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These banana chocolate chip muffins are moist, chocolatey, and topped with an irresistible crumb topping. After testing and perfecting muffin recipes for half a year, I am now giving you the exact, foolproof steps to make gorgeous and delicious muffins at home with impressive bakery-style domed tops!
These are the Best Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
I am very passionate about my muffin recipes, so much so that I’ve even published a muffin recipe book in which I share all my best tips on creating bakery-style muffins at home. Another thing I am very passionate about? The pairing of banana and chocolate!
These delicious banana chocolate chip muffins are going to be your new obsession. They are perfect for dessert but also an afternoon snack, breakfast, or a late-night snack…okay, they are perfect for any time of day or night! See why I am so passionate about muffins?
These easy banana muffins have plenty of chocolate chips, an ultra-moist texture, and a tender crumb, paired with a crumb topping that makes these more like banana chocolate chip streusel muffins; so good! Plus, these only take 10 minutes to prep, and they freeze well! Keep reading for all my best muffin tips, tricks, and hacks.
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe Ingredients
These moist banana muffins are made from basic pantry ingredients and are the perfect way to use up overripe bananas. Get the full recipe with measurements and easy step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below. Here’s what you’ll need to make the best banana muffins:
- Bananas
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Mini chocolate chips
Crumb Topping (optional)
- All-purpose flour
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Unsalted butter: melted
How to make this Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe
Chocolate chip banana muffin recipes don’t have to be complicated! These easy-to-follow steps not only make incredibly delicious muffins, but they make gorgeous bakery-style muffins with domed tops that will impress all your friends and family! Get the full recipe in the recipe card below. Here are the easy step-by-step instructions:
- Prepare bananas. Mash 4-6 bananas, enough for 2 cups. It’s important to measure the banana since the size of bananas can vary so much.
- Mix wet ingredients, then dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl combine the mashed bananas, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine, set aside. 3. In a separate bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Gradually mix the dry ingredients and chocolate chips into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The batter will be thick.
- Rest batter and prep oven. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF / 220ºC and make the crumb topping.
- Make crumb topping. In a mixing bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter. Use your hands to squeeze the mixture together. Set the crumb aside until ready to use.
- Fill pan with muffin batter. For bakery style muffins, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Fill the liners with 6-8 heaping tablespoons of batter. Take the topping and crumble it into fine crumbs over each muffin, pressing it on slightly. Top the muffins with additional chocolate chips and sanding sugar.
- Bake and cool. Place one pan in the center of the oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF / 220ºC, then keep the muffins in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ºF / 180ºC and bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter, bumping the temperature back up to 425ºF / 220ºC.
How to Create Bakery Style Muffins
Bakery style muffins are known for their domed tops. Plus who doesn’t love them? I used a few techniques to help “lift” these muffins so they would have large, domed tops!
1. The Rest Period
Let the batter rest for 15 minutes after it’s mixed and before you scoop it into the muffin pan. During the resting period, starch molecules in the flour are absorbing the liquid in the batter, causing them to swell and giving the batter a thicker consistency (ref the kitchen whisper). Our 15 minute rest is just a quick rest.
2. Fill Every Other Muffin Cup
This tip has been a game changer! For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other cup allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other. This technique also encourages the muffins to brown, creating a golden muffin top.
3. Fill Them To The Top
Fill your muffin liners to the top with batter. Yes, this goes against everything you’re heard but it’s important in helping the muffin gain that height.
4. Bake at High Temperature Initially
Bake the muffins at a high temperature (425ºF) initially, then lower to 350ºF. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly, setting the outer surface of the muffin, producing a dome shape.
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins Variations
These muffins are perfect as-is, but here are some ideas for ways you can edit this recipe or add to it:
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins: To make these gluten-free, just swap the flour. I recommend King Arthur’s Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. Use it as a one for one substitute for regular flour.
- Add-Ins: Add in your favorite nuts (chopped) or a tablespoon of peanut butter to give these some nutty flavor.
- Omit the crumb topping: The crumb topping is optional in this recipe. I recommend it, but the muffins are still delicious on their own!
How to Serve Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
There are so many ways to serve these muffins! Here are a few ideas:
- For breakfast: Serve these up warmed or at room temperature for a quick and easy breakfast, or take your time and savor one with a cup of hot coffee.
