Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

My daughter used to peel back the paper liner and eat only the chocolate chips, leaving crumbled banana muffin on her plate. I started adding extra chips just to watch her hunt for them. Now she eats the whole thing, but I still add extra.

I brought a batch to a potluck once and someone asked if I used a secret ingredient. I said ripe bananas and they laughed, but I wasnt joking. The blacker the peel, the better the muffin.

Ingredients

• Ripe bananas, mashed: Wait until the peels have brown spots or go fully black, thats when the fruit is sweet enough to carry the whole muffin.
• Unsalted butter, melted and cooled: Let it cool or it will cook the eggs when you mix, I learned that the hard way.
• Milk: Any kind works, I have used oat milk and it turned out fine.
• Large eggs: They hold everything together and make the texture tender instead of cakey.
• All-purpose flour: I measure by spooning it into the cup and leveling off, packing it down makes the muffins dense.
• Granulated sugar: You can cut this down to half a cup if your bananas are very ripe.
• Baking soda: This reacts with the acidity in the bananas to give a little lift.
• Baking powder: Extra insurance for a good rise.
• Salt: It makes the chocolate taste more like chocolate.
• Pure vanilla extract: The real stuff smells better and tastes warmer than imitation.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips: I use mini chips now because they spread out more evenly and you get chocolate in every bite.

Instructions

Preheat and prep:

Set your oven to 350°F and line the muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups with butter. This is the step I skip when I am rushing and always regret.

Mix the dry ingredients:

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until everything looks even. No lumps of baking soda should be visible.

Combine the wet ingredients:

Mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth, then stir in the melted butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla. It does not have to be perfect, a few banana chunks are fine.

Fold it all together:

Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir gently with a spatula just until the flour disappears. Overmixing makes them tough, so stop while it still looks a little rough.

Add the chocolate:

Fold in the chocolate chips with a few strokes. Save a handful to press into the tops if you want them to look bakery style.

Fill the cups:

Spoon the batter into each muffin cup until they are about three quarters full. I use an ice cream scoop to keep them even.

Bake:

Slide the tin into the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. They are done when a toothpick poked in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

Cool:

Let them sit in the tin for five minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Eating one warm with melted chocolate is completely acceptable.

Save

My neighbor knocked on the door one morning because she smelled these baking through the window. I handed her one still warm and she came back an hour later asking for the recipe. Now we trade muffins and banana bread like currency.

Make Them Your Own

I add half a teaspoon of cinnamon when I want them to taste cozy, or fold in a quarter cup of chopped walnuts for crunch. My sister swears by stirring in peanut butter chips instead of chocolate. You can also swap the chocolate for dried cranberries if you want something less sweet.

Storage and Freezing

These stay soft at room temperature for three days if you keep them in an airtight container. I freeze extras in a zip bag and pull one out for breakfast, it thaws in twenty minutes or ten seconds in the microwave. They taste just as good as the day I baked them.

What to Serve Them With

I eat these with black coffee in the morning or crumble one over vanilla ice cream at night. They are also good with a smear of almond butter or cream cheese if you want something more filling.

• Pair with hot coffee or cold milk for an easy breakfast.
• Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.
• Pack them in lunchboxes or bring them to work, they travel well.

Save

These muffins are proof that you do not need fancy ingredients to make something people remember. Just ripe bananas, melted butter, and a little bit of chocolate.

Recipe FAQs

→ What makes these muffins moist?

The use of ripe mashed bananas along with melted butter and milk creates a tender, moist crumb.

→ Can I substitute the chocolate chips?

Yes, mini chocolate chips work well for even distribution, or you can use chopped chocolate chunks for varied texture.

→ How can I add extra flavor?

Adding a half teaspoon of cinnamon or a quarter cup of chopped walnuts enhances the flavor and adds a pleasant crunch.

→ What is the best way to store these muffins?

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months to maintain freshness.

→ Are there any common allergens?

Yes, these muffins contain eggs, dairy, wheat, and possibly soy from chocolate chips. Check labels if sensitive.