Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

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If you have a few ripe bananas sitting on the counter, this is exactly the kind of recipe you'll want to make. These Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are soft, tender, and just the right amount of sweet. They're perfect for a relaxed morning with a cup of coffee or tea, an afternoon snack, or a little something to tuck into a lunchbox.

Made with simple pantry ingredients like spelt flour, soy milk, and ground cinnamon, these muffins come together easily with a bowl and a spatula. The mashed bananas add natural sweetness and moisture, while dairy-free chocolate chips bring little pockets of richness in every bite.

Overhead view of Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins in muffin tin.

The classic combination of sweet banana and chocolate in this soft, fluffy muffin is comforting and just a little indulgent. These vegan muffins are the kind of treat you'll find yourself reaching for throughout the day with a cup of coffee or as a quick grab-and-go snack.

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Ingredients
Substitutions
Variations
How to Make Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
Related Vegan Recipes
Recipe
Comments

If you enjoy baking with bananas, chances are you will like this Vegan Gluten-free Banana Bread. And for more cozy options, try these easy Vegan Banana Oat Pancakes, Vegan Chocolate Tahini Banana Bread, or Vegan Buckwheat Banana Waffles.

Ingredients

These Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are easy to make and are made with simple ingredients you likely already have on hand.

Organic cane sugar - I use organic sugar because it's not processed with bone char. Note that these muffins are just sweet enough when made with overripe bananas. If you have a sweet tooth or your bananas are not quite overripe, feel free to add more sugar, another ¼ cup or so.
Grapeseed oil - a neutral oil that is well-suited for baking
Organic soy milk - this is a great non-dairy alternative
Bananas - use overripe bananas for best results - the spottier the bananas are, the better, because the muffins will be naturally sweeter.
Spelt flour - Spelt is an ancient grain related to barley, rye, and wheat; this slightly nutty flour contains gluten and is a wholesome alternative to all-purpose flour. I use this one from One Degree Organics.
Vegan chocolate chips - I used Pascha Organic Chocolate Chips, 55% cacao - perfect in this recipe and one of my favorite things to put in any banana baked goods. In this recipe, I use a cup of chocolate chips.
Vanilla extract - for flavor
Flaxseed meal (not pictured) - mix with water to make a flax "egg."

A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found on the recipe card below.

We loved these muffins! They are perfect as a snack or for a quick breakfast! Thank you!

- Chris

Substitutions

Here are some substitutions you can try when making these dairy-free banana chocolate chip muffins:

Spelt flour - use all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, or whole wheat pastry flour. If you use 100% whole wheat flour, mix it 50/50 with all-purpose flour. Otherwise, the muffins will be too dense and heavy.
Soy milk - use oat milk, almond milk, cashew milk, or the plant milk of your choice.
Organic cane sugar - you can use coconut sugar, brown sugar, or granulated sugar.
Grapeseed oil - use melted coconut oil or melted vegan butter. Or you can try unsweetened applesauce if you are avoiding oil; however, I haven't tried this myself. Let me know how it goes!
Chocolate chips - try chopped chocolate instead - use your favorite vegan dark chocolate.
Bananas - try unsweetened applesauce instead.
Add-ins - Stir in your favorite nuts or dried fruit. Experiment with different flavors and toppings to make these muffins your own. Maybe you'd like a crumb topping like in this Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins recipe.

Variations

Here are some variations you can try when making these vegan muffins with banana and chocolate chips:

Oil-free - Instead of oil, use unsweetened applesauce.
Gluten-free - Try a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend such as Bob's Red Mill for a gluten-free option.
Cinnamon - Use wild mesquite fruit pulp powder instead. I have tried it, and it's so good with notes of vanilla, cocoa, and cinnamon toast! Or try a pinch of cardamom.
Double chocolate - substitute ½ cup cocoa powder for the flour.
Chocolate chips - use nuts instead, such as chopped walnuts or pecans. Or try raisins.

How to Make Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

It's easy to make these delicious vegan banana chocolate chip muffins, even if it is your first time!

Overhead view of flaxseed meal mixed reduced apple cider in a cup on a white tile surface.

Step 1: Preheat the oven and line a muffin tin with twelve paper liners. Make the flax "egg" by combining the flaxseed meal with warm water and let it rest for a few minutes.

Overhead view of wet ingredients to make vegan banana chocolate chip muffins.

Step 2: Mash the banana in a large mixing bowl. Add the soy milk, grapeseed oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Add the flax "egg" and combine.

Overhead view of dry ingredietns in a mixing bowl.

Step 3: In a medium bowl, sift the spelt flour, organic cane sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Step 4: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Reserve some chocolate chips for sprinkling later.

Overhead view of unbaked muffins in tin.

Step 5: Spoon the batter into the paper liners. Sprinkle the extra chocolate chips on top.

Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins in a muffin tin.

Step 6: Bake in the center rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the muffins are golden brown and the tops spring back when touched. Let these vegan banana chocolate chip muffins cool for twenty minutes before enjoying them.

Side angle of Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins in tin.

How to tell when the muffins are ready

Insert a wooden toothpick in the middle of one of the muffins in the pan. The toothpick should have a few moist crumbs clinging to it or be clean. There should be no uncooked batter. If there, bake for another 5 minutes and check again.

Expert Tips

Pick very ripe, spotty bananas for these dairy-free and egg-free chocolate banana muffins to ensure they're sweet enough and have the right consistency. Do not use green bananas. Place unripe bananas in a paper bag to ripen them faster.
When measuring the flour, scoop it into the measuring cup with a spoon and level it with the spoon handle or the back of a butter knife.
Mix the batter until just combined; do not overmix, as this will affect the texture. Once the batter is mixed, put the vegan chocolate chip banana muffins in the middle rack of the oven.

Recipe FAQs

How do I store these vegan banana chocolate chip muffins?

Make sure the muffins are completely cool before storing them at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Refrigerate in a sealed container, such as a freezer bag, for up to 7 days in the fridge.

Can I freeze these vegan banana muffins?

Freeze well-wrapped muffins for 2 to 3 months; wrap each muffin individually and place in an airtight container or freezer-safe Ziploc bag. Thaw each muffin at room temperature for an hour before eating.

How can I reheat these muffins?

Reheat these vegan banana chocolate chip muffins for 10 minutes in a preheated oven at 350°F.

Do I have to use spelt flour?

No, you can use unbleached all-purpose flour or a mix of whole-wheat and all-purpose flour.

If you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

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5 from 172 votes (166 ratings without comment)