Soft and moist Banana Muffins with melty chocolate chips are the ultimate treat and are a great way to use overripe bananas. These banana chocolate chip muffins take less than 30 minutes to whip up, so they are perfect for meal prep, sharing with neighbors and coworkers, and a quick recipe to bake with kids.

Banana Muffins studded with chocolate chips

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We’ve had so many questions about turning our chocolate chip banana bread into muffins so here you go – your guide to the best banana muffins! While we love classic banana bread, these muffins bake fast (25 minutes) and the flavor is just as good.

Banana Muffins Video

Watch me turn those brown, mushy bananas into the best banana bread muffins with chocolate chips. See how easy this recipe truly is, and then let’s get baking!

Easy Banana Muffin Recipe

If you’re staring at a few browning, speckled bananas on the counter, please don’t toss them! Those ripe bananas add the perfect natural sweetness to this banana muffin recipe. The browner the better, in fact! Once they are smashed up and baked into muffins, you’ll never see how brown they started anyway.

Since chocolate chips make everything better, we’ve tossed a few into the batter. They add great moisture and a gooey chocolate chip is the equivalent of melty cheese in the dessert world. One look at our chocolate chip cookies and you’ll agree.

Banana chocolate chip muffin cut in half to see melty chocolate and soft center

Ingredients for Banana Muffins

Whip up these banana muffins with just a few pantry staples, like flour and sugar. You’ll need 30 minutes and a muffin pan for the single-serving-sized treats.

  • Dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, salt
  • Wet ingredients – unsalted butter (to control the sodium level), sugar, eggs, and vanilla
  • Ripe Bananas – 3 medium-sized bananas (about 1 cup) mashed up. Brown is best since it has the most natural sugar. Here’s how to determine if they are past ripe. If they aren’t quite ripe, see our tips below on how to ripen them quickly.
  • Chocolate Chips – we prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use any kind you prefer. You can omit if you’d prefer, or also substitute the chocolate chips with an equal amount of toasted chopped pecans or walnuts for banana nut muffins, or replace them with raisins for banana raisin muffins.

Pro Tip:

To ripen bananas in 24 hours, place the bunch into a brown bag, close and store on the counter for 24 hours. You can also try to bake almost-ripe bananas in the oven at 250°F for 15-20 minutes.

Ingredients for quick bread cake with overripe fruit, sugar, salt, eggs, baking soda, butter, flour, and chocolate chips

Can I use Frozen Bananas in Banana Bread Muffins?

If you have overripe bananas and aren’t ready to use them, toss them in a ziploc (peel on) and freeze them for later. Before adding frozen ripe bananas to the recipe, thaw completely at room temperature, or in the refrigerator overnight. Frozen bananas tend to release more moisture so peel and lightly pat dry with paper towels to remove excess liquid.

How to Make Banana Muffins

Our easy Banana Muffins recipe comes together in just a few minutes and has that irresistible banana flavor and a moist, spongy crumb.

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and place liners in a 12-count muffin tin.
  2. Cream together butter and sugar then mix in lightly beaten eggs.
  3. Add mashed bananas and vanilla.
  4. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt then mix into batter. Fold in 3/4 cup chocolate chips.
Step-by-step pictures on how to make cake batter with chocolate chips
  1. Scoop batter into your lined muffin tin, sprinkle with chocolate chips, and bake for 20-25 minutes.
before and after baking easy banana muffin recipe

Pro Tips for Moist Banana Muffins

There are 3 key points for achieving moist and tender muffin:

  • Use very ripe or overripe bananas. Underripe bananas will be difficult to mash and won’t incorporate into the batter well.
  • Do not skimp on the butter. Since there is no other ‘liquid’ in this recipe, softened butter is needed for a soft and moist crumb. Watch our video on how to soften butter in 5 minutes.
  • Don’t over-bake. If you’re wondering how long to bake banana muffins, test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center after 25 minutes and continue baking only if you see wet batter on the toothpick.

Make-Ahead

Cooled muffins keep well on the counter in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They keep even longer in the freezer. Make a double batch so you’ll always have muffins on hand!

  • Freezing: Place cooled muffins in an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months.
  • To Reheat: Thaw on the counter or in the fridge.
Moist Banana bread muffins studded with chocolate chips on wire rack

Please DO NOT throw away your overripe bananas because they are the secret ingredient for these moist and delicious banana muffins. The browner and spottier the peel, the better!

What is YOUR favorite way to use overripe bananas?

More Muffin Recipes

Enjoy our top-rated, made-from-scratch, bakery-quality muffin recipes. I hope you find some new favorites here.

Banana Muffins Recipe

4.97 from 677 votes
Banana muffins with chocolate chips
Soft and Moist Banana Muffins with melty chocolate chips are the perfect way to use overripe bananas. This Banana chocolate chip muffins recipe is the perfect treat with just a touch of chocolate to compliment the sweet banana.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 12 muffins

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350˚ F and line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners.
  • In a mixing bowl, cream together 8 Tbsp softened butter with 2/3 cup sugar. Add 2 lightly beaten eggs.
  • Add 3 mashed bananas and 1 tsp vanilla extract and mix until blended.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until incorporated.
  • Fold in 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly into your 12-count muffin tin and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips evenly over the tops. Bake at 350˚F on the center rack for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a baking rack to cool to room temperature.

Notes

*Feel free to omit the chocolate chips or substitute them with walnuts or raisins.
*Use frozen ripe bananas – place unpeeled ripe bananas in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the fridge and pat to dry slightly.
*Store cooled muffins in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter or in the fridge.

