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    Home » Recipes » Bread

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

    Published: Mar 4, 2018 · Modified: Nov 5, 2022 by Heather · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 1026 words. · About 6 minutes to read this article.

    Jump to Recipe
    Chocolate peanut butter banana muffins recipe.
    Chocolate peanut butter banana muffins recipe.
    Chocolate peanut butter banana muffins recipe.

    Chocolate peanut butter banana muffins are moist, tender, and full of flavor. Made with banana, peanut butter, cocoa, and chocolate chips, these muffins are also gluten-free (but you wouldn't even know!).

    Chocolate muffins on a metal cooling rack.

    These flourless muffins are the perfect trifecta of flavors - they're made with chocolate, peanut butter, and banana. They're so moist, flavorful, and soft, you wouldn't even realize there's no flour in them!

    You only need a handful of ingredients to make these muffins - ripe bananas, peanut butter, cocoa powder, maple syrup, eggs, and some leavening. Optionally, add chocolate chips for little pockets of melty chocolate throughout.

    Chocolate peanut butter banana muffins make a fantastic breakfast with your morning coffee. If your kids love these flavors too, they make a great after school treat! Banana mini muffins are another popular option for snacking.

    Ingredients and substitutions

    • Bananas - For this recipe, you'll need two medium bananas. Try to use bananas with no green on the skin. Overripe bananas will have a moderate amount of brown spots on the outside.
    • Peanut butter - Natural peanut butter or regular peanut butter will work in this recipe. Or, use crunchy for a little extra texture in your muffins.
    • Eggs - Eggs add structure and moisture to your batter, and also help your muffins rise in the oven.
    • Maple syrup - Sweetens your muffins. Can be substituted with honey, granulated sugar, or brown sugar.
    • Cocoa powder - Adds chocolate flavor to your muffins. I've only tested this recipe with natural cocoa powder, so I can't say how dutch cocoa powder would turn out.
    • Baking soda - Used to help your muffins rise in the oven. Cannot be substituted with baking powder, the two are not interchangeable.
    • Salt - Enhances the flavor of your muffins.
    • Chocolate chips - Optional, but add nice melty pockets of chocolate throughout your muffins. Can also be substituted with peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips.

    Do bananas need to be ripe for banana muffins?

    Very ripe bananas are best for making banana muffins and banana bread. They are softer, sweeter, and easy to incorporate with other ingredients. While banana bread can technically be made with fresh bananas, you'll get the best result from overripe bananas.

    How can you tell if bananas are ready for banana bread?

    • Brown spots/streaks (no green)
    • Very soft inside
    • No visible mold
    • Do not smell rotten
    Making muffin batter in a glass bowl and dividing into a muffin pan.

    How to ripen bananas quickly

    Want to ripen bananas quickly? Place your bananas in a brown paper bag and fold closed. Leave them on the counter for 24-48 hours. I use this method when buying fresh bananas at the store, knowing I'd like to make muffins or bread in a few days.

    Or, set your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lay out your unpeeled bananas. Bake for 15-30 minutes, or until skins look shiny and black.

    Two chocolate peanut butter banana muffins stacked, one with a bite missing.

    The secret to moist muffins

    • Don't overbake - My biggest tip for ensuring your muffins turn out moist? Carefully watch your muffins in the oven as they bake. Don't worry as much about the baking time - ovens all run differently, and your oven may run hotter than my oven (meaning your muffins will be done faster). Overbaking is the number one reason why baked goods turn out dry.
    • Don't substitute ingredients - There are so few ingredients in this recipe that I don't recommend substituting any (except the chocolate chips). Reducing particular ingredients or substituting with lower fat options can make your muffins turn out dry.
    • Use an instant read thermometer in one of your muffins - quick breads (like muffins) are done when they reach about 200 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit in the center. Thermometers aren't just for meat, you can use them on baked goods too!
    • Allow your muffins to cool completely before removing wrappers or slicing. Cutting into a hot muffin releases steam (moisture) that when cooled, will be dry.
    • Store muffins in a tightly sealed container on the counter top. After day 2, your muffins will feel noticeably less moist.
    • I suggest freezing extra muffins you won't eat within two days. This way, these muffins are frozen fresh with as much moisture as possible.
    • Have a leftover dry muffin? Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for up to ten seconds. This helps steam the muffin and add a bit of moisture.

    Storing muffins

    Once your muffins have completely cooled to room temperature, store any extras in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for 3-4 days.

    Muffins can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a tightly sealed, freezer safe container. Thaw frozen muffins on the countertop for 30 minutes to bring to room temperature.

    Chocolate muffins on a metal cooling rack.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 3 reviews

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

    Chocolate peanut butter banana muffins are moist, tender, and full of flavor. Made with banana, peanut butter, cocoa, and chocolate chips, these muffins are also gluten-free (but you wouldn't even know!).
    Prep Time10 minutes
    Total Time22 minutes
    Servings: 12 muffins
    Calories: 200kcal
    Author: Heather

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup (270 g) peanut butter
    • 2 ripe bananas
    • 2 large eggs
    • ¼ cup (78 g) maple syrup
    • ⅓ cup (28 g) natural cocoa powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup chocolate chips, optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin pan with liners or grease well and set aside. 
    • In a large bowl, add peanut butter, bananas, eggs, and maple syrup. Mix until completely combined and no (or few) banana lumps remain (using a hand mixer, blender, or food processor can help create a smooth batter).
    • Add cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine. Add chocolate chips and stir to incorporate.
    • Divide batter between 12 muffin tins (and optionally, top with a few more chocolate chips). Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with crumbs (not wet batter). Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

    Equipment Recommendations

    • 24-Cupcake/Muffin Pan
    • Wilton Rainbow Cupcake Liners
    • Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls
    • Measuring Spoons

    Notes

    • Maple syrup can be substituted with honey or brown sugar.
    • Muffins are also dairy free if omitting chocolate chips or using dairy-free chocolate chips.
    • Muffins will keep for 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container at room temperature.
    • Muffins can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a tightly sealed freezer safe container. Thaw on countertop for 30 minutes to bring to room temperature.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 57IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
    Course: Bread, Breakfast
    Cuisine: American

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    1. Kay

      September 27, 2019 at 9:26 pm

      Stay quite moist for days. Will make this recipe again.

      Reply
      • Heather

        September 27, 2019 at 10:20 pm

        Thanks for sharing, Kay. Glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply

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    Heather of The Toasty Kitchen

    Hi, I'm Heather of The Toasty Kitchen. I love cooking with real, unfussy ingredients, and I want to help you make homemade meals with ease.

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