- On the go: Muffins make the perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack because they are easy to throw in a container or plastic bag and take along in a rush.
- For dessert: Warm the muffin in the microwave if it’s not fresh out of the oven, cut it in half, and serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream. You could even sprinkle the top of the ice cream with chopped nuts and/or a drizzle of chocolate to make it extra indulgent.
How to Store this Chocolate Chip Banana Muffin Recipe
Storing and Freezing Muffins
Muffin Storage
If you’ll be eating the muffins within 24 hours of baking, you can leave them uncovered on the counter. The muffins will not dry out while left at room temperature for 1 day.
In fact, muffins are so moist they can become soggy and those crunchy, sugary tops can disappear when stored in an airtight container.
But I have a trick to help that – paper towels.
For longer storage, 2-4 days, line the bottom of an airtight container with paper towels. Place the muffins in a single layer in the container then cover the muffins with any additional layer of paper towels. The paper towels will act like a sponge, absorbing the moisture they release while they are stored.
If the paper towels become too moist around day 2 or day 3, replace them with fresh paper towels.
How To Freeze Muffins
Individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap. Then place them in a ziploc bag or airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To thaw, leave them at room temperature until defrosted, about 1 hour. Or unwrap them and microwave at 20 second intervals until defrosted.
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffin Recipe FAQs
Over-baking can make banana muffins come out try. Be sure to turn down the temperature after 7 minutes, and only bake for the recommended time or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
If you use too much fresh banana, it can lead to excess moisture in your muffins. Since the size of every banana varies, I recommend measuring your mashed bananas to ensure you use the right amount.
Over-ripe bananas are best for banana bread, but if your bananas themselves are black on the inside, they are likely rotten and not good to eat or bake with. Bananas can have dark spots or even black peels and still be okay on the inside. A little bit of brown spots on the bananas themselves is okay, but if they are black on the inside and too mushy, they are rotten. You also want to be sure there is no mold present on any bananas you eat or bake with.
More Banana Recipes
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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins
Ingredients
- 4-6 large bananas, equal to 2 cups mashed, 460 grams
- ¾ cup vegetable oil, 177 ml
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, 360 grams
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar, 250 grams
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips, 177 grams
Crumb Topping, optional
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 90 grams
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, 71 grams
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted 57 grams
Instructions
- Mash 4-6 bananas, enough for 2 cups. It’s important to mea- sure the banana since the size of bananas can vary so much.
- In a mixing bowl combine the mashed bananas, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine, set aside. 3. In a separate bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients and chocolate chips into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The batter will be thick.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF / 220ºC and make the crumb topping.
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter. Use your hands to squeeze the mixture together. Set the crumb aside until ready to use.
- For bakery style muffins, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Fill the liners with 6-8 heaping tablespoons of batter. Take the topping and crumble it into fine crumbs over each muffin, pressing it on slightly. Top the muffins with additional chocolate chips and sanding sugar.
- Place one pan in the center of the oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF / 220ºC, then keep the muffins in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ºF / 180ºC and bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter, bumping the temperature back up to 425ºF / 220ºC.
Tried and true! 😋
These are the best muffins ever. Dont wait on making these. Will be making these all the time. Came out so good.
These look delicious, could you use banana extract in place of vanilla to amp up the flavor ?
Yep, you definitely can!
A fantastic banana chocolate chip muffin recipe! Moist, easy and used my scale to measure. Crump topping was DELISH . I highly recommend using a scale . Makes a difference and it’s super easy. Can’t wait to keep trying different flavors . Soooo good! And they come out looking like the ones u see in the bakery .
You HAVE to try this recipe! I gave some to my neighbours who texted me to say how good they were. The other half was for our family eclipse party and they were a HIT. The topping was not only tasty but really crunchy. The sanding sugar added a lot and helped with the crunch. I will be trying more of the “super dome” muffins but, seriously, these were SO good. Thanks for sharing the recipe, Beth!
Can I use bananas that have been frozen or will they be too wet?
I use frozen bananas all the time!
BEST ever recipe and make sure you follow the instructions to the tee because that’s where all the magic is :)
Best banana chocolate chip muffin ever. Everyone loves them 💕