These super easy bakery style dark chocolate banana muffins are a sweet and indulgent breakfast treat, require just one bowl to make, and turn over-ripe bananas into chocolate-y bliss!
I can be a bit of a tornado in the kitchen. Okay, almost always. I have a habit of using every spoon in the drawer. Every spatula and whisk. Teetering piles of dirty dishes and measuring cups sit, precariously stacked, in the sink and on counter edges, left in my wake as I cook and bake and generally wreak havoc on our kitchen. I know I should tidy up as I go, but rarely do, distracted by the whole wonderful process of stirring and measuring and tasting.
So the fact that these chocolate banana muffins require only one mixing bowl to whip up means that I have no excuse; Even I have a hard time creating an enormous mess with this recipe. The dishwasher gets a brief reprieve.
And these muffins! These aren’t really breakfast muffins in the traditional sense, although who am I, really, to preach about appropriate early morning choices after this post?
These chocolate banana muffins are more indulgent than an everyday breakfast though. I call them muffins, but they could easily be considered cupcakes. I think of them as special-occasion muffins. Welcome-home-you-had-a-long-day muffins. Sweet-afternoon-moment muffins. I-love-you-just-because muffins.
Or, simply, Valentine’s-Day-is-coming-up-and-I’ve-got-chocolate-on-my-mind muffins.
At any rate, all it takes is one bowl (and a smattering of measuring spoons) and you’re on your way to dark chocolate banana bliss… A messy kitchen not included.
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These super easy bakery style dark chocolate banana muffins are a sweet and indulgent breakfast treat, require just one bowl to make, and turn over-ripe bananas into chocolate-y bliss!
Ingredients
2 medium bananas (about 1 cup), over-ripe
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk (or sub 2% dairy milk)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp (packed) light brown sugar
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (look for dutch-processed)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1–1/8 tsp baking soda
1–2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips (bittersweet or semisweet)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, use the back of a fork to mash the banana until only very small lumps remain. Add the vanilla and the egg and use the fork to whisk the mixture together until completely combined. Add the oil and milk and stir to combine. Add the sugars and stir again.
Using a spatula, stir in the cocoa powder, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix until the cocoa is completely incorporated. Stir in the salt and baking soda, then gently fold in the flour, until just combined.
Divide the batter among 12 paper-lined muffin cups, about 3/4 full. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Bake for 15-17 minutes, rotating once, until the muffin tops look set, and a cake-tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, before removing and cooling completely on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room-temperature.
Make this recipe? Let us know what you think!
59 Comments
Jeanne
April 27, 2019 at 4:31 pmLoved this recipe. I made them today, I did add the chips to the batter. Do you have the calorie count and nutritional info?
★★★★★
Katherine
March 4, 2019 at 8:30 pmI’ve made these muffins about seven or eight times over the last year and they are AMAZING. They never last long with my kids!
★★★★★
Karen
May 30, 2018 at 2:59 pmHi, I was wondering before I try to make these, do they actually taste like bananas or does it just add to texture ? Thanks
★★★★
Laura
May 30, 2018 at 4:29 pmHi, Karen! They definitely taste like banana. And for the most intense banana flavor, I’d recommend using super ripe bananas. Enjoy!!
Ankita
May 5, 2018 at 4:53 amFor the first time did I get baking with bananas so right !! I just replaced the almond milk with normal milk since that’s what I had on hand . But the result was still gorgeous super moist muffins .
★★★★
Laura
May 7, 2018 at 8:48 amThanks, Ankita! These banana muffins are one of my favorite recipes 🙂
Kat
March 3, 2018 at 8:26 pmCan I use water in place of milk?
The muffins look amazing!
Laura
March 4, 2018 at 2:33 amHi Kat! I haven’t tried it and I wouldn’t recommend it. I’m worried you’ll lose the flavor that milk provides. You can use almond or another non-dairy milk though if you prefer. Enjoy!!
Lauren
February 23, 2018 at 8:34 pmI have made this recipe twice and the muffins turned out amazing! I used coconut sugar, 1 cup plain flour, 2/3 cup spelt flour, olive oil and an egg replacer to make them vegan. The texture is so soft and fluffy! And not sickly sweet like a lot of other muffins, which is great. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Laura
February 23, 2018 at 9:54 pmThat makes me so happy to hear! Thanks, Lauren! ☺️
Georgie
February 2, 2018 at 8:24 amThank you for the recipe!! I made them today and everyone loved them! 🙂
Paige
March 20, 2017 at 4:49 pmGreat website. Plenty of useful info here. I am sending it to
a few pals ans additionally sharing in delicious.
And certainly, thanks for your effort!
Jennifer
January 1, 2017 at 8:52 pmCould you use Coconut milk over almond or regular milk
J
October 1, 2016 at 7:08 pmI get too excited about these muffins… They’re SO GOOD. I can barely leave any for school the next day!
