Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

Updated: Oct 1, 2025 by christina.marsigliese · 38 Comments

These Double Chocolate Banana Muffins are so moist and full of chocolate flavor that they are almost sinful! I call them "Matilda" muffins because they are just so decadent even though they actually have less added sugar thanks to very ripe bananas in the batter. They are outrageously chocolatey and keep moist for days. These are the banana muffins that will make you forget you're eating banana muffins and make you think you're eating an indulgent dessert! This is the type of recipe that is appropriate for a casual brunch or to serve for dessert at a dinner party. They're simple to make as it's just a matter of blending the wet ingredients, then blending the dry ingredients and then combining them until you get a nice batter. Do not over mix because a few small lumps are ok with these types of "quick bread" recipes. If you love banana recipes, check out my very popular Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread and my Double Chocolate Banana Bread.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

Easy to make - you only need basic pantry ingredients to make these muffins so it is accessible and easy to make any day of the week! You'll need flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, oil, dark chocolate and of course ripe bananas. You will also need eggs and yogurt or sour cream - whichever you have on hand.
Rich double chocolate flavor - these muffins have a rich chocolate flavor from cocoa powder in the batter and dark chocolate chunks.
Chocolate chip muffins - I like to use intense dark 70% bittersweet chocolate chips, but you can also use semisweet chocolate chips.
Moist banana muffins - this recipe makes very moist muffins with a soft texture.

INGREDIENTS FOR DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS

Here are some notes on some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

All purpose flour - simple AP flour is best for muffins and breads. Adding too much flour is the most common mistake and leads to tough and dry loaves. The most accurate way to measure flour is using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup and use a knife to level it off.
Granulated sugar - simple white sugar will keep these muffins sweet and moist.
Brown sugar - an equal amount of brown sugar will add a hint of molasses flavor for extra richness to enhance the chocolate taste.
Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is essential to enhance the flavor of the chocolate. Do not leave it out!
Cocoa powder - try to get your hands on some good quality cocoa powder! It's the main flavor and you want it to shine so use the best you can find. I love to use this Dutch Process cocoa powder for this recipe. Make sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder and not cocoa mix.
Espresso powder - it adds really nice depth and heightened roasted notes to these muffins which enhances the chocolate taste.

Eggs - two whole eggs will set the structure of these muffins to make them open-textured and bouncy.
Sour cream - one of the secrets to the best chocolate banana muffins is sour cream, like in my best moist chocolate cake recipe. Sour cream contributes the dairy undertones, rich flavor and body (thanks to its high protein and fat content) that oil-based cakes lack. Full fat sour cream adds richness and dairy notes in the absence of butter.
Oil - Although I LOVE BUTTER, oil makes muffins ultra moist since it is liquid at room temperature. Plus, with this intense chocolate flavor and the sour cream, you won't miss the butter.
Bananas - make sure they are nicely spotted and very ripe, but I tend to avoid previously frozen bananas which lose their structure and exude a lot of water. This will affect the final texture of the muffins.
Dark chocolate - you'll need pure dark chocolate chips or chunks. Anything between 50 and 70% cocoa solids will work, but I highly recommend dark chocolate with 60% cocoa solids for the best taste. These bittersweet chocolate callets are my favorite and very convenient.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

This recipe is EASY! You start with the mashed bananas in a bowl and then add all of the remaining ingredients. Do not mix vigorously once the dry ingredients are added. In fact, if a few small lumps remain, that will be OK because they will blend themselves out as you pour the batter into the pan.

STEP 1). Blend dry ingredients. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Sift it if your cocoa powder is very lumpy.
STEP 2). Blend wet ingredients. Place mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl (or you can mash the bananas right in the bowl with a fork - you will need 240g of banana flesh which is about 2 medium bananas). Stir in both sugars. Add sour cream and oil and whisk until combined. Whisk in eggs one at a time until smooth.
STEP 3). Add dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients all at once to the wet mixture and fold together gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not over-mix. A few small lumps are just fine. Fold in chocolate chips.
STEP 4). Bake. Divide batter evenly among muffins cups and bake for 15-18 minutes until slightly cracked at the surface and firm to the touch. A skewer inserted into the center should come out clean. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes, then transfer muffins individually to the rack to cool completely on the rack.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS:

Use very ripe bananas. Bananas are ready for cake/bread-making when they are well spotted.
Avoid using frozen bananas if possible. I do not recommend using frozen bananas as they have a different flavor and release a lot of moisture which can sometimes make the cake a bit stodgy. Freezing bananas also breaks down their cell structure so that the crumb of the finished cake is not as fine and uniform... instead it will be a little more dense. Having said this, the recipe will still work with frozen bananas, it just doesn't produce the best results.
Use dark chocolate with at least 55% cocoa solids. You can also use milk chocolate but since it has twice as much sugar as dark chocolate, the muffins will be much sweeter.

RECIPE FAQ

What type of oil is best for chocolate banana muffins?

Firstly - use a fresh oil! Do not use anything that's been opened for a long time and when you store oil, it should be in a cool dark place. Light and heat accelerate oxidation reactions that can make the flavor turn rancid. My oil of choice for baking is sunflower oil for its clean and neutral taste, but any other oil such as canola or safflower will do. You can even use olive oil, but keep in mind that it will add the taste of olive oil to the cake.

What is a substitute for sour cream?

Sour cream really makes these muffins delicious, but if sour cream is not available to you where you live, you can also make this recipe using an equal amount of full fat Greek yogurt. I have tested this and it worked well! and if you can't get sour cream where you live then you can substitute with fill fat Greek yogurt. Another suitable substitution is crème fraîche -- a type of fermented dairy product somewhere between yogurt and sour cream.

Can I make this recipe without espresso powder?

Yes! You can completely omit the espresso powder, however it does wonders to enhance the flavor of the cocoa and makes these taste super elevated.

What is the secret to super moist muffins and how do I make my muffins more moist?

It's not more fat! Moisture comes from liquid, not fat. So you can add more oil, but it will really just make the muffins more oily and more tender by shortening the texture. To ensure these stay moist, measure the flour correctly and do not over-mix the batter. Also, be sure not to over-bake them.

Why are my muffins flat?

If your muffins baked up flat, it may be that your raising agents are no longer active, so be sure to use fresh baking soda and fresh baking powder. If your oven is running cool, then the muffins will not get that initial jump to puff up as soon as they get in the oven before the batter starts to expand outwards. Ensure you have your oven at the correct temperature because muffins bake hotter than cakes.

How do you get tall muffin tops?

There are a few secrets to that nice domed muffin top. 1). Bake at a higher temperature to puff the batter right at the start, 2). Let the batter sit for 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate which will give the proteins more strength to hold the air in as they bake, 3). Use the fat setting on your oven to ensure even air circulation around each muffin (although I often bake these in conventional ovens with success).

Can I freeze double chocolate banana muffins?

Yes! Just place them in a resealable freezer bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months.

If you love chocolate, check out these recipes!

Ultimate Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Turtle Cookies Fudgy Small Batch Brownies Olive Oil Chocolate Bundt Cake Best Vanilla Cupcake Recipe with Chocolate Fudge Frosting Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Creamy Milk Chocolate Frosting Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

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