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    Home » Breakfast » Muffins

    Double Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

    5 from 5 votes
    Published by Rebecca Eisenberg ⁠— August 30, 2021 (updated February 6, 2023) — 8 Comments

    57 shares
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    This post may contain affiliate links

    These double chocolate banana muffins are rich and fudgy, topped with mini chocolate chips, and have a swirl of creamy peanut butter inside. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or snack time.

    a chocolate muffin sits on top of a muffin tin with other muffins in the wells around it.

    About This Recipe // Why You Should Try It

    This recipe for double chocolate banana muffins with peanut butter filling came about because I wanted something new to do with my brown bananas.

    I needed a brown banana recipe that wasn't banana bread.

    The first few batches I tested were good, not great. They all felt like they were missing something.

    The chocolate was great, the banana was great, but they just didn't feel like they were great together. Early batches tasted like you were eating two different muffins at once instead of one perfectly balanced, harmonious muffin.

    an overhead shot of a 12 well muffin tin with chocolate banana muffins in them

    Then, one day, Jimmy asked if he could try one my failed test muffins. Much to my annoyance, he split one in half and smeared it with peanut butter.

    He knows it drives me bananas (lol) when he does this to my banana bread recipe. He doesn't like banana bread plain; he only likes it with peanut butter. (I don't get it.) It makes me feel like a chef watching someone add salt to the signature dish in their Michelin star restaurant. (The banana bread is good enough on its own!!!).

    But in this one specific case, I'll have to admit, he was completely on to something with his insistence on peanut butter.

    Peanut butter was exactly what the muffins were missing.

    The creamy, nutty flavor paired perfectly with the chocolate and banana flavors. It's like the "accidentally handcuffed together" romcom trope — the peanut butter shows the bananas and chocolate just how well they get along.

    I swirled a dollop of peanut butter into the center of the next batch of muffins and, well, not to belabor the metaphor, let's just say these muffins found their happily ever after. They were perfect. No changes needed.

    Ingredient Notes

    Here are the ingredients you'll need to make these double chocolate banana peanut butter muffins! See recipe card for quantities.

    the ingredients for chocolate banana peanut butter muffins.
    • All-purpose flour - Standard all-purpose flour.
    • Brown sugar - Adds flavor and helps keeps the muffins tender.
    • Unsweetened cocoa powder - I use Ghirardelli 100% Natural Cocoa Powder but you can use the classic Hershey's box or Dutch process cocoa powder here just fine.
    • Salt - I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt which is half as salty as other brands. If you use a different brand, cut the amount of salt in half.
    • Baking powder - Double acting baking powder gives the muffins their rise. Baking powder is activated twice, first with liquid, then with heat. Letting the muffin batter rest before scooping gives you slightly taller muffins thanks to that first activation.
    • Brown bananas - Just like the banana bread recipe that inspired this one, you'll want brown bananas for this. I used 2 large brown bananas, but have included a weight measurement in the recipe in case you can only have small ones.
    • Large egg - To get the egg to room temperature quickly, submerge it in a bowl of hot tap water while you get the rest of your ingredients ready (about 5-10 minutes).
    • Unsalted butter - Melted. If you only have salted butter, omit salt from the recipe.
    • Whole fat Greek yogurt - This is what gives the muffins their fudgy, moist texture. You won't get the same results with fat-free (0%) Greek yogurt, but 2% or 5% will work fine if that's all your grocery store has.
    • Mini chocolate chips - For sprinkling on top of the muffins. Use the back of a spoon to gently press them in to the muffin tops before baking.
    • Creamy peanut butter - I use JIF Natural Creamy Peanut Butter, but any peanut butter that doesn't separate (e.g. gets that layer of oil on top) will work. You could even use other nut butters as long as they don't separate!

    Instructions - Recipe Walkthrough

    This is a really simple recipe. It follows the basic muffin method mixing process:

    1. Mix the dry ingredients.
    2. Mix the wet ingredients.
    3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.

    For these double chocolate banana muffins the only difference is you'll add the dry ingredients in two batches.

    Between those two additions you'll fold in a dollop of greek yogurt. This helps keep the muffins super moist and fudgy.

    the wet ingredients whisked in a large bowl. a hand is mixing the dry ingredients in a smaller bowl.
    using a spatula to fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients

    Fold the ingredients together gently with a spatula or a dough whisk in as few gentle movements as possible.

    Stop mixing as soon as everything is combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. Overmixing leads to tough, dense muffins. Yuck.

    How to "Fold" Muffin Batter

    Hold the mixing bowl with one hand and your spatula in the other. Use the spatula to draw a line down the center of the bowl, then move it in a clockwise circle.

