If I was a banana living in my house, I’m sure I’d have an inferiority complex.
One family member would hate me, one would tolerate me only when my personality was masked by stronger flavors, one would be openly neutral about me and the only person who seeks me out only seems to like me in that fleeting sweet spot between under and over-ripeness (you’d think I was only good for five seconds).
Rough crowd.
I’m the banana liker around here (does anyone really LOVE bananas?), but it’s true — I buy them, eat one when finally ripe, and quick throw them in the freezer for smoothies when I can no longer stand looking at their beseechingly overripe skins. And then I always feel tremendous fresh banana non-usage guilt.
(Bananas in my house always make me feel like a bad foster parent — someone who adopts with good intentions but always ends up ignoring the newest family member until they are almost past the point of no return.)
Luckily for me, the first day of school coincided with my best of fruit intentions gone awry — six bananas well past their prime sitting on the counter, waiting for something better than a frozen drink to spotlight their sweet, creamy flavor.
Light bulb moment.
Best Ever Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Listen up folks — this is something you can turn out in a flash and is guaranteed to please even your most ardent non-banana lovers. And when I say it’s quick, I mean “holy cow it’s 7:30 and I wanted to give all the teachers something sweet at drop off this morning and I got so caught up with Words with Friends and tween hair drama that I forgot until now” kind of speedy.
My recipe has been adapted from this book, and I have made this recipe a couple dozen times so I can tell you it’s fool-proof.
If you too have some rather dispirited bananas hanging around already, you’re golden.
Walk with me.
Gather sugar, eggs, butter, yogurt, flour, and if you really want to make your people happy, a great chocolate bar or a small bowl of chocolate chips.
I melted the butter, whipped up the bananas, added the rest of the ingredients and had the entire thing in the oven within ten minutes (about as long as it took my oven to preheat).
By the time I needed to take Charlotte for the first day of school a half hour later, I already had muffins out of the oven.
And honestly, is there anything kinder or more welcoming than a warm homemade muffin on an important morning?
We each ate a banana chocolate chip muffin walking to school and it was just the thing to set the mood — an edible hug as we prepared to part ways.
As we walked to school, it was so wonderful to see what was waiting the incoming freshman (including Oliver) at the high school.
Whatever your excuses are for not making muffins, toss them aside right now.
Too time consuming?
Forget it.
Too decadent?
For crying out loud, what’s healthier than eggs, yogurt and bananas first thing in the morning?
Don’t have a recipe?
I’ve got you covered there, too.
All you need is some benign banana neglect and you’re good to go.
Life is too short for crappy baked goods, and chances are you know someone right now who could use a little muffin loving.
- nonstick spray
- 2 C. unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt plus a bit extra for on top
- 3 very ripe bananas, peeled
- ¾ C. sugar
- 1 stick butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large eggs
- ½ C. yogurt (any style, vanilla or plain)
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 C. chocolate chips or 8 oz. dark chocolate bar, broken into chunks
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put 12 paper muffin liners in a tray, and spray those lightly (spraying lightly pan, too, will make for an easier clean up if you spill any).
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl
- Put bananas and sugar in the bowl of a mixer and mix with paddle attachment until its a mostly smooth puree (a few chunks are fine; you could also use electric beaters if you need to).
- Add melted butter and mix lightly. Add eggs, yogurt and vanilla and mix until well blended.
- Add dry ingredients and mix lightly just until blended (don't overbeat or muffins will be tough).
- With a spatula, mix in by hand half of the chocolate.
- Place in batter in muffin cups. Tuck in remaining chocolate into tops of muffins. Add a pinch of salt to each as well.
- Bake about twenty minutes (toothpick inserted will have just a few crumbs --not goo-- attached.
- Let cool if you have superhuman willpower or just dive in as soon as you can avoid second degree burns to the roof of your mouth.
I discovered that roasting the over ripe bananas first intensifies the banana.flavor. You.could roast them before.freezing, then use them for.baking, sorbets, etc.
Sasha, I’ve never heard that tip but that completely makes sense (and in a million years roasting my bananas pre-freezing would never have dawned on me). I am going to try it again next time! What a great pointer — thanks for sharing it.
I made zucchini chocolate chip bread for the girls, but yours look so much better! Love the roasted banana tip too!
Hey Chrissy, good to hear from you! I am so excited about that banana tip and it has left me wondering — what else aren’t I roasting (but probably should be)?
Yum, making this weekend and may throw in a little coconut, too.
Perfect way to start the morning.
Polly, I think the addition of coconut is genius! Great idea. Next time I think I will do the same.
Huge hit in my house Sarah- made several dozen of them with chopped dark chocolate, stuck them in the freezer, and they are a great quick breakfast, snack or whatever. Even Elias, who is not a fan of bananas, loves them. Thank you!!
Thanks for the feedback, Beth! I’m with you — I don’t love bananas but can’t keep my mitts off of these. Good to hear from you 🙂