Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins (No Mixer Needed)
I love eating these super moist, fluffy banana chocolate chunk muffins slightly warm for a perfect balance of melty chocolate and intense banana flavor—so good!
This tried-and-true recipe makes the best ever snack, lunchbox treat or dessert. I have made them countless times and promise they are adored by kids and adults alike.
What to Expect
We are using our popular moist classic banana bread recipe as the base for these muffins because readers consistently tell us it’s the best banana bread they’ve ever eaten.
While making banana muffins is a bit more effort than a loaf—since you have to line and fill a muffin tin rather than simply pouring the batter into one pan—there are two big benefits: you get individual servings, ideal for lunch bags or snacks, and they bake much faster than a loaf.
There’s no need for a stand mixer. You can mix the batter with a spoon or fork.
Bottom line: These muffins are tender, super moist and simply delicious – a great way to use up those overripe bananas. The chocolate and banana combination is a match made in heaven.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
Bananas: Use overripe bananas that are turning brown and soft. The riper, the sweeter and more intense flavor. Bananas that are frozen whole will turn black on the outside, but will be fine to use on the inside. See FAQs.
Sour cream – light or full fat is fine. Or use plain, Greek or vanilla yogurt instead. This adds moisture to the banana bread.
Chocolate chunks – Buy chocolate chunks in a package such as Ghirardelli or Nestlé Toll House or a good quality chocolate bar such as Lindt, Ghiradelli, or Valrhona and chop it up. I like semi-sweet chocolate in this recipe or a combination of dark chocolate chunks and milk chocolate chunks. Up to you.
Flour: Use all-purpose flour (or see variations below). Avoid bread flour as it will make the banana muffins too dense.
Substitutes and Variations are in the recipe card below. They include ingredient substitutes and variations for extra nutrition, lower calories, gluten free, add-ins, etc.
Step by step instructions
Tips
For tender, moist muffins (not dry and dense): don’t overmix the batter, don’t overbake and measure your flour properly (see recipe card).
To create a chocolate topping: Add a few extra chocolate chunks to the top of each muffin before baking. As soon as you remove them from the oven, spread the melty chocolate with a knife over the top of each muffin.
For sublime muffins, warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds. The chocolate will get a little melty – yum!
Make Ahead
You can make the batter and fill the muffin tins ahead, then bake them while you are eating dinner. Or store the muffins at room temperature, the fridge or freezer as per the instructions in the recipe notes.
What to serve with banana muffins
To me, a perfect way to enjoy chocolate chunk banana muffins is with a cold glass of milk. Tea or coffee is good too. As part of a dessert course, create a sweet charcuterie board with fruits and nuts and a couple of cookies to round it out. Or, hey, just a simple muffin is good too!
Recipe FAQs
Don’t discard those over-ripe bananas. Instead, place them in a Ziploc bag, removing as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, simply defrost them in the fridge or pop them into the microwave for about a minute.
For baking, the best method to measure flour is by weighing it on a kitchen scale. If a scale isn’t available, use the scoop and swipe technique: spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it with a knife. Accurate flour measurement is crucial for maintaining proper texture.
Sometimes, adding a cold egg can cause the batter to curdle. If you forget to bring the egg to room temperature, you can run it under warm water for a minute. Even if the batter does curdle slightly, the muffins should still turn out fine.
More banana recipes
- moist banana bread recipe (one of our top 3 recipes for years!)
- banana muffin recipe with blueberries
- banana cake with chocolate icing – one of my faves – wickedly good.
- ricotta pancake recipes with caramelized bananas
- simple banana French toast
- homemade creamy banana pudding cups
If you like this recipe, please leave a 5 star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟with a comment in the recipe card below. Thanks so much!
Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins (No Mixer Needed)
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed RIPE bananas, Note 1 ~ 2 large brown bananas or 3-4 small
- 1/2 cup sour cream, regular or low fat, Note 2
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup butter (one stick) – very soft, Note 3 salted or unsalted
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (white sugar is ok, but less flavor)
- 1 egg, room temperature (run under warm water for a minute if needed)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, Note 4 substitutes measure properly! (Note 5)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
- 3/4 cup chocolate chunks, Note 6 1/4 cup will be used for topping
Instructions
- HEAT OVEN TO 375F/190C: Line a 12-cup muffin pan with standard muffin paper liners.
