Every time a bunch of bananas starts turning brown on the counter, my kids know what's coming. These banana chocolate chip muffins are a huge hit in our house - the kids grab them for breakfast and snacks, and my parents ask for a batch whenever they visit. Best of all, they're the perfect way to use up those old bananas that nobody wants to eat anymore. The riper (and uglier) the bananas, the better!
The same batter makes either a loaf of banana bread or a batch of muffins. Only the pan, the oven temperature, and the bake time change.
Ingredients
- Nonstick baking spray, for the pan
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, melted and cooled, plus softened butter for serving
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 to 5 very ripe bananas, mashed (I like to leave them a little chunky)
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top
Things to know
- Bread vs. muffins: You use the exact same ingredients for both. Muffins bake at a higher temperature (375 vs. 350) for a much shorter time. I read that muffins rise taller at higher heat, but they obviously cook quicker, so keep an eye on them. Here's a good guide on converting bread to muffins.
- Preheat fully: I let my oven preheat for a good 30 minutes before the muffins go in.
- Don't overfill: Batter should only fill about 2/3 of the pan or muffin cup. Overfilling changes the cooking time dramatically. More on loaf pans here.
- Check for doneness: A tester inserted in the center should come out clean. If you have a thermometer, the inside should hit about 205 degrees.
- Mixer speeds: I use a KitchenAid stand mixer. "Beat" is speed 4-5 and "mix" is speed 1-2. Here's KitchenAid's guide to the speeds.
- Cool muffins out of the pan: Muffins left in the pan too long can get soggy. Who knew?
Directions
- Preheat the oven and prepare your pan:
- Bread: Preheat to 350. Spray an 8 x 8-inch pan with nonstick baking spray (I often just use butter) or line it with parchment paper.
- Muffins: Preheat to 375 on regular bake. Spray a muffin pan with nonstick baking spray or spread butter in each hole.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer), beat (speed 4-5) together the butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well blended
- Add the bananas and mix (speed 1-2) until combined
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat (speed 4-5) just until combined
- Add the pecans (if using) and mix (speed 1-2) until combined
- Add the chocolate chips and mix (speed 1-2)
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan (only about 2/3 full) and spread it evenly
- Sprinkle the granulated sugar over the top. I like to cover the whole surface completely with sugar; use as much as you'd like.
- Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean:
- Bread: 45 to 50 minutes
- Mini muffins: 15 minutes (I originally baked them for 20, but they came out dry)
- Regular muffins: about 16 minutes
- Let it cool:
- Bread: Let it cool slightly in the pan on a rack. Slice and serve warm with butter.
- Muffins: Let them cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then carefully move them to a wire cooling rack. If they stick, run a small flexible metal spatula or thin knife around the sides to loosen them. Muffins taste best served warm.
- Once completely cooled, cover with foil and store at room temperature for up to 2 days