How ripe should bananas be for banana chocolate chunk muffins?

Very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots are ideal. They are naturally sweeter, softer, and easier to mash, giving your muffins a delicious banana flavour and moist texture.

How do I mash bananas for muffins?

Peel the bananas and mash them in a bowl using a fork or potato masher. A few small lumps are perfectly fine and add texture to the finished muffins.

Should I let muffin batter rest before baking?

For this recipe, I recommend baking the batter straight away. The baking powder and baking soda begin reacting once combined with the wet ingredients, so getting the muffins into the oven promptly helps them rise.

How do you keep banana chocolate chunk muffins moist?

Use very ripe bananas, measure your flour correctly, and avoid overmixing the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Overbaking can make muffins dry.

Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins (McDonald's Copycat)

Description

These banana chocolate chunk muffins are soft, moist, and packed with sweet banana flavour and generous chunks of melted chocolate. Inspired by McDonald's bakery-style muffins, this easy homemade recipe uses ripe bananas, melted butter, and a chopped chocolate bar for deliciously gooey chocolate in every bite. The secret to those beautifully risen muffin tops? Starting with a hot oven before lowering the temperature!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (110g) packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (345 g or 3 large bananas)
85 g unsalted butter (melted)
1 egg (at room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk (30ml)
1 cup of chocolate chunks 170 g (you need a slab of chocolate cut into chunky pieces)

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas and melted butter. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and milk, mixing until well combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter should be thick.
Gently fold the chopped chocolate into the batter, reserving a few pieces to sprinkle over the tops of the muffins.
Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups and top with the reserved chocolate chunks. Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for another 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Cool and enjoy:

Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Why do I start baking at a high temperature and then turn the oven temperature down?

Starting at a higher temperature helps the muffins or other baked goods to rise quickly and develop a nice initial lift. This rapid rise creates a fluffy and light texture in the finished product.

BANANAS: For the best flavor and natural sweetness, use very ripe bananas. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your muffins will be. Look for bananas with plenty of brown spots.

DON'T OVERMIX: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Overmixing can lead to dense, tough muffins. A few lumps in the batter are perfectly fine.

STORAGE: Once baked, allow the muffins to cool completely. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. This helps keep them fresh and prevents them from drying out.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 27 minutes
Category: Baking, Desserts
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 muffin
Calories: 254 kcal
Sugar: 20 g
Fat: 10.7 g
Saturated Fat: 6.3 g
Carbohydrates: 36.4 g
Fiber: 1.8 g
Protein: 3.7 g