Chocolate Banana Muffins

These decadent chocolate banana muffins are 100% vegan and made with simple dairy-free ingredients and come together quickly. You’ll love making these healthy muffins for snacking, dessert or a chocolate breakfast on a special occasion.

Even though these double chocolate muffins look like a decadent dessert, they’re made with healthier ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.

The natural sugar in ripe bananas makes them perfectly sweet without needing a lot of sugar, making them a healthier option than store-bought muffins. 

To make them, you’ll simply mix up ripe bananas with simple wet and dry baking ingredients to form a chocolatey banana muffin batter that is poured into muffin tins and baked up in the oven.

The result is a rich and decadent chocolate muffin that can be enjoyed any time of the day for a snack or dessert that both kids and adults will love.

Recipe Features

• A great recipe to help you use up overripe bananas. 
• The recipe uses much less sugar than store bought double chocolate muffins with the help of naturally sweet bananas.
• The entire recipe is made in one bowl which helps you save time during kitchen clean up.
• These muffins are 100% vegan and dairy-free.
• They make a great gift for a new neighbour or friend. 
• You can make a double batch and freeze some for later. 
• Makes a great portable snack on-the-go.
• Enjoy them as part of a special holiday breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.

• Ripe Bananas – You’ll need bananas that are slightly overripe that can easily be mashed into a smooth puree. If you don’t have overripe banana, it’s ok to use just ripened, a few brown spots or quite spotty is best, just make sure you don’t use underripe banana as you need them to be sweet and mushy!
• Almond Milk – This helps thin out the muffin batter while still keeping it creamy. Feel free to use your favorite plant-based milk if you don’t have almond milk on hand.
• Olive Oil – Helps give the muffins a smooth rich texture. If you don’t have olive oil you can use canola oil, avocado oil or melted coconut oil though if you use melted coconut oil make sure the almond milk and banana is at room temperature or it will cause it to harden.
• Spelt Flour – Spelt is a form of wheat flour that is digested easier and can be used in place of all-purpose flour.  No spelt flour? No problem, you can use regular all-purpose flour.
• Coconut Sugar or Brown Sugar – This will sweeten up the muffin a bit further. Use coconut sugar if you’d like to make the muffins with less refined sugar, otherwise brown rice or another granulated sweetener like sucanat or demerara sugar would work.
• Cocoa Powder – Adds the chocolate flavour, if you can find dark cocoa powder, go with that for the richest, chocolate goodness.
• Baking Powder – Helps the muffins rise and become fluffy but still dense. 
• Vinegar – Handy in vegan baking recipes to help the muffins rise. You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
• Vanilla Extract – Adds a light vanilla flavor throughout that complements the chocolate. If you don’t have vanilla on hand, it’s ok to skip it.
• Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips – Our second layer of chocolate! Use any dairy-free chocolate chips like Enjoy Life or Camino. Mini, regular or dark chocolate chips all work.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Before you Start: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12-piece standard-sized muffin pan with muffin liners.

Step 1: Add the banana to a large mixing bowl and mash into a smooth puree. You can use a fork but I like to use an immersion blender to get it really smooth, really quick!

Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to the banana and mix until completely combined. This includes the oil, vinegar, vanilla and plant-based milk.

Step 3: Add the dry ingredients and gently fold together until all of the flour has been incorporated and no dry bits remain. Gently fold in the chocolate chips a few times to distribute throughout.

Step 4: Divide the batter evenly between the 12 cups using a cookie scoop or approximately ¼ cup measure. 

Step 5: Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes then lift out and cool on a baking rack another 30 minutes before enjoying.

Success Tips

• To keep the muffins moist, make sure you are using a banana that is ripe or slightly overripe.
• Be sure to preheat the oven and avoid opening the door until they’re done. This will help them bake evenly for the best result.
• Do not overwork the dough as it can make the texture of the muffins tough and chewy. Make sure you’re gently folding the ingredients together until just combined. 
• It’s important to let the muffins cool in the pan and then on a cooling rack. They will finish cooking and setting as they cool for the best fudgy texture.
• If your cocoa powder has lumps, make sure you sift it or break it up with a fork before adding to the batter. This will help ensure the batter doesn’t have dry pockets and allow you to gently mix without overworking the batter.

Variations

• Add in a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries or blackberries.
• Use vegan white or dark chocolate chips to fold into the muffin batter for a variation of chocolate.
• Sprinkle in some of your favorite chopped nuts such as pecans or walnuts.
• Add up to 1/2 cup dried coconut for flavor and texture. 

Storing & Freezing

• Whether storing at room temperature or freezing, be sure to let them cool completely before storing.
• Storing: The best way to store banana muffins is to line the bottom of an airtight container with paper towels then place each muffin on the bottom. Seal and store on the countertop for 4-5 days. Refrigerating the muffins will potentially dry them out and change the flavor and texture. 
• Freezing: To freeze chocolate banana muffins wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer safe bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Let them thaw on the counter at room temperature.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a review.

Print