Giant Bakery-Style Vegan Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips

Indulge in the ultimate treat: these spectacular **vegan banana muffins**! Forget dry, crumbly muffins – these are exceptionally light, incredibly fluffy, and wonderfully moist, boasting those coveted tall, domed tops you find in professional bakeries. Infused with a comforting, sweet banana bread flavor and generously studded with melty chocolate chips, they are an absolute delight. Not only are they outrageously delicious, but they’re also surprisingly easy to whip up in a single bowl and freeze beautifully, making them perfect for meal prep or a spontaneous snack attack.

These **vegan chocolate chip banana muffins** are more than just a breakfast item; they’re a versatile treat that fits perfectly into any part of your day. Whether you need a satisfying start to your morning, a delightful mid-morning pick-me-up, or a comforting afternoon snack, these muffins deliver. Their single-bowl preparation simplifies cleanup, and their freezer-friendly nature means you can always have a homemade treat ready to go. The harmonious blend of sweet banana bread flavor, a subtle hint of cinnamon spice, and an abundance of rich chocolate chips creates an irresistible taste experience. Each bite reveals a texture that is so airy, moist, and fluffy, you’ll find yourself reaching for another long before they’ve cooled!

Ingredient Details for Perfect Vegan Banana Muffins:

Crafting the perfect **vegan banana muffin** starts with understanding each ingredient’s role. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why:

• Bananas: The star of the show! For the absolute best results, I highly recommend weighing your bananas. Aim for 460g of peeled banana, which is typically around 5 medium-sized bananas. Crucially, they must be very ripe – think heavily spotted, almost entirely brown. Overripe bananas are essential because they provide intense sweetness, a more pronounced banana flavor, and contribute significantly to the muffins’ moist texture. If your bananas aren’t quite ripe enough, you can try baking them on a tray at 150°C/300°F for 15-20 minutes until their skins turn black – this will soften them and bring out their sweetness.
• Chocolate Chips: These add delightful pockets of melty chocolate goodness. While chocolate chips are a fantastic addition, feel free to omit them if you prefer a classic, plain banana muffin. You could also experiment with other additions like chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans), dried cranberries, or a mix of cinnamon sugar swirled through the batter. Ensure your chocolate chips are certified vegan, as some brands contain dairy.
• Vegan Yogurt: This is a secret weapon for super moist muffins! The yogurt helps to keep the muffins wonderfully tender and contributes to that light, fluffy texture. A thick, Greek-style vegan yogurt is ideal because its higher viscosity contributes to a thicker batter, which in turn helps create those desirable tall muffin tops. However, any plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt will work perfectly fine. Avoid overly watery yogurts or drain off excess liquid if yours is particularly thin.
• Sugar: I prefer light brown soft sugar for its molasses notes, which complement the banana flavor beautifully and contribute to a soft crumb. Dark brown sugar will give a deeper, richer flavor, while caster (superfine) or granulated sugar will also work, resulting in a slightly lighter flavor profile. Please do not swap the sugar for artificial sweeteners or liquid sugars like maple syrup or agave, as this will drastically alter the muffins’ texture and moisture balance, and the baking chemistry will not be the same.
• Neutral Oil: Any neutral-flavored vegetable oil will work here. I typically use olive oil (if it’s a light, mild one) or sunflower oil. Canola oil or grapeseed oil are also excellent choices. The oil provides essential moisture and richness without imparting a strong flavor, ensuring the banana and chocolate notes shine through. Avoid strong-flavored oils like extra virgin olive oil unless you specifically want that taste.
• Plain Flour: Standard plain (all-purpose) flour is best for this recipe. It provides the necessary structure and consistency. I have not tested these muffins with gluten-free flour blends, so I cannot guarantee the same results if you choose to make them gluten-free. Baking with gluten-free flours often requires specific adjustments to liquid and binder ratios.
• Baking Powder and Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda): Both leavening agents are crucial for achieving the best rise and a tender texture. Baking powder is a double-acting leavener, providing lift both when it gets wet and when it’s heated in the oven. Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) requires an acid to activate it, which is where the vinegar comes in. Using both ensures maximum lift and that characteristic fluffy muffin texture. Do not swap one for the other or omit one, as you will not achieve the desired airy and tall results.
• Vinegar: This ingredient plays a vital role by reacting with the bicarbonate of soda. This reaction creates carbon dioxide gas, which helps the muffins rise beautifully and contributes significantly to their fluffy and tender crumb. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar are both suitable. Don’t worry, you won’t taste the vinegar in the final product!
• Vanilla Extract: A good quality vanilla extract enhances all the other flavors. Pure vanilla extract is always better than artificial vanilla essence. For an even richer flavor, you could use vanilla bean paste.
• Spices: I love the warm, comforting notes of cinnamon and nutmeg in these muffins, which perfectly complement the banana. Feel free to adjust the amounts to your liking or experiment with other warming spices such as a pinch of allspice or ginger for a different twist.

