My three favorite flavors are all stuffed together, to make these Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins. They’re thick and fluffy, filled with banana and chocolate flavor, and a pretty peanut butter swirl on top. Kids love these muffins too!
What is chocolate better with: peanut butter or banana?
I’d pick peanut butter every time, but Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is one of my favorite classic breakfasts. I guess either way I’d be happy!
So why not combine all three?
I’ve shared recipes for Chocolate Banana Muffins and Peanut Butter Banana Muffins, so I figured it was time to combine them and share one that features all three.
Rich chocolate, nutty and salty peanut butter, and sweet banana. They’re a match made in Heaven.
These muffins are made a little healthier too, with less butter and extra protein from the peanut butter. I also like to use oat flour for a bit of extra fiber as well. But, they taste and look like muffins you’d find in a bakery! Especially with the pretty (and easy!) peanut butter swirl on top.
If you’ve got ripe bananas, forget basic banana bread and try these Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins instead this time.
A few tips before you bake these muffins…
First, I recommend using white sugar. These muffins are lightly sweet, and I wouldn’t recommend switching the white sugar out with maple syrup or honey. They just won’t be sweet enough that way. You can replace it with coconut sugar if you prefer, though.
I recommend using a thick, creamy peanut butter. Not an oily natural peanut butter. As much as I love natural peanut butter, the plastic jars of Jif are best for consistent results when baking. Extra oil from a more natural peanut butter could cause muffin batter that is too thin, which would make the muffins spread rather than puff up while baking.
Be sure to use those spotty, brown, overripe banana’s in these muffins too! The darker your banana’s are, the sweeter your muffins will be. It’s worth the wait.
And don’t forget to add your cocoa powder to your bowl through a fine mesh strainer! It’ll take out any cocoa powder clumps so you don’t end up with chalky chunks in your muffins after they’ve baked.
Peanut Butter Swirl
This is an added step, and totally optional, but makes these muffins look like they come from a fancy bakery. You’ll add about 1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter on top of each muffin prior to baking. I recommend using a mini spatula to easily scoop the peanut butter out of the teaspoon measure and onto the muffins.
Next, you’ll take a toothpick and swirl the peanut butter around the top of each muffin, blending it in with some of the batter. I swirled the peanut butter around on top several times for each muffin. Have fun with it! I think it’s sort of therapeutic, but maybe that’s just me. 🙂
More Muffin options…
To make these Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins gluten-free, be sure to use a certified gluten-free all purpose flour blend (with xantham gum). Alternatively, you can use certified gluten-free oat flour as well. Or, a combination of the two.
If you don’t need these muffins to be gluten-free, regular white flour will work just as well.
To make these muffins dairy-free, use a dairy-free butter alternative stick (or coconut oil) and dairy-free milk (I like almond milk).
Want to make your muffins extra rich and decadent?
Add about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to your batter (semi-sweet, milk or dark). This way you’ll get pools of chocolate throughout your muffins as well. Yum!!
These Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins are rich, fluffy and loaded. If you love chocolate, peanut butter and banana, then prepare to fall in love with these muffins too!
After you make them, let me know what you think. I love to hear from ya’ll! Leave a comment and/or rating below, and find me on Instagram and tag me in your pic.
Before you go, be sure to check out my Peanut Butter Granola, Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies (a personal favorite!), and gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes. You can never have too much chocolate, peanut butter, or banana! 😉
- 1/4 cup butter, softened (or coconut oil or a dairy-free butter alternative stick)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup peanut butter*
- 1 1/4 cup overripe banana, mashed (about 3 large bananas)
- 1/4 cup milk of choice (skim, 2%, whole or almond)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup gluten-free all purpose flour, regular flour, or oat flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 6 tsp peanut butter*
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To begin, preheat your oven to 350 and spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray.
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To a large mixing bowl, add your butter and sugar and beat together with a mixer till creamy. Add your peanut butter, banana, milk, and vanilla and mix together again till everything is well incorporated. Add your eggs and briefly blend them in.
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To the same bowl, add your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add your cocoa powder to the same bowl through a fine mesh strainer. Stir everything together till you have a smooth, consistent muffin batter.
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Fill each muffin tin about 2/3 way full with muffin batter.
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To add the peanut butter swirl: Prior to baking, add an overflowing 1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter to the top of each muffin. Use a toothpick and gently swirl the peanut butter throughout the top of each muffin top.
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Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool, then devour!
*I recommend using store bought peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy. Other peanut butters that are more oily may provide different results.
**Stored in an airtight container in the fridge these muffins last about a week.
I’m not sure what happened with mine. I double checked ingredients measurements but felt my batter came out really thick. More like cookie dough that muffin batter. They are in oven now but don’t seem to be rising much.
Hi Tam. I’m sorry to hear that. Any chance your baking powder/soda are old? Did you measure your banana? What brand of peanut butter did you use? And what flour? There’s various ways these could’ve turned out too dense. The dough is fairly thick, and they should bake up hearty but fluffy still.
I made this recipe this morning and it made 17 muffins! They rose nicely and have a great texture and flavor. I made them with oatmilk, plant ‘butter’ and coconut sugar. I would like them just a tad sweeter, so I may add some chocolate chips next time!
would this recipe work with flax or psyllium eggs?
Hands down my family’s favourite GF muffin recipe. Perfect rise, and so delicious. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome recipe 🙂
They are delicious…. I did however put just about 4 milk choc chips on top of each one …. To make my 11 yr old say ooh they good and he did!
These are so good! Making them for a second time today. Both my little kids helped make them, and then helped gobble them all up. 😂
Great recipe! They rose nicely and I used a little maple syrup so they aren’t too sweet. I found the next day with a coffee they are so yummy! This is a keeper Thankyou!
Hi there
Was wondering if I can freeze these?
Thank you
Hi Marla. That should work just fine! Defrost them in the fridge later, not on the counter.
They rose beautifully. Not a lot of sugar in the recipe so healthier I assume. Will make again they were delicious
Great recipe! I substituted the gluten free flour for 3/4 cup green banana flour and 1/4 cup almond flour, I used almond milk and coconut oil as suggested, coconut sugar instead of white sugar and 2 ripe bananas. They turned out amazing! Thank you 🙂
So great to hear, thanks Sandy!