Nutrition Per Serving

292kcal Calories37g Carbs3g Protein14g Fat8g Saturated Fat48mg Cholesterol215mg Sodium217mg Potassium2g Fiber20g Sugar300IU Vitamin A2.6mg Vitamin C19mg Calcium1.9mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Banana Muffins Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
292
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
14
g
22
%
Saturated Fat
 
8
g
50
%
Cholesterol
 
48
mg
16
%
Sodium
 
215
mg
9
%
Potassium
 
217
mg
6
%
Carbohydrates
 
37
g
12
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
20
g
22
%
Protein
 
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
 
300
IU
6
%
Vitamin C
 
2.6
mg
3
%
Calcium
 
19
mg
2
%
Iron
 
1.9
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Breakfast, snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana muffin recipe, banana muffins
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 292
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
4.97 from 677 votes (410 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Carl
    May 7, 2025

    Please is it possible to replace butter with a healthier option such as greek yogurt? Thanks in advance

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 7, 2025

      Hi Carl. I haven’t tested an alternative. Please let us know if you experiment.

      Reply

  • Cathy
    April 28, 2025

    These muffins are amazing and so delicious, sweet but not too sweet and moist. I make them for my family all the time and they love them. Sometimes I will do half chocolate chips and half butterscotch chip for a change which are great, as well.

    Reply

  • Betsy Kelly
    April 27, 2025

    Please use the amount of mashed banana in a measuring cup instead of the number of bananas because bananas can really differ in size and thank you.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 28, 2025

      Thanks for your feedback, will keep that in mind of next time.

      Reply

  • Cathy Walsh
    April 25, 2025

    Natasha, yesterday I made your banana chocolate chip bread so today I decided to try the muffins. I had to play jr. chemist (which I don’t like to do when I’m baking ) but I didn’t have enough bananas let. I added unsweetened apple sauce and then realized (thanks to your wonderful video) that the batter wasn’t thick enough. I added more flour and they came out great. Can’t wait to try the recipe again as is. Your cookbook is coming today and I’m excited. thanks for all your support.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 25, 2025

      Thank you so much for purchasing my cookbook, Cathy! I hope you love it too!

      Reply

  • Sheri Carey
    April 6, 2025

    Made these today and ong so good!!! I used walnuts and pumpkin seeds as well. Turned out better than I could have hoped for!

    Reply

  • Meg
    April 5, 2025

    Hi Natasha,

    I can’t wait to try these I absolutely love chocolate and banana together

    Reply

  • Gail
    March 17, 2025

    Amazing muffins!!
    Made some last week and my family enjoyed them.
    Thanks

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      March 17, 2025

      Hi Gail! I’m so happy they were a hit!

      Reply

  • WeLyn
    March 16, 2025

    Hi natasha! Love the banana muffin. But mine came out a lil bit dry. Any suggestion? I baked them at 350 for 26mins.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 17, 2025

      Hello! There could be possible reasons, like overmixing the batter, too much flour or overbaking. Try adjusting the banana ratio or mixing gently in future batches, and make sure to check your muffins for doneness a few minutes before the timer goes off! Hope that helps!

      Reply

  • Yelena
    March 16, 2025

    I think this might be my favorite banana chocolate chip muffin recipe! These are soft and airy, other recipes I have tried, I usually get dense and heavy muffin. They were still good! But I didn’t know what I was missing lol , thank you Natasha for another great recipe!

    Reply

  • Jeanie Morrison
    February 28, 2025

    These are by far the best banana muffins I’ve ever made. Will definitely be making these again.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 28, 2025

      That’s wonderful to hear. Thanks for the review.

      Reply

  • Jordan
    February 28, 2025

    Hi Natasha,

    Is it possible to make these as mini muffins ? Would I need to adjust the baking time?

    Thanks so much.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 28, 2025

      Mini cupcakes would work too but I haven’t personally tested it myself to provide the exact baking time. You should be able to keep temperature the same, just check them early on, likely around 10-12mins.

      Reply

  • Jess
    February 24, 2025

    My son absolutely LOVES these muffins. He’s 3 and asks me to make them every week. I snuck some protein powder into them and he can’t even tell.

    Reply

  • Nury
    February 22, 2025

    We love your banana bread and banana bread with chocolate chips.
    I need to ask you how to substitute the flour for almond flour.
    Last time I used 2 cups almond flour and it takes extra time in the oven.
    But I love the texture and it was very moist.
    Thank you Natasha!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 22, 2025

      Hi Nury! I’m not sure, I haven’t tested almond flour in this recipe.
      I’m glad you’re loving the recipe!

      Reply

  • Yma
    February 19, 2025

    Your video and pictures both show a half stick of butter, yet your recipe calls for 1/2 cup (= to one full stick). Is the video correct or is the recipe amount correct?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 19, 2025

      Hi there! I’m confused, I watched the video and looked at the images in the post above, both show 1 full stick.

      Reply

  • Lee
    February 17, 2025

    Made this tonight and added walnuts and semi-sweet chocolate chips. It’s fantastic!

    Reply

  • Emily Frazier
    February 15, 2025

    I made this recipe today. I have tried for years to try to make good banana bread unsuccessfully. But this was my first success thanks for this recipe.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 15, 2025

      That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Emily!

      Reply

  • Melissa
    February 8, 2025

    Hi Natasha,

    I’ve been following your recipes, and my family and I absolutely love them! I also purchased your cookbook and have been enjoying it. I wanted to ask—would it be possible to turn these into protein muffins by adding protein powder to the mixture?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 8, 2025

      Hi Melissa! Thank you so much. I’m happy you’re enjoying the recipes. To be honest, I haven’t tried baking these with protein powder. I assume it could work.

      Reply

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