Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Introduction

These banana chocolate chip muffins combine three flours—all-purpose, einkorn, and the structure they bring—with very ripe bananas, melted butter, and olive oil for moisture that keeps them tender without being dense. You’ll mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, then fold them together gently to avoid overdevelopment, which is the key to a soft crumb. They bake at 350°F in about 20 minutes and work equally well as a grab-and-go breakfast or an afternoon snack.

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

Half einkorn, half all-purpose: If you prefer a lighter texture and find einkorn’s nuttiness too pronounced, replace the einkorn flour with an equal amount of all-purpose flour. This shifts the flavor toward neutral and reduces density slightly.

Brown sugar instead of coconut palm sugar: Swap the coconut palm sugar for packed brown sugar at the same weight. The muffins will taste deeper and molasses-forward rather than caramel-sweet.

Walnuts or pecans instead of some chocolate chips: Replace half the chocolate chips with chopped nuts for a different texture and a toasted, earthy note that complements the banana well.

Extra moisture and tang: Increase the buttermilk to ⅓ cup and reduce the melted butter to 3 tablespoons. The muffins will be slightly more tender and have a subtle tang.

Cinnamon or cardamom addition: Add ½ to ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon or a pinch of ground cardamom to the dry mixture. Either spice deepens the banana flavor without competing with the chocolate.

Tips for Success

Use truly ripe bananas. The fruit should be mostly brown and soft enough to mash easily with a fork. Green or yellow bananas contain less natural sugar and break down differently, resulting in a less tender crumb.

Don’t overmix. Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, stir just until the flour disappears. A few streaks of dry mixture are fine—they’ll even out in the oven, but vigorous mixing toughens the muffin.

Fill cups evenly. Use an ice cream scoop or divide the batter by eye so each muffin cup gets the same amount. Even filling means even baking and consistent doneness.

Test with a pick or toothpick. At the 20-minute mark, insert a thin tester into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, they’re done. Slight carryover cooking will finish them as they cool.

Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out. This gives the crumb time to set without steaming in the enclosed muffin cups, which can make them gummy.

Storage and Reheating

Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days if your kitchen is warm or humid.

Freeze in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, or reheat from frozen: wrap each muffin in foil and warm in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the center is warm again.

For a quick warm-up without foil, microwave a single muffin unwrapped on 50% power for 20 to 30 seconds.

FAQ

Can I make these in mini or jumbo muffin tins?

Yes. Fill mini cups about ½ full and check at 12 to 14 minutes. Jumbo cups should be filled ⅔ full and will need 25 to 30 minutes. Adjust based on visual cues and the tester test—doneness is more reliable than time when pan size changes.

What if I don’t have einkorn flour?

Replace it with an equal amount of all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, or even oat flour (though oat flour will make the crumb denser and drier, so add an extra tablespoon of buttermilk if you use it). The recipe is forgiving enough that a straight swap works.

Why are my muffins dense or gummy in the center?

This usually happens when the batter is overmixed, the bananas were too wet, or the muffins weren’t fully baked through. Check that you’re stopping as soon as flour disappears, that your bananas are soft and fully mashed (not chunky), and that the center tester comes out clean before you remove them from the oven.

Can I reduce the sugar?