Chocolate Banana Muffins

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The best way to use your overripe bananas, these family favorite, soft, moist, and deeply chocolatey chocolate banana muffins make a perfect breakfast or snack.

Chocolate banana muffins on a cooling rack with a muffin split in two to show the inside.

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You know how bananas seem to go from perfectly ripe to “I’ll deal with this later” in about two days? Same here. I always seem to have a couple of overripe bananas sitting on the counter, looking sad and a little forgotten.

But here’s the thing: those bananas are basically gold when it comes to baking. They’re sweet, soft, and perfect for whipping up these chocolate banana muffins.

I’m actually no stranger to putting overripe bananas to good use. From moist banana pecan muffins to hearty banana oatmeal chocolate chip muffins, I’ve tried so many ways to make them shine. And if you’re not in the mood to bake, blending them into this coffee banana smoothie is also a quick and delicious alternative.

Overripe bananas are practically a gift – they’re the secret ingredient in so many comforting recipes. What I love about this particular chocolate banana muffin recipe is how easy it is to put together, even if you’re not someone who bakes often.

Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Banana Muffins

Chocolate banana muffins on a cooling rack.
  • This recipe is pretty easy, quick, and forgiving. It requires basic pantry ingredients, and doesn’t need fancy equipment!
  • The addition of cocoa powder and chocolate chips gives them a rich chocolate flavor and takes it from “classic banana muffin” to “chocolatey little slice of heaven.” You’ll pretty much feel like you’re eating banana flavored chocolate cake!
  • Thanks to the bananas, these muffins are soft, moist, and taste incredible with just the right amount of sweetness.
  • They’re kid-approved, family-approved, and honestly, self-approved. Everyone loves them!

Ingredient Notes

ingredients used to make chocolate banana muffins

All Purpose Flour

This of course forms the base for these chocolate banana muffins, providing structure.

If you want to make them a little healthier, you can swap out half the flour for whole wheat flour, but the texture may be slightly denser.

Cocoa Powder

You can use natural cocoa powder or Dutch-process cocoa powder. Dutch-process gives a richer, darker chocolate flavor, while natural cocoa has a slightly sharper, more intense taste. I use them interchangeably in this recipe based on what I have around.

Baking Soda and Baking Powder

These work together to give the muffins their perfect rise. Make sure they’re fresh (not expired) for the best results.

Bananas

You need very ripe or overripe bananas for these chocolate banana muffins. Overripe bananas are sweeter and mash more easily, giving the muffins their moist texture and natural sweetness.

Unsalted Butter

The butter adds richness to the muffins. If you only have salted butter, you can use it – just reduce the added salt slightly. You can also just use canola oil if you don’t have butter!

If you want to go down the healthy route, you can also avocado oil, olive oil or coconut oil, though the taste may differ slightly.

Brown Sugar

I like to use brown sugar to sweeten these chocolate banana muffins up! It contributes to the moist texture and adds a slight caramel-like depth to the sweetness. Both light or dark brown sugar will work here.

Granulated sugar also works, but you’ll lose a bit of the depth and moisture brown sugar adds. If you have it, a mix of white sugar and a tablespoon of molasses is a great stand-in for brown sugar.

Egg

Make sure to always use large eggs at room temperature when making any baked goods for the best results!

If you want to make this vegan, you can also substitute the egg with a flax egg.

Vanilla Extract

The vanilla adds a warm, sweet note to complement the chocolate and banana flavors. Always use pure vanilla extract if possible.

Chocolate Chips

I like to use semi-sweet chocolate chips in these banana chocolate chip muffins for those little pockets of melted chocolate throughout.

However, these are also delicious without the chocolate chips, and I usually skip them when I’m packing these muffins for school snacks, for less mess!

Don’t forget to watch the video!

Most of my recipes include a short step-by-step video tutorial. Just scroll down to the recipe card, or use the “Jump to Video” button at the top of the post!

