Skinny Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

These are the muffins that officially gave me the Muffin Queen title. Back in 2014, I posted the recipe on my Instagram for the first time and everyone basically went nuts over them. Fast-forward almost 10 years and they’re still one of the most popular muffin recipes on my site (and in your hearts!)

These healthy banana chocolate chip muffins were a blissful experiment that came to life as a result of me always trying to make something new for my mom for breakfast. I used to make her muffins every week so that she could bring them to work and these healthy banana muffins became one of her favorites in the entire world. We’d make them together, often adding in heart-healthy toasted walnuts for a dose of healthy fats. To this day, they still make an appearance in my kitchen every month or two.

Safe to say my muffin obsession started with these babies. Fast-forward to today and I bake them up for my kids, who are equally as obsessed!

The queen of all muffin recipes

Did you know that for YEARS these healthy banana chocolate chip muffins were the MOST POPULAR muffins on Pinterest? I couldn’t believe that’s how much they’re loved! And while Pinterest has grown and changed a lot since then, these glorious muffins have remained absolutely phenomenal.

Ingredients in the best banana chocolate chip muffins

There are a few special ingredients that lighten up these muffins and make them a bit more nutritious than standard bakery-style muffins. Don’t worry, they’re still just as fluffy and perfectly sweet! Here’s what you’ll need to make them:

• Whole wheat pastry flour: these muffins get their wonderful texture and a boost of whole grains from whole wheat pastry flour.
• Sweetener: instead of using regular sugar, these muffins are naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and honey.
• Oil: you’ll just need 1 tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil to provide extra moisture.
• Egg: you’ll also need an egg to help them bake up properly. I haven’t tested these muffins using a flax egg, so I’m not 100% sure how they would turn out. Let me know if the comments if you try it!
• Greek yogurt: yogurt takes the place of butter in this recipe and helps keep the muffins super moist. Plus, it adds a lovely boost of protein! You can use a low fat or full fat greek yogurt in these.
• Milk: a little milk will ensure that the batter isn’t too thick. Feel free to use any milk you’d like!
• Baking staples: don’t forget the baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract. Learn how to make your own vanilla here.
• Chocolate chips: because what’s life without a little chocolate? I love using dark chocolate chips but feel free to use any you’d like.

Can I make them gluten free?

I have not tested this chocolate chip banana muffin recipe using a gluten free flour substitute, so I can’t be 100% sure how they’ll come out. Feel free to try any of these gluten-free muffin recipes instead!

Try some delicious mix-ins

I, of course, LOVE the chocolate chips in this healthy banana chocolate chip muffin recipe, but they’d also be delicious with:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• a slather of homemade nut butter on top (my personal fav)

Healthy banana chocolate chip muffins in 4 easy steps

1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. Blend the wet ingredients. That’s right, you’ll add all of the wet ingredients to a blender and blend until nice and smooth. It’s so much easier than mixing by hand!
3. Make the batter. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with your dry ingredients and mix until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Bake & devour. Finally, divide the batter into a prepared muffin tin, sprinkle each with a few extra chocolate chips, and bake them until a toothpick comes out clean! Let the muffins cool on a wire rack and devour with a little nut butter on top.

Turn these muffins into banana bread

Easily make healthy banana chocolate chip bread with the following instructions:

1. Make the muffin batter as written and pour it into a 9×5-inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
2. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean!

The secrets to perfect banana muffins

• Use extra ripe bananas. Because these muffins are sweetened just with ripe bananas and honey, you’ll want to make sure the bananas are VERY ripe to provide enough sweetness.
• Use fresh baking soda. This will ensure that the muffins rise properly. If your baking soda is more than 3 months old I’d suggest swapping it out.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. If you overmix the batter your muffins may turn out dense and almost rubbery, which we don’t want.
• Use muffin liners & cooking spray. I recommend both adding muffin liners to your muffin pan AND spraying them with nonstick cooking spray so that the muffins don’t stick.

Storing & freezing tips

• To store: let the muffins cool completely, then keep them in an airtight bag or container in the fridge for optimal freshness (especially during summer months).
• To freeze: wrap muffins individually in freezer-safe bags or store them in a large freezer bag. When you’re ready to enjoy them, reheat for 30-45 seconds in the microwave or simply thaw them at room temperature.

Recommended tools for baking muffins

• Mixing bowls
• Wooden spoon
• Muffin tin
• Muffin liners
• Nonstick cooking spray
• Wire rack

Check out all of our favorite kitchen essentials in the shop.

More muffin recipes you’ll love

• The Best Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins (gluten free!)
• Chunky Monkey Zucchini Banana Muffins
• Healthy Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
• Grandma’s Healthy Bran Muffins
• Chai-Spiced Butternut Squash Muffins with Salted Honey Glaze

Get all of my muffin recipes here!

If you make these healthy banana chocolate chip muffins, be sure to leave a comment below and rate the recipe! You can also snap and picture and post it on Instagram using the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen.

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30 Minute Skinny Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

4.94 from 184 votes

byby :Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Leave A Review Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

ServesServes 12 muffins

My famous healthy banana chocolate chip muffins made with protein-packed greek yogurt and without any refined sugar. These fluffy muffins are freezer-friendly and make the perfect breakfast or snack that kiddos and adults love!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour (or white whole wheat flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 ripe bananas (about 1 ⅓ cup mashed banana)
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon olive or melted coconut oil
• 1 egg
• ½ cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
• ½ cup chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 12 cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
• Add bananas, honey, vanilla, oil, egg, milk and yogurt to a blender. Blend on high for 1 minute or until well combined, smooth and creamy. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
• Divide batter evenly into muffin tin, sprinkle each muffin with a few more chocolate chips and bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. 
• Cool muffins for 5 minutes then remove and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Muffins are best served warm and even better the next day. Makes 12 muffins.

Recipe Notes

If you want to make the muffins a bit smaller, you can make 15 instead of 12. You'll just need to reduce baking time a bit, as muffins will bake faster since they're smaller.

Muffins are freezer-friendly! Simply place in ziplock bag or airtight container and freeze up to 3 months. When ready to eat, microwave for 30-45 seconds or thaw out.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffinCalories: 170calCarbohydrates: 29.2gProtein: 4.9gFat: 4.4gFiber: 2.3gSugar: 14.7g