These easy chocolate chip banana bread muffins are perfectly soft and moist, with a delicious golden exterior. They have a sweet banana flavor and are bursting with rich chocolate chips in every bite!
There’s something about banana bread muffins that make me feel so warm and cozy. I’m a chocolate lover at heart, so adding chocolate chips makes them even more delicious. The richness from the chocolate is the perfect compliment to the fruity banana flavor. Yum!
My chocolate chip banana bread recipe has been a long standing favorite at our house for years. Instead of making a loaf this time, we decided to make muffins. My kids absolutely loved them! They’re super soft and fluffy with lightly golden muffin tops. The sour cream helps make them perfectly moist and every bite is filled with rich chocolate chips.
These muffins make an easy grab and go snack or breakfast and are great for freezing. You can quickly pop one out of the freezer and reheat in the microwave when you get a craving for something sweet. They taste amazing as-is, or with a little dab of butter or peanut butter on top. They have the best banana flavor and taste even better the next day. This is one of those tried and true recipes that you’ll reach for again and again!
Baking tips
- Use ripe bananas. The riper the bananas, the sweeter your muffins will be. Bananas that are ripe are brown and spotty.
- Don’t over mix. The muffins won’t be as soft and tender if you over mix the batter. Mix just until combined.
- Don’t overfill. You don’t want to fill the muffin cups with batter all the way to the top. Fill them about 2/3 of the way full, so that the muffins have room to rise and don’t overflow.
- Chocolate chips. After filling the muffin cups with batter, I like to add a few extra chocolate chips on top. This makes them extra pretty and gives them an added boost of chocolate flavor.
- Toothpick test. Stick a toothpick in the center of the muffin to test if they are done. You can take them out of the oven when the toothpick comes out clean. If there is batter on the toothpick, continue baking and then retest in a few minutes.
Variations
- Extras. Feel free to mix in extra ingredients like chopped nuts, cinnamon or coconut.
- Lighter swaps. You can use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream or swap butter for apple sauce using a 1:1 ratio.
- Chocolate chips. You can easily make half of the muffins with chocolate chips, and the other half without. If using this method, separate the batter into 2 bowls and then fold 1/2 cup chocolate chips into one.
- Cut in half. This recipe makes enough to fill 2 muffin tins (24 total muffins). You can easily cut the recipe in half to make 12 muffins.
Storing + freezing
- To store: Make sure they have cooled completely before storing. Then place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 to 4 days. Because the muffins are so moist, I like to add a few folded paper towels into the container. It absorbs the moisture and keeps them from getting soggy.
- To freeze: Place in a freezer container and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to reheat, remove from freezer and cook in microwave until warm (about 15 to 30 seconds).
Other baked favorites:
- Banana nutella muffins
- Double chocolate banana bread
- Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
- Banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
- Chocolate chip zucchini muffins
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , softened (1 stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt
- 1 1/4 cups ripe banana , mashed (about 3 medium bananas)
- 1 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips , more for tops if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two muffin tins with paper liners. Spray with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the eggs, vanilla and sour cream and stir just until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined. Do not over mix. Then fold in the banana and chocolate chips.
- Fill the muffin liners 2/3 of the way full. Press a few extra chocolate chips on top if desired.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- Recipe can be lightened by using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and apple sauce in place of butter in a 1:1 ratio.
- Don’t over mix the batter! The bread will not be as soft and tender if over-mixed.
- Fill the muffin liners 2/3 of the way full so they have room to rise.
- Can add in extras like chopped nuts, cinnamon, coconut and more.
- Use ripe bananas that are brown and spotty! The riper they are, the sweeter they are.
- Could cut recipe in half to make 12 muffins instead of 24.
- Store in a zip top bag at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. To avoid getting soggy, add in a few folded paper towels to absorb moisture.
- Add to a freezer bag or container and store in freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, place in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, or until warm.
One of my favorite muffin recipes ever! SO good!
These were the best muffins! They were super simple to make and taste perfect!
I am always on the lookout for recipes to use bananas and this was amazing! The kids loved them, they turned out super moist and delicious!