Whipping up these banana chocolate chunk muffins is a breeze, and they strike the perfect, dreamy balance between chocolatey indulgence and wholesome goodness.
Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins
There's a story behind how these chocolate chip banana muffins were born. It all started with a little chat I had with my six-year-old son.
He came home one day from school, and I excitedly offer him his favorite chocolate treat. You know, the kind of stuff kids usually jump for joy over.
But to my surprise, he turns it down, saying that his friend told him that chocolate makes you..."fat."
It hit me like a ton of bricks. It's crazy how early the whole diet culture thing starts creeping into our kids' minds, making them label foods as either "good" or "bad."
So, here I am, on a mission to teach my little one about food neutrality – stripping away the guilt and judgment tied to what we eat. And intentionally throwing some chocolate into his snacks and meals.
Enter this heavenly banana muffin recipe. I took inspiration from my protein banana muffins, tweaking things to make them just as moist, filling, and perfectly sweet.
These easy banana muffins are the ultimate quick breakfast or school snack. Because, you know, chocolate can be part of a delicious and balanced life!
And if you're looking for more muffins to try, here are the most delicious muffins for babies and kids!
Jump to:
Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- White whole wheat flour - This has the same nutritional value as whole wheat flour, but is lighter and has a slightly sweeter taste, perfect for these muffins! See more on flour alternatives below.
- Bananas - Overripe bananas (with lots of brown spots) work well for these moist muffins because they are sweeter and are easier to mash.
- Greek yogurt - Use full-fat plain Greek yogurt or a dairy-free equivalent.
- Eggs - Room-temperature eggs work best.
- Chocolate chunks - Use whatever kind of chunks of chocolate you and your family like. Milk chocolate or dark chocolate chunks are popular.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
Step 3: Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Be careful not to over mix! Use a spatula (instead of a whisk) to gently stir together until all the flour is wet.
Step 4: Gently stir in chocolate chunks and walnuts.
Step 5: Divide batter evenly into 12 muffin cups.
Step 6: Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the inserted toothpick in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Tips for Success
- Always use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup rather than scooping the flour out of the container or bag with your measuring cup. Using the latter method, you could end up with a lot more than what you need.
- Take eggs and yogurt out of the refrigerator at least 15 minutes prior to baking. This will help the muffins rise more.
- Use over-ripe bananas - Your muffins will turn out sweeter and moister.
- After combining the dry and wet ingredients, do NOT over-mix the muffin batter. Mix lightly with a spatula until just combined. This will help prevent dense muffins.
- Adjust sweetness - I've provided a range of maple syrup or honey so you can adjust depending on your preference. For us, 3 tablespoons seem to be the sweet spot. You can always add more after your first try.
Variations
- Flour - you can use all purpose flour, 1:1 gluten free flour like this one, or oat flour. I wouldn't use all whole wheat flour as the muffins will turn out too dense. Instead, use a combination of 1 cup all purpose flour and ¾ cup cup whole wheat flour.
- No banana? Try using store-bought or homemade unsweetened applesauce.
- No eggs? You can try with flax or chia eggs. You might also enjoy these eggless banana muffins.
- Add-ins - desire more flavor, texture, and variety? Try adding in some chopped nuts like walnuts or almonds, strawberries, blueberries, shredded carrots, or dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, and dates.
Equipment
If you've tried any of my muffin recipes, you know how much I love using this silicone muffin tin because nothing sticks!! There's no need to grease or use muffin liners.
But for those who prefer an alternative, this is my favorite nonstick muffin pan. Just be sure to grease it really well before adding the batter.
Want to make adorable mini muffins for toddlers? Use this 24 cup muffin pan and bake these for 15-18 minutes.
Storage
First, cool completely on a wire rack. Then transfer these healthy banana muffins to an airtight container and keep on the counter for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Enjoy at room temperature or microwave briefly.
You can also freeze these banana chocolate chip muffins for up to 3 months in a freezer bag. Here's how to store and freeze muffins so they taste just as good as the day you made them.
