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Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Are you ready to make vegan banana chocolate chip muffins? Just like the ones your mom used to make when you were a kid, but without eggs or dairy.

Sometimes it’s nice to bring back memories of the baked goods you used to eat as a child. Something freshly out of the oven, moist and delicious.

I know when I started eating healthier, and vegan, I realized how unhealthy the muffins I grew up eating were! And, up til recently I haven’t been making them for myself or kids, even though I have my mom’s banana chocolate chip muffin recipe written down on an index card somewhere. 

I needed to redo the recipe, simply because they had eggs and oil in them. (Which is mostly just fat, and not the good kind.)

But, I missed them so much that I decided to create my own recipe, that’s a bit healthier and vegan, and they taste practically the same as my moms recipe!!

Originally published: August 12th, 2019

Overhead close up view of banana choc chip muffins on a black wire cooling rack with a yellow striped linen near them.

You can turn this simple muffin recipe into more of a dessert with this chocolate frosting made with coconut cream.

Ingredients

Ingredients for vegan banana chocolate chip muffins laid out on a white marble countertop.

Bananas: These need to be mashed and ripe. 

There are a few different ways you can mash bananas. I was always taught to mash the bananas with a fork on a plate, and this works, but isn’t always the best or fastest way to do it. 

I’ve also found that squeezing the banana while still in the skin, then placing the bananas in the bowl you’ll be mixing everything in and whisking the bananas til they look and feel mashed enough is the fastest and easiest way to mash them.

Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar work fine, you can also use coconut, cane, or white sugar.

Applesauce: I like using the small packs of applesauce, as it’s already smooth, pureed, and come in 4 ounce packs – which is the exact amount needed for this recipe.

If you prefer using homemade applesauce, try this applesauce recipe, but omit the cinnamon & sugar, and be sure to puree it in a blender or with an immersion blender before using in this recipe.

Vanilla: Vanilla just makes everything better. Can be omitted if you don’t have it.

Oat Flour: You can buy oat flour at the store, or make it yourself. 

I always make oat flour at home with old fashioned oats, simply because I always have old fashioned oats on hand (I sometimes forget we have them and buy more when I get groceries…which is how I have 3 ½ large containers of oats in my pantry right now…)

Oat flour is simple to make and can be made with a food processor, high speed blender, like a Vitamix, or a smaller blender like a nutribullet or nutri-ninja. Or, worst case scenario – it can be made in a coffee grinder (I have tested this).

*All links are to items I have personally used for making oat flour and other things.

Or, sub in all purpose flour for oat flour.

All Purpose Flour: My kids aren’t fans of using ALL oat flour in baked goods yet, but they can barely tell the difference from using all all purpose flour and using half all purpose flour and half oat flour. If you want to use all oat flour to make it more whole food plant-based, go right ahead!

Baking Powder: Needed to help the muffins rise.

Baking Soda: Needed to help the muffins rise.

Salt: This actually helps bring out more sweetness in the muffins, can be omitted if you don’t have it or don’t like adding salt to baked goods.

Chocolate Chips: Be sure your chocolate chips are vegan! We love Enjoy Life brand chocolate chips.

Raw Sugar: This is completely optional, it’s just to top the muffins to make them look a bit fancier. Plus, my kids love it when I make them look a little fancier, as if they were store bought!

Let’s Make These Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

*Note that these instructions can be printed below

Step one:  Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line your muffin tin with liners.

Process photos for making vegan banana muffins. First photo is all of the wet ingredients. Second photo is the dry added to the wet ingredients in a glass mixing bowl.

Step two: Mash your bananas in your mixing bowl with a fork (or whisk, or potato masher), and stir in the sugar, applesauce, and vanilla.

Step three: Add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir til well combined and no major lumps.

Process photos for making vegan banana chocolate chip muffins. First photo is the batter with chocolate chips just added. The second photo is the batter in the muffin tin.

Step four: Fold in the chocolate chips.

Step five: Scoop about ¼ cup of the batter into each muffin liner in the muffin tin (about ⅔ of the way up). Add extra chocolate chips and/or raw sugar to the top if you’d like.

Step six: Bake for 20-23 minutes and then let cool before enjoying!

If you’ll be adding frosting to these, be sure they are completely cool before adding frosting, otherwise the frosting will melt.

Vegan banana chocolate chip muffins fresh out of the oven, still in a muffin tin.

Tips for making Vegan Choc Chip Muffins

Let your kids help!

These are kid-friendly vegan muffins, so if you have kids who are old enough to help you bake, go ahead and invite them to the kitchen!

I know, I know, it can take a bit more time when your kids come in the kitchen to help you make food; but, how will you feel when your kids are older and are able to make food themselves, from scratch, that’s healthy?

I don’t know about you, but I’d be thrilled if I could get some of these muffins, or any other healthy food for that matter, without having to make it myself!

Even if your kids are toddlers, they can still help with stirring the batter or pouring it in muffin cups or a muffin tin. Plus, you get to spend quality time with your kids while teaching them a life skill, that they’ll appreciate the older they get!