    Rotate your wrist away from you when you get to 12 o'clock, folding the mixture over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat.

    [gif] folding dry ingredients into wet ingredients
    [gif] folding muffin batter just until combined

    Once the muffin batter is mixed together, cover it and let it rest for 30-45 minutes at room temperature before scooping.

    Why Muffin Batter Needs to Rest

    When you let the muffin batter rest, it gives the baking powder — this recipe's chemical leavener — a chance to activate before going into the oven.

    Baking powder is double acting. It reacts first to the addition of moisture in the batter, then it reacts again in the heat of the oven.

    the muffin batter before resting.
    the muffin batter after resting. it is smoother, darker, and airier.

    These are fairly dense muffins, so we want to give the baking powder all the chances we can to help them rise.

    Check out the difference in the muffin batter before and after resting in the photos above. You can see that baking powder at work!

    Filling the Muffins with Peanut Butter

    To get the peanut butter filling in the center of each muffin, first fill each muffin tin about ⅓ of the way full.

    Use a toothpick to make sure the muffin batter completely covers the bottom of each tin. Then scoop the peanut butter into the center of each muffin and divide the remaining muffin batter between the tins to cover the peanut butter.

    12 wells of a muffin tin each filled with a bottom layer of chocolate muffin batter and a dollop of peanut butter
    12 wells of a muffin tin filled with chocolate muffin batter, peanut butter filling, and more muffin batter on top. they haven't been swirled yet.

    Use another toothpick to quickly swirl the top layer of peanut butter and chocolate muffin batter together.

    Mostly you're trying to push the top layer of chocolate batter so that it covers the peanut butter, but you can do this with a quick swirl of the toothpick.

    If you swirl too much the peanut butter will mix into the batter and you don't want that. So just a quick swirl to hide the peanut butter and then stop swirling.

    unbaked chocolate banana muffins topped with mini chocolate chips

    Finish by topping each muffin generously with mini chocolate chips.

    You want A LOT of mini chocolate chips on top so that when the muffin rises and the top expands there aren't a lot of gaps between them.

    a chocolate banana muffin cut in half on a stack of small plates revealing the peanut butter center
    a chocolate banana muffin sits on a plate with half of a chocolate banana muffin

    Bake for 22-25 minutes at 400°F. Because of the chocolate batter and peanut butter center you can't use browning or the toothpick test to tell when the muffins are done. The best way to be sure is if you insert an instant read thermometer down the side of the muffin, it should read between 190-200°F.

    Otherwise, as long as the tops look mostly set and the muffins don't jiggle when you shake the pan, they're done.

    Storage Notes

    Store these muffins in airtight container so the muffins don't dry out. They are best eaten within 3-5 days of baking.

    a chocolate banana muffin sits on top of a muffin tin filled with other muffins.

    Practical Tips & Recipe Notes

    • I used .75 oz scoop for the muffin batter and 1.5 teaspoon scoop for the peanut butter centers. The top layer of muffin batter you'll just have to eyeball for covering up the peanut butter. Use a toothpick to swirl the peanut butter at the end and hide it under the top layer of chocolate batter.
    • I baked these double chocolate banana muffins in my USA Pan standard-sized 12-well muffin tin with these muffin liners.
    • If you don't have brown bananas you can quickly brown them by popping them on a sheet pan in the oven at 300F for 20-30 minutes, until the peel turns black. Let cool briefly before peeling.
    • How well you mash the bananas can really change the texture and flavor of your chocolate banana muffins! Bigger chunks = more banana flavor. Smaller chunks and a smoother mash = more subtle banana flavor.
    • If your muffins turn out dense and tough, that's a sign of over mixed muffin batter. When you're mixing the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients be gentle and stop as soon as there is no dry flour in the bowl or visible streaks of yogurt in the mix.

    📖 Recipe

    an overhead shot of a muffin tin with 8 chocolate muffins and one filled with peanut butter

    Double Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

    Rebecca Eisenberg
    These double chocolate banana muffins are rich and fudgy, topped with mini chocolate chips, and have a swirl of creamy peanut butter inside. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or snack time.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved! Email
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Resting Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 muffins

    Equipment

    • Standard muffin tin
    • #20 cookie scoop (3 tablespoons)
    • Mini muffin pan liners
    • Toothpicks
    • Kitchen scale