★★★★★
J
October 1, 2016 at 7:09 pmP.S. I make them VEGAN!
★★★★★
Laura
October 10, 2016 at 4:20 pmThanks, so much J! I’m so happy to hear that!
Lynne
July 25, 2016 at 6:30 amHow do you pin this recipe? I don’t see any pinterest icons .
Julie
May 13, 2016 at 11:05 amCould I double the recipe with four bananas? Would I have to double the rest of the ingredients too?
Laura
May 15, 2016 at 11:04 amHi Julie! Yes you can definitely double this recipe – if you use four bananas you would want to also double the rest of the ingredients. Enjoy!
Kat
March 6, 2016 at 4:41 pmYum! I love a good chocolate muffin and I love finding black bananas in my freezer for baking. The fact that this is a one bowl recipe…. 😍 Perfect for this busy mum.
Connie
May 22, 2015 at 10:27 pmThese look perfect! Just one quick question though, if I want to make these without the bananas, do I need to make any adjustments to the other ingredients?
KareninStLouis
May 4, 2015 at 6:52 pmJust made these and got 43 (!) mini muffins from the batter! They are beautiful and have a nice dome. I only had skim milk so I added Greek yogurt for the extra tablespoon (just because it made me feel better). Added chips to the batter and sprinkled a few on top as well. My mini muffin pans are dark, so I baked at 350° and they took 13 minutes. Just popped one in my mouth and holy moly: how divine to taste both the chocolate AND the banana! Hope they freeze well because these babies are going into the freezer until Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday. Thank you, thank you for such a simple and foolproof delicious recipe. I’m a “tornado” baker as well. This one-bowl recipe helped immensely!
Laura
May 4, 2015 at 8:11 pmHi Karen! Thanks so much for letting me know! I’ve never made mini muffins with this recipe, but I’ll have to try it! LOVE that chocolate and banana combo 🙂
Quinn
April 17, 2015 at 11:51 amI adore one bowl recipes! I added some espresso powder with the cocoa powder too 🙂
Sarah
March 6, 2015 at 7:43 pmAwesome! Really great. Here are some of the switches I made, in case the substitutions help anyone else out: I always use coconut oil instead of canola (same proportions), used half all-purpose/half whole wheat flour, used 2/3 cup coconut sugar instead of white (much lower glycemic index), and left out the chocolate chips altogether. I also made 24 mini muffins instead of 12 regular. Same baking temp and time. The texture of these is so good. My kiddos are going to love them.
★★★★★
Astrid
November 2, 2014 at 7:35 amYour muffins are delish! Soft, moist and yummy. Thank you for the recipe, definitely a keeper!
Lynn
September 10, 2014 at 8:43 amLove these! Have made them twice. My kids love them for breakfast or a snack. I even use whole wheat white flour in place of AP flour and have had great results.
★★★★★
Susan - ofeverymoment
August 7, 2014 at 3:43 pmHi Laura
I just wanted to let you know that I featured this recipe on my blog yesterday. I recently used it to make a big batch of mini-muffins for a family reunion – and everyone loved them! THanks! I hope you will stop by to my blog and see the link I posted there.
Sylia
August 5, 2014 at 11:15 pmEvery single time I havr ever made these, they were a sure hit. I always have overripe bananas on hand, and the recipe is so easy, it’s basically a staple in my kitchen right now. Thank you!
★★★★★
julie
August 2, 2014 at 8:29 amI had to make substitutions for what I did not have on hand including using 2% milk for the almond milk , coconut oil for the canola oil, mixed in the chocolate chips and cooked 3 minutes longer. Great recipe, delicious, thank you!!!
Stacey
June 14, 2014 at 3:22 pmGreat recipe! Glad I stumbled upon your site!
I didn’t have any eggs so I substituted with a flax ‘egg’. I also used Greek yogurt and avocado oil in place of the canola oil (filled the half cup measuring cup with mostly Greek yogurt and a bit of oil). Turned out great! Only thing I would do differently next time is mix the chocolate chips in as well as sprinkling on top. And there will definitely be a next time as this is going in my recipe keeper! Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Stacey
June 14, 2014 at 3:25 pmOh, I should note that I had to adjust my cooking time and add a few minutes in case anyone else tries these substitutions. I took an extra 3 minutes.
Thanks again for the recipe!
Laura
June 17, 2014 at 6:30 pmHi Stacey! I’m so glad the recipe worked for you, even with the substitutions. I’m curious to try these with the flax egg… Thanks for reading!
Verity
June 8, 2014 at 7:20 amThese are awesome. Just made them and we are eating (scoffing) them now 🙂 Sooo good hot from the oven!
★★★★★
Laura
June 17, 2014 at 6:31 pmSo glad you’re enjoying them!