How To Make Bakery-Style Vegan Banana Muffins:

(Full measurements and detailed instructions can be found in the comprehensive recipe card at the bottom of the page)

Making these giant **vegan banana muffins** is a straightforward process, primarily done in one bowl, making cleanup a breeze. Follow these steps for perfect results:

Step 1: Begin by mashing your very ripe bananas thoroughly in a large mixing bowl. The goal is to get them as smooth as possible, with very few large lumps remaining. This ensures even distribution of banana flavor and moisture throughout the batter.

Step 2: To the mashed bananas, add the neutral oil, vegan yogurt (preferably Greek style), light brown soft sugar, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Using a balloon whisk, whisk these wet ingredients together until they are well combined and the sugar has largely dissolved. This creates a homogeneous base for your muffin batter.

Step 3: Next, add the dry leavening agents and spices directly into the wet mixture: baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Whisk these in briefly to combine. Then, add the plain (all-purpose) flour. Gently stir the mixture with your whisk or a spatula until just combined – be very careful not to over-mix! A few small lumps of flour are fine; over-mixing develops gluten, leading to tough muffins. Finally, fold in the vegan chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. Once the batter is ready, cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rest for 15 minutes. During this time, the flour will hydrate, and the leavening agents will begin to activate, contributing to taller, fluffier muffins. While the batter rests, preheat your oven to the initial high temperature.

Step 4: Prepare your muffin tins by lining them with 10 muffin cases. For the best rise and those signature tall tops, it’s ideal to spread these 10 cases across two muffin pans, leaving an empty cavity between each filled case. This allows for better heat circulation and prevents the muffins from steaming rather than baking. Divide the rested batter evenly among the 10 muffin cases, filling them all the way to the very top – they should look almost overflowing. This generous filling is key to achieving those impressive bakery-style domes.

Step 5: Bake the muffins in your preheated oven at a high temperature for the first 7 minutes. This initial burst of high heat creates steam and helps the muffins rise rapidly, forming those tall tops. After 7 minutes, without opening the oven door if possible, reduce the oven temperature and continue to bake for a further 15-18 minutes. The muffins are done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. Avoid overbaking to maintain their moist texture.

Once baked, allow the muffins to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps prevent them from sticking to the cases and ensures they set properly. Enjoy your homemade **bakery-style vegan banana muffins**!

Top Tips for Unbeatable Vegan Banana Muffins:

Achieving bakery-quality muffins at home is entirely possible with a few key techniques. Here are my top tips for ensuring your **vegan banana muffins** turn out perfect every time:

