Favorite Chocolate Banana Muffins

These Chocolate Banana Muffins are one of our all-time favorite baked goods. They are a delicious chocolate muffin, with a dose of nutrition and whole grains (and even spinach if you decide to add it.) They’re a perfect breakfast or snack option for the whole family.

Chocolate Banana Muffins

These moist little muffins have a base of oats, bananas, eggs, and either cocoa or cacao powder. They are gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free oats and they’re nut-free. But best of all, the baked muffins are super moist and seriously delicious, which makes them easy for toddlers to eat.

We like these muffins warm out of the oven for breakfast or chilled for a snack or a cold packed lunch. I like adding rolled oats to muffin recipes like this one because they almost dissolve right into the batter when they bake. But, even though they are texturally not that obvious, they add fiber and B vitamins.

And they help to make the muffins a little bit more filling—which can keep those little bodies from running on empty so quickly!

(You may also like my Fluffy Chocolate Muffins and my Chocolate Protein Muffins.)

Ingredients You Need

To make this recipe you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand and ready to go. Most of these are pantry staples, and you have some options for substitutions if needed, too.

• Very ripe bananas: The more brown spots the better, as that will ensure that the banana flavor comes through and that the muffins have a lot of natural sweetness.
• Eggs: I use large eggs in my baking and in this recipe, and here they provide structure and lend a nutritious base to the muffins.
• Unsalted butter: Melted and slightly cooled butter OR almond butter works here to add moisture and tenderness.
• Honey or maple syrup: Use either of these to enhance the sweetness of the banana.
•  Pure vanilla extract: A little vanilla rounds out the flavor profile of the muffins nicely.
• Rolled oats: Sometimes called “old-fashioned” oats at the store, this ingredient adds whole grains, fiber, and B vitamins—but blends in nicely to the batter.
• Whole wheat flour: A little flour helps ensure that the muffins hold together nicely.
• Cocoa powder: I add a little unsweetened cocoa powder for chocolate flavor here. You can also use cacao powder if that’s what you have on hand.
• Baking powder and baking soda: The combination of these two ensure that the muffins rise and cook through properly.
• chocolate chips, optional

TIP: You can add a handful of baby spinach when blending the wet ingredients to add a veggie into the mix if you use a blender.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s a look at the process of making these healthy mini muffins. Scroll down to get the full recipe with the amounts and timing.

1. Preheat oven and grease a mini muffin tin well. Mash the banana smooth.
2. Add the wet ingredients to a bowl.
3. Add the dry ingredients to a bowl.
4. Stir together the contents of each bowl.
5. Add the wet to the dry to combine the batter.
6. Divide among a muffin tin and bake. Cool on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature, slightly warm, or chilled.

TIP: You can blend the wet ingredients, including the banana, in a blender and then stir in the dry ingredients if you prefer. This is the way I prefer to do it if I’m adding spinach.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container or in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Find more info about How to Freeze Muffins.

Best Tips for Success

• Mini muffin tins sometimes have a tendency to stick, so be sure to grease them well.
• I like this mini muffin tin from Wilton.
• Very ripe bananas with brown spots have the most natural sweetness and will make these muffins taste best.
• Stir in 1/4-⅓ cup mini chocolate chips for added deliciousness!
• Top with nut butter, cream cheese, or a drizzle of honey if you’d like.
• Add a big handful of baby spinach to the blender and blend well with the rest of the wet ingredients to add some veggies to these muffins.

I’d love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe, so comment below to share!

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a mini muffin tin.

• Mash the banana well. 

• Stir together the wet ingredients, including the mashed banana.

• Stir together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. (Or, to do this step with a blender, place the bananas, eggs, butter, honey, and vanilla into a blender. Add the spinach if you plan to use it. Blend well.)

• Stir in the oats, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips, if using, to the wet ingredients.

• Fill prepared muffin tin about to the edge of each cup.

• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Use a paring knife to remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

• Serve at room temperature, slightly warm, or chilled.

• Store in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container or in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months.
• To make these as full-size muffins: Use about ¼ cup batter per muffin cup and bake for about 18-20 minutes.
• Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free rolled oats and cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend in place of the whole wheat.
• Add a handful of baby spinach to the blender in Step 4 to add a veggie.
• Some mini muffin tins have a tendency to stick, so be sure to grease them well. (I like this mini muffin tin from Wilton.)
• Very ripe bananas with brown spots have the most natural sweetness and will make these muffins taste best.
• Stir in 1/4-⅓ cup mini chocolate chips for added deliciousness!
• Top with nut butter, cream cheese, or a drizzle of honey if you’d like.

Serving: 2muffins, Calories: 145kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 51mg, Sodium: 161mg, Potassium: 195mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 659IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 1mg

This post was first published March 2018.