Chocolate Banana Muffins

Banana Chocolate Muffins made with mashed bananas and white whole wheat flour are a healthier spin on a chocolate muffin that are easy to make and taste incredible. Make up a big batch and enjoy them all week for breakfast or an afternoon treat.

I have been patiently waiting all week for my bananas to ripen enough for this recipe. I have never been much of a baker, but banana bread and muffins are the exception. While I normally make this Nutella or Cinnamon Banana Bread, I have been dreaming about making a healthier chocolate banana muffin for weeks.

Bananas are the perfect option for a double chocolate muffin in my opinion since they not only add sweetness (without lots of sugar), they also pair great with chocolate and guarantee a moist and flavorful muffin. The banana and chocolate is a match made in heaven. Also, it's important to note that these are first and foremost a banana muffin. You will taste banana in every bite. Personally, I love that, but if you aren't a huge banana person these might not be the best muffins for you. 

A few more notes about these banana chocolate muffins. These can also be made into mini-muffins or as a loaf of bread. Shorten the cooking time if you are making mini-muffins and lengthen it if you make this as a bread, probably about 45-55 minutes. These can also be made jumbo size, but they will take a bit longer to cook. 

Did you know you can freeze muffins?  These will last in the freezer for 3-4 months so I always make a double batch and store them for later since everyone loves them as a breakfast on the go or healthyish snack.

How to Make Chocolate Banana Muffins

The key to this recipe is the ripe bananas. Make sure the bananas are nice and ripe with lots of brown spots on the skin. Super ripe bananas will also work. If you have been storing them in the freezer, just make sure to defrost them first. 

Start by mashing the bananas really well using a fork. Make sure they are really smooth and try to mash out any lumps. This will be easier if the bananas are nice and ripe. Then add the maple syrup, butter or coconut oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir well until the mixture is smooth and combined.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Use a whisk to break up any lumps. You can also sift the ingredients together.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix since it can create a touch finished muffin. Then fold in the chocolate chips. I like to save a few to sprinkle on top.

Pour into a standard size muffin tin with liners and bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes until the muffins are cooked through and spring back when you gently push on the top. They should be puffed up and slightly shiny on top. 

Let them cool for at least 10-15 minutes and then remove them from the muffin tin and let them finish cooling. They will slightly deflate as they cool, this is normal. 

Recipe Ideas, Pantry Swaps, and Tips

There are lots of ways you can customize this recipe based on what you have at home or your personal preferences.

• Use a flax egg or chia egg if you don't have any eggs on hand or want to make a vegan version. To make a chia egg, combine 1 tbsp of chia seeds with 2.5 tbsp of water and let rest for at least 5 minutes before using. For a flax egg, combine 1 tbsp of flaxseed meal with 2.5 tbsp of water and let rest for 1 minute. Then just replace in the recipe.
• This recipe will work any type of sugar or sweetener - brown sugar, coconut sugar, white sugar, honey, maple syrup, or agave.
• If you need a gluten free option, you can replace the flour with a 1:1 gluten free baking mix, like the one made by Bob's Red Mill. Do not replace with almond flour or coconut flour.
• If you don't have white whole wheat flour, you could use whole wheat flour or all purpose flour.
• You can make these with chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, nuts, seeds, or any other mix-ins you like. One of our favorite combinations is dark chocolate chunks and toasted walnuts. 
• Use a high quality cocoa powder whenever possible since that is the source of the chocolate in the recipe. The better quality of the powder, the better the muffins will taste. This one is my personal favorite.

Storage and Freezer Tips

If you are lucky enough to have leftover muffins, store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you are freezing them, let them fully cool first. Then place on a baking sheet and freeze for 3-4 hours until the outside it is completely frozen. Then place in a freezer safe container or bag. This prevents them from sticking together. Then defrost overnight in the fridge or pop in the microwave. These are also great for lunches and will defrost by lunchtime.

How to ripen bananas more quickly?

Believe it or not, there are actually some ways to get those delicious ripe bananas we all want for baking more quickly. The first two will take a couple of days but the third option takes about 30 minutes and works way better than you might expect.

• Have a few days? Place the bananas in a warmer area in the kitchen. Bananas ripen faster in a warmer area than in a cool one.
• Have 1-2 days? Place the bananas in a brown paper bag. These speeds up ripening since it traps the gas released as the banana ripens and helps it to continue to ripen at a faster pace. This works even better if you have some other ripe fruit you can add to the bag since it is also producing ethylene, the gas responsible for ripening fruit.
• Have 30 minutes? Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the bananas in a rimmed baking sheet or in a glass dish and bake for 20-30 minutes until the banana peels turn black. Carefully remove the peels and mash the banana inside. This won't be quite as banana"y" as a naturally ripened banana but it works shockingly well. 

Looking for more muffin recipes?

• Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins
• Banana Quinoa Chia Muffins
• Banana Chocolate Chip Coconut Oatmeal Muffins
• Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins