Whether you enjoy them for breakfast or dessert, you’re going to love these chocolate banana muffins! Easy to make and hard to resist, they’re loaded with rich chocolate flavor and have the moist texture of banana bread.
Nothing beats pulling a batch of freshly baked chocolate banana muffins out of the oven, especially when they’re studded with melty chocolate chips in every bite. And let’s be real: sneaking in a banana practically makes them a health food, right? If you love chocolate chunk banana bread, you’re going to flip for these decadent muffins!
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Banana Muffin Recipe
- Quick and easy. If you’ve made blueberry muffins or chocolate chocolate chip muffins, you’ll be familiar with all the steps to make these chocolate banana muffins (AKA the muffin method). Just mix, bake, and enjoy! No mixer needed!
- Perfect for any time of day. These muffins are versatile! You can enjoy them for breakfast, as a snack, or even as dessert.
- Great for meal prep. Make a batch of these muffins at the beginning of the week and have an easy grab-and-go breakfast option for busy mornings. Since they freeze well too, you might even want to double the recipe!
- Extra chocolate flavor. Thanks to the cocoa powder and chocolate chips, you get double the richness in these banana chocolate muffins.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- All-purpose flour – Here’s how to measure flour for baking.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Learn more: Types of Chocolate: A Home Baker’s Guide
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Ripe mashed banana – Ripe bananas aren’t just sweeter, they also have a stronger banana flavor.
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar – Learn more: Light Brown Sugar vs Dark Brown Sugar: What’s the Difference?
- Egg – Let this come to room temperature; it will hold more air when beaten, giving your chocolate banana muffins a lighter texture.
- Unsalted butter – Melt the butter, then let it cool.
- Semisweet chocolate chips – Using semisweet chocolate adds rich chocolate flavor.
What’s the Best Way to Mash Bananas for Baking?
Peel the bananas and place them in a bowl, then take a fork or potato masher and press down on the bananas until they reach a smooth consistency with minimal lumps. If you prefer muffins without small bits of banana, you can use a blender or food processor for a completely smooth puree.
How to Make Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease it with a non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In another bowl, mix the mashed bananas, sugar, brown sugar, egg, and melted butter until well-combined.
- Finish the batter. Pour the banana mixture into the well of the flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Bake. Divide the batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool. Set the pan on a wire rack and allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes. Then, carefully remove the muffins and set them directly on the rack to finish cooling. (Learn more: Why Every Baker Needs Wire Cooling Racks)
Tips for Success
- Measure the mashed banana. Don’t just mash 2 or 3 bananas and assume it equals 1 cup! If you end up with more or less mashed banana than you need, it will affect the texture of the chocolate banana muffins, so it’s important to measure out a cup. If you have extra, you can add them to a smoothie or freeze them for another recipe (like one of these banana bread recipes).
- Don’t overmix. To keep your muffins soft and tender, be careful not to overmix the batter. Overmixing can lead to tough muffins because it over-activates the gluten in the flour.
- Use a cookie scoop for easy portioning. A cookie scoop is a great tool for evenly dividing the batter between your muffin cups without making a mess.
- Know the basics. If you’re new to baking, read over my baking tips for beginners.
Variations
- Sprinkle coarse Demerara sugar over the tops of the muffins before baking for a crunchy, bakery-style finish.
- Add in chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans for nutty flavor and crunch.
- Try a different variety of chocolate chips, like milk chocolate or chocolate chunks. Peanut butter chips also make a delicious addition.
Serving Suggestions
A smear of peanut butter is perfect if you’re having a muffin for breakfast, or add a dollop of whipped cream to make these chocolate banana muffins dessert-worthy. Enjoy them warm with your morning coffee, as a mid-day pick-me-up, or topped with no-churn vanilla ice cream for a special treat after dinner—kind of like a brownie sundae, but a little more virtuous!
How to Store
Once your chocolate banana muffins have cooled completely, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
To freeze these chocolate banana muffins, let them cool completely after baking, then place them in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. For an extra layer of protection, you can wrap each muffin in plastic wrap before placing in the container. The muffins can be thawed at room temperature overnight, or warmed up in the microwave.
More Easy Muffin Recipes
- Date Nut Muffins
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins
- Gingerbread Muffins
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Raspberry Pistachio Muffins
Chocolate Banana Muffins
These easy chocolate banana muffins are loaded with rich chocolate flavor and the moist texture of banana bread. The perfect all-day muffin!
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (42g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227g) ripe mashed banana (from 2 to 3 medium bananas)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cavity muffin pan with paper liners or grease with a non-stick cooking spray.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the mashed bananas, sugar, brown sugar, egg, and melted butter.
- Add the banana mixture to the well in the flour mixture, and stir just until moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, using about 3 tablespoons of batter per cup.
- Bake for 16-20 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Place the pan on a wire rack, and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then remove the muffins from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
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