• USE SCALES for Precision: As with all my baking recipes, I cannot stress enough the importance of using metric measurements with a digital kitchen scale rather than volumetric cup conversions. Cups are a notoriously inaccurate measuring system, leading to inconsistent results, especially in baking where precision is key. Using a scale guarantees far better, more consistent outcomes, and it’s often less messy too!
• Standard Spoon Measurements: Remember that tablespoon and teaspoon measurements refer to standard measuring spoons, not regular kitchen spoons. A Tablespoon is precisely 15ml, and a teaspoon is 5ml. Using incorrect spoon sizes can throw off the delicate balance of your recipe.
• Do Not Over-Beat the Batter: This is a golden rule for tender muffins. Over-mixing develops the gluten in the flour, resulting in tough, chewy muffins instead of light and fluffy ones. Just stir the mixture with a balloon whisk or spatula until no dry streaks of flour remain. A few small lumps in the batter are absolutely fine and actually preferred! The less you handle the batter after adding flour, the better.
• Resting the Batter is Key: Don’t skip the 15-minute resting period after mixing the batter. This step allows the flour to fully hydrate, absorbing the liquid and thickening the batter. This hydration process helps create the perfect structure for those desirable tall, domed muffin tops and contributes to a wonderfully moist crumb. It gives the leavening agents a head start too!
• Fill Cases Generously: For tall, bakery-style domed muffins, you must fill the muffin cases generously, all the way to the top. They should look almost overflowing. This high volume of batter creates pressure within the muffin tin, forcing the muffin to rise upwards rather than spreading outwards, resulting in that classic dome.
• Space Out Muffin Cases: If you have two muffin tins, I highly recommend spacing the filled cases out across both. Try to leave an empty cavity between each one. This allows for better heat circulation around each individual muffin, promoting a more even bake and helping to achieve taller muffin tops. If you only have one tin, you can either bake them all in one tin (they might not be quite as tall) or bake them in two separate batches.
• Prevent Sticking: To ensure your muffins don’t stick to the cases, use good quality paper or foil muffin cases. Additionally, allow the muffins to cool completely before attempting to remove them; they are much more prone to sticking when warm. For extra security, you can lightly spray the inside of the muffin cases with baking spray or oil, or even bake the muffins directly in a well-greased non-stick muffin pan without cases.
• Grease the Muffin Tin Top: Lightly greasing the very top surface of your muffin pan can help prevent any overflowing muffin tops from sticking to the tin itself, making for easier removal and cleaner looking muffins.
• Adjust for Smaller Muffins: This recipe is designed to make 10 large, giant muffins. If you prefer, you can easily make 12 smaller, standard-sized muffins. Just bear in mind that smaller muffins will likely bake a little quicker, so start checking for doneness a few minutes earlier. The baking time will be closer to 18-20 minutes total.
• Don’t Peek Too Soon: Avoid opening the oven door during the first 15-20 minutes of baking. A sudden drop in temperature can cause the muffins to deflate, hindering their rise and resulting in flat tops.
• Cool Completely for Best Texture: While tempting to eat warm, allowing the muffins to cool completely on a wire rack is essential. This allows the internal structure to set fully, preventing a gummy texture and ensuring they peel easily from their cases.

FAQ’s: Your Vegan Banana Muffin Questions Answered

More Delicious Vegan Muffin Recipes to Explore:

If you loved these **vegan banana muffins**, you’re in for a treat! Expanding your vegan baking repertoire is easy and delicious. Here are some other fantastic vegan muffin recipes to try that are equally satisfying and easy to make:

• Vegan double chocolate muffins: For the ultimate chocolate lovers, packed with cocoa and chocolate chips.
• Vegan lemon poppy seed muffins: Bright, zesty, and delightful with a lovely crunch.
• Vegan carrot muffins: A wholesome and spiced treat, perfect for any time of day.
• Vegan stollen muffins: A festive twist on traditional stollen, in convenient muffin form.
• Vegan chocolate chip muffins: A classic favorite, simple yet utterly satisfying.
• Vegan pumpkin muffins: Warmly spiced and incredibly moist, ideal for autumn.
• Vegan blueberry muffins: Bursting with juicy blueberries, a timeless classic.
• Vegan gingerbread muffins: A festive and fragrant option, perfect for holiday seasons.
• Cinnamon pear muffins: A comforting blend of sweet pear and aromatic cinnamon.

If you tried this recipe and loved these delightful **vegan banana muffins**, I’d be thrilled to hear from you! Please rate the recipe, leave a comment below, or tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and use the hashtag #domesticgothess to share your creations. Your feedback helps me improve and inspires others!

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