Chocolate Coconut Banana Muffins

Updated. Originally 19th September 2017

These Double Chocolate Coconut Banana Muffins are perfect for any time of day as a snack, a sweet treat breakfast on a busy mornings and even dessert. Delicious, fluffy moist banana muffins, studded with chocolate chips or chunks and shredded coconut. They are not overpoweringly chocolatey or coco-nutty and the banana is mellow in them too. They are a delicious balanced combination of flavours. If you are like me and always seem to have some over ripe bananas hanging around needing to be baked into something delicious - these muffins are just the thing. These are just what those ripe bananas on your counter are begging to be used for.

Why you will love these muffins

• You will love these for how moist and delicious they are and they are also great for making the night before for breakfast or brunch the next day.
• They are loaded with rich chocolate flavours
• They are very simple to make.
• They also freeze well so you can freeze some to enjoy later.
  
  

Chocolate Coconut Banana Muffins Recipe Ingredients

• BANANAS: Over ripe bananas (the more brown spots the better) are usually best for banana baked goods including these muffins - they add a natural sweetness to baked goods. You can also use frozen bananas too. Thaw the frozen bananas. Drain off any excess liquid, mash, then use as instructed in the recipe. You will need 1 cup or 2-3 medium to large bananas.
• SUGAR: You will need brown sugar and granulated sugar for the batter for sweetness and moisture.
• OIL: You will need coconut oil for this recipe or any vegetable oil like canola oil.
• FLOUR: I use all purpose flour. I have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour.
• BAKING POWDER, BAKING SODA & SALT: Just a little of each for leavening and flavour
• VANILLA EXTRACT & COCONUT EXTRACT: I like to use both for these muffins - vanilla always but the coconut extract really helps amp up the coconut tropical flavor. The shredded coconut adds some but the extract help give them more flavor.
• EGGS: I use large and room temperature eggs so they incorporate into the batter better.
• SOUR CREAM: Sour cream adds moisture to the muffins. You can use yogurt in its place if you prefer.
• COCONUT MILK: Coconut milk also adds moisture and coconut flavor to the muffins. I use the canned coconut milk for better coconut flavor. If you prefer to use whole milk of evaporated milk for this recipe you can.
• CHOCOLATE CHIPS: I like to use dark chocolate chips or semi sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks or chopped chocolate. I like to use regular chocolate chips but if you prefer you can use a cup mini chocolate chips for chocolate in each bite.
• SHREDDED COCONUT: I use sweetened shredded coconut for the batter and for sprinkling on top of the muffins. If you have coconut flakes/ chips feel free use those as a prettier topping but not for the batter. If you prefer to use unsweetened flakes that is fine too.
• ESPRESSO POWDER: I add just a pinch of instant espresso powder to the batter to help intensify the cocoa flavor. It is optional but a nice add in.
  
  

How To Make Chocolate Banana Coconut Muffins

Here are the basic instructions with more details in recipe card below.

1. WHISK together dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and espresso powder if adding
2. WHISK together wet ingredients: in a large bowl whisk sugar and mashed bananas, followed by the sour cream, oil, vanilla and coconut extracts and egg
3. COMBINE the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients alternating with the coconut milk in two additions and / gently stir until just about combined
4. FOLD in the chocolate chips and shredded coconut
5. REST BATTER & PREHEAT OVEN: resting the batter is optional but helps to get nice fluffy large domed shaped muffins. I usually let it rest just enough to preheat oven.
6. Gently SCOOP out batter evenly into prepared muffin cups right up to the brim or just under each muffin tin, sprinkle top with more shredded coconut and chocolate chips
7. BAKE at 425°F for 8 minutes, REDUCE the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for another 8-10 minutes
8. COOL in pan a few minutes then remove from pan, allow to cool completely and enjoy!
   
   

Muffin Tips & Tricks

There are a lot of tips out there - here are a few that I implement often to get nice domed bakery style muffins! Of course these are optional but if possible are a great way to get a taller bakery style muffin top.

• BAKING MUFFINS AT INITIAL HIGH TEMPERATURE: The initial high blast of heat will help these beauties rise and dome/puff up really nicely
• REST BATTER: A short 20-minute muffin batter rest will result in a taller muffin crown. This is optional but I usually allow batter to rest while the I preheat the oven.
• SPACING OUT BATTER: Or spacing out the liners in the muffin pan allows the heat from the oven to circulate around each muffin equally, helping muffins to rise, bake, and brown more evenly. Spacing them out also allows you to fill the liners to the brim without the tops overflowing. So that means for a standard 12 muffin tin you would make 6 muffins and would need 2 trays to bake the muffins. This definitely does work but they will still turn out just as delicious if you bake them all in one single pan.
• DO NOT OVER-MIX BATTER: This will create a drier denser muffin - but at the same time make sure the ingredients are well incorporated and distributed within batter
• DO NOT OVER-BAKE MUFFINS: as soon as the tester comes out with just a couple crumbs you are done - over baking will also create drier muffins (the muffins will continue to bake from heat of pan)
• PREHEAT OVEN PROPERLY: Each oven heats and bakes differently so please take this into consideration and keep an eye on all baked good minutes before they are suppose to be done - and make sure your oven is properly preheated before baking - this will make all the difference. I have an oven thermometer that I rely on instead of relying on the oven to tell me.
• MEASURE CAREFULLY: Measure all of the ingredients carefully before starting recipe.
• CHECK FOR DONENESS A FEW MINS EARLY: Check the doneness at the 12 minute mark and feel free to tent with foil if tops of muffins are browning too quickly. There is always a range of baking times in recipes for a reason - because all ovens and baking pans are different and distribute heat differently.
  
  

How to Store & Freeze Muffins After Baking

Before storing or freezing muffins it’s important that muffins have fully cooled before storing them – otherwise they will end up soggy. After that you are set to store or freeze them as directed below:

• Room temperature: Keeping leftover muffins in an airtight container on your kitchen countertop is the best way to store muffins for up to 2-3 days. Line an airtight container or zip-lock bag with paper towel and store the muffins in a single layer. Place another layer of paper towel on top of the muffins as well. The paper towels act to absorb excess moisture. They can be stored in a container without paper towel, but are more likely to become soggy or more dense and moist the longer they’re in there.
• Freezer: To freeze muffins, place them in a single layer in a freezer bag or wrap individually with plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Make sure you get as much air out of the bag as possible, to reduce the chance of freezer burn, place that sealed bag inside another bag and seal that one too. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature, or in the fridge overnight or place them unwrapped on some paper towel in the microwave for 20-30 seconds
• Refrigerator: Typically, avoid refrigerating muffins. Doing so tends to dry them out. Leftovers will keep up to a week refrigerated though if you must.
  
  

If you like these banana muffins you will also love my:

• Bakery Style Banana Nut and Chocolate Chunk Muffins
• Easy Banana Bread
• Brown Butter Nutella Banana Bread
• Banana Hazelnut Cake With Nutella Frosting