These Buttermilk Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are light, fluffy, moist, filled with mashed bananas and studded with chocolate chips! They are the best buttermilk banana muffins you will ever taste! 

Buttermilk is one of my favorite ingredients in muffins! I use it in my Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins, Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins, and my All Bran Muffins with Buttermilk. They are all so amazing! I couldn’t even pick a favorite. I know you’ll love them.

Three Buttermilk Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins stacked on top of each other against a white background.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Moist banana chocolate chip muffins. I’ve made my fair share of banana chocolate chip muffin recipes. I’ve always wanted a recipe that yields a super moist and fluffy muffin! The buttermilk and level of baking powder in these muffins I think is what does it. Those two ingredients combined work together to give us light, moist and fluffy banana buttermilk muffins.
  • Perfect banana flavor. In my development of the best banana chocolate chip muffins, I also wanted muffins with just enough bananas in there that you can taste it, yet not overpowering that the texture will seem weird or the flavor it too in your face. The balance is perfect in this recipe and you get the most delicious banana chocolate chip muffins!
  • Buttery and chocolatey. One of my favorite things is you bite into these muffins and they just melt in your mouth like butter! Then with the little pockets of melted chocolate chips, you are in muffin heaven! 

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients used to make buttermilk banana chocolate chip muffins.
  • Granulated Sugar: For sweetening. It also aids in browning and holds onto moisture. By holding onto moisture, baked goods don’t stale as quickly.
  • Light Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is a sweetener that adds a bit of moisture to baking due to the molasses in it.
  • Baking Powder: We’re using 1 tablespoon of baking powder to achieve greater lift in the muffins. Don’t worry, you can’t taste the baking powder at all.
  • Overripe Bananas: Use overly ripe bananas for maximum flavor. Be careful not to confuse overly ripe with rotten.
  • Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds flavor and moisture. Adding buttermilk to muffins creates a beautifully tender crumb. Buttermilk is an acid that, when combined with a base (like baking powder or baking soda) will react and bubble, aiding in the rise.
  • Unsalted Butter: The melted butter serves multiple purposes in this banana chocolate chip muffin recipe, it adds flavor, aids in leavening, and creates a more tender texture.
  • Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: We really don’t need a reason to add chocolate chips to anything. Just sayin’.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Whisk dry ingredients together. Add the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt and baking powder to a large bowl and whisk until combined.
Flour, brown sugar, sugar and other white dry ingredients in a glass bowl.
  1. Mix the wet ingredients. Add the mashed bananas, room temperature buttermilk, melted and cooled butter (will still be in liquid form, just needs to not be too warm), the egg, and the vanilla extract to a separate medium bowl. Mix until well combined. 
  2. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Do not over mix. 
Buttermilk Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin batter in a glass bowl.
  1. Portion the banana chocolate chip muffin batter into the muffin tin. Divide the batter (using a cookie scoop or two spoons) into a muffin tin that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. (If using cupcake liners, you’ll need to spray the liners). Fill each muffin hole. 3/4 of the way full. 
  2. Bake. Add extra chocolate chips on top of the muffins and bake at 450°F for 5 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 400°F and bake for 12-13 minutes. Remove when a toothpick inserted in the center muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Remove and let cool. Enjoy! 

Recipe Tips

These particular muffins will stick to the paper liners. Either simply spray the pan and bake without liners or spray the liners with nonstick cooking spray. My sister didn’t believe me and she baked these buttermilk banana chocolate chip muffins in cupcake liners and half the muffin stuck to the liners! If you’re using paper-lined muffin tins, you’ll need to spray the liners with nonstick cooking spray prior to filling with the batter (as I did).

Make these into mini muffins! Fill them almost to the top of the mini muffin tin and then bake for 5 minutes at 450°F and then reduce the temperature to 400°F and bake for 5-7 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops are lightly golden in color. Everyone’s oven is different, so keep an eye on them!

Once the batter has been made, don’t forget to let it sit for 10-15 minutes before you fill the muffin tins. This gives the baking powder time to work its magic. 

