These double chocolate banana muffins are rich, soft, and deeply chocolatey and just the right amount of sweetness with bananas used as the main sweetener . Made with freshly milled flour, flaxmeal, and bananas, they are high fiber and filling and perfect for breakfast or snacks.

These double chocolate banana muffins are one of those recipes I come back to again and again, especially when I have a counter full of overripe bananas and hungry kids circling the kitchen. They feel like a treat thanks to the cocoa and chocolate chips, but they are nourishing enough that I feel good serving them for breakfast or packing them up for snacks.

Between the freshly milled flour and flaxmeal, these muffins are naturally high in fiber, which helps keep everyone full longer. The eggs and avocado oil add healthy fats that keep the muffins moist and rich without feeling heavy. It is also a very forgiving recipe. I use freshly milled flour when I have it, but all purpose flour works just as well, which makes this an easy win on busy mornings.

A Note on Oil

When developing this recipe, we first tested it as an oil-free muffin using just 3 tablespoons of whole milk. The milk is only needed if your batter looks a bit dry. Freshly milled flour tends to be thirstier than all-purpose flour, which is why this small amount may be helpful — though your batter won’t always need it.

In this recipe, bananas take the place of oil, and we were really pleased with how the oil-free muffins turned out. That said, after further testing, we found that adding ¼ cup of oil gave the muffins a slightly better flavor and helped them stay moist for longer.

Both options work well and the difference is nominal, so feel free to choose what you prefer.

comparison of two muffins, one with oil and one without

two muffins cut open, one with oil and one without

Main Ingredients & Swaps

Bananas: Overripe bananas naturally sweeten the muffins and add moisture so you do not need much added sugar. They also help create a soft, tender crumb. I have also used bananas that were not overripe and they still turned out great!
Maple Syrup: You can swap this with honey if needed. Also, I have made these before and completely forgotten the syrup and they still tasted good, so omit if you want to reduce the amount of sugar just add an extra tablespoon or two of milk.
Avocado Oil OR Whole Milk: I try to avoid seed oils, so I use avocado oil in this recipe. If you don’t have any on hand, melted coconut oil will also work. You can also omit the oil completely and use 3 tablespoons of whole milk which works surprisingly well!
Freshly Milled Flour: Brings whole grain fiber, nutrients, and a hearty texture that makes these muffins more filling. Swap with all purpose flour if you do not mill your own.
Flaxmeal: Adds a big boost of fiber and omega 3 fats while helping bind the batter. Make sure you use ground flax here and not flax seeds as that will not product the same results.
Cocoa Powder: Provides deep chocolate flavor without extra sugar. Use dutch process cocoa if you want a richer taste.
Pink Himalayan Salt: Enhances flavor and adds trace minerals that balance the sweetness. Swap with regular fine sea salt if that is all you have.
Chocolate Chips: Add bursts of sweetness and texture throughout each muffin. Swap with dark chocolate chunks or leave them out if you are watching sugar intake. If you are making these as mini muffins I would use mini chocolate chips here!

The Perfect After School Snack For Kids

Don’t be afraid to get the kids involved! They love mixing and scooping! I let my son do a tray of mini muffins and then I did a tray of regular muffins. This mini muffin scoop makes the job easy for kids. Make sure you spray the pan with some oil. I have a refillable oil spray bottle that is filled with avocado oil for this purpose.