Triple Chocolate Banana Muffins – healthier!

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!

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 the rest of the day for.

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 chocolate banana 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, you’re also going to add cocoa powder 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.

Hint: 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. 

How to make these muffins 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 1/3 less sugar (1/2 cup).
• 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.

Storage Tips

While triple chocolate banana muffins are out of this world good while 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 tip: 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
• Banana bread muffins
• Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
• Cornbread muffins with herbs and cheddar
• Morning glory muffins
• Pumpkin bran muffins

Verdict: I love these, especially warm. 
Husband’s take: The whole family loves it when I make these muffins!
Changes I would make: None!
Difficulty: Easy!