Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

A Healthier Way to Make Chocolate Muffins

These muffins are a little different from traditional chocolate muffins because the bananas and applesauce provide moisture without added butter or oil. The rolled oats also add whole grains and some extra fiber. They’re a good homemade option when you’re looking for healthy chocolate chip muffins, although they still contain sugar and chocolate chips, so they’re definitely still a sweet treat!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Bananas: Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots. They’re sweeter, easier to mash, and help keep the muffins moist.
• Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce works best. It replaces the butter or oil you would typically find in a muffin recipe.
• Eggs: Use large eggs.
• Sugar: Adds sweetness to balance the unsweetened cocoa powder. These muffins are still a sweet treat, even with the healthier ingredients.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Gives the muffins their rich chocolate flavor.
• Baking soda and baking powder: Both are needed to help the muffins rise.
• Rolled oats: Pulse them in a blender or food processor to create a finer texture that blends into the batter.
• All-purpose flour: Use regular all-purpose flour for the texture intended in this recipe.
• Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips both work well. I like reserving some to sprinkle over the muffin tops before baking.

Ingredient Additions and Substitutions

• Dark chocolate chips: Use dark chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet if you prefer a slightly less sweet chocolate flavor.
• Whole wheat flour: Whole wheat flour adds whole grains, but replacing all the all-purpose flour may make the muffins denser. A partial substitution is worth trying, although it hasn’t been verified with the original recipe.
• Chia seeds: One reader mentioned adding chia seed gel to her muffins for extra fiber and texture. This is a reader variation, not part of the original tested recipe.
• Unsweetened applesauce: If you only have sweetened applesauce, remember that it will add more sugar to the recipe.

How to Make Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

These chocolate banana muffins are easy to make with a mixing bowl, hand mixer, and blender or food processor.

1. Mix the wet ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ripe bananas, applesauce, eggs, and sugar. Beat with a hand mixer until the bananas are well blended.

2. Add the cocoa and leavening. Mix in the cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder until combined.

3. Blend the oats. Place the rolled oats in a blender or food processor and pulse a few times until they are broken into smaller, finer pieces.

4. Finish the batter. Add the processed oats and flour to the chocolate mixture, mixing until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, reserving about ½ cup for the tops if desired.

5. Fill the muffin pan. Line regular-size muffin tins with paper liners or grease them with cooking spray. Use a slightly heaping ¼ cup of batter for each muffin. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips over the tops.

6. Bake and cool. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out without wet batter. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Tips

• Use very ripe bananas. Bananas with plenty of brown spots are easier to blend and add more natural sweetness.
• Don’t skip processing the oats. Pulsing them a few times helps them mix evenly into the batter without leaving large pieces of oatmeal.
• Avoid overmixing once you add the flour. Mix just until everything is combined to help prevent dense or tough muffins.
• Save some chocolate chips for the tops. Sprinkling them on before baking gives the muffins a nice chocolate chip topping.
• Check for doneness before removing them from the oven. Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. Moist crumbs are fine, but there shouldn’t be any wet batter. Melted chocolate from a chip is normal.
• Let the muffins cool before storing. Because these muffins contain plenty of banana and applesauce, sealing them while they’re still warm can trap moisture and make the tops sticky.

Frequently Asked Questions

Make Ahead and Storage

Make ahead: These muffins are great for making ahead because the recipe yields 24 muffins. Bake them as directed and let them cool completely before storing.

Storing: Keep the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 5 days.

Freezing: Allow the muffins to cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months for best quality. You can also wrap them individually to make grabbing one or two at a time easier.

Reheating: Thaw frozen muffins at room temperature or warm them briefly in the microwave. They’re especially good when the chocolate chips get a little melty!