Triple Chocolate Banana Muffins – healthier!
Posted: 06/12/2020
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Triple chocolate banana muffins, chock full of dark chocolate chunks and mini chocolate chips, are nutritious and filling with whole wheat flour and very little oil. You’re going to love these muffins!
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: This muffin recipe is dark chocolate decadent yet healthier than you would think.
How long it takes: 38 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowls, muffin tins, oven
Servings: 18 muffins
Table of Contents
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The words “triple chocolate” always get my attention, how about you? I rarely can resist anything that boasts triple chocolate and these muffins are no exception.
Add bananas to the mix and I’m a goner, for sure. You’ll find all sorts of recipes that combine bananas and chocolate on my site, like banana chocolate chip cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting. Bet that got your attention, didn’t it? Or how about a chocolate banana milkshake? Or banana and chocolate pudding dessert bites? And of course, there’s good ol’ chocolate banana bread!
My kids are following in my footsteps, I’m afraid. They just love these triple chocolate banana muffins, and who wouldn’t? But here’s a little secret. These muffins are actually pretty good for you. They’re still a treat, for sure, but one that you don’t have to sacrifice calories for the rest of the day.
Enjoy chocolate banana muffins with a glass of cold milk or a cup of coffee or tea. They make a pretty good breakfast, too. Just ask my kids!
About these muffins
If you’re observant, you may have noticed I’ve only mentioned chocolate chunks and mini chocolate chips. That makes these muffins double chocolate, right? As you can probably guess, cocoa powder is added to the muffin batter, and there you have it, triple chocolate banana muffins.
This is a basic muffin recipe made healthier with the substitution of whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour, for added nutrition and fiber. I also use applesauce and mashed bananas to make the muffins extra moist, replacing nearly all the fat that is usually found in muffin recipes.
You’ll need two mixing bowls and muffin tins. In one bowl, you’ll mix the dry ingredients, including the cocoa powder. I love cocoa powder because it adds tons of chocolatey flavor but no sugar. It’s simply ground up cocoa beans and is rich in nutrients.
Cooking Tip
If your cocoa powder has hard lumps, press it through a flour sifter or a fine strainer into the mixing bowl.
In a larger bowl, mash three ripe bananas, and add sugar, eggs, applesauce (insider tip: one of the snack sized containers is exactly the right amount), vanilla extract and merely a couple tablespoons of oil. Blend the dry ingredients into the wet, lightly mixing the batter until it’s just combined.
Spoon the batter into muffin cups, sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, and bake. Drop everything and enjoy at least one warm muffin, while the chocolate is still soft and melty, to experience the best ever chocolate bliss.
Easy to make and irresistible, triple chocolate banana muffins will be a regular visitor in your kitchen but they won’t stay long! They’ll disappear before you know it.
FAQs
What is the secret to making moist muffins?
1) Don’t overmix the batter. Fold in the dry ingredients until they are just moistened.
2) Don’t overbake the muffins. I usually set the timer for a bit less than the recipe calls for because everyone’s oven varies. Use the toothpick test: Insert a toothpick in the center of the muffin. If it comes out clean or with a crumb or two, the muffin is ready to take out of the oven. If it comes out with batter sticking to it, set the timer for a couple more minutes.
3) Follow my recipes. I always test my muffin recipes multiple times so they’ll turn out perfectly for you.
What’s the difference between a muffin and a cupcake?
You’ll notice that muffins have a denser texture than cupcakes. Muffins are quick breads, with baking powder to make them rise. Often muffins are loaded with chunky ingredients like fruit, shredded vegetables, or nuts.
Are muffins healthier than cupcakes?
Generally muffins are served for breakfast or a snack while cupcakes are served for dessert. Are muffins healthier? It depends on how they’re made. Most of my recipes are lower in fat and sugar and include whole wheat flour making them a much healthier choice than a frosted cupcake.
Still looking for cupcakes? Try banana cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting (and filling!) or vanilla cupcakes {with a surprise inside!}
Make It Your Own
- Replace the chocolate chunks and mini chocolate chips with regular chocolate chips. Or mix it up and use white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips.
- Whole wheat flour not your thing? My family has gotten used to whole wheat in most recipes but if you don’t stock it in your kitchen, simply substitute all-purpose flour.
- Don’t have applesauce? Use plain yogurt (regular or Greek), sour cream, or milk instead.
- Reduce the amount of sugar. I often make this recipe with at least one third less sugar (½ cup).
- Rather not have chocolate muffins? Try whole wheat whole wheat banana muffins with streusel or one of the recipes listed below.
- Looking for banana bread instead? My whole wheat banana bread is a staple in my house.
- Need gluten-free muffins? Replace the whole wheat flour with gluten-free flour. Or try this banana muffin recipe from my friends at Well Plated for Gluten-Free Muffins, with almond flour, mashed bananas, and coconut oil.
How To Freeze Bananas
Ripe bananas can be frozen so that you always have some on hand for recipes like this one. Simply slice the bananas, place in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze for an hour or so, and then put into freezer safe bags (see how to freeze bananas).
If you have lots of ripe bananas, be sure to check out my list of 16 banana recipes!
Storage Tips
While triple chocolate banana muffins are out of this world good when they’re warm, they’re great at room temperature too. If you have any leftover, store them in an air-tight container for a few days on the counter.
Make-Ahead Ideas
Make a double batch, put the extra muffins in a freezer bag and freeze for up to a month. For a great lunch box treat, freeze the muffins in individual bags. A frozen muffin will be thawed by lunchtime and is guaranteed to put a smile on the recipient’s face.
More muffins, please!
Homemade muffins are simply the best! Easy to make, more nutritious, lower in fat and sugar, with no added preservatives, homemade beats bakery or store bought muffins hands down! Here’s a few of my favorite recipes:
- Apple cinnamon muffins
- Blueberry strawberry muffins
- Healthy carrot raisin muffins
- Chocolate cream cheese muffins (50% whole wheat)
- Banana bread muffins
- Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
- Cornbread muffins with herbs and cheddar
- Morning glory muffins
- Pumpkin bran muffins
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
muffins
Triple chocolate banana muffins, chock full of dark chocolate chunks and mini chocolate chips, are nutritious and filling with whole wheat flour and very little oil. You're going to love these muffins!
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup applesauce
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup chocolate chunks
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Spray muffin tins (18 wells) with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in chocolate chunks. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add sugar, applesauce, oil, vanilla extract, and eggs. Whisk to combine all wet ingredients. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin tins.
- Sprinkle each muffin with mini chocolate chips.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean and muffins are golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer muffin tins to a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and cool completely on wire rack, or better yet, enjoy warm.
Notes
- Replace the chocolate chunks and mini chocolate chips with regular chocolate chips. Or mix it up and use white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips.
- Substitute all-purpose flour for some or all of the whole wheat flour.
- Use plain yogurt (regular or Greek), sour cream, or milk instead of applesauce.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 190kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 156mg, Potassium: 193mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 50IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 41mg, Iron: 1mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