Melissa
April 29, 2014 at 8:18 amIt was great to find this recipe as I had 2 ripe bananas and longed to try a choc/banana muffin! I have not made muffins in ages, and this was easy to follow. I adjusted as follows: I added less vanilla extra and sugar, as my almond milk already contains both. I also incorporate the chocolate chips into the batter, not a fan of chips on top of my muffins.
At the end batter stage I was a little worried that the muffins might be dry as the batter was quite thick. However the muffins are completely moist! I was also surprised that it *seems* like regular sized and mini muffins have the same cooking time, learn something new every day!
This recipe is super yum and I will definitely be using this as a stand by when I want a muffin this is a little indulgent, a great side to my latte in the morning! Thanks so much for sharing!
★★★★★
Lynn
April 18, 2014 at 4:28 pmGreat muffins. Will make again. Moist and just the right amount of chocolate and flavor. Great recipe for my daughter to make, love the one bowl!!
★★★★★
Lynn
April 18, 2014 at 4:27 pmGreat muffins. Will make again. Moist and just the right amount of chocolate and flavor. Great recipe for me daughter to make, love the one bowl!!
★★★★★
Iris
March 8, 2014 at 9:58 pmDiscovered your website via Pinterest. I was intrigued by your beautiful photography. Anyhow, I’ve made this recipe 3 times in the last 3 weeks. I tell myself they are a snack, not a dessert.. They are a hit. Can’t wait to try more recipes!
Iris
★★★★★
Bev
March 2, 2014 at 6:33 pmThey are very good muffins. My family liked them as well. I used a lighter chocolate and they were wonderful. Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Lorr
February 24, 2014 at 1:48 amDo soooo want to make these! Is the sea salt crucial, or can I sub regular table salt?
Lorr
February 24, 2014 at 1:50 am(oops – sorry about the repeat)
Laura
February 24, 2014 at 11:38 amHi, Lorr! The sea salt is not crucial – I simply cook with either kosher salt or sea salt these days. Traditional table/iodized salt has a finer grain than sea salt, and thus has the potential to taste “saltier” per the same volume (less air between the grains). I find it’s not always an exact substitution, but in this recipe, it’s such a small amount of salt, relatively, that I don’t think it will matter very much at all. So go for it! And let me know how your muffins turn out!
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps
February 13, 2014 at 10:31 amYou sound just like me, utensils, bowls, flour EVERYWHERE, and I rarely clean up as I go, leaving a giant overwhelming disaster by the time I’m done. Glad to hear I’m not the only one. 🙂 And I’d totally classify these as muffins — one fabulous muffin. 🙂
Laura
February 14, 2014 at 8:12 amHaha love it. Sometimes I get to a moment, making multiple recipes on a shooting day, where I literally HAVE to stop and clean up if I want to keep cooking because we are out of clean bowls or spoons etc. Disaster is right!
I went with “muffin”, because they’ve got dark chocolate in them…which is an antioxidant right? So, WAY healthier than a cupcake… 🙂
Abbie @ Needs Salt
February 13, 2014 at 10:21 amThese muffins look positively decadent! Definitely something I’m going to have to make for my sister sometime soon. (She sighs every time I bake something that doesn’t include chocolate.)
Pinning!
Laura
February 14, 2014 at 8:08 amThanks, Abbie, I hope you and your sister love them! 🙂
Jaclyn
February 12, 2014 at 7:09 pmI seriously love these photos! What a delicious combo!
Laura
February 12, 2014 at 7:16 pmThank you, Jaclyn! I loooove chocolate and banana 🙂
cheri
February 12, 2014 at 12:50 pmYour muffins look delicious! Great recipe and pics!
Laura
February 12, 2014 at 6:20 pmThank you so much, Cheri!
Chris @ Shared Appetite
February 12, 2014 at 11:27 amWow such beautiful photos! And these muffins sound so good!!! Totally my kind of breakfast! And that fact that you only dirty up one bowl… huge bonus 🙂
Laura
February 12, 2014 at 11:41 amThank you, Chris! I’m definitely a sweet breakfast fan too 🙂
Casey @ A Touch of Zest
February 12, 2014 at 8:47 amOh me too! I make such a mess in the kitchen! No matter how many times I tell myself to clean up as I go, it never happens!
Your photos are absolutely stunning!
Laura
February 12, 2014 at 8:54 amIsn’t it impossible? And it’s even worse when I’m shooting a recipe…
Betsy | JavaCupcake.com
February 12, 2014 at 4:37 amThese muffins are simple gorgeous!
Laura
February 12, 2014 at 8:50 amThank you, Betsy!!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
February 11, 2014 at 5:52 pmThese sound so good!! Love this recipe!
Laura
February 11, 2014 at 5:55 pmThank you, Katrina!! They are so darn yummy, and suuuuper easy to make.