Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins Recipe

This post was updated on April 21, 2020 by Jesseca

Try our favorite chocolate chip banana muffins recipe. Minimal ingredients and a simple recipe to follow leaving you with moist banana bread muffins!

Overripe bananas got you searching the internet for a good way to use them? Our go-to? Banana Bread. No questions asked. 

It is so easy to make and even easier to eat. But sometimes we like to venture one step further and make easy homemade muffins instead. Toss in some chocolate chips and you have got the most incredible treat ready in minutes!

Easy Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips

With this recipe, most of the ingredients you will need are pantry staples. I listed them all out, with substitutions if needed, and walk you through each ingredients role below.

Ingredients for banana bread muffins:

• Sugar- Granulated sugar, or white sugar, is what you will need for this simple recipe. You can find this in the baking aisle of your local grocer.
• Oil- I like to use coconut oil. It is something we always have on hand and does not have a strong overpowering flavor. However, I have also used vegetable oil. Each had the same end result.
• Egg- One large egg at room temperature is ideal.
• Vanilla Extract- Use pure vanilla extract not imitation. This makes a world of difference. 
• Sour Cream- The surprise ingredient of the bunch. Sour cream adds to the moist texture of the cupcake and gives it a subtle tang. 
• Flour- All-purpose flour is best. It is also known as white flour and can be found in the baking aisle of your local grocer.
• Baking Soda- This ingredient is key to that tall fluffy cake like texture. It is the leavening agent that helps the dough expand.
• Salt- A flavor enhancer that should never be skipped. 
• Cinnamon and Nutmeg- Just a touch of these two ingredients help boost and blend the flavors. 
• Bananas- Make sure your bananas are over ripe. You want them to be browning. Brown = sweet which means you need less sugar in the baked good. 

Can I substitute the oil?

Yes. If you do not like to use oil in baked goods, or are just trying to make healthier swaps, you can substitute the oil with equal amounts of apple sauce. 

Disclosure, I have not tried that with this specific muffin recipe. However, I have done this in the past with many muffins and sweet breads with great results.

Optional muffin ingredients:

Not a fan of chocolate chips? Leave them out of the recipe entirely for an incredible banana muffin or substitute with another equally amazing ingredient:

• Nuts- We love love love folding in a cup of toasted pecans or walnuts to our muffins. 
• Dried Fruit- Another family favorite. Dried blueberries, cranberries, or even apricots are a delicious mix-in. Just be sure to dice any larger portions before adding to the batter. 
• Frozen Fruit- Have a stash of frozen fruit in that freezer? Use a cup or two in this recipe!
• More Spices- I once added allspice to my batter by mistake, and boy oh boy, was it delicious. We like this recipe best with the cinnamon and nutmeg called for, but are not afraid to play with different spices in the baking cabinet. Try cardamom or apple pie spice for a fun twist! 

How to make muffins from scratch:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside. 
2. Combine the sugar, oil, egg, sour cream, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Whisk until the mixture is combined fully.
3. Stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a separate bowl. 
4. Stir the dry ingredients into your wet ingredients until incorporated. 
5. Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips. 
6. Divide the batter between your prepared pans, filling each liner 3/4 full with batter. 
7. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips onto each batter filled cup or place 1 slice of fresh banana onto each.
8. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.

Tips for homemade muffins:

• Use fresh ingredients. The fluffy texture of this muffin relies on the leavening agent, baking soda. If the soda is not fresh you could end up with flat muffins.
• Mix by hand. I use a whisk and mix everything by hand. Muffins are sensitive and over mixing tends to leave you with sunken finished product. 
• Use a cupcake scoop for even muffin sizes. I really like this one. 
• Check on your muffins right around the 15 minute mark, but don’t open the oven door. Flip on the light and see if they have a nice golden color and looked baked all across the top. If so, feel free to pull them out and check with a toothpick.

More Muffin Recipes:

• Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins
• Chocolate Chip Mug Muffin
• Pina Colada Muffins
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

More Banana Recipes:

• The BEST Banana Bread
• Banana Bars with Browned Butter Frosting
• Easy Banana Cream Cheesecake 
• Classic Banana Cream Pie

 

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