Healthy banana chocolate chip muffins!Friends! I’ve been working on this recipe for weeks for you and I’m so happy that it’s finally here.
Are we still baking? Are we still making all the banana baked goods? Even though our stay-at-home orders have lifted, I find that I’m still in the kitchen just as much. While the last few months have been challenging for all of us, I’ve really enjoyed the quality time I’ve been able to spend with my little family.
This is typically a very busy season for my husband and it’s been a silver lining that he’s been home. That means I’m baking a lot more and we’re all craving sweets more than usual.
Because Vander is a banana monster, I’ve always got ripe bananas on my counter. I usually peel and freeze them towards the end of the week for smoothies, but lately I’ve been making a batch of these muffins or one of my vegan banana breads for weekend mornings.
Seriously– why do toddlers love bananas so much? We go through at least a bunch every week and they are the first thing he asks for when he wakes up in the morning. I like bananas, but I’ve never craved them the way Vander does.
Funny enough, I’ve talked with enough friends about this and they all say the same thing– their toddlers love bananas! Well, hopefully they’ll love these healthy banana chocolate chip muffins just as much.
These vegan banana chocolate chip muffins check all the boxes that I’m looking for in a muffin: lightly sweet, tender and so incredibly moist. Paired with a cup of coffee and these have become my favorite mid-morning snack.
I don’t know how much we’re actually planning on traveling this summer, but I could also see making a batch to take with us on any road trips. They’re perfectly portable and stay moist for days on the counter.
Whole-Grain Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
I can’t describe how good these banana chocolate chip muffins are. Gah. And did I mention that they’re fairly healthy? Sweetened with only ripe bananas and applesauce, which pairs perfectly with semisweet chocolate chips. It’s like one part breakfast, one part dessert but still wholesome enough to enjoy in the morning.
I also call for whole-wheat pastry flour in these banana chocolate chip muffins for a little more fiber and overall nutrition. I know flour can be difficult to find right now, so use what you’ve got on hand.
If you have all whole-wheat flour then these will be more dense and all-purpose flour will be more light and airy.
Don’t skip the chocolate chips! Since there aren’t additional added sweeteners in these healthy banana chocolate chip muffins, you’ll miss the chocolate if you omit it. You can boost them though with other add-ins if desired; maybe some chopped walnuts or dark chocolate chips? Throw ’em in. These muffins are very forgiving for whatever you’ve got lying around right now.
The other non-negotiable is that your bananas need to be ripe enough that they are soft. As the bananas are the primary sweetness in these healthy banana chocolate chip muffins, using too green bananas won’t work.
Trust me, I know how tempting it can be to try and will bananas to be ready for bread or muffins, but you’ll be sorry if you use ones that aren’t really ripe. Even a day or two makes a big difference!
If you like these healthy banana chocolate chip muffins, come back and leave a comment and a rating! Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line with muffin cups.
Blend together the banana, applesauce, soy milk, coconut oil and vanilla in a blender. Alternately, you can mash the banana very well and then mix in the milk, oil and vanilla.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar and baking powder. Make a well in the center and add in the banana mixture and stir to combine. Add in the chocolate chips and stir to distribute.
Spoon the muffin mixture into the prepared muffin tin about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 muffins or until golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes then enjoy!
Notes
*You can also use all-purpose flour if you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour. I don’t recommend bread flour for these.
