Everyone loves these chocolate chip banana muffins! They are rich, chocolatey, soft, and delicious.

I got the recipe for these muffins as a newly married school teacher. A group of my teacher friends were having a Tuppeware party. (For those under 40: Direct sales used to happen via home parties before social media was a thing. I’m all about any excuse for a party– it was fun!)

The party hostess served these homemade chocolate chip banana muffins, and I was immediately hooked on them! I got the recipe from her and began making them whenever I got the chance. People would request the recipe from me, and I would actually write it out for them. My sister-in-law started making these as often as I did, and now it has become a family recipe! I have tweaked the original slightly and feel this is the best version of chocolate chip banana muffins there is!

Secret Ingredient

One of the secrets of these muffins is coffee. Naturally, they are tasty when eaten while you are drinking coffee (or milk!), but I am referring to the coffee in the recipe. The coffee flavor doesn’t exactly come out in the muffins, but it enhances the flavors of banana and chocolate already there. It works like vanilla extract does (I have added that, too– it wasn’t in the original recipe. I pretty much add vanilla to everything sweet!)

How to make Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins.

First, combine all your dry ingredients– flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. I use the best all-purpose flour I can afford (usually King Arthur). When I was younger, the best I could afford was store-brand, so don’t let that stop you! Your muffins will still taste good.

In another large bowl, beat together the softened butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg.

In a separate bowl, mash the bananas.

Dissolve the instant coffee powder in one tablespoon very hot water. Add to bananas.

Add the banana mixture to the butter mixture.

Now gently pour in the dry ingredients and mix it all together until just combined.

Lastly, gently stir in the chocolate chips. (I always pop a few into my mouth for good measure!)

Scoop muffin batter into a muffin tin lined with paper liners.

Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes.

These chocolate chip banana muffins taste good warm (but not hot!), cooled, or even refrigerated! My favorite way to eat one is with a glass of cold milk. Enjoy!

The Best Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Recipe by Kim Ashbaugh

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Uncategorized

Servings

18

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

270

kcal

A hint of coffee enhances flavors of chocolate and banana, resulting in buttery, melt-in-your-mouth goodness in these delicious muffins.

Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter, softened

• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 large or extra large egg

• 1 Tbsp instant coffee or espresso powder

• 2-3 large, very ripe bananas, mashed

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 bag or 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In large bowl, beat together softened butter, sugar, and egg.
• In a coffee cup, dissolve the instant coffee or espresso powder in 1 Tbsp very hot water.
• In a small to medium bowl, mash bananas and add dissolved coffee. Add this mixture to the butter/sugar/egg mixture.
• Add dry ingredients and stir just til combined
• Gently fold in chocolate chips.
• Spoon batter into muffin cups lined with paper liners
• Bake for 20 min, or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.
• Let muffins cool slightly before removing from pan.

Notes

• Many baking recipes call for unsalted butter, but I always use salted and it turns out fine.
• Any kind of granulated sugar will do, but I use raw. You can substitute brown sugar in a pinch, but this will alter the flavor.
• To enhance banana flavor, you can add 1 tsp of banana extract.
• The original recipe said to combine the 1 Tbsp instant coffee/espresso powder with 1 Tbsp hot water. I usually do this, but at times, when I use really finely-ground espresso powder, I just stir the powder right into the batter.
• I read that using extra-large eggs, rather than large, makes your baked goods turn out better. I tried it and agree!
• I substitute gluten-free flour when needed. My favorite is Bob’s Red Mill.

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A long time ago, in a kitchen far away, I made a batch of scones.

Since then, I have been dubbed “The Scone Queen.” Friends and family members regularly muse about them, tell strangers about them, and request that I make them for a party, tea, or ordinary Saturday morning.

Needless to say, they’re quite good.

Now I’m going to do something strange: I’m going to share the recipe with you, so you can be Scone Royalty, too. This is partly to my advantage, though. If more people know how to make them, I won’t be relied upon. I won’t be needed anymore. I can just make scones when I want to make scones. What a wonderful thing!

This recipe is great because it is extremely versatile. It can be made plain and adorned with jam, clotted cream, and lemon curd (make your own or buy it), or just plain butter. It can be made with vanilla and chocolate chips, or lemon zest and blueberries, or (my own special concoction) gingerbread spices and white chocolate chips. Really, it can be tweaked any way you like, as long as you don’t alter the dry-liquid ratio of the recipe too much.

Some Helpful Hints

Here are a few tips and tricks to remember as you make them:

1. The butter must be cold, and it must be cut in to the dough. This is what makes the scones so deliciously flaky.

2. The dough must be rolled out and cut with a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass. If you simply roll the dough in your hands like drop biscuits, it won’t have those nice layers.

