Easy Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

These easy vegan chocolate chip banana muffins are super fluffy and moist, full of cozy spice, and packed with chocolate chips and sweet banana flavor. Made in just one bowl, no mixer required, naturally sweetened with coconut sugar, and freezer friendly. Whether you’re plant based or just out of eggs, these are sure to be a family breakfast favorite! Gluten free friendly.

Easy one bowl vegan banana muffins

We just about always have some overly ripe bananas on the counter – I often purposefully let them get too soft and speckly for regular snacking, because I love baking with them so much. And when those run out, there’s probably a stash in the freezer, too.

Some version of banana bread – or muffins – is in constant rotation around here, and I’ve been making these chocolate chip banana muffins on repeat lately. They have a wonderfully spiced banana flavor, just the right amount of sweetness, and an incredibly moist and fluffy crumb. They also happen to be plant based and are made with simple pantry staples.

The muffins come together quickly in one bowl, are easy (and forgiving) enough for our toddler to help with the measuring and mixing, and are a favorite grab-and-go treat to have on hand when I’m craving something both indulgent and reasonably healthy.

Why you’ll love this chocolate chip banana muffin recipe

These naturally sweetened banana muffins are based on one of my favorite recipes on the blog: these double dark chocolate banana muffins, which are also a reader favorite. It seems like you all are muffin fans too!

I made this version a bit healthier by swapping in some more wholesome ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, coconut sugar in place of refined sugar, ground flaxseeds for extra fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, and I also swapped out the egg for Henry (making them accidentally vegan).

They come together in one big mixing bowl in just a few minutes, and make exactly 12 muffins, which I love – no extra batter hanging around for a second half-empty muffin tin. Moist and tender and topped with mini dark chocolate chips, these banana muffins taste just as delicious and indulgent as the “real” thing, but also happen to be a little bit better for you.

Vegan chocolate chip banana muffin ingredients

These chocolate chip banana muffins are my favorite for cozy breakfasts, an afternoon snack, or even dessert (hello, chocolate chips!). And not only are they delicious, but they’re full of healthy, flavorful pantry staples that I bet you also have on hand right now. Here’s what you’ll need:

• bananas: we start with two very ripe bananas for lots of moisture and natural sweetness. The riper and more speckled they are, the more flavorful your muffins will be.
• olive oil: I love baking with olive oil and this healthy fat keeps our banana muffins incredibly moist.
• vanilla: Use the good stuff for a sweet flavor boost.
• coconut sugar: These muffins are sweetened with coconut sugar, which adds sweetness and a hint of caramel flavor, but they aren’t overly sweet. If you’d prefer, you can also use a combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar.
• almond milk: I like to use unsweetened almond milk, but you can easily use another dairy free milk as well.
• flax: ground flaxseed adds fiber and omega-3’s, and helps bind the ingredients together in place of eggs.
• baking soda: provides all of the leavening in this recipe.
• cozy spices: ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves add warmth and lots of flavor.
• salt: intensifies all of the flavors (I typically use Diamond Crystal.)
• flour: regular, all purpose flour makes up the base of these muffins. Be sure not to overmix for tender and fluffy centers.
• chocolate chips: I like to use both miniature chocolate chips (sprinkled on top) and standard chips (swirled into the batter). You could also swap out the chocolate altogether for chopped nuts if you’d like! (walnuts would be my favorite here if you go for a banana nut version).

Find all the exact measurements and instructions below.

What is coconut sugar?

Coconut sugar is an unrefined, natural sweetener that comes from the sap of coconut palm tree flower buds. The sap is heated to remove moisture, leaving the coconut sugar crystals behind. There’s no bone char or other animal products used during this process, so it’s a great option for vegan/plant based diets.

Similar in flavor to light brown sugar, with caramel notes, coconut sugar also has a lower glycemic index than other refined sugars. I love using it in baking recipes where I would traditionally reach for brown sugar, and since it has a slightly nutty, caramel flavor to it, works really nicely with the banana and cinnamon in these muffins.

How to make simple vegan banana muffins:

1. Preheat your oven. Gather all of your ingredients, and get your muffin pan ready.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mash the banana then whisk in the sugars and wet ingredients.
3. Stir in the dry ingredients, being careful to gently fold in the flour until just mixed. Don’t forget to add your chocolate!
4. Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Maybe sprinkle on a few more chocolate chips. Bake until the tops are lightly golden and gently domed. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a baking rack or diving right in to banana muffin bliss. Enjoy!!

Tips for making perfect chocolate chip banana muffins

• Start with super ripe bananas, even verging on overripe. For the most intensely flavorful, sweetest muffins wait for your bananas to become soft, fragrant, and speckled all over or almost entirely brown. You’ll get the best banana flavor with a little bit of patience!
• Measure the flour carefully. I like to weigh my flour for the best results, but if you choose not to use a kitchen scale, be sure to measure your flour with the spooning and leveling method.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Gently fold the flour into the wet ingredients until just combined. Overmixing will yield dense and tough muffins instead of the fluffy and tender ones we’re aiming for!
• Use a medium cookie scoop to divide the batter among the muffins cups for evenly sized muffins with less mess.

Baking with bananas

Whenever you’re baking with bananas, you definitely want to use the ripest bananas you can find. This will improve both the flavor and texture of the banana bread or muffins you’re baking, keeping things moist and flavorful.

The riper the banana, the sweeter and more intense the flavor. So look for nearly black, or incredibly speckled, very soft, and fragrant bananas – the ones you probably wouldn’t want to eat fresh or on your cereal.

You can also freeze overripe bananas, either whole or in pieces (just be sure to note the quantity if you go that route), then defrost in the microwave or overnight in the refrigerator. They’ll look pretty disgusting when they thaw (oxidized and goopy), but will work just as well once mashed into the batter and baked.

Easy banana muffin variations

These banana muffins are naturally sweetened, dairy-free, and vegan, but are easily adaptable to lots of different diets and tastes.

• Make them double chocolate banana muffins: add 2 Tbsp unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder (after the milk), reduce the flour to 1-2/3 cups, and omit the cinnamon.
• Don’t like bananas? Try using pumpkin or sweet potato puree instead. Love doing this in the Fall!
• Add some nuts: chopped walnuts(or another favorite variety) can be substituted 1:1 for the chocolate chips.
• More melted chocolate? Instead of mini chocolate chips, add 2 to 4 oz of a chopped bittersweet (60-80% cacao) chocolate bar or feves to the batter and sprinkled on top.

If you make these banana muffins, be sure to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #forkknifeswoon and leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked them! ★★★★★ Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura

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Originally published March 18, 2019.