan and cooling on wire rack

    Rachel Marek

Variations

These banana chocolate chip muffins are easy to customize. Simply replace some of the chocolate chips with one or more of the following ingredients:

  • Berries, such as blueberries or diced strawberries
  • Chopped nuts, like pecans, walnuts, peanuts, or almonds
  • Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
  • Dried cranberries or raisins
  • Spices such as ground nutmeg, ginger, allspice, or cloves

Topping Ideas

Banana chocolate chip muffins are delicious on their own, but they'll taste even better with a topping. Ideas include:

  • Melted butter
  • Cream cheese glaze
  • Coffee glaze
  • Maple syrup
  • Honey
  • Nut or seed butter

How to Store Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Before storing banana chocolate chip muffins, let them cool completely. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days.

If your kitchen is humid, store them in the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature (or reheat them in the microwave) before enjoying them.

How to Freeze Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

To freeze the muffins, make sure they have cooled completely then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer for one hour. Once the muffins are frozen solid, transfer them to a resealable freezer-safe bag. Another option is to wrap them individually in foil and freeze. These methods will ensure the muffins don't stick together in the freezer. Enjoy within two months for the best quality.

To defrost a frozen muffin, place it in the refrigerator for a few hours then reheat in the microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can you make these muffins gluten-free?

    Yes, you can make a gluten-free version of these muffins. Simply use all-purpose gluten-free flour. Select one that is meant to replace regular flour at a 1:1 ratio.

  • Can the bananas be too ripe for these muffins?

    The short answer is no. This recipe and other baked goods that use bananas benefit from overripe bananas, which might be too ripe to eat. Very ripe bananas are best for baking because they add sweetness and a creamy texture to your bake.

  • Why are my muffins hard?

    There are a few reasons why muffins might be hard. The main cause of tough muffins is that they have been baked for too long. To avoid this problem, be sure to bake the muffins according to the listed time in the recipe. However, every oven is different, so start checking the doneness of your muffins at the start of the time range given for baking the muffins.

Other Muffin Recipes to Try:

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