These Chocolate Banana Muffins are one of our all-time favorite baked goods. They are a delicious chocolate muffin, with a dose of nutrition and whole grains (and even spinach if you decide to add it.) They’re a perfect breakfast or snack option for the whole family.
Chocolate Banana Muffins
These moist little muffins have a base of oats, bananas, eggs, and either cocoa or cacao powder. They are gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free oats and they’re nut-free. But best of all, the baked muffins are super moist and seriously delicious, which makes them easy for toddlers to eat.
We like these muffins warm out of the oven for breakfast or chilled for a snack or a cold packed lunch. I like adding rolled oats to muffin recipes like this one because they almost dissolve right into the batter when they bake. But, even though they are texturally not that obvious, they add fiber and B vitamins.
And they help to make the muffins a little bit more filling—which can keep those little bodies from running on empty so quickly!
(You may also like my Fluffy Chocolate Muffins and my Chocolate Protein Muffins.)
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Ingredients You Need
To make this recipe you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand and ready to go. Most of these are pantry staples, and you have some options for substitutions if needed, too.
- Very ripe bananas: The more brown spots the better, as that will ensure that the banana flavor comes through and that the muffins have a lot of natural sweetness.
- Eggs: I use large eggs in my baking and in this recipe, and here they provide structure and lend a nutritious base to the muffins.
- Unsalted butter: Melted and slightly cooled butter OR almond butter works here to add moisture and tenderness.
- Honey or maple syrup: Use either of these to enhance the sweetness of the banana.
- Pure vanilla extract: A little vanilla rounds out the flavor profile of the muffins nicely.
- Rolled oats: Sometimes called “old-fashioned” oats at the store, this ingredient adds whole grains, fiber, and B vitamins—but blends in nicely to the batter.
- Whole wheat flour: A little flour helps ensure that the muffins hold together nicely.
- Cocoa powder: I add a little unsweetened cocoa powder for chocolate flavor here. You can also use cacao powder if that’s what you have on hand.
- Baking powder and baking soda: The combination of these two ensure that the muffins rise and cook through properly.
- chocolate chips, optional
TIP: You can add a handful of baby spinach when blending the wet ingredients to add a veggie into the mix if you use a blender.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the process of making these healthy mini muffins. Scroll down to get the full recipe with the amounts and timing.
- Preheat oven and grease a mini muffin tin well. Mash the banana smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to a bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients to a bowl.
- Stir together the contents of each bowl.
- Add the wet to the dry to combine the batter.
- Divide among a muffin tin and bake. Cool on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature, slightly warm, or chilled.
TIP: You can blend the wet ingredients, including the banana, in a blender and then stir in the dry ingredients if you prefer. This is the way I prefer to do it if I’m adding spinach.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can store these at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 24 hours or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Heat briefly to serve from warm to make them nice and moist!
To make these gluten-free, use cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend and certified gluten-free rolled oats.
To add spinach, you can blend the bananas, baby spinach, and the rest of the wet ingredients in a blender. Then stir in the dry ingredients and proceed with the recipe.
How to Store
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container or in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Find more info about How to Freeze Muffins.
Best Tips for Success
- Mini muffin tins sometimes have a tendency to stick, so be sure to grease them well.
- I like this mini muffin tin from Wilton.
- Very ripe bananas with brown spots have the most natural sweetness and will make these muffins taste best.
- Stir in 1/4-⅓ cup mini chocolate chips for added deliciousness!
- Top with nut butter, cream cheese, or a drizzle of honey if you’d like.
- Add a big handful of baby spinach to the blender and blend well with the rest of the wet ingredients to add some veggies to these muffins.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe, so comment below to share!
Favorite Chocolate Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sliced bananas (very ripe with brown spots; from about 3 medium bananas)
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup melted and slightly cooled butter OR almond butter
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups lightly packed baby spinach (optional)
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a mini muffin tin.
- Mash the banana well.
- Stir together the wet ingredients, including the mashed banana.
- Stir together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. (Or, to do this step with a blender, place the bananas, eggs, butter, honey, and vanilla into a blender. Add the spinach if you plan to use it. Blend well.)
- Stir in the oats, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips, if using, to the wet ingredients.
- Fill prepared muffin tin about to the edge of each cup.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Use a paring knife to remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
- Serve at room temperature, slightly warm, or chilled.
Notes
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container or in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- To make these as full-size muffins: Use about ¼ cup batter per muffin cup and bake for about 18-20 minutes.
- Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free rolled oats and cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend in place of the whole wheat.
- Add a handful of baby spinach to the blender in Step 4 to add a veggie.
- Some mini muffin tins have a tendency to stick, so be sure to grease them well. (I like this mini muffin tin from Wilton.)
- Very ripe bananas with brown spots have the most natural sweetness and will make these muffins taste best.
- Stir in 1/4-⅓ cup mini chocolate chips for added deliciousness!
- Top with nut butter, cream cheese, or a drizzle of honey if you’d like.
Nutrition
This post was first published March 2018.
Great recipe- for some reason for the mini muffins it takes them around 20 minutes to cook. All ovens are different 🤷🏻♀️, all of the other muffins recipes are done at the time on the recipe. Thanks for all the amazing toddler muffin recipes!
Big hit with my selective eater! Great texture (I also blended the oats) and flavor. Freezes great. Thank you!
Wonderful like all your stuff! Added a lil frosting on top for the husband and everyone wins lol
How long will it bake using standard muffin pan? Thanks.
Can I still add spinach if I don’t have a blender?
I don’t think I would since there would be larger pieces which may not be very appealing.
Oh, these are good! I did have to use an egg replacer but find if I do more than 2 it gets weird so I did two “eggs” with Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer and the third with 1/4 cup applesauce. I also had to use natural creamy peanut butter instead of butter or almond butter. Also I only had old fashioned oats instead of rolled. I cooked the mugfins in a standard sized muffin tin, with the egg replacements it’s usually longer and took 24 minutes. Even with all these subs I really love them!
I love it. My 1 year old does too. Used agave instead of honey/maple.
Also used spelt flour instead of the whole wheat but absolutely delicious and healthy. Not too sweet. Love your recipes. X
So yummy! The whole family loves these!
Can I sub flax eggs for eggs or anything else?
Hi-
I haven’t tested that here, but I think it should work fine. Enjoy
Could i use instant oats?
These are delicious! Healthy but taste like a brownie. Toddler, kid, and adult approved! Thank you.