Name: Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 33 min
Cuisine: Breakfast
Ingredients: 256 gm very ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup mashed, about 2 -3 medium-sized bananas); 24 gm (2 tablespoons) vegetable oil; 113 gm (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly; 100 gm (1/2 cup) granulated sugar; 107 gm (1/2 cup, lightly packed) light brown sugar; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 60 gm (1/4 cup) sour cream, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 167 gm (1 1/3 cups, spoon & leveled) all-purpose flour; 50 gm (1/2 cup, spoon & leveled) natural unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee granules; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 220 gm (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips

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Moist, soft, and ultra-chocolatey, these double chocolate banana muffins are just as delicious as they are easy to whip up!

Good news, friends! My husband & I have officially welcomed the newest addition to our little family, and she’s just about as precious as they come. And one thing I know about newborn days is that having quick, easy and delicious recipes on hand is a must! That’s one of the many, many reasons I love these double chocolate banana muffins.

Besides being easy to throw together, these muffins are super yummy! Win-win. Chocolate and banana is one of my all-time favorite combinations. They come together to form a flavor that is somehow rich, decadent, and simple all at the same time- don’t ask me how. It’s just magic. And speaking of magic, bananas work some magic in these muffins to make them extra soft and moist. Like little baking magicians.

So next time you have some spotty, overripe bananas sitting on your kitchen counter, you really ought to make these muffins. I repeat: do not throw those bananas away! No sense in tossing those little baking magicians when you could whip up something as chocolatey and delicious as these muffins.

Happy baking! I’m going to go snuggle my newest little baker. And maybe try for a nap? Might be wishful thinking, but we’ll see.

Double Chocolate Banana Muffins by The Nostalgic Crumb

What you’ll need to make these muffins:

Butter: For flavor. When melted, butter adds softness and moisture.

Very ripe bananas: For flavor and moisture.

Vegetable oil: For added moisture & tenderness.

Sour cream: Sour cream adds moisture & richness due to its high fat content. The acidity of the sour cream helps tenderize the muffins. It also provides structure without drying the muffins out! Win, win, win.

Eggs: For structure and binding.

Vanilla: For added flavor.

Flour: For structure.

Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Partially for structure, but mostly for that rich, chocolatey flavor.

Sugar: For sweetness and a tender crumb.

Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and chew.

Espresso powder/ Instant coffee granules: To enhance and deepen the chocolate flavor.

Kosher salt: For flavor and balance. TIP: While I recommend kosher salt, if you don’t have it on hand, use ½ the amount of table salt.

Baking powder & baking soda: For leavening.

Semisweet chocolate chips: Because more chocolate.

FAQs:

Why is this recipe primarily listed in grams? I develop my recipes in grams because weighing your ingredients is the best, most accurate way to bake. Baking is a science and precision is key to success! Measuring cups are not standardized, and what’s more, the way each baker uses them varies drastically, which ultimately gives you inconsistent (and sometimes negative) results. For instance, did you know that scooping flour out of a cannister can give you 50% more flour than what’s called for in the recipe? By weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups, you can confidently know that you are using the correct amount of each ingredient, giving you greater success & delicious results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, like this one when you bake. Plus, it makes clean up a lot easier!

Can I use yogurt instead of sour cream? Yes! Just make sure it’s full-fat, plain yogurt.

Do I have to use espresso powder/ instant coffee? Not necessarily. But if you’re not a coffee person, don’t worry! You won’t actually taste coffee in these muffins- the coffee in the recipe is used to deepen the flavor of the chocolate.

Can I freeze these? Yes! I like to wrap these individually in foil, then place them in an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag before placing in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature or pop an unwrapped muffin in the microwave for about one minute at 50% power. They’re good in the freezer for 3 months.

A few notes before you bake:

The best way to measure bananas. Bananas can be kind of tricky to measure. Who is to say what a “medium-sized” banana really is anyhow? And getting the right amount of banana in a recipe is really important for getting good results. I recommend mashing the banana first, then weighing it out to add to your batter. If you’re not using a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients, spoon the mashed bananas into measuring cups to get the correct amount.

Be sure not to overmix this batter! Overmixed batter = a tough muffin. That’s why it’s best to gently mix this batter by hand. Also, recipes that use mashed bananas are at risk for becoming “gummy” if overmixed, and no one wants that. The 10-minute rest before pouring batter into the muffin tins also helps prevent gumminess.

You’ll notice the recipe instructs you to start your bake at 425°F and then, after a certain amount of time, drop the oven temp to 350°F. That initial blast of heat will help give you that lovely rise and “crown” on the muffins.

Because this batter is thicker, I have found that the easiest/ cleanest way to fill the muffin tins is with a cookie scoop! Give it a try.