    Ingredients
      

    • 50 grams unsalted butter (melted)
    • 105 grams all-purpose flour
    • 25 grams cocoa powder
    • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt (use half as much of another brand)
    • 175 grams brown bananas (approx 2 large bananas, weighed after peeling)
    • 1 large egg (room temperature)
    • 100 grams brown sugar
    • 50 grams whole fat plain greek yogurt
    • ¾ cups mini chocolate chips (for topping)
    • ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter (any brand, as long as its not the kind that separates)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Melt butter in short 5-7 second bursts in the microwave. Set aside to cool slightly while you whisk the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt) together in a small mixing bowl. If the cocoa powder is lumpy, sift it into the other ingredients. Set the dry ingredients aside.
    • In a larger mixing bowl, mash the banana, egg, and brown sugar with a fork until fairly smooth. Then whisk in the melted butter until well combined.
    • Add half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and use a spatula to gently fold them together. Then, add the greek yogurt and continue folding until almost combined.
    • Add the remaining dry ingredients and continue folding gently just until combined. Stop mixing as soon as no dry patches or streaks of yogurt or flour remain. Do not over mix. Cover and let rest 30-45 minutes.
    • Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange muffin liners in a 12-well muffin tin.
    • Use a .75 oz (1½ tablespoon) cookie scoop to fill each lined muffin tin about ⅓ of the way full. Use a toothpick to spread the muffin batter out so it covers the bottom of each tin.
    • Dollop creamy peanut butter into the center of each muffin using a .25 oz (1½) teaspoon scoop.
    • Divide the remaining muffin batter between the muffin tins, covering the peanut butter. Use a toothpick to give each muffin a quick swirl to hide the peanut butter in the center. It's okay if some peanut butter is visible on top, you just want it mostly under the top layer of muffin batter.
    • Top muffins generously with mini chocolate chips. Use the back of a spoon to press the chocolate chips into the batter.
    • Bake 22-25 minutes at 400°F until muffins are no longer jiggly in the center. An instant read thermometer should read 190°-200°F.
    • Let cool briefly in muffin tins, then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

    YOUR NOTES

    Click here to add your own private notes. Only you can see these.
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and let me how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 5 votes

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Cecile Glendening

      September 07, 2021 at 11:54 am

      5 stars
      These are really yummy! I almost didn't put the peanut butter in the middle and I'm glad I did. It was very easy to just push a little bit off the end of a spoon on top of the batter. I used a #40 scoop to put the bottom batter in, then the filling, then a little top batter. I didn't need to do any swirling with a toothpick. I appreciate the weight given for the bananas, that helped a lot. Mine were 2 very ripe, weighed a bit more than you call for but it came out great, very forgiving. Next time will try with chopped peanuts on top!

      Reply
      • Rebecca

        September 07, 2021 at 4:11 pm

        So glad you liked it — and that you decided to include the pb!! I really think it makes such a difference. Otherwise the muffins are either too banana-y or not chocolate-y enough. The peanut butter brings them all together.

        Reply
    2. Amy

      November 29, 2021 at 9:46 pm

      5 stars
      These were so good and a nice change up from banana bread. I always freeze bananas that my kids don’t eat. This was a great recipe for them. The peanut butter was a nice addition for these.

      Reply
    3. Marie-Hélène

      January 16, 2022 at 2:00 pm

      5 stars
      I just made this again and they are so. Good!! Also anytime I have browning banana I now have an excuse to use them up this way 🙆‍♀️
      I make them with crunchy peanut butter and it works out just fine.

      Reply
      • Rebecca

        January 18, 2022 at 10:55 am

        Mmmm crunchy peanut butter sounds like an excellent choice.

        Reply
    4. nicole

      June 14, 2022 at 2:07 pm

      5 stars
      currently making a double batch of these, which makes for the 3rd time weve made them. theyre so, so good! i love anything peanut butter/banana/chocolate, and these are no exception. theyre rich and fudgey and UGH, i am so excited for them to get out of the oven and into my mouth! theyre quick to throw together too, especially using the weights and a scale, pretty much a two bowl mess and just a few spoons. our bananas are always a little bigger than called for, but its a pretty forgiving recipe IMO so we havent noticed any issues.

      this time around i didnt realize until everything else was mixed that i was short about 60 grams of brown sugar (for the doubled amount of 200 grams) but i did have some Chinese brown sugar kicking around, so i decided to give it a go and see what happens. its a drier sugar but i think we'll be fine, it seems kind of impossible that they *wouldnt* turn out good still XD will report back after on the results! i expect it will go something like this: "omnomnom so goood om nom"

      Reply
      • nicole

        June 27, 2022 at 10:22 pm

        5 stars
        forgot to come back and confirm but yes, these were very forgiving and worked beautifully with the sugar! happily making them again this weekend 🙂

        Reply
        • Rebecca Eisenberg

          June 28, 2022 at 9:22 am

          So glad to hear it!! Thanks for coming back for the update, glad they worked well for you! Enjoy!

          Reply

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