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Sep 16, 2023

Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

My husband and I always buy bananas with the intention of making smoothies and then...life happens, and suddenly we have bananas quickly browning toward their demise. This time, I refused to waste them or throw more in the freezer, so I looked up some recipes that I could whip up in a pinch.


My girl Sally has these on her website (I don't know her personally, I just feel like her recipes never fail me and these are no exception!) and I knew I had to try them. She describes them as tasting like a treat, but that they actually aren't super unhealthy like most muffins are. So, I thought, a treat AND somewhat healthy? Sold!


These were SO simple to make and I had all of the ingredients on hand already. You can even get fancy and add in a peanut butter swirl (I didn't this time around, but I definitely will next time!), which I'm sure brings these muffins to a whole other level.


These muffins have a lovely bite of chocolate balanced with bananas and they're simply perfection. One day we had an entire plate of them, the next, there were only a few left...and my husband mysteriously had muffin crumbs on his face. HM! I don't blame him, though. These muffins are nearly addictive -- they are moist, chocolatey, yummy goodness, and the fact that they have ingredients I can feel good about is such a huge bonus.


Magickal Ingredients Featured

Banana: Resilience through change, wealth and prosperity, luck, increase spirituality.

Chocolate: Properties of chocolate include self-love, romance, prosperity, grounding, focus, positivity, creativity, and motivation.


The Recipe

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes

  • Cook Time: 20 minutes

  • Total Time: 35 minutes

  • Yield: 12 muffins

Here's What You Need:

  • 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas (about 4 medium or 3 large ripe bananas)

  • 1/3 cup (113g) honey (or maple syrup or agave)

  • 1 large egg, at room temperature

  • 1/4 cup (56g) coconut oil, melted (or vegetable oil, olive oil, or melted butter)

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 cup (130g) whole wheat flour (spooned & leveled)

  • 1/2 cup (41g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder (or dutch-process)

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (save a few for topping)


Here's What To Do:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners. Set aside.

  2. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas up using a fork (or masher). Try to mash up any large lumps. Once mashed, whisk in the honey, egg, coconut oil, and vanilla extract until combined. Set aside.

  3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until everything is combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving some for the tops of the warm muffins.

  4. Spoon the batter evenly into each cup or liner, filling each all the way to the top.

  5. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C); then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce heat to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for another 15–17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 20–21 minutes, give or take. (For mini muffins, bake 11–13 minutes at 350°F (177°C) the whole time.)

  6. Press any remaining chocolate chips into the tops of the warm muffins. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, and then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling, or enjoy warm.

  7. Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days, then transfer to the refrigerator for up to 1 week.


Notes

  1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, freeze the muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm up in the microwave if desired.

  2. Whole wheat flour: If you don’t have whole wheat flour, you can replace with the same amount of all-purpose flour.

  3. Can I skip the chocolate chips? Yes, feel free to leave them out or replace with chopped nuts.

  4. Peanut Butter Swirl Version: After step 4 and before step 5, melt 1/4 cup (about 62g) of creamy peanut butter (or use runny natural peanut butter) and spoon 1 teaspoon of it onto each muffin before baking. Using a knife or a toothpick, gently swirl it around into the batter. Top with a few peanut butter chips, if desired. Proceed with step 5.

  5. Why the initial high oven temperature? Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at a very hot temperature. Then, keeping the muffins in the oven, switch to a lower temperature for the remaining bake time. This initial high temperature will quickly lift the muffin tops so they’re extra high, then the centers will bake during the lower temperature bake time. This trick makes beautiful bakery-style muffins every time.

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