Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Author & Photographer: Angelina Torre

My older brother and sister were always the bakers of the family, and I was their little apprentice who got to sit and watch while licking the spoon. My favorite recipe to observe was their Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins not only because the end result is delicious, but also because I was always rewarded with the ever-important task of mashing the bananas. I recently decided to give my family’s classic recipe a try, now assuming more responsibility than in my past, and the muffins proved to be just as addicting as ever.

This recipe is a great way to spice up your breakfast or to sneak in a little dessert before bed, and it’s especially easy to grab and munch on during Zoom class. The secret ingredient to this recipe is the whole wheat flour, which adds a pleasant, grainy texture to the muffins and balances their sweetness. Enjoy!

---

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar

• ½ cup butter (softened)

• 1 egg

• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (~2 medium size)

• 3 tbsp milk

• 1 cup whole wheat flour

• 1 cup unbleached flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 cup chocolate chips

• 1 cup walnuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Line muffin tray with baking cups or grease and flour muffin tray

3. Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until blended

4. Add in remaining ingredients, aside from the walnuts, to the mix. Beat on low until combined, then beat on high until smooth

5. Fold walnuts in by hand

1. Spoon batter into the muffin cups until about ⅔ full 

   • Tip: use two spoons to easily place the sticky batter into the tins by using one to scrape batter off the other

2. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

3. Remove from oven and let cool… or if you’re like me, eat immediately

In the end, you are left with about 25 warm, gooey, chocolatey muffins. They have just enough sweetness to leave you wanting more, yet not enough to give you a stomach ache. Be careful, this makes it very easy to eat the whole batch in one night (trust me, it happens). In fact, it sometimes comes to the point where my mother asks my sister and I to hide the leftovers because she has the tendency to eat at least five muffins in one sitting. In her defense, the muffins really do taste just as delicious leftover as they do fresh.

If you are looking for an easy and delicious recipe to satisfy all of your quarantine baking needs, then you may have found your match. Happy baking!


Adapted Recipe: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/banana-chocolate-chip-muffins-101020