Peanut Butter Banana & Chocolate Chip Muffins

More Than Fine by Switchfoot
"When I'm up with the sunrise, I want more than just blue skies.  I want more than just ok, more than just ok."  I'm with Switchfoot on this one.  Why start your day with low expectations?  Why not start your day out with something spectacular ~ and then let it carry you through awesomeness the rest of the way?  It would be like pre-programming your daily outcomes.  That's a tall order for a breakfast - for a muffin.  But I get that order fulfilled with these guys.  Lots of yummy vibes sent out to herald a fabulous day.  I leave the house with a smile on my face and a bounce to my step - because they're "more than fine - more than just ok!"

So I guess it was international Banana Bread Day a couple weeks ago.  I didn't know about it in time.  But it's on my calendar now, marked to remind me of it every year for eternity.  So that's good!

But I did spend the day ruminating about banana bread.  I already have a few really good recipes which I've shared with you.  But my mind kept jumping over to the muffin track.  And then I've kind of had obsessive thoughts about Reese's Peanut Butter Cups lately.  That's only because I'm trying to be better at how I eat - which does NOT include the peanut butter cups - very often.  You know - how when someone tells you NOT to think about something, then that's ALL you can think about.  Well, with those two thoughts running around in my brain it wouldn't be long until they ran into each other head on!

What if I included those flavors in a muffin?  An internet search revealed that I wouldn't be the first one to do it by a long shot!  There's lots of Elvis fans out there who have baked their peanut butter/banana tribute to the King.  But, as bacon is a part of a true culinary Elvis salute, they sprinkled bacon on it or stirred the bacon pieces into the batter.  I wasn't feeling like that was a direction I wanted to go.  Sorry, Elvis!

After making a few alterations