Banana chocolate hazelnut muffins are moist, domed muffins made from mashed ripe bananas, plain yogurt, and melted butter, swirled with chocolate hazelnut spread and studded with chopped hazelnuts and chocolate chips. They take fifteen minutes to prepare, bake in twenty two, and make twelve muffins.
Ripe bananas and yogurt keep the crumb soft and slightly tangy, the spread melts into streaks of chocolate, and the hazelnuts add a toasty crunch. The batter is stirred by hand in two bowls, and the muffins are baked at a moderate heat so that they rise evenly and brown without drying out.
Table of Contents
Why This Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Muffins Recipe Works
Bananas and yogurt make an extra moist crumb.
Hazelnuts and chocolate add contrast in every bite.
The batter is quick to mix and uses overripe fruit.
What Goes into Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Muffins
- The batter is three mashed ripe bananas, one third of a cup of melted butter, one cup of sugar, one large egg, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, and half a cup of plain yogurt.
- The dry ingredients are one and a half cups of all purpose flour, one teaspoon of baking soda, and a pinch of salt, plus half a cup of chocolate hazelnut spread, half a cup of chopped hazelnuts, and half a cup of chocolate chips.
Ripe bananas. They add sweetness and moisture.
Yogurt. It adds tang and tenderness.
Chocolate hazelnut spread. It makes the swirls.
Hazelnuts. They add crunch.
Baking soda. It lifts the batter.
How to Bake Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Muffins
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a twelve cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. Mash the bananas, then stir in the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and yogurt until smooth.
3. Add the dry ingredients. Fold in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined.
4. Swirl and fold. Fold in the hazelnuts and chips, then swirl the spread through the batter with a knife.
5. Bake. Fill the cups and bake for twenty to twenty two minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Use bananas with brown spots. They are sweeter, mash smoothly, and give the muffins a deeper flavor, while green ones taste starchy. If your bananas are not ripe, bake them in their skins at three hundred degrees F for fifteen minutes until black, then cool and mash them.
Do not overmix after the flour goes in. Lumps are fine, and overmixing makes the muffins tough and flat. Swirl the spread just two or three times so it stays in ribbons. A cookie scoop helps portion the batter evenly into the cups and keeps the tops neat.
Storing and Freezing Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Muffins
Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Freeze them individually wrapped for up to three months and thaw at room temperature or warm for twenty seconds in the microwave. Because of the bananas and yogurt, the muffins soften over time, so keep a paper towel in the container.
Pro Tips for Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Muffins
Flag the allergens. These muffins contain wheat, egg, milk, and tree nuts, so check every label.
Do not taste raw batter. Do not taste the raw batter, since it contains a raw egg and raw flour, and wash your hands and tools after mixing.
Check the doneness. A toothpick should come out clean from the cake.
Toast the hazelnuts. It deepens the flavor.
Use plain yogurt. Flavored yogurt adds sugar.
Warm the spread. It swirls more easily.
Add sanding sugar. It gives a crunchy top.
Check trusted guidance. Read the FDA safe food handling guidance for handling eggs and baked goods.
For a lighter version, replace half the flour with whole wheat flour and the sugar with three quarters of a cup of brown sugar. For extra banana flavor, fold in a sliced banana on top before baking. Both changes keep the same baking time and the muffins stay soft.
You can bake the batter as a loaf in a nine by five inch pan for about fifty minutes, or as mini muffins for twelve minutes. Cool the loaf in the pan for ten minutes before turning it out. A loaf slices well for toast and is easy to wrap and freeze.
What to Serve with Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Muffins
Serve the muffins warm with butter or on their own with coffee. For more banana and chocolate bakes, try chocolate nut banana bread, banana bread cookies, chocolate hazelnut swirl muffins, or banana blackberry muffins.
FAQ About Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Muffins
How ripe should bananas be for banana chocolate hazelnut muffins?
They should be heavily spotted and soft.
Can you make banana chocolate hazelnut muffins ahead of time?
Yes. They keep for three days.
Can you freeze banana chocolate hazelnut muffins?
Yes, for up to three months.
Can I use sour cream instead of yogurt?
Yes, in the same amount.
Can I skip the nuts?
Yes. They are optional.
Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Muffins
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
- paper liners
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas mashed
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour plus 1/2 cup more
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup chocolate hazelnut spread
- ½ cup chopped hazelnuts
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup plain yogurt
Instructions
Cooking
- Heat. Heat the oven to 375 F and line a tin.
- Wet. Mash the bananas and stir in the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and yogurt.
- Dry. Fold in the flour, soda, and salt.
- Swirl. Fold in the nuts and chips and swirl in the spread.
- Bake. Bake 20 to 22 minutes.
