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Banana Muffins – Make them special with Chocolate and Orange

May 30, 2021 by Sushama Dandekar 26 Comments

Banana Muffins – make them special with chocolate chips and fresh orange peel. With oat bran and walnuts to give them a lovely texture, these super-moist muffins hit your sweet spot with every bite. I actually feel full after eating just half a muffin, and I’m always amazed when I watch young folks put away 3 or 4 of these in a matter of minutes! Their happy smiles never fail to lift my spirits!

These muffins are a big hit with my family and friends, including my rather large family of past and present students. One such ardent fan is a dear nephew who has been asking me to post this recipe for months. So, here it is: on his milestone birthday, the recipe for his favorite kind of banana muffins.

Bananas – The Brain Tonic

A much beloved fruit, bananas can truly be called nutritional gems. My Dad, an avid banana-lover, used to call the fruit a brain tonic. Indeed, there is scientific evidence that supports this idea: bananas are known to improve concentration and enhance memory, which helps students learn more efficiently. Easy to digest, this is also one of the first fruits given to babies, who typically respond well to its sweet taste and soft texture. The medicinal benefits of bananas are very well-documented in Ayurveda as well as Chinese medicine. Across the globe, the fruit provides an affordable source of nourishment to maintain good health.

What to do with Extra-ripe bananas?

What to do with extra-ripe bananas? It seems this is a common challenge everywhere in the world, and a popular “solution”, apparently, is banana bread. Well, the banana muffins showcased here belong in that same general category – cakes, muffins, quick breads, etc. I suppose even banana pancakes and waffles could be included in this category.

Of course, these are very “western” items served for breakfast, snack and/or dessert. My Mom also made several other banana-centric items that are very distinctly Indian. She made Banana-Paratha (Puh-raa-thaa), and Banana-Thalipeeth (Thaa with the ‘th’ as in thank; Thaa-lee-peeth), both of which are griddle-fried flatbreads. Slightly sweet and served hot off the griddle – they are simply delicious! If you are Maharashtrian, you might also like Shikran (Shik-runn): mashed bananas, with a bit of sugar and milk. Avid banana-lover that I am, of course I love all of these delectable “solutions” for using up extra-ripe bananas. I plan to share recipes for these items too, so be on the look out.

Even so, this particular banana muffin recipe is just a little extra-special. What makes it so special? Well, just look at the ingredient list – chocolate chips, orange peel, walnuts… doesn’t that sound exotic and special to you? It makes me drool, just thinking about it!

Making banana muffins: Do bananas have to be extra-ripe ?

Nope! Some folks like to use bananas that are seriously extra-ripe – they’re almost black on the outside. If that’s what you like, hey, go for it! Personally, I like to use bananas that are only just a bit past their prime. I know that’s not a really specific description – so, let me clarify what that means to me. In my book, a banana with lots of brown spots is a bit past its prime. My Dad disagreed: he liked them best when they had quite a few spots. He said that’s when they were the sweetest and therefore, in their prime!

Anyway, for the muffin recipe I’ve shared here, I recommend using a banana that has quite a few brown spots on the peel. The flesh is, as Dad rightly described, very sweet. It’s also just a little bit mushy, so mashing the banana should only take about 30 seconds.

Oat Bran and Walnuts: Texture, Fiber and Protein

I do like a little chewiness and texture in my muffins – this is where the oat ban and walnuts come in. They both add a little extra fiber to the muffins, and the walnuts add a bit of protein too, which improves their nutritional profile. So yes, these banana muffins are both delicious as well nutritious.

I do not recommend toasting the nuts before adding them to the batter. Even though they might taste better that way, their nutritional benefits are superior when they are not toasted. I also like to soak the oat bran for a few minutes in the “wet” mixture before mixing with the “dry” mixture. The extra soaking time makes the oat bran swell and become soft, giving muffins that are nice and moist.

If you don’t have oat bran, you could use rolled oats, gently crushed to a coarse powder. See Recipe Notes for other alternatives, in case oats are not readily available in your part of the world.

Chocolate Chips and Orange Peel: Inimitable Flavor!

Putting chocolate into anything sweet always seems such a no-brainer, doesn’t it? Of course it tastes amazing in these muffins – why wouldn’t it? I personally also love the combination of chocolate and orange. So I decided, years ago, to add a little bit of finely slivered fresh orange peel to the muffin batter. Ohh…, was that a inspired idea, or what?! The muffins are infused with a hint of the delightful flavor and aroma of oranges. The orange flavor becomes a bit more pronounced when you bite into a wispy thin sliver of the peel. I just love it and almost always add orange peel, to make banana muffins that are extra-special with a unique, inimitable flavor.

Special Diets

These muffins are soy-free, but not gluten-free or nut-free. The pictures show muffins made with eggs and dairy. However, I have also given detailed directions for making them vegan by using suitable substitutes for eggs, butter and milk. Chocolate chips typically contain dairy: to make vegan banana muffins, use dairy free chocolate chips. If you prefer to not use nuts, just omit them or use chopped pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, etc..

If you are a muffin lover, perhaps you might wish to check out my fresh cranberry muffins recipe too. I also plan to post a few more muffin recipes, so be sure to lookout for those!

Hope you make these delicious and nutritious banana muffins soon, and enjoy them over a lovely chat with a friend. Do leave a review and a star rating. Your feedback is much appreciated.

banana-chocolate-orange muffins

Banana Muffins – Make them special with Chocolate and Orange

Peel and slice the orange peel; chop the walnuts; peel and mash the banana. Mix flour, baking powder and salt (dry mixture). Make the wet mixture with eggs, bananas, sugar, oil, orange peel, oat bran, walnuts and milk. Set aside to soak oat bran while preparing muffin pan and topping. Add wet mixture to the dry mixture, along with chcolate chips and a bit of saved banana. Fill the cups, spread the topping and bake at 400 F 14-17 min. Remove from oven, cool about 30 min and serve. Enjoy!
4.85 from 13 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people
Calories 176 kcal

Equipment

  • oven for baking muffins
  • Muffin pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup All purpose flour also called Maida
  • 1 1/4 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 6 tbsp Banana mashed -1 large or 2 medium : divided, 4 tbsp + 2 tbsp fully ripe -a little mushy; a few brown spots on the peel; peel and mash – leave a bit of texture
  • 1 whole Egg (or egg-replacer) at room temperature; if using egg-replacer, use as directed for the particular substitute: I recommend Bob's Red Mill egg-replacer – follow package directions for 1 egg – see Recipe Notes for details
  • 3 tbsp Sugar
  • 2 tbsp Oat bran if not available, use 3 tbsp rolled oats, crushed gently to a coarse powder; if oats not available, see Recipe Notes for other options
  • 1 1/2 tsp Orange peel: fresh, finely slivered if using dried peel, use 1 tsp
  • 2 tbsp Oil: divided – 4 tsp for batter, 2 tsp for greasing the paper muffin liners I prefer peanut oil; any other mild-flavored oil is OK; or use 2 tbsp butter for the batter and 2 tsp for greasing the paper liners
  • 3 tbsp Milk – divided: 2 tbsp for batter, save 1 tbsp for adding later, if needed. at room temperature; for dairy-free, use plant-based milk of your choice, or simply use plain water.
  • 2 tbsp Walnuts: chopped finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp Chocolate chips for vegan muffins, use dairy-free chocolate chips

Streusel-type Topping for muffins

  • 1 tsp Walnuts-chopped finely chopped
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1/16 tsp Cinnamon – ground
  • 1/2 tsp Butter for vegan muffins – use 1/4 tsp coconut oil

Instructions
 

  • With a sharp paring knife thinly peel the top orange layer of an orange. Try not to get any of the white rind. Stack 3-4 pieces, then thinly slice into slivers. Repeat with the rest of the pieces.
    orange peel- thin slivers
  • Set them aside while you prep everything else. As they air-dry, they start to curl up.
    See Recipe Notes for how to store any leftover slivered peel.
    drying orange peels curl up
  • Make the dry mixture: Add salt and baking powder to all-purpose flour in a medium mixing bowl (1 1/2 – 2 quart / liter). Mix well to distribute evenly and set aside while preparing the wet mixture.
  • Peel a large extra-ripe banana; you may need 2 bananas if they are small.
    ripe banana
  • Mash the banana – leave a bit of texture. A large banana yields about 6 -7 tbsp mashed banana: divide this into 2 portions: 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) for adding to the batter at first, and the remaining 2-3 tbsp, set aside for stirring in at the end.
    coarsely mashed banana
  • Start making the wet mixture as follows:
    If using egg:
    In a separate 1 1/2 – 2 quart / liter mixing bowl, use a slotted spoon (or whisk) to mix egg, sugar and 1/4 cup mashed banana. Save the remaining 2-3 tbsp banana, covered, to be added later.
    If using egg-replacer:
    Prepare the egg-replacer according to package directions. See Recipe Notes for details.
    Add sugar and banana and mix well with a a slotted spoon (or whisk).
    egg-sugar-banana
  • Add thinly slivered orange peel and butter (or oil, as shown in pic here). Stir well.
    add oil and orange peel -wet mix
  • Add oat bran and stir.
    If oat bran is not available, see Recipe Notes for suggestions.
  • Add chopped walnuts and milk. Ideally, the milk should be at room temperature; if you have just taken it out of the refrigerator, warm it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
    For vegan muffins, use your preferred plant-based milk.
    Stir and set aside to let the oat bran soak for 8-10 min.
    This is the wet mixture, which is to be added to the dry mixture.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the muffin pan: place the paper liners and grease them with about 1/4 tsp oil in each liner. Use a pastry brush or your fingers to spread the oil and evenly coat the paper.
    grease the liners
  • Make the topping in a small bowl: mix walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, salt and butter.
    muffin topping
  • Topping for muffins becomes a bit gooey; if you want more "dry" topping, use less butter.
    topping for muffins
  • Preheat oven: set to 400F (about 255C).
    Add the wet mixture to the bowl containing the dry mixture; add in remaining mashed banana and chocolate chips.
  • Stir gently with slotted spoon. Do NOT over-stir – Muffins become tough if too much gluten develops through stirring.
    mix the batter -muffins
  • If the batter looks a bit too dry – add up to 1 tbsp more milk.
    Work quickly from this point on to get maximum leavening from the baking powder, which will yield fluffy muffins. Ideally, the muffin pan should go into the oven within 5 min after the batter is ready.
    a bit more milk -muffin batter
  • Quickly transfer the batter to prepared muffin pan.
    Distribute the topping evenly on top of the batter.
    fill the cups-add topping
  • Place the filled pan on the center rack in oven: bake 14-15 min at 400F.
    After 15 min, check quickly by opening the oven door just a crack – if muffins are not done, continue to bake for an additional 2-4 min till tops are golden brown (total baking time – no more than 17-19 min.)
    If the tops are still not browned, turn on the broiler – broil for 1-2 min on low. Watch carefully while broiling: the muffins will top-brown very fast when under the broiler, in about a minute. So, if you're not watchful, you will end up with burnt muffins!
    in the oven- banana muffins
  • After turning the oven off, open the door of the oven and leave it partially open to let heat escape slowly. Leave the muffin pan in the oven for 5 min.
    done baking- banana muffins
  • Remove the muffin pan from oven after 5 min.
    out of the oven- banana muffins
  • After 2-3 min, transfer the muffins to a cooling rack.
    muffins-on cooling rack
  • Serve and enjoy with a cup of tea/coffee.
    Perfect for breakfast, snack or dessert.
    banana-chocolate-orange muffins

Notes

Left-over Orange Peels:
Store dried leftover peels to use in other recipes, or to make another batch of muffins in a few days.
Β 
Oat Bran substitutes: Use one of these, if oat bran is not available.
  • Use rolled oats, crushed coarsely between your fingers.
  • Dry roast 1 tbsp fine bulgur (cracked wheat) – this will take about 2-3 min); then use like oat bran in the recipe.
  • Dry roast 2 tbsp whole buckwheat on a heavy bottomed cast iron / stainless steel pan, stirring constantly till it begins to pop (will take about 3-4 min), then cool and crush
    • in a mortar and pestle, or
    • place in a sealed plastic bag, and roll firmly with a rolling pin.
    • Use 2 tbsp crushed roasted buckwheat instead of 2 tbsp oat bran.
Β 
Using Egg-Replacer:
I like Bob’s Red Mill brand Egg-Replacer: it is gluten-free and vegan
  • Combine 1 tbsp egg-replacer with 2 tbsp water. Mix well and set aside for 1 min to thicken.
Β 
Storing Left-over Muffins
  • Muffins are OK on the counter-top for about a day.
  • Refrigerate for longer storage; to serve, microwave for 10-15 seconds on hi.
    • Serve warm, with butter.
  • Freeze, if you like, for up to 3-4 weeks, possibly longer. To thaw, simply place on counter for about 30 min, then microwave for 15 seconds on hi.
    • Serve warm, with butter.
Β 
Β 
Β 
Β 
Β 
Β 

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 150mgPotassium: 128mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 34IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 1mg
Keyword all-purpose flour, Banana, Chocolate chips, Oatbran, Orange peel, walnuts
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Filed Under: American-European, American-European, Cakes, Muffins and more, Desserts, Fruits, Recipes, Snacks, Soy-free Tagged With: banana and chocolate, banana lover, banana muffins, can be made vegan, can be nutfree, delicious and nutritious, I love bananas, muffins, muffins and coffee, nuts and bran, orange and chocolate, orange peel, soyfree, sweet-tooth, tasty and nutritious, teatime snacks, yummy and sweet

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amod Natu

    May 30, 2021 at 6:32 am

    5 stars
    These are my favorite ones. After eating these, I just don’t like muffins anywhere else anyhow anymore πŸ˜€πŸ˜‹πŸ˜Š

    Reply
    • Sushama Dandekar

      June 2, 2021 at 3:39 am

      Make them soon, Amod! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  2. padmaja salpekar

    May 31, 2021 at 1:28 pm

    5 stars
    wow so yummy, orange peels is a gr8 idea , must try bt can v make it without egg?

    Reply
    • Sushama Dandekar

      June 2, 2021 at 3:38 am

      Yes, you can make them without egg- I have provided directions for using a commercially available egg-replacer ( Bob’s Red Mill brand). I will also add details for my own version of home-made egg-replacer using arrowroot flour (powder).

      Reply
      • Viji Iyengar

        June 5, 2021 at 4:45 pm

        5 stars
        They were delicious!!!!!
        Soft , warm and comforting!!!

        Reply
        • Sushama Dandekar

          June 8, 2021 at 2:34 am

          So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for leaving your review and star rating. πŸ™‚

          Reply
        • Krishna

          July 1, 2021 at 11:58 am

          5 stars
          I used egg replacer and it was yum! Only sad part was the recipe calls for 6 muffins instead of 12! We all wanted more😁

          Reply
          • Sushama Dandekar

            July 2, 2021 at 4:55 pm

            Awesome! So glad you all enjoyed the muffins.
            You can easily double the recipe and make 12 muffins in one batch.
            If you want to make even more muffins, I would suggest that you make the batter in two separate batches. Start mixing the batter for the second batch about 5 min before the first batch is done baking, so that your second batch is ready to bake as soon as you pull the first batch out of the oven.
            Ideally, you should get the prepared batter as soon as possible into the oven.

  3. Anagha Gadre

    June 2, 2021 at 3:29 pm

    5 stars
    Looks delicious! πŸ˜‹ …
    Will make it soon😊

    Reply
  4. Devyani Baran

    January 13, 2022 at 2:42 am

    5 stars
    These were delish!