More Chocolate Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Ingredients
Dry
- 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour (215g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet
- 1 cup mashed bananas (240g), 2-3 medium bananas
- 1 cup full fat Greek yogurt (230g), room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup, honey, or date syrup
Stir-ins
- ¾ cup chocolate chunks, plus more for topping
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a nonstick muffin pan or use a silicone muffin pan.
- In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Be careful not to over mix! Use a spatula (instead of a whisk) to gently stir together until all the flour is wet. The less you stir the mixture, the lighter and fluffier your muffins will be.
- Stir in chocolate chunks and walnuts.
- Divide batter evenly into 12 muffin cups and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the inserted toothpick in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Take eggs and yogurt out of the refrigerator at least 15 minutes prior to baking. This will help the muffins rise more.
- Use over-ripe bananas - Your muffins will turn out sweeter and moister.
- Try adding in some chopped nuts like walnuts or almonds, strawberries, blueberries, shredded carrots, or dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, and dates.
- You can also freeze these banana chocolate chip muffins for up to 3 months in a freezer bag.
Jane says
a hit for my picky toddler!! I used 1 cup oat flour, 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, I was worried it'd be dense but it turned out fluffy and light still!!!! loving ur recipes!
Min says
I'm so glad!! Thank you for trying out my recipes!!
Catherine says
I just made these today and they turned out great! So fluffy, sweet enough for my toddler to actually eat the muffin instead of picking out the chocolate, and tasty enough for my pregnant self haha. I will definitely make these again when they’re gone!
Min says
Aww so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing and putting a smile on my face on this rough morning :).
Blyth says
We made these today and they were a big hit with kiddo and husband. Moist! We used muffin liners which I wouldn’t do again - too much muffin stuck to the liners. Thanks for the great recipe!
Min says
So happy to hear that!
Shelby says
These are so yummy and super easy to make. I made them into mini muffins and mine came out perfect after 15 minutes of baking. My 2 year old devoured 2 of them as soon as they were cool enough to eat!
Min says
Love hearing that! Thank you for sharing!
sheena says
How long will it take to bake if I use mini muffin mold instead of the regular one?
My son typically prefers muffins in mini bite sizes!
Min says
Hi! I would start checking after 10-12 minutes!
Laurie says
These were so fluffy!! Can't wait to make again with other mix ins 🙂
Min says
Yay!!
Erika says
These muffins are absolutely delicious! Our whole family enjoys🙌
Min says
Makes me so happy to hear that everyone enjoyed these!!
Jessica says
Can I use organic all purpose flour? I want to make the tonight and not run to the store for whole wheat flour 😂
Min says
absolutely!
Allison R says
I made these for my daughter. Not only did she devour them but so did me and my husband. They’re super easy to make and so moist and delicious!
Min says
Aww yay!!! So happy to hear that!!!!
Ume says
Can I use oat flour 1:1 for the whole wheat flour?
Min says
You can! the texture will change slightly but will still be delicious :).
Melissa says
Hi Min, these sound delish. Will definitely try. I was wondering if this would work baked as a loaf instead of muffins? Cause my son has an egg allergy but is ok with baked eggs but it has to baked for at least 30 mins at 350 deg. Could I use a loaf pan and bake at 350 but just for longer time? Thanks for your response in advance.
AmyB says
Hi! My daughter has a similar allergy and I was going to try to make these by just adding extra bananas and yogurt. That is what I use for other recipes when I am trying to substitute for eggs. Making tonight so we will see if it works!
AmyB says
Update- I used extra yogurt and bananas in lieu of the eggs and it changes the consistency a little but still good!
Min says
Ooh! good to know!! Thanks for sharing that!! May I ask how much more yogurt and bananas? I will add that in the post for anyone who are egg-free!
Anna says
So yum for the whole family
Min says
So glad all of you enjoyed these muffins!
Lila says
These muffins are not only healthy but absolutely delicious 😋 thank you , my children love it
Min says
Makes me so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing!