Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins

Chocolate muffins arranged on a parchment paper with chocolate chips beside.

5 from 3 votes

Nutritious, filling, and packed with protein, these chocolate banana protein muffins make a great grab-and-go breakfast or snack! An easy, one-bowl recipe that only calls for pantry ingredients and is ready in an hour.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings: muffins

Calories: 197kcal

Author: Meesha

Ingredients

Wet ingredients

3 medium bananas ripe (around 300g/10.5 oz)
2 eggs or flax eggs (see note)*
¼ cup maple syrup or agave/honey/sugar-free syrup
2 tablespoons light olive oil or canola/sunflower seed oil

Dry ingredients

1 ½ cup oat flour **
½ cup plant-based vanilla protein powder or another neutral flavor (see notes)***
⅓ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 210C/410F. Grease or line a 12-hole muffin pan.
In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas until smooth.
Add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix well.
Fold in dry ingredients until a smooth batter forms. You might need to add some milk or water, a tablespoon at a time if the batter is too thick. (I ended up adding 3 tablespoons)
Fill each muffin hole ¾ of the way. Optionally, top it with more chocolate chips.
Bake for 8 minutes, then lower the temperature to 180C/350F and bake for another 10-12 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick down the middle. They are done baking if the toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs clinging onto it.
Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

*Eggs - To make this recipe vegan, replace the eggs with 2 flax eggs by combining 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds with 6 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for a few minutes until the mixture becomes a gel-like consistency before using.

**Oat flour - To make this recipe gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oat flour. You can make oat flour at home by blending rolled or quick oats in a high-speed blender until they turn into flour.

**Protein powder - You can use vanilla, unflavored, or chocolate-flavored plant-based protein powder. Whey protein will work, but you might need more flour or protein powder as it is less absorbent.

Helpful tips

Measure flour correctly - I recommend using a weighing scale (like this Ozeri kitchen scale). If using measuring cups, follow the spoon and level method. Do not scoop flour directly from the bag or pack flour into the cup.
Avoid overbaking - Overbaked muffins will turn dry and crumbly. Muffins are done baking when a toothpick comes out fairly clean with a few wet crumbs when inserted down the middle.
To create the perfect muffin dome - Muffins are first baked at a high temperature as the initial burst of heat forces the batter to rise. They are then baked at a lower temperature to ensure the insides are properly cooked.

Storing - Muffins can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3 months. Allow frozen muffins to thaw overnight in the fridge before heating them in the oven or microwave.

Nutrition