Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins [vegan]

In my household, we eat a lot of bananas. We’re not quite up to par with some plant-based eaters that I’ve come across who routinely eat 10 bananas in a day (whoa right?), but my hubby and I go through around a dozen bananas a week together.

I primarily eat them in smoothies, with nut butter, or atop yogurt and smoothie bowls. My hubby usually eats them in his protein shakes or on their own, especially to refuel after he’s gone for a run or bike ride. Since we love our naners, it only makes sense that we both dig banana bread!

Last weekend I wanted to make a chocolate chip banana bread as part of a gift for our friends’ birthday party for their 2-year old – who I remembered loved my banana bread the last time I shared one with them. I have a go-to vegan banana bread recipe that I’ve made many times, but I wanted to try making a couple of healthier swaps this time around.

I wanted to make a bread to keep for ourselves, but had the idea to come up with a batch of banana bread muffins instead, because a.) I find banana bread to be so yummy and addicting, so portioning it out into muffins seemed like a good idea, and b.) I wanted to bake both the banana bread and the muffins at once, since I only have 1 bread tin and was short on time.

How did I “healthify” my usual beloved banana bread?

• I nixed the white sugar and subbed it for a reduced amount of maple syrup
• I reduced the amount of brown sugar
• I swapped Earth Balance/butter for applesauce
• I added in a bit of coconut oil

This banana bread doesn’t go light on the fruit. It calls for 4 glorious browned bananas, which brings both sweetness and moistness to the recipe. The recipe already used whole wheat flour vs. the less healthy option of white flour, as well as dark chocolate as opposed to non-nutritious milk chocolate chips, so I kept those healthy elements in.

The result? Still flavorful & sweet, still moist, & still delicious banana bread! While I adore banana bread slices, I love that banana bread muffins are more of a convenient grab-and-go, portion controlled snack.

If you prefer to make banana bread, follow the recipe and simply pour the batter into a loaf pan instead of muffin cups. Whether you make muffins or bread, I think that you’ll love them either way!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins [vegan]

Foodie Loves Fitness

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 23 mins

Total Time 38 mins

Servings 12

Calories 215 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 medium browned bananas
• 1/2 cup unsweetened natural applesauce
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips dairy free
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 2 TBSP cinnamon
• 1 TSP apple cider vinegar
• 1 TBSP coconut oil melted
• 1/2 TBSP vanilla extract
• 1 TSP baking soda
• 1/2 TSP salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin cups.
• In a small bowl, combine almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
• Mash bananas thoroughly. Place in another bowl, and add in the applesauce, maple syrup, coconut oil, brown sugar, vanilla and almond milk mixture.
• Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture bowl and combine well. Add in the chocolate chips and mix just until combined. Pour evenly into the muffin cups.
• Bake for 23 minutes or until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out of the center of the muffins clean.
• Allow to cool on a cooling rack before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 215kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 3gFat: 5gFiber: 4g

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Tell me… Which do you prefer – muffins or sweet breads? Are you a big banana fan?