Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

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While I do love a good banana bread, there’s something extra special about banana muffins, don’t you think? Not only are they a great way to use up your overripe bananas, but they’re also great for snacking, taking on-the-go, or enjoying as a quick breakfast (or dessert).

These healthy, Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are everything you want in a muffin. They’re fluffy, but also moist and tender, not to mention full of flavor!

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Are vegan muffins healthy?

It’s important to note that just because the word “vegan” is in front of a recipe, that doesn’t mean it’s healthy!

Flour is vegan. Refined sugar is vegan. Highly processed oils are vegan. Vegan butter is (obviously) vegan.

While these ingredients are all vegan, they can be very unhealthy! Especially when used in excess.

This Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins recipe is made without flour, without added sugar, without oil, and without vegan butter.

How to make vegan banana muffins

Because traditional banana muffins typically include butter and eggs, they are not naturally vegan.

Luckily, these are very easy ingredients to substitute when turning a recipe vegan!

In order to make banana muffins vegan, I used a combination of applesauce, flax meal, and peanut butter to replace butter and eggs.

Plus, bananas also just so happen to be egg substitutes in vegan baking as well! So, really, it’s the combination of these four ingredients (bananas, applesauce, flax meal, and peanut butter) that substitute eggs and butter here.

Here is a complete list of all the ingredients used for this Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins recipe:

• Bananas
• Almond milk (any plant-based milk can be substituted) – I like to make my own at home using my Almond Cow! You can use my code NATALYA for a $15 discount if you decide to buy one. They’re awesome!
• Applesauce
• Peanut butter (any nut butter can be substituted)
• Oat flour
• Almond flour
• Monk fruit (date sugar or coconut sugar can be substituted if you don’t mind added sugar)
• Flax meal
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla powder (or extract)
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Baking powder

How to make vegan muffins fluffy

All muffin recipes use baking powder or baking soda (or both) to make them rise. This is what makes them light and fluffy.

If you use too little, they won’t rise enough, and if you use too much, they will rise too quickly and collapse!

For this Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins recipe, I used a combination of both, baking powder and baking soda, to achieve that perfect light and fluffy muffin texture.

Are banana muffins and banana bread the same?

The recipes for banana muffins and banana bread can absolutely be the same! They are both considered “quick breads,” and essentially have the same base and baking properties.

If you have a banana bread recipe you really love, try pouring the batter into a muffin tin, and decreasing the baking time!

Do I need to add chocolate chips?

That is entirely up to you! I chose to fold in chocolate chips (but this is totally optional).

Some other add-in options are blueberries, walnuts, pecans, or cinnamon swirls. You can also add toppings once the batter is in the muffin tin, like a sprinkle of nuts, seeds, or rolled oats over the top before baking. Extra nutrients!

You can also keep it simple and skip the add-ins entirely. Your choice!

Where to store banana muffins

Where and how you decide to store banana muffins depends on when you plan on eating them! If muffins are left exposed, the moisture will start to leak from them and they will dry out, whereas if they are stored in an airtight container the wrong way for too long, they can become soggy.

If you’re planning to eat them the next day, the best way to preserve their freshness is to either leave them on a wire rack overnight with a clean, dry dish towel covering them, or put them in an airtight container (once fully cooled).

If you’re planning to keep them for a few days, line an airtight container with a paper towel or a clean, dry dish towel, and store the muffins in a single layer on top of it. Then, place another layer of paper towel (or dish towel) on top of the muffins. You can definitely store them in an airtight container without using some kind of towel, but they may become soggy after 24 hours.

How long do vegan banana muffins last?

In my experience with this particular recipe, the muffins stay fresh at room temperature for about 4 days if stored properly.

After this, I recommend freezing them if you haven’t already finished the whole batch!

Can you freeze banana muffins?

Yes, you can! When stored properly, frozen banana muffins can keep for about 2-4 months.  

All you have to do is cool the muffins completely, as you would if you were storing them at room temperature. Then, wrap them tightly (individually) in some kind of wrap. I suggest wrapping them a few times each to make sure they’re completely sealed.

After that, place the wrapped banana muffins in an airtight bag for extra security, and store them in the freezer for 2-4 months.

Looking to get rid of some of your bananas? Try these recipes:

Vegan Banana Bread

Banana Waffles

Chocolate Waffles

Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag your photos with @healthiir on Instagram! I’d love to hear what you think. 🙂