    Reply
  5. Hannah Gould

    March 5, 2024 at 7:10 am

    5 stars
    This recipe was a hit! I tripled the recipe and followed the 18 muffin batch instructions and they turned out fantastic! I had used fresh bananas and they still produced a good moist consistency – just had a lighter color to them. Once baked, the orange peels had created the most divine aroma throughout the entire house – perfect for a gathering. Thank you so much for this fun and sweet recipe – can’t wait to pass it on.

    Reply
    • Sushama Dandekar

      March 6, 2024 at 9:19 pm

      I’m so glad you loved it, Hannah! It’s been a huge favorite in my family for years… and…. Yess! I too love the divine aroma it generates… bananas, orange, chocolate… how can you go wrong with that combo?
      Thanks for your kind review and star rating! πŸ™‚
      Please do pass it on!

      Reply
  6. Jessica

    March 27, 2024 at 6:10 pm

    4 stars
    I am not much of a baker or a cook but this recipe was fairly simple to follow and fun to make! Overall was pleasantly surprised with how they turned out, would make again β—‘Μˆ My only suggestion was I got a little confused when I changed the recipe to triple it, the main number did change but when dividing it up say the oil for example, those numbers did not change, so just pay attention to that.

    Reply
    • Sushama Dandekar

      March 28, 2024 at 3:04 am

      Hmmm… I will look into how that issue might be fixed. Thanks for letting me know.
      So glad you liked the muffins. I make these a lot… perhaps more than any other kind.. maybe the chocolate and the orange has something to do with that?! πŸ™‚
      Thanks, Jessica, for leaving a thoughtful and kind review and for the star rating.

      Reply
  7. Anntoinette Vanessa Rivera

    April 3, 2024 at 6:19 am

    5 stars
    I am not a baker by any means, this recipe was easy to follow and I even made some delicious muffins! The orange really gave the muffins a little extra something special =-)

    Reply
    • Sushama Dandekar

      April 4, 2024 at 3:56 am

      Thanks, Anntoinette! I’m so glad your muffins turned out delicious. The orange really gives it an extra boost, doesn’t it! Thanks for your review and star rating! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  8. Jaazim Saqib

    April 4, 2024 at 4:08 am

    5 stars
    I tried this recipe and didn’t have much of an issue throughout the process and I definitely enjoyed the final outcome. Overall was very smooth and well formatted!

    Reply
    • Sushama Dandekar

      April 6, 2024 at 3:59 am

      Thanks, Jaazim for your kind review and star rating. I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  9. Joanna

    April 4, 2024 at 6:39 am

    5 stars
    I made these yesterday and I loved them! I wasn’t too sure about the orange and chocolate combo but it was great! The orange was not too powerful and the chocolate provided a nice balance of flavor.

    Reply
    • Sushama Dandekar

      April 6, 2024 at 4:00 am

      So glad you enjoyed the chocolate-orange combo in he muffins, Joanna! Thanks for the kind review and star rating! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  10. Lux J

    April 4, 2024 at 5:29 pm

    5 stars
    I made mine a bit more moist and they came out so good! Will be adding this to my go to option for deserts

    Reply
    • Sushama Dandekar

      April 6, 2024 at 4:02 am

      Nice! I like moist muffins too! I’m glad you liked them and plan to make them again! Thanks for the review and star rating, Lux… much appreciated! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  11. Sierra Phanphouvong

    May 8, 2025 at 6:28 am

    4 stars
    I think I over mixed mine because they came out alittle more dense and not as fluffy as I wanted but They were still delicious! Will be trying this recipe again to redeem myself.

    Reply
    • Sushama Dandekar

      May 11, 2025 at 1:12 am

      You know, maybe you might not have over-mixed it, after all. These are a bit more dense than store-bought because of the oat bran and walnuts in there, so maybe you actually nailed the texture! πŸ™‚
      However, if you want them more fluffy, maybe try replacing the oat bran with all purpose flour. Let me know!
      Thanks for your kind review and star rating! πŸ™‚

      Reply

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