3. You must cook them until the bottoms are medium-brown and the tops are beginning to turn golden-brown. Under-baked and over-baked scones are equally appalling!

4. If you add blueberries, keep in mind that they will increase the moisture of the dough. The scones won’t get quite as fluffy, but they will still be delicious.

5. These can be made as large or mini scones, depending on your preference. Just remember to check a batch of mini scones ten minutes into baking time to make sure they don’t burn! If you do make minis, roll them out a little flatter, or they will start to topple when rising in the oven.

6. Using parchment paper or a silicone mat isn’t necessary because of the butter content in the scones. Trust me—they won’t stick!

7. Be careful where you bring these. You may develop a reputation. You may become—the Scone Queen (or King).

My World Famous (Almost) Scone Recipe

Recipe by Jenna Leigh Ashbaugh

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Breakfast, SnacksDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8-24

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

12

minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup butter (cold, cut into chunks)

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, half-n-half, or whole milk

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Mix dry ingredients (including sugar) in a large bowl.
• Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender, fork, or your fingers until it resembles crumbs the size of a pea.
• Add cream and almond extract together and knead well, until your dough is well-combined and easy to roll out.
• Using a rolling pin, roll it to about ¾ of an inch.
• Cut dough into circles with a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass. Once you can’t cut any more, knead the dough and roll it out again.
• Bake on a nonstick pan or baking stone for about 12 min, or until tops are golden brown. Enjoy with butter and jam.

The post My World Famous (Almost) Scones appeared first on Sweet Cottage Life.

I love muffins, don’t you? They’re a quick grab and go breakfast when you’re in a hurry, a tasty snack with afternoon tea, and best of all, they make a GREAT food gift!

Using seasonal ingredients is one of my favorite ways to keep food interesting. Lemons and blueberries are always on hand during the summer, and these two flavors go together so beautifully.

I buy lemons in bulk from Sam’s Club because I use them for so many things (more on that in a later post). Blueberries are usually on sale this time of year, so I pick up a pint or two each time I go to the grocery store. The other ingredients are things most people have on hand in pantry or refrigerator.

So let’s get to it!!!

How to make Delicious Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Preheat your oven to 375°.

Assemble the dry ingredients in a medium to large bowl:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp each baking soda and salt

Stir these together thoroughly.

In another large bowl, beat together:

• 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened (see my chocolate chip cookie recipe for my method of softening butter)
• 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups sugar

Now add:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup milk

After this is combined, follow up with:

• the zest and
• juice of one lemon.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and combine carefully.

Finally, stir in one pint of blueberries that has been washed and (somewhat) dried.

Place paper liners into muffin tins. Scoop batter into liners using a cookie or ice cream scoop, filling liners about 2/3 full.

Place muffin tins on center rack of preheated oven. Bake about 20-25 minutes or until done. Test for doneness with a toothpick inserted into a muffin. If the toothpick comes out clean, your muffins are done. Cool before serving.

Delicious Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Recipe by Kim Ashbaugh

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: BreakfastDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Cooking time

20

minutes

Moist, tender, and fruity; these muffins are a crowd-pleaser!

Ingredients

• Dry Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 Tbsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• Wet ingredients

• 1 1/2 sticks butter, at room temperature

• 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1 cup milk

• juice and zest of one lemon

• 1 pint of blueberries, washed and drip-dried

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 375°.
• In a medium to large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir thoroughly.
• In a separate large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add beaten eggs and combine, then stir in milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
• Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
• Mix the pint of blueberries into the batter carefully.
• Place paper liners into muffin tins. Scoop batter into liners. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 of the way.
• Bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool before eating.
• Enjoy a muffin or two with a glass of cold milk or a cup of coffee!

Notes

• Use any kind of berries in the same amount.
• Substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream.
• For a crispier top, sprinkle a little sugar on top of each filled muffin cup right before it goes into the oven.
• Substitute gluten-free flour for the flour at a ration of 1:1. I prefer King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill.
• You can use whatever kind of milk you like. Whole milk will yield the best texture and flavor.
• The same goes for butter. Many baking recipes call for unsalted butter. I always use salted and think it makes things taste good! I do not use less of the salt the recipe calls for.
• Make sure you get the milk thoroughly stirred into the batter before adding the lemon zest and juice. You don’t want curdled milk muffins!
• The blueberries need to be dry-ish, but don’t worry about it if you forgot to wash them until the last minute. Just shake them really well in a colander and they should be fine.
• Since oven times vary, check your muffins after 15 minutes. I usually use a knife to check baked goods for doneness, but my daughter swears by the toothpick.

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