Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins Recipe

Name: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 very ripe bananas; ½ cup canola oil; 1 large egg; 3 tbsp buttermilk (see notes for substitute); 1½ cups all-purpose flour; ¾ cup sugar; ¾ cup chocolate chips; 1½ tsp baking soda; ¼ tsp salt

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We’re not exactly healthy breakfast eaters in our house. One of my daughter’s won’t consider even looking at a piece fruit let alone eating it. We occasionally have eggs in some variation but more days than not we eat carbs.

The smell of waking up to something baking in the oven is heavenly. So on days where I have a little extra time in my morning and an extra ripe banana left on the counter I whip up a small batch of these chocolate chip banana muffins.

Chocolate chip banana muffins take less than 30 minutes, start to finish, and the recipe can be cut in half easily to make a small batch.

Ingredients

Bananas – when it comes to baking bananas it’s best to use very ripe bananas. The banana peels should be mostly brown (don’t worry, the bananas aren’t rotten.) Very ripe bananas are not only softer to mash down into a smooth texture but their flavor intensifies as they ripen so you get more banana taste in your muffins.

Dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.

Wet ingredients – canola oil, egg, and buttermilk. I don’t usually have buttermilk on hand and I hate buying a whole quart for a recipe that calls for just a few tablespoons so I usually make my own substitute by combining milk and white vinegar (see the notes at the bottom of the recipe for the exact measurements.)

Chocolate chips – semi-sweet chocolate chips, either full size or the minis work great too.

6 muffins on parchment paper in a small pile. 2 have orange silicone muffin liners.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Start by mashing your bananas. Remove the bananas from the peels and place them in a mixing bowl. Using a fork, mash them until they begin to liquify. They won’t totally turn to liquid but they’ll be a thick, pourable texture. Some chunks are ok.

Now add the remaining wet ingredients to the bananas and whisk. This will further break down your banana mash and you should have a thick liquid mixture now.

Add the dry ingredients and mix everything until just combined into a smooth batter. Using a rubber spatula or spoon, fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill muffin tins lined with cupcake liners, I highly recommend these silicone liners that are reusable, 3/4 full and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

If chocolate in your breakfast isn’t your thing you can either leave the chocolate chips out entirely or swap them for a healthier option like chopped walnuts.

Because we have little eaters I occasionally make mini muffins instead of full size muffins. The best part of making them mini is that they take only 12 minutes to bake so by the time you whip up the batter and bake them you’re all in for only 20 minutes and you have fresh warm muffins for breakfast.

A banana chocolate chip muffin split in half on a wood platter. Melted chocolate chips and dark banana fibers are visible in the baked muffin.

FAQ’s and Recipe Tips

What can I use as a buttermilk substitute?

Start with 2 teaspoons of white vinegar in a 3 tablespoon measuring spoon. Top off the remainder of the 3 tablespoons with milk. Set the mixture aside for a few minutes to let the milk start to curdle then proceed with the recipe.

How do I know muffins are done?

Insert a toothpick into the center of the muffin. If the toothpick comes out clean they are done. If there is raw batter on the toothpick, continue cooking.

What are the black threads in banana bread?

Those are fibers from the banana that darkened as a result of a chemical reaction during baking.

A banana chocolate chip muffin on a white plate with a bite taken out of the front. Crumbs lay on the plate and an additional muffin is in the background.

The Recipe for Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

The recipe is attached below for easy downloading and printing. If you test it out be sure to leave a note in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you thought. Enjoy!

A chocolate chip banana muffin split open on a wood tray. Black banana fibers and melted chocolate are visible inside the muffin. A small pile of muffins sit in the background.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

These moist banana muffins are a great breakfast treat. Bursting with banana flavor and the texture of a cupcake. Swap out the chocolate chips for walnut pieces for a healthier option.

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 14 muffins

Equipment

muffin tin
muffin wrappers

Ingredients

2 very ripe bananas
½ cup canola oil
1 large egg
3 tbsp buttermilk see notes for substitute
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup chocolate chips
1½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with muffin wrappers.
Remove the bananas from their peels and in a medium size mixing bowl mash the bananas until they are in a pourable state.
2 very ripe bananas
Add the oil, egg and buttermilk and whisk to combine everything into a liquid.
½ cup canola oil, 1 large egg, 3 tbsp buttermilk
Add the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, chocolate chips, baking soda and salt) and mix until just combined.
1½ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup sugar, ¾ cup chocolate chips, 1½ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt
Pour the batter into the muffin cups until each cup is ¾ full.
Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Notes

Buttermilk substitute: start with 2 teaspoons of white vinegar in a 3 tablespoon measuring spoon. Top off the remainder of the 3 tablespoons with milk. Set the mixture aside for a few minutes to let the milk start to curdle then proceed with the recipe.

Mini muffins: rather than using a standard size muffin tin you can use a mini muffin tin. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a muffin.

*Recipe is inspired by Banana-Walnut Muffins Recipe in “Muffins” by Williams-Sonoma.

Keyword banana, chocolate, muffin