Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are tender and sweet, with a moist crumb and milk chocolate chips that melt in your mouth with each bite! It tastes like your favorite banana bread, but bite-sized! These muffins make the perfect quick breakfast or afternoon snack!

Sometimes I get a little overeager and buy too many bananas.

Does that ever happen to you? Before I started cooking I would throw them out. But now, I turn those ripe brown bananas into pancakes, nut bread, and now these muffins.

I actually had to hide these bananas this time because people see ripe bananas and think we probably need to eat them before hitting the point of no return. And of course, like any food blogger, I’d get a little annoyed because I need to cook with them. Luckily, no one found my hiding spot!

Tips for Perfect Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

• Use room temperature ingredients. This helps form a smooth batter that bakes more evenly and helps with the rise.
• Consider using bread flour for a more tender crumb. I tested this recipe with all-purpose flour, but some people swear by bread flour!
• Don’t overmix the batter. When you add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, make sure to mix just until the flour is mixed in. Overmixing will result in a tougher muffin.
• Use a scoop to ensure your muffins are the same size. This will help them bake evenly.
• Fill up the muffin pan so that each cup is ⅔ full. If there isn’t enough batter to fill all the muffin cups, put water in the empty ones. Again, this helps your muffins bake evenly.
• Don’t overbake your muffins! Using a lighter metal pan helps to avoid this. 
• Once the muffins are lightly golden brown, remove them from the oven and let them sit in the muffin tin for 10 minutes. Then remove them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  As you can see from my pics, my muffins are just a tad darker than I would have liked because I left them in just a few minutes too long. That little bit of extra time can definitely make a difference, so it also helps to know if your oven runs hot or cold. That way you can either adjust the cooking time and/or the oven temperature.

Ingredients for Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Here’s what you need to make this a moist banana muffin with chocolate chips:

• Unsalted butter, softened
• Brown sugar
• Granulated white sugar
• Large eggs
• Overripe bananas
• Pure vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Baking Powder
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Chocolate Chips

Use the recipe card below for detailed amounts and instructions!

How Ripe Should My Bananas Be?

Overripe bananas are preferable for baking because they are much sweeter and give a stronger banana flavor. Regular bananas will make your muffins much more bland.

Look for bananas with a significant amount of brown over the peel- not just speckles, but a large portion of the peel should be brown, but not soft and squishy!

How to make Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I think these are the best banana muffins because the recipe is so easy to make! Here’s how to do it:

1. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a large bowl, beat together both sugars and softened butter until creamy. You can use an electric hand mixer or use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
3. Next, break the bananas into thirds. Add them to the bowl and mix. Now add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until well incorporated.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and stir until combined.
5. Gently fold the chocolate chips into the batter.  Then spoon the muffin batter into a muffin pan coated with cooking spray. You can also use paper liners.
6. Bake for 20-23 minutes. 
7. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to finish cooling. 

Recipe Variations

• Add in some chopped nuts for added texture. I like to use chopped walnuts or pecans with banana bread.
• Add some nutmeg along with the cinnamon for even more warm spice!
• Make a streusel topping for an extra sweet twist. Cut cold butter into sugar and flour for a gorgeous crumb topping you can sprinkle over the top of the muffins.
• I used milk chocolate chips for this recipe but you could use dark chocolate, semi-sweet, or even white chocolate chips!

How to Store Leftover Banana Muffins

For best results, make sure your muffins are completely cooled before storing them. Even a hint of warmth can cause them to get soggy quickly.

Place cooled muffins in a Ziploc bag or airtight container lined with a paper towel. Cover the muffins with another paper towel and seal.

Store the muffins at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Can you Freeze Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins?

Yes, you can freeze these muffins! Place cooled muffins in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag. Seal tightly and store the bag on its side so muffins don’t bunch up together. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat, thaw them at room temperature for a few hours or pop them in the microwave.

Can I Make These as Mini Muffins?

If you want to make mini banana chocolate chip muffins, I suggest making the following changes:

• Use mini chocolate chips or chop the regular ones into smaller pieces.
• No need for paper liners- just spray the mini muffin tin thoroughly.
• Adjust the baking time- mini muffins only need about 10-13 minutes to bake.

Can I use this recipe to make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread?

Yes, you can use this muffin recipe for banana bread!

• Use a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
• Quick breads have a longer baking time than muffins. Bake your loaf for 45-60 minutes. It will be done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

More Muffin Recipes

You’ll love these muffins made with simple ingredients:

• Fluffy, homemade Blueberry Muffins are easy to make with simple, fresh ingredients. Imagine golden-brown tops and a tender interior, where the sweet blueberries and a hint of vanilla come together.
• The fresh lemon juice and lemon zest add such brightness to these Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins. I love to freeze a batch of baked muffins so I can easily thaw them out for busy mornings!
• Start off your morning with these tasty Orange Cranberry Muffins. These are perfect for breakfast or brunch any time of year, especially when the holidays roll around.

Use Up Your Bananas with these Delicious Banana Recipes

These Banana Pancakes are the way to my family’s hearts! They are so tender and fluffy, and the combination of fresh bananas and syrup is so good! I just can’t get enough!

This Banana Nut Bread is full of banana flavor, and the crunchy pecans provide the perfect contrast to the sweetness of the bread. Make this recipe today—you won’t regret it!

What do you do with ripe bananas? I’d love to try out your ideas. Let me know in the comments below!

This post was originally published on March 1, 2017. It has been updated in format and with new photos on April 18, 2024.