Do know, though, that the 10 minute prep time for making these muffins is estimated and may differ every time these are made, depending on interruptions from kids and how much the kids help.

Use silicone baking cups

I LOVE my silicone baking cups.

Benefits to using this cute little baking cups:

  • They reduce waste
  • Help you save money: the only time I use paper liners is when I’m doing a food photo shoot
  • Save time:  you can make as many muffins as you have baking cups and as many fit on your largest baking sheet all at once!

More tips:

  • Squeeze your bananas while still in the peel and unopened to soften the bananas to make them easier to mash.
  • Whisk the bananas to mash them.
  • Use a toothpick to see if they are done – the toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
  • Be sure not to over mix the batter.
  • Make two batches and freeze one for easy snacks and breakfasts in the future!
Banana chocolate chip muffin on a cupcake stand with milk and more muffins in background on a white plate.

Alternative Ways to Make this

Don’t want to wait for your oven to preheat?

These banana chocolate chip muffins can be made in the air fryer!!

Simply preheat your air fryer to 320℉ and bake the muffins for 15 minutes.

Notes for air frying these muffins: 

  • Silicone baking cups are 100% recommended to be used in the air fryer – this is the only way I have tested it. They’re cheap, just go grab yourself some silicone baking cups.
  • Not all air fryers are the same – I have the Instant Vortex Plus and usually use the ‘bake’ setting, but the ‘air fry’ setting also works.
  • DO NOT overfill the muffin cups – otherwise they may spill over and make a mess of your air fryer. Only fill about ⅔ the way up the cups.

How to Serve Vegan Banana Muffins

Serve them while they’re still warm!

They go great with any plant-based milk, or coffee – they go amazing with coffee!

Serve them for breakfast, snack, or dessert.

Also, if you would like to make these extra delicious, make this vegan chocolate frosting to add on top!

How to Store the Best Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.

Fridge: I don’t usually save these in the fridge – they’re usually gone in a couple of days or I freeze them so I know I have a stock of healthy-ish breakfasts or snacks when needed.

Freezer: Once they are completely cool, flash freeze them(put them all on a baking sheet in the freezer until completely frozen) and then keep in a freezer safe container or bag until needed. Preferably within the next month or two. 

Reheat from frozen in the microwave in 15-30 second increments.

FAQ’s for Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin

How do I store these muffins?

The muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for at least 4-5 days. They can also be frozen and reheated in the microwave in about 15-30 seconds.

I don’t have oat flour, is there a good substitute for that?

Yes! The simplest way is to use 2 cups of all purpose flour and omit the oat flour.

I tried making these and the wrappers stuck to the muffins, is there a way to avoid this?

Yes, you can spray the liners with a baking spray before adding the batter, use silicone baking cups, or replace the applesauce with the same amount of vegetable or other neutral oil.

Are banana muffins healthy?

This depends on your definition of ‘healthy’. They do contain bananas, which is great! However, they also use sugar, and all purpose flour, which all provide calories, but not many nutrients.

How ripe should the bananas be for this recipe?

They should be at least spotted and able to easily be mashed up, the riper the better!

How much do these muffins rise?

They rise over the muffin liner, as you can see in the photos, when the liners are filled about ⅔ of the way up, or about ¼ of batter per muffin.

How to make vegan muffins fluffy?

Be sure you don’t skimp on the baking powder or baking soda and DON’T overmix them. Over mixing can lead to dense muffins, only stir enough to mix the wet and dry ingredients together and very gently stir in the chocolate chips.

Can I make these if I don’t have ripe bananas?

Yes, you will simply want to squeeze your bananas to become soft and mushy before peeling them, and then follow the directions for mashing the bananas for this recipe.

Vegan banana chocolate chip muffins on a white marble countertop.

More Muffin Recipes You’ll Love:

1 banana chocolate chip muffin on a white plate surrounded by more chocolate chips.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Shawna Clapper
You and your kids will love these healthier vegan version of chocolate chip muffins! Perfect for breakfast, snack, or even a dessert with chocolate coconut frosting!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 18 muffins
Calories 158 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 5 ripe bananas mashed
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips plus more to top
  • raw sugar to top

Instructions
 

  •  Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line your muffin tin with liners.
  • Mash your bananas in your mixing bowl with a whisk, and stir in the sugar, applesauce, and vanilla.
  • Add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir til well combined and no major lumps.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Scoop about ¼ cup of the batter into each muffin liner in the muffin tin (about ⅔ of the way up). Add extra chocolate chips and/or raw sugar to the top if you’d like.
  • Bake for 20-23 minutes.
  • Allow to cool and enjoy!

Video

Notes

These freeze well and take about 15 seconds to warm up in the microwave, or leave out overnight to thaw.

Nutrition

Calories: 158kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 122mgPotassium: 192mgFiber: 2gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 23IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg
Keyword chocolate chip muffins, chocolate chips, muffins, vegan muffins
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