- BOWL #1 (or 2 cup measuring cup): Mix together mashed bananas, 1/2 cup/118 ml sour cream and 1 tsp. baking soda with a fork or spoon. Set aside.
- BOWL #2: Stir together 1 1/2 cups flour/180 grams, 1 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt (if using).
- BOWL #3 (large bowl): Use a fork or whisk to mix softened butter and brown sugar together until well combined. Add egg and vanilla and whisk until smooth and creamy. Add banana-yogurt mixture and mix well. Then add dry ingredients in 3 parts, mixing lightly between each addition. Add 1/2 cup/70 grams chocolate chunks. DO NOT over mix. Just mix until streaks of flour disappear. Batter will be thick. Stir in optional add-ins if using (Note 8).
- BAKE: Spoon batter into muffin cups 3/4 full. Add a few chocolate chunks on top of muffins for decoration if you like. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Note that most ovens are not very accurate – so start checking at 20 minutes. Cool for a few minutes then transfer lined muffins to a wire rack to cool further, about 10 minutes. (I use a spoon to help scoop muffins out, keeping them in the liners). Eat while still a bit warm!
Recipe Notes
- How to ripen bananas: Two ways:
- place them in a paper bag with another fruit like an apple and let them sit a day or two. or
- bake them in a 350F/177C oven for 15-20 minutes. Cool before using.
- Sour cream options: Instead of sour cream, use plain or vanilla yogurt, or plain Greek yogurt.
- How to soften butter quickly: Put it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften (if some melts, it’s fine). Or, place in a sealed bag and run warm water over it until softened.
- Flour substitutes: You can use up to half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour for more nutrition. Or replace flour with 1:1 gluten-free flour (read the label to make sure no other ingredients are needed). Bread flour is not recommended.
- How to measure flour (important!): The best way to measure flour is to weigh it on a kitchen scale in grams. If you don’t have a scale, scoop the flour with a spoon into a measuring cup, then level it off with a knife.
- Chocolate chunk options: Buy chocolate chunks in a package (e.g. Ghirardelli or Nestlé Toll House). Alternatively, buy a good quality chocolate bar such as Lindt, Ghiradelli, Valrhona or others and chop it up. I like semi-sweet chocolate in this recipe or a combination of dark chocolate chunks and milk chocolate chunks. You can also use chocolate chips instead of chunks.
- Other substitutes
- For butter – Replace with coconut oil (same amount), but there may be a faint taste of coconut in the muffins.
- For extra nutrition – replace 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon (7 g) flaxseed.
- Variations:
- Spices: Add a small pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg. Not too much!
- Add-ins: 1/2 cup/87 grams chopped walnuts, pecans, raisins or cranberries.
- Lower calorie version: Replace yogurt/sour cream with 1/2 cup/110 grams extra mashed bananas or unsweetened applesauce. Or use low fat yogurt. You can also use less chocolate chunks.
- Toppings: For extra decadence, top muffins with nutella, 3-minute chocolate buttercream icing or melted chocolate chunks (add a few extra on top, then immediately after removing muffins from oven, spread melted chunks over the top of muffins).
- To make a banana bread loaf instead: Pour batter into a parchment lined loaf pan. Bake at 350F/176.7C for 50-60 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.
- To make mini muffins: Divide batter into 24 mini muffin cups (sprayed with oil) and bake at 350F/176.7C for 10-15 minutes.
- To store/make ahead:
- Store at room temperature for 3-4 days in a sealed zipper bag or airtight container.
- Freeze leftover muffins for up to 3 months. Cool muffins to room temp (important), lay them on a baking sheet and place in freezer for 30-40 minutes until frozen. Transfer to a ziploc and squeeze as much air out as possible before sealing the bag. Thaw in fridge or warm in microwave for 20-30 seconds.
