Banana Chocolate Chip Cookie Mini Muffins

Let me start this post with a disclaimer. These mini muffins are dangerous. Seriously. I have to make myself step away from these, turn off the kitchen lights and practically strap myself to the living room couch to keep from devouring like, the whole batch!

 

(Don't say I didn't warn ya!)

Let me fill you in on the "backstory" of this recipe. My mother is the Cookie Queen in our family. She is constantly making batches upon batches of various kinds of cookies on a weekly basis. Her freezer is always stocked full of upwards of five varieties at all times. I walk a slippery slope when I visit her as it is beyond difficult to refrain from trying and "retrying" all the different types that she keeps on hand.

However, I have always had a favorite - her Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies. And, I'm not alone. I think they're pretty much the most-loved cookie by all my family members on that side - kids and adults alike. (It would not be a lie if I said that some of the adults in my family have even been known to hoard them away from our kids if we bring any home with us.)

My children love, love, love those darn cookies just as much as I do. They, also, adore those little packets of mini muffins from the store - especially the chocolate chip kind. They remind us so much of my mom's Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies (even though the store-bought muffins have no banana in them).

So, I set out to take her recipe for our favorite type of cookie and convert it to make these mini muffins.

Worked like a charm (and then some). The result is a super soft muffin that is loaded with banana flavor and tons of chocolate-y goodness. These aren't your typical dense muffin. They are almost sponge-like ... in a good way!

Holy moly, friends ... get your butts up and make them as soon as humanely possible. (Sorry - was that a little too bossy?)

These are amazing little treats. And, like I said - you'll have to restrain yourself from eating like, twenty of them.

P.S. It wouldn't be a bad thing if you just went ahead and doubled the recipe. They keep in the freezer amazingly well and are perfect to keep there on hand for company.

Yields 48 Mini Muffins


Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup ripe, mashed bananas
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 bag (12 ounces) mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a mixer set to medium speed, beat together the sugar, eggs, butter and bananas until smooth.

Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and vanilla. Start on low speed, then increase speed to medium ... beating until dry ingredients are incorporated well.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spray the wells of a mini muffin pan very lightly with non-stick spray. Fill each well about 3/4-full of batter. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until muffins are just starting to set in the middle and just beginning to lightly brown around the edges.

Remove from oven and allow muffins to rest IN the muffin tin for about five minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of muffins if necessary to remove them, but they should pop out easily.

Wipe out the wells of the muffin tin if any muffin remnants remain and repeat process until all batter has been used.

Once muffins are fully cooled, store in an air-tight container. These freeze well, too.