Baking at two temperatures, a high temperature first then a lower temperature, initiates a quick rise for a tall domed muffin and pillow-soft centers.

When measuring flour, spoon the flour into your measuring cup. If you scoop using the measuring cup, you may end up packing more flour in there than you need, potentially making a denser muffin.

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

You’ll want to make these banana chocolate chip muffins a bit ahead of time because the batter needs to rest for 15 minutes. 

Store these buttermilk banana chocolate chip muffins in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for 4-5 days. 

To freeze, let cool completely then wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and store in a ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. Remove and let thaw. Warm for 5 seconds in the microwave. 

A small hand grabbing a chocolate chip muffin made with bananas on a wire rack.

Recipe FAQs

Why should you let the batter sit? 

Now, let the batter sit for 10-15 minutes prior to filling the muffin tins. This is very important! You need to give the baking powder time to work its magic. Baking powder is double acting. It reacts to moisture and heat. To achieve a sky high muffin top that is beautifully fluffy, we want to fully utilize the baking powders properties.

Should you use muffin liners? 

This is more of a personal preference. Depending on the occasion I prefer muffins with liners. However, these particular muffins will stick to the liners. Bakers Tip: don’t use muffin liners! Spray nonstick cooking spray in the muffin tin. Either way, fill the muffin tins *almost* to the top! There will be about 1/8″ space from the batter to the top of the pan.

Why are these muffins baked at different temperatures? 

Baking at two temperatures, a higher one first, initiates a quick rise for a tall domed muffin and pillow-soft centers.

How do you store muffins? 

Store muffins at room temperature in an airtight container or zip-top bag. Muffins will keep up to 5 days. 

Can you freeze muffins? 

Totally! I recommend it. This recipe makes a lot of muffins, so I love freezing some to use as breakfast or a snack throughout the week. Just wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap, then put the individually wrapped muffins in a zip-top bag and store in the freezer. They’ll keep for about 2-3 months. When you are ready to enjoy them, remove them from the freezer and let thaw, then warm them in the microwave for about 5 seconds.

A Buttermilk Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin cut in half on a white parchment paper.

More Recipes Using Bananas

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Three Buttermilk Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins stacked on top of each other against a white background.
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5 from 7 votes

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Light and fluffy banana muffins studded with melty chocolate chips. You won’t be able to resist these delicious muffins!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar - packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 3/4 cup mashed overly ripe bananas
  • 1 cup buttermilk - at room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted and cooled
  • 1 large egg - at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips - divided

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a muffin tin with liners or coat the muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. 
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder. 
  • In a medium size bowl beat the bananas, buttermilk, butter, egg, and vanilla extract. 
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix (using a spatula) until just combined. Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips. Don’t overmix. 
  •  Divide batter evenly amongst muffin tins. Batter will fill the tins *almost* to the top. Should have about 1/8″ inch or so of space left in the tin. 
  • Use the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips to place on top of the batter. 
  • Bake for 5 mins at 450°F, then after 5 mins turn the heat to 400°F and continue to bake for 12-13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool to room temperature. 

Notes

Once the batter has been made, DON’T FORGET to let it sit for 10-15 minutes before you fill the muffin tins. This gives the baking powder time to work its magic. 
To make mini banana chocolate chip muffins, fill the mini muffin tins almost to the top. Bake at 450°F for 5 mins, reduce the temperature to 400°F and bake for 5-7 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops are golden in color.
Recipe adapted from Handle the Heat

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcal (15%)Carbohydrates: 40g (13%)Protein: 4g (8%)Fat: 12g (18%)Saturated Fat: 7g (35%)Cholesterol: 30mg (10%)Sodium: 130mg (5%)Potassium: 324mg (9%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 19g (21%)Vitamin A: 195IU (4%)Vitamin C: 1.3mg (2%)Calcium: 90mg (9%)Iron: 2.4mg (13%)
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
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