Double Chocolate Banana Muffins with Fresh Milled Flour

If there is one muffin recipe my kids request again and again it’s chocolate banana muffins. These double chocolate banana muffins with fresh milled soft white wheat, are moist and filled with rich chocolate flavor from Dutch cocoa powder. They bake up with bakery- style tops and a soft crumb. Melty chocolate chips and ripe bananas create a fresh flavor that is absolutely worth baking today.

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Note: Fresh milled flour absorbs liquid differently than store bought flour, which is why this recipe includes a short batter rest before baking.

I have always loved making muffins with super ripe bananas. Prior to using fresh milled flour I made ones with Nutella, blueberries, chocolate chips, and sourdough discard. I even made some egg free ones (which were featured in a Taste of Home Magazine).

I recently realized I hadn’t made a double chocolate muffin with fresh milled flour. So I modified one of my original recipes (to account for the fact that fresh milled flour absorbs liquid differently than all purpose) to create these bakery style double chocolate banana muffins.

Why Make Double Chocolate Banana Muffins with Fresh Milled Flour?

• Flavor: the flavor of these muffins is amazing. Made with Dutch cocoa powder they offer a milder and deeper chocolate flavor than natural cocoa powder. The fresh milled flour adds a heartiness to these muffins elevating them to bakery style deliciousness.
• Use up bananas: if you have over ripe bananas on the counter don’t let them go to waste.
• Easy: this recipe is simple to make. Just mix the dry ingredients together, mix the wet ingredients, then fold in the chocolate chips. Letting the batter rest for 30 minutes is crucial since we are using fresh milled flour.
• Simple ingredients: Besides the Dutch cocoa powder (which is easy to find in stores), the ingredients are all pantry staples.

Ingredients You Need to Make Double Chocolate Banana Muffins with Fresh Milled Flour

• soft white wheat: gives the muffins a tender crumb
• dutch cocoa powder: provides a smooth, rich, chocolate flavor
• baking powder and baking soda: leavening agents to provide rise
• salt: enhances flavor
• ripe bananas: adds sweetness, flavor, and texture
• buttermilk: helps with rise, and a tender crumb
• white and brown sugar: use both for sweetness
• eggs: give the muffins structure
• melted butter: adds richness and moisture
• greek yogurt: adds moisture and flavor
• vanilla extract: flavor
• chocolate chips: adds pockets of melty chips throughout the muffin

The Whys Behind Certain Ingredients

• Fresh milled flour adds a delicious nutty and earthy flavor to these muffins. Be sure to use soft white wheat for a lighter and more tender muffin.
• Dutch cocoa powder provides a smoother, more chocolaty flavor. While you can use unsweetened cocoa the baking soda and baking powder amounts would need to be adjusted.
• Greek yogurt adds extra moisture (which is important since fresh milled flour absorbs more liquid than all purpose) without thinning out the batter

How to Make Double Chocolate Banana Muffins with Fresh Milled Flour

Making double chocolate banana muffins with fresh milled flour is super easy. The directions are pretty much the same as any other muffin recipe. The only difference is that you mix the cocoa powder into the melted butter before adding it to the batter.

Mix some of the dry ingredients

Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Mash the bananas

In a separate bowl mash the bananas. I like to use my stand mixer and the paddle attachment.

Add cocoa powder to the melted butter

Mix the cocoa powder into the melted butter and stir until smooth. This helps bloom the cocoa powder for a richer flavor and better incorporation into the batter.

Mix in sugar, eggs

Beat the sugar and eggs into melted butter/cocoa mix.

Add the egg mixture to the mashed bananas

Combine the egg mixture with the mashed bananas.

Mix it all together

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips.

Let rest

Let the batter rest for 30 minutes. This is important to allow the fresh milled flour to absorb the correct amount of liquid. While it is resting, preheat your oven to 425°F.

What should the batter look like? After resting the batter should thicken up slightly. When you scoop it into the muffin tin it should mound and settle slightly.

Scoop it into muffin tins

Line the muffin tin (I’m partial to these Wilton muffin tins) with parchment paper liners (preferably tulip liners if you want those big beautiful bakery style muffins). I also only fill 1/2 the tins with batter. This allows for more air flow and better rise.

Bake

Bake your muffins at 425°F for five minutes. Then lower the temperature (but do not open the oven door) to 350°F. Continue baking the muffins for 15-18 more minutes.

Tips for Bakery Style Muffins

1. Be sure to let the batter rest. This allows the fresh milled flour to fully hydrate.
2. Use parchment paper tulip liners. These liners are taller than the sides of the muffin tin and allow you to fill them with more batter than traditional liners.
3. Only fill 1/2 of the muffin tins with batter. Leaving space between muffins helps with the rise.
4. Fill the liners almost to the top. If you are using tulip liners this mean the batter will be above the edge of the tin. This is ok, as the tulip liners are holding the batter.
5. Bake at high heat first, then lower the temperature. The burst of high heat helps the muffins expand upward and develop that great domed top.

Below you can see how the muffins bake with different liners. From left to right you have large parchment paper lines, parchment paper tulips, and standard cupcake liners.

FAQs About Double Chocolate Banana Muffins with Fresh Milled Flour

Are these muffins healthy?

I wouldn’t consider these a “healthy” muffin as there is a decent amount of sugar in them. However, they do use 100% fresh milled flour, which is more nutrient packed than all purpose flour. There are also no preservatives, which I believe at least make them better than store bought.

Can I use natural cocoa powder?

You could, but would have to make adjustments to the recipe, specifically the baking soda and baking powder. This recipe is formulated with Dutch processed cocoa powder which is neutral and needs something other than baking soda to help get a good rise.

Do I need Greek yogurt?

If you don’t have Greek yogurt on hand you can use regular yogurt. However, you will want to use less buttermilk since regular yogurt is thinner than Greek. If you substitute one for one your batter will be too thin.

What if my bananas are frozen?

Good news, I almost always use frozen bananas when I make muffins. Just take the bananas out of the freezer and dump them in the bowl you will be mixing the batter with. They should defrost in about an hour. Don’t worry about the liquid that accumulates as they defrost, it just gets mixed in.

Can I use hard wheat berries?

You can, but the muffins won’t be as tender. Hard wheat berries have a higher protein content, which creates stronger gluten network. This is great for sandwich bread and sourdough, not so much for muffins.

How do I store double chocolate banana muffins?

You can store these muffins at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Because of the super ripe bananas they won’t last much longer than this.

If you don’t think you will eat them within three days they can be stored in the fridge (once again in an airtight container) for up to a week.

Can I freeze these muffins?

Absolutely! These muffins freeze great! After letting the muffins cool completely put them in an airtight container and then place them in the freezer.

Why You’ll Love These Muffins

• This is a great recipe for using up ripe bananas! If you have super ripe bananas on your counter but aren’t ready to bake, peel them and freeze the bananas to use later. This recipe works with both frozen and unfrozen bananas.
• A delicious rich chocolate flavor, with an extra boost from chocolate chips.
• Fresh milled flour adds great flavor, along with some nutrition you can’t get from all purpose flour.
• Great for a breakfast, snack, or a dessert.