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.

The post The Best Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins appeared first on Sweet Cottage Life.

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.