Gluten-Free | Refined Sugar-Free | Dairy-Free | Naturally Sweetened | Vegetarian
These Fudgy Double Chocolate Banana Muffins are rich, soft, and deeply chocolatey, with a melt-in-your-mouth center that feels almost like a little brownie in muffin form. They have that cozy homemade muffin feeling, but with a richer chocolate flavor, sweet ripe banana, melted chocolate chips, and crunchy hazelnuts in every bite.
What I love about these muffins is the balance. The ripe bananas bring natural sweetness and moisture, the cocoa gives them that deep chocolate flavor, and a little espresso or strong coffee makes the chocolate taste even richer without making the muffins taste like coffee. The oat flour and almond flour create a soft, tender crumb, while the chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts add the perfect mix of fudgy, chocolatey, and nutty in every bite.
What makes this recipe special is that it feels like a real chocolate treat, but it is made with simple, wholesome ingredients. Instead of relying on white flour, refined sugar, or heavy processed ingredients, these muffins get their texture and flavor from real ingredients you can actually taste. They are naturally sweetened, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and still soft, moist, and rich enough to enjoy when you are craving something chocolatey.
They are also easy to make at home with a simple muffin batter and no complicated steps. Mash the bananas, whisk in the wet ingredients, fold in the dry ingredients, add the chocolate chips and hazelnuts, then bake until the tops are set and the centers stay beautifully soft and fudgy.
These muffins are perfect for a healthier dessert, an afternoon snack, lunch boxes, weekend baking, or something sweet with coffee. They are also great for meal prep, as they stay soft and moist for a few days, and you can freeze them for later when you want a homemade chocolate treat ready to go.
This is the kind of muffin that proves healthy baking can be absolutely delicious. It does not have to taste plain, dry, or like something is missing. It can be rich, chocolatey, nourishing, beautiful, and comforting all at once.
What You Need
- 2 Ripe bananas
- Eggs
- Honey
- Espresso or strong coffee
- Melted coconut oil or avocado oil
- Vanilla extract
- Oat flour
- Superfine almond flour
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Chocolate chips
- Chopped hazelnuts
For the topping
- Chopped hazelnuts
- Chocolate chips
Why You’ll Love These Fudgy Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
✔️ Rich, fudgy chocolate texture
These muffins are soft, moist, and melt-in-your-mouth, with a brownie-like centre that feels like a real chocolate treat.
✔️ Double chocolate flavor
Cocoa powder and sugar-free dark chocolate chips give every bite a deep, chocolatey flavour without refined sugar.
✔️ Naturally sweetened
Ripe bananas and honey add natural sweetness and moisture, so the muffins taste sweet and satisfying without processed sugar.
✔️ Gluten-free and refined sugar-free
Made with oat flour, almond flour, honey, and sugar-free dark chocolate, these muffins fit beautifully into healthier everyday baking.
✔️ Made with wholesome ingredients
Instead of white flour and refined sugar, this recipe uses real ingredients you can actually taste, like banana, cocoa, oats, almonds, and hazelnuts.
✔️ Soft chocolate banana muffin inside
You get a tender chocolate banana crumb, little pockets of melted chocolate, and a golden nutty crunch on top.
✔️ Easy to make at home
Mash the bananas, whisk the wet ingredients, fold in the dry ingredients, add the chocolate chips and hazelnuts, then bake.
✔️ Perfect for snacks, dessert, or lunch boxes
They are lovely as a healthier chocolate treat, an afternoon snack with coffee, or something sweet to pack for the day.
✔️ Meal prep and freezer friendly
They stay soft and moist for a few days, so you can keep them ready in the fridge or freeze them for later.
✔️ Beautiful bakery-style look
The dark chocolate muffin, melted chocolate chips, and chopped hazelnuts on top make them look rich, rustic, and so tempting.
✔️ Balanced for an active lifestyle
Made with bananas, oat flour, almond flour, eggs, cocoa, and healthy fats, these muffins feel more nourishing than a regular chocolate muffin and make a lovely snack when you want something homemade and satisfying.
More Healthy Banana Recipes!
♥ Banana Oat Chocolate Chip Muffins (High Protein & Fiber)
♥ Gluten-Free Banana Bread Crumble Muffins ( Refined Sugar-Free)
♥ Healthy Banana Bread (No Refined Sugar, Paleo, Gluten Free)
♥ Healthy Marble Banana Bread (Gluten-Free & Sugar-Free)
Fudgy Double Chocolate Banana Muffins | Healthy, Gf
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas mashed
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil 72 g
- ⅓ cup honey 113 g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Dry Ingredients
- 1¼ cups oat flour, see Note 1 125 g
- ½ cup almond flour 50 g
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 30 g
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup sugar-free dark chocolate chips 85 g
- ⅓ cup hazelnuts roughly chopped (45 g)
Topping
- Extra sugar-free dark chocolate chips
- Extra roughly chopped hazelnuts
Instructions
Prepare the oven and muffin pan
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a muffin pan with paper liners. This recipe makes 14 muffins, so prepare a second pan or bake in batches if needed.Mix the cocoa and oil
In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder with the olive oil or avocado oil until smooth and glossy, with no dry lumps remaining. Set aside.Prepare the wet ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth.Add the eggs, honey, vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar. Pour in the cocoa and oil mixture, then whisk until smooth and well combined.Combine the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, sift together the oat flour, almond flour, espresso powder, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt, then whisk briefly to make sure everything is evenly combined.Make the muffin batter
Add half of the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold until partially combined.Add the remaining dry mixture and continue folding just until no visible streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.Add the chocolate and hazelnuts
Gently fold in the sugar-free dark chocolate chips and roughly chopped hazelnuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter.Fill and top
Divide the batter evenly between 14 muffin liners.Top each muffin with extra sugar-free dark chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts.Bake
Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until the muffins have risen and the centers are set.Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin, avoiding a melted chocolate chip. It should come out with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter. Avoid over baking to keep the muffins soft, moist and fudgy inside.Cool
Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.The muffins will continue to set as they cool while staying moist and fudgy in the center.
Notes
- Homemade oat flour: You can make your own by blending rolled oats in a high-speed blender or food processor until very fine and soft, with a flour-like texture. Measure 125 g after blending
- Bananas: Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best natural sweetness, moisture and banana flavor.
- Espresso powder: Espresso powder intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the muffins taste strongly of coffee.
- Chocolate: Use your favorite sugar-free dark chocolate chips. For a dairy-free version, make sure the chocolate chips are dairy-free.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil or melted coconut oil can all be used. Choose a mild-flavored extra virgin olive oil if you don’t want a noticeable olive oil flavor. Avocado oil is more neutral. If using coconut oil, melt it first and allow it to cool slightly before mixing it into the batter.
- Do not over mix: Once the dry ingredients are added, fold only until everything is combined. Over mixing can make the muffins denser.
- Do not over bake: These muffins are meant to stay moist and
fudgy in the center. Remove them from the oven when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter.
- Storage: Store completely cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring refrigerated muffins to room temperature before serving for the softest texture.
