If something looks like banana bread and tastes like banana bread, chances are it’s banana bread. Unless it’s these cute, easy, healthy, banana muffins crammed full of chocolate and coconut in portable packages that are even better than banana bread. One taste and we think you’ll feel the same.–Renee Schettler Rossi
Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray, for the pan (optional)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups mild vegetable oil, plus more for the pan
- 2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Kosher salt
- 3 ripe, brown bananas, peeled and cut into chunks (about 1 pound | 454 g)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt, (Greek or regular)
- 1 cup chopped chocolate or mini chocolate chips, (dark or semisweet)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray two 12-cup standard muffin pans or two 24-cup mini muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray or slick them with oil.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla on high speed until really well combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and beat again until really well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Crank the speed to medium, add the bananas, coconut, and yogurt, and beat for 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low or switch to a spoon, add the chocolate chunks or chips and mix until well combined.
- Divvy the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 to 3/4 full. (We used an ice-cream scoop or measuring cup for standard muffins and a mini ice-cream scoop or a very small measuring cup for mini muffins.)
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out without any crumbs or wet batter clinging to it, 20 to 25 minutes for standard muffins or 15 to 20 minutes for mini muffins. Turn the muffins out onto a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes. (If you can resist demolishing the entire batch of muffins within minutes, they will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Are these banana muffins or banana cupcakes? Whatever they are, they’re pretty good.
I’m not the biggest fan of coconut in baked goods, unless it’s old-fashioned coconut cake, of course, but I found the flavor and texture to be a nice addition. I didn’t bother to chop up the super-ripe bananas because the mixer did a nice job of incorporating them into the batter.
I used homemade plain yogurt. I happened to have dark chocolate chips on hand, so I dumped those in as well. Each muffin cup was about 3/4 full, and the muffins turned out lovely and domed. I was worried they would be tough from all the mixing, but the crumb was even and tender.
They were lovely and golden after exactly 25 minutes of baking. The tops were smooth, resembling a cupcake, rather than cracked like a muffin. I did have to loosen the muffins from the tin before I turned them out, even after I generously sprayed the tins. I was happy that they were just as good at room temperature as they were warm.
Light, fluffy, a little sweet, everything a banana muffin should be. They also came out beautifully rounded. (I filled the muffin cups about 3/4 full, and they came out very nicely domed.) These were very tasty and although the coconut was definitely there in texture, there wasn’t a big coconut flavor. These do have a strong banana taste.
This is a deliciously flavored banana muffin with a nice, light crumb. While this muffin certainly has banana flavor, it’s distinctly different from banana bread made in muffin form. It’s not as dense as banana bread and the banana flavor is more subtle.
I used regular chocolate chips for my first batch, but next time I’d like to try mini chocolate chips for more even distribution of chocolate throughout the muffin. Either that or I’d increase the amount of regular chocolate chips from 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups.
When the muffins are warm, the chocolate is gooey and warm, so I’d say that these are best served right away although the muffins do keep at least 5 days (by then, we’d eaten them all!). I don’t think the coconut flavor really stood out. I’m not sure I’d even know it was there if I hadn’t made them myself. I think that perhaps it would be best to toast the coconut beforehand to bring out a stronger flavor or sprinkle some of the coconut over the top of the muffin before baking.
I’d love to make these chocolate, not sure how addition of cocoa might affect the leavening? Any true bakers have advice? So many brown bananas in freezer calling to me. Appreciate any suggestions. I may just make as is, which sound wonderful, too. (but out of coconut…) Thanks as always.
Hi Jacqueline, this article by Shirley O. Corriher is an invaluable resource for baking with cocoa. She advises replacing some of the flour with cocoa, as cocoa can act like a flour. And be sure and use natural cocoa unless otherwise specified.
Adoro las Magdalenas y los Muffins…quiero preparar estas!…solo una inquietud, como todos saben…en mi país Vzla. sufrimos en estos momentos de una escasez de productos muy grave, mi pregunta es ¿puedo sustituir el aceite por margarina clarificada?…¿ en la misma medida indicada?(es lo que se consigue a duras penas) …Mil Gracias por responder…fiel seguidora de tu página….Feliz Año Nuevo!!!
Coromoto, we didn’t try making the muffins with margarine in place of oil so we can’t say for certain, but in general that substitution does work in baking. Be certain to melt the margarine and let it cool prior to incorporating it into the recipe. And depending on how much water your margarine contains, you may not need quite all of it. Best wishes and happy new year to you!
I’ve made these a few times and my family LOVES them. I use coconut oil and it really adds to the coconut! I also accidentally spill a little extra shredded coconut and chocolate chips 😉 . Thanks for the amazing recipe. I actually get sad when the bananas get finished before they turn brown. Haha.
Love it, Lindsey!