Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Introduction

These banana chocolate chip muffins use three flours, very ripe bananas, and both melted butter and olive oil, which gives you a tender crumb with enough structure to hold plenty of chocolate chips. They bake in about 20 minutes and work for breakfast, snacks, or a batch you freeze for later.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• ½ cup King Arthur organic all-purpose flour
• ½ cup Farmer Ground all-purpose flour (sub KA all-purpose for a fluffier muffin)
• ½ cup organic whole-grain einkorn flour
• ½ cup granulated coconut palm sugar
• ¼-½ cup organic granulated cane sugar
• ½ tsp kosher baking soda
• 1 Tbsp kosher baking powder
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (from about 2 bananas)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 cup chocolate chips (can omit or use only half)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Whisk together the flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Whisk together the mashed banana, egg, buttermilk, melted butter, and olive oil.
4. Add dry ingredients to the wet, and mix just until combined. Over-mixing will make them tough.
5. Add the chocolate chips, if including, and mix.
6. If needed, prepare the muffin tins by greasing them or lining them with liners (see notes).
7. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup about ⅔ full.
8. Bake for about 20 minutes or until cooked through-a tester inserted into the center should come out clean.

Variations

• Replace the ½ cup Farmer Ground all-purpose flour with more King Arthur all-purpose flour for a lighter, fluffier muffin with a less rustic crumb.
• Replace the ½ cup organic whole-grain einkorn flour with all-purpose flour if you want a milder flavor and a softer texture.
• Use ¼ cup organic granulated cane sugar for a less sweet muffin that leans more heavily on banana flavor, or ½ cup for a sweeter top and more bakery-style finish.
• Omit the 1 cup chocolate chips or use only half if you want the banana flavor to stand out more and the crumb to feel less dessert-like.
• Bake the batter as mini muffins instead of standard muffins if you want smaller portions; they will bake faster and develop slightly more browned edges.

Tips for Success

• Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots so the muffins taste fully banana-forward and the mashed fruit blends smoothly into the wet ingredients.
• Let the melted butter cool for a minute or two before whisking it with the egg so it does not start cooking the egg on contact.
• When you add the dry ingredients to the wet, stop mixing as soon as you no longer see dry streaks; that step is where muffin texture usually goes wrong.
• Fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full as directed so the muffins rise well without spilling over the pan.
• Check doneness with a tester in the center of a muffin; melted chocolate is fine, but you should not see wet batter.

Storage and Reheating

Store cooled muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you want to freeze them, place them in a zip-top freezer bag or airtight freezer container and freeze for up to 2 months.

To reheat, microwave one muffin for 10 to 20 seconds from the fridge or about 30 seconds from frozen. You can also warm several muffins in a 300°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes, covered loosely with foil if you want to keep the tops from drying out.

FAQ

Can you make these without the chocolate chips?

Yes. The muffins will be less sweet and the banana flavor will come through more clearly.

Can you use only all-purpose flour instead of the three-flour mix?

Yes. The muffins will be lighter and less nutty, with a more standard bakery-style texture.

Why do these muffins sometimes turn out tough?

The usual cause is over-mixing after the dry ingredients go into the wet. Mix only until combined, even if the batter still looks a little lumpy.

Can you make these dairy-free?

Yes, if you replace the buttermilk with a dairy-free cultured milk or thinned non-dairy yogurt and swap the unsalted butter for melted plant butter. The muffins stay moist, though the flavor will be a little less rich.