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Prepare a standard 12-cup muffin pan by greasing it or lining it with muffin liners.
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
cocoa powder, flour, and other dry ingredients in a bowl
dry ingredients mixed together
  1. In a large bowl, mash the bananas thoroughly with a fork until smooth, or use an immersion blender to puree them (one of my favorite tricks).
peeled bananas in a bowl
mashed bananas mixture
  1. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Whisk everything together until the mixture is well blended.
eggs and other ingredients added to the mashed bananas mixture
mashed bananas and egg mixture mixed together
  1. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, stirring until just combined – don’t overmix.
wet and dry ingredients mixed together
  1. Now add in 3/4 of the chocolate chips and fold them into the batter.
chocolate chips added to the muffin batter
chocolate chips mixed in the muffin batter
  1. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups and sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips. Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 5 minutes at 425°F. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, or until the muffins spring back when lightly pressed, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
muffin batter added to a muffin pan
  1. Transfer the muffin tin to a wire rack and let the muffins cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan. Allow them to cool completely before serving.
overhead view of chocolate banana muffins in a muffin pan on a cooling rack

Tips To Make The Best Chocolate Banana Muffins

  • The browner and spottier the bananas, the better. They’re sweeter and mash more easily, which gives your muffins that moist texture and natural sweetness.
  • When combining the dry and wet ingredients, stir just until you don’t see any dry flour. Overmixing can make your muffins dense instead of light and fluffy.
  • It’s best to let your egg and melted butter come to room temperature before mixing. This helps the batter come together more smoothly.
  • I like to puree my bananas with an immersion blender, since I don’t love finding mushy banana lumps in my muffins. The immersion blender takes seconds to puree and seconds to clean after!
    Chocolate Banana Muffins with chocolate chips on a cooling rack.

    Recipe Add-Ins and Variations

    • Stir in ½ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds for some crunch and a nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the chocolate.
    • Swap some or all of the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips for a delicious chocolate-banana-peanut butter combo!
    • Add ¼ cup of unsweetened shredded coconut to give the chocolate banana muffins a subtle tropical twist.

    Storage Instructions

    You can store your chocolate banana muffins in an airtight container or resealable bag at room temperature for 2-3 days. Just make sure they’re completely cooled before storing to prevent condensation and sogginess.

    overhead view of chocolate banana muffins on a cooling rack

    If you want to keep them fresh a little longer, you can refrigerate them for up to a week. Pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to bring back that fresh-out-of-the-oven feel.

    These chocolate banana muffins also freeze beautifully! Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap or foil, then place them in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature or warm them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

    Can I make these chocolate banana muffins gluten-free?

    I haven’t tried this recipe with gluten-free flour but you can swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend and it should turn out well!

    Can I use honey or maple syrup instead of brown sugar in these muffins?

    You can! Use an equal amount of honey or maple syrup, but reduce the melted butter slightly (by about 1 tablespoon) to account for the extra liquid.

    Why are my muffins flat?

    Flat muffins can result from overmixing the batter or not baking them at the right temperature. Make sure to mix just until combined and bake at the higher temperature for the first few minutes to help them rise.

    How can I make moist muffins?

    Use overripe bananas, measure your flour correctly (don’t pack it), and avoid overbaking. The brown sugar and melted butter also keeps the muffins soft and moist.

    Tell me what you think!

    If you try this recipe, l’d be so grateful if you’d leave a comment and a rating in the recipe card. I love to hear your feedback, and your tips can help other readers too!

    Chocolate banana muffins on a cooling with a muffin split in two to show the inside.

    Chocolate Banana Muffins

    The best way to use your overripe bananas, these family favorite, soft, moist, and deeply chocolatey chocolate banana muffins make a perfect breakfast or snack.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate Save
    Course: Breakfast, Breakfast/Brunch, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 12 muffins
    Calories: 263kcal
    Author: Ann Otis

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup cocoa powder natural or Dutch process
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 3 large ripe bananas 1 ½ cups mashed
    • cup unsalted butter melted (5 tablespoons)
    • 3/4 cup brown sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips divided (optional)

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 425F. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin, or line it with paper liners.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    • In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until they’re as smooth as you can get them (or use an immersion blender to puree them).
    • To the bananas, add melted butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla, and whisk until well combined.
    • Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.
    • Divide the batter between the muffin cups and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips.
    • Bake in the preheated oven 5 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350F and bake 10-15 minutes longer until the muffins spring back when pressed, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
    • Transfer pan to a cooling rack and let cool for 5 minutes before unmolding to cool completely.

    Video

    Notes

    * Nutrition information includes the optional chocolate chips.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 201mg | Potassium: 315mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 204IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg
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