Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

I absolutely love enjoying a tasty muffin with a nice, warm cup of coffee. They are always such a great treat, but when you add chocolate chips to the mix, it really takes things over the top!

I know there’s about a thousand chocolate chip banana muffin recipes all over the internet, but this is a foolproof recipe for the best, most moist, incredibly delicious banana muffins you will ever find. 

They take just minutes to make, and have plenty of chocolatey banana flavor to please both kids and adults. Once you try these, you’ll never want to make another banana muffin! The hardest part is waiting for them to bake and then cool. Waiting to sink your teeth into one of these golden and delicious, chocolate-studded beauties! 

Why you should make this recipe

This is one of my go-to muffin recipes and my kids request these all the time. Here’s several reasons why they’re so great:

• Quick and easy to make. You don’t need any fancy kitchen appliance to whip these up. This recipe is all done by hand and only takes about 10 minutes to prepare and about 17 minutes to bake. So in less than 30 minutes you can have a freshly baked breakfast or snack. Yes, please!
• Simple ingredients. These are made with simple, basic baking ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. Plus, I love that they’re a great way to make use of overripe bananas, on your counter, begging to be eaten!
• Super moist with wonderful flavor. These are super soft and moist because they are made with 3 whole bananas! The banana/chocolate combination is one of my favorites and the flavors really shine through in this recipe.
• Can be made in advance and freeze well. You can make these the night before and wake up to some major deliciousness. They last for 2-3 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature or up to 5 days stored in the fridge. They also freeze beautifully! I love to meal prep these on Sunday and enjoy them during the week.

Ingredients needed

These banana chocolate chip muffins are made with simple ingredients to give them the perfect soft, tender crumb, plus sweet flavor from both the ripe bananas and the chocolate chips. Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need:

• Butter. I prefer to use unsalted butter in my baked goods and then add in extra salt. If you only have salted butter available, simply leave out the 1/4 teaspoon of salt in this recipe.
• Eggs. You’ll need two eggs to help with binding, give the muffins structure and ensure they bake up properly.
• Sugar. Regular granulated sugar is best for a lovely sweetness, that isn’t overpowering.
• Milk. The addition of just 2 tablespoons of any variety of milk helps to give these a wonderful moist texture.
• Baking essentials. We’re using baking powder, baking soda and salt to ensure these bake up with the perfect rise and texture.
• Vanilla extract. For that cozy flavor we know and love.
• Flour. For the best texture, I do not recommend using any other flour other than all-purpose flour. Substitute 1-to-1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to make gluten-free banana muffins.
• Bananas. This recipe is a great way to use up over-ripened bananas! For sweeter muffins, make sure that your bananas are ripe with brown spots.
• Chocolate chips. Feel free to use any chocolate chips that you like, but I do recommend mini chips for better dispersion, so there is chocolate in every bite. Don’t forget to sprinkle the tops with some extras before baking!

How to make this recipe

Like most muffin recipes, this one is very easy to whip up! Get out a muffin pan and spray it with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper liners or cupcake liners. Now, let’s bake up a batch!

1. Wet ingredients. Start the batter by stirring together the butter, eggs, vanilla and sugar in a large bowl.
2. Dry ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Combine. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until just combined.
4. Add the mashed banana and chocolate chips. Mix gently to combine, but don’t over mix. Then, fill prepared muffin tins with batter.

5. Bake. Place in the oven and bake for 16-18 minutes, until golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
6. Cool. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. I love to enjoy these with a smear of peanut butter!

Expert tips

These are super simple to make, but here are a few tips to make sure they are perfect every time!

• Room temperature ingredients. When baking, it’s best to start with ingredients that are at room temperature. This helps everything mix together evenly without having to over mix the batter.
• Measure the flour correctly. Too much flour can cause muffins to be dry and crumbly. Whisk the flour first, then spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the top (without shaking the measuring cup).
• Mashing bananas. All you have to do is place the peeled bananas in a mixing bowl or shallow bowl and mash with a fork. You could also use a potato masher.
• Do NOT over mix batter. Stir the wet and dry ingredients by gently folding together with a large spoon or spatula. Do not use a whisk. Over mixing the batter can produce tough muffins.
• Do not bake for too long. They are done baking when you insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Frequently asked questions

Variations

There are so many different ways to add new flavors to these! Here are a few of my favorite ideas:

• Chocolate. Feel free to add different types of chocolate, from white chocolate to dark chocolate. You can even use different flavored baking chips – butterscotch or peanut butter would be great options.
• Fruit. You can add about 1/2 cup diced strawberries or blueberries into the batter for incredible fruity flavor.
• Add-ins. Customize these by stirring in other ingredients such as chopped pecans, walnuts, toasted coconut, dried fruit, coconut extract or almond extract.
• Streusel topping. Try a delicious streusel topping by mixing together 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 cup melted butter. Sprinkle the streusel over the tops, then bake as directed.
• Chocolate chip banana bread. This recipe works as bread too! Will fill two 8-in x 3 3/4-in x 2 3/4-in loaf pans. Bake at 350ºF for about 45 minutes. Here are a couple of other banana bread recipes to check out – Chocolate Chip Banana Bread and Healthy Banana Bread.
• Mini muffins. To make these into mini muffins, use a mini muffin pan and bake 12-14 total minutes at 350°F.

This chocolate chip banana muffin recipe makes moist, sweet and satisfying muffins that bake up perfectly every time! They are SO good you will want them not just for breakfast, but for snack and dessert too!

storage tips

These banana bread muffins taste excellent straight out of the oven, but we love them even more the next day after the flavors have a chance to settle and marry.

• To store. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before placing them in a storage container. Next, line the bottom of an airtight storage container with a paper towel and place the muffins in a single layer on the paper towel. Finally, top them with another paper towel to absorb the excess moisture. Store at room temperature for up to about 2 to 3 days in an airtight container. If you need to store for a longer period of time, I’d recommend keeping them in the fridge or the freezer. You can microwave refrigerated muffins for about 10-15 seconds to make them taste like they were freshly baked.
• To freeze. These freeze beautifully! Individually wrap them in plastic, then place in a resealable bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature or rewarm gently in the microwave.

recommended tools

Here’s a few of my muffin-baking essentials:

• Mixing bowls – Any mixing bowls will do the trick. We love this nonslip mixing bowl set from Amazon.
• Nonstick muffin pan – This is where quality matters! I was given this muffin pan from Williams Sonoma and LOVE it. I don’t have to use paper liners and my muffins always come out so easily. As an added plus, there’s never cooked muffin left stuck to the pan, so it’s super easy to clean.
• Cooling rack – I wouldn’t say a cooling wire rack is completely necessary, but it’s definitely nice to have one available. These allow for airflow and even cooling of your baked goods.