These chocolate chip banana muffins are based off my well-loved classic banana muffins. They are packed full of chocolate chips and can be made in minutes WITHOUT a mixer! Recipe includes a how-to video!
The BEST Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Classic banana muffins are getting a chocolatey boost today! These chocolate chip banana muffins are tender, moist, and full of chocolate/banana flavor. They are incredibly simple to make and come together in minutes–perfect for a last-minute breakfast treat!
What makes my recipe the best:
- Uses two different temperatures for tall muffin tops and soft, tender interiors (just like my chocolate chip muffins).
- Based off my well-loved banana muffin recipe but scaled down to make an even dozen muffins.
- Just 10 minutes of prep work with NO mixer required (in fact, please don’t use one!).
- Looks so pretty with sparkly sugared tops and extra chocolate chips. These muffins would be even prettier in my parchment paper muffin liners!
I love baking with bananas not only for the flavor they provide but also their moisture and sweetness too.
Here’s a brief history on using bananas in baking, if you’d like to read more.
What You Need
The ingredients in today’s recipe are just a bit different than my plain banana muffins. There are a few worth nothing before we dive in.
- Bananas. Do not use green bananas! Just like when making banana cake, using overripe (I’m talking black or brown!) bananas will yield the most flavor here. I find it easiest to use a kitchen scale to weigh my bananas and them mash them, but you could certainly mash and then weigh too.
- Sugar. We’ll use a blend of granulated and brown sugar for depth of flavor. I also like to sprinkle some extra granulated sugar on top of the muffins before baking; it adds a pleasant crunch and slight sweetness. You can use coarse sugar, like turbinado or demerara, instead for a more pronounced crunch.
- Buttermilk. Buttermilk is a key ingredient for flavor and moisture (especially since this recipe is oil-free)! I highly recommend using real buttermilk for best results, but if you don’t have any on hand, my easy buttermilk substitute will work in a pinch!
- Chocolate chips. Semisweet chips are my preference, but you can use whatever kind you like. Milk chocolate would be tasty here too! For a bakery style look, I like to save a few chocolate chips for adding to the tops of my muffins before they go in the oven.
Fun fact: did you know that baking with bananas didn’t become popular in the United States until the 1930s? Until that time, bananas were a rare item in most chain grocery stores, so home bakers were forced to bake with other fruits instead. Can you imagine a world without banana bread?! Here’s a brief history on using bananas in baking, if you’d like to read more.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
- Start by mashing the bananas into a puree, then stir in the melted butter and sugars.
- Add the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla and stir until well combined.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until 50% combined, then add the chocolate chips.
SAM’S TIP: It’s important not to over-mix the batter once you add the flour, as this can lead to tough, chewy muffins. Stop mixing as soon as there are no large pockets of flour left, and whatever you do, do NOT use a mixer!
- Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly incorporated, but be careful not to over-mix or you could create dense, rubbery muffins.
- Evenly divide the batter into a lined muffin tin. I like to use an ice cream scoop for this!
- Add a few extra chocolate chips and a sprinkle of granulated sugar on top if desired, then bake at 425F for 8 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350F and bake for 7-8 minutes more until done.
- Let the muffins cool in their baking pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. Removing the muffins shortly after baking prevents soggy muffin liners.
SAM’S TIP: When checking for doneness, it’s normal to have a few moist crumbs sticking to the toothpick; this indicates that the muffins are moist and not over-baked!
Frequently Asked Questions
To freeze your banana chocolate chip muffins, simply let them cool completely, then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before enjoying.
I haven’t tested this, but I suspect that a gluten free 1:1 baking flour would work just fine here. If you do try this recipe with gluten free flour, please let me know how it works for you!
I suppose you could, but I’d recommend you make my chocolate chip banana bread instead. That recipe is a bit different and is designed to be made in a loaf pan. Similarly, if you’d like to make this recipe without chocolate chips, I’d recommend my banana muffins.
I’d love to hear what you think about this recipe compared to my classic banana muffins!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 g) mashed overripe bananas (typically 2 large bananas for me)
- ⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled until not warm to the touch
- ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (66 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 3 Tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 large egg lightly beaten room temperature preferred
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cups (167 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup (170 g) chocolate chips plus additional for topping, if desired
- Granulated sugar for topping optional
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425F (220C) and line a 12-count muffin tin with liners. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed bananas, melted butter, and sugars and stir well.1 cup (250 g) mashed, ⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter, ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar, ⅓ cup (66 g) light brown sugar
- Add buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract and stir until well incorporated.3 Tablespoons buttermilk, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a separate, medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.1 ⅓ cups (167 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon table salt
- Add the dry mixture to the wet and use a spatula to gently fold ingredients together until about 50% combined.
- Add chocolate chips and fold into the batter until batter is just combined and chips are well distributed.1 cup (170 g) chocolate chips
- Evenly divide batter into prepared muffin tin. Top with additional chocolate chips and a light sprinkling of granulated sugar, if desired.Granulated sugar for topping
- Place in center rack of 425F (220C) preheated oven. Bake for 8 minutes then, without opening oven door, reduce oven temperature ot 350F (175C) and continue to bake another 7-8 minutes, until baked through and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow muffins to cool in pan for 5-10 minutes then carefully transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before enjoying (I use a butter knife to gently lift them out of the pan and then pick them up carefully and transfer them).
Notes
Chocolate chips
Milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips will work equally well here, use your favorite kind.Storing/Freezing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Muffins may also be individually wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Whitney K Boffo
Love these muffins! I’d like to make them in mini muffin form. Do you have recommendations on the timing and temperature? They always turn out perfect when I use the two temperature method you have.
Sam
Hi Whitney! I would just bake them on 375. Start checking them at 11 minutes. 🙂
Shoshana
How can I make this recipe into a cake?
Sam
Hi Shoshana! I’m not sure how that would go, but I do have a banana cake you could try. 🙂