I buy bananas weekly because Jay eats them every single day. This means I usually have the opposite problem most people do.

Instead of wondering what to do with a bunch of overripe bananas sitting on the counter, I’m usually trying to make sure there are actually a few left by the end of the week so I can make banana things.

I’ve learned that if I want to make banana bread, banana muffins, or really anything involving ripe bananas, I need to buy extra. Sometimes I’m even forced to hide a couple in the pantry. Is it a little ridiculous? Maybe. But these are desperate times.

When my bananas finally get nice and spotty, these chocolate chip banana bread muffins are usually the first thing I make.

They’re soft, moist, loaded with chocolate chips, and just the right excuse to “save” a few bananas before they become someone else’s breakfast haha.

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Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins

These muffins are soft, moist, and packed with banana flavor in every bite. They’re easy to make with simple pantry ingredients, don’t require a mixer, and bake up perfectly for breakfast, afternoon snacks, or the occasional “I’m just having one” dessert that somehow turns into two +. If you can manage to save a couple of ripe bananas from being eaten first, this recipe is well worth it.

Ingredient Notes

• The riper the bananas, the better. Brown spots are good. Completely brown bananas are even better. Black is the best (I said what I said). This is their moment.
• A small amount of milk helps keep the muffins soft and moist. I’ve tested them with both whole milk and 2%, and either works well, so use what you have.
• I usually use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or mini chocolate chips all work well.

Muffin Pan

This sturdy 12-cup muffin pan bakes evenly, cleans up easily, and makes muffins with nice rounded tops we all want but somehow don’t always get.

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Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a standard 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir the butter and sugar together until smooth.
3. Add the egg, vanilla extract, milk, and mashed bananas stir until well combined.
4. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix until just combined and no streaks of flour remain, being careful not to overmix the batter.
5. Gently fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
6. Using a 4 tablespoon cookie scoop, divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. It should be just endough batter to make 12 muffins.
7. Bake for 24-26 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
8. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Tips and Notes

• Use very ripe bananas. The browner (or even black) the bananas are, the sweeter and more flavorful your muffins will be. If they’re covered in brown spots and looking pretty sad, they’re perfect.
• Measure the bananas (I know this seems excessive). Two bananas can vary quite a bit in size, so measuring 1 cup of mashed banana will give you the most consistent results. The baker in me can’t help it.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Make sure to stir just until the flour disappears. Overmixing can make muffins dense instead of soft and tender.
• Check for doneness around the 20 minute mark, since all ovens are a little different. The muffins are ready when the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• You can use your favorite chocolate chips. Semi-sweet are my personal favorite, but milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or mini chocolate chips all work well.

Storage & Freezing Recommendations

Store leftover chocolate chip banana bread muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

To freeze, allow the muffins to cool completely before placing them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins

By: Kristine Underwood

Soft, moist chocolate chip banana bread muffins made with ripe bananas and simple pantry ingredients. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.

4.75 from 8 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 26 minutes mins

Total Time 36 minutes mins

Course Sweets & Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 239 kcal

Equipment

• 12 cup muffin pan
• 4 tablespoon cookie scoop

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 TBS milk (any kind, I use 2%)
• 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
• 1 1/4 cup flour (all-purpose, spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 tps baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a standard 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together the butter and sugar until combined.
  1/4 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup sugar
• Add the egg, vanilla extract, milk, and mashed bananas and mix well.
  1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 TBS milk, 1 cup mashed bananas
• Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl and stir just until no streaks of flour remain.
  1 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tps baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp sea salt
• Fold in the chocolate chips.
  3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Using a 4 TBS cookie scoop, scoop the batter evenly into the 12 muffin cups. This recipe makes an even 12 muffins, so you should have just enough batter to fill them all.
• Bake muffins for 24-26 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
• Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store muffins in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

• Use very ripe bananas. The browner (or even black) the bananas are, the sweeter and more flavorful your muffins will be.
• Measure the bananas. Two bananas can vary quite a bit in size, so measuring 1 cup of mashed banana will give you the most consistent results.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Make sure to stir just until the flour disappears. Overmixing can make muffins dense instead of soft and tender.
• Check for doneness around the 20 minute mark, since all ovens are a little different. The muffins are ready when the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• You can use your favorite chips. Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or mini chocolate chips all work well.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 muffinCalories: 239kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 107mgPotassium: 175mgFiber: 2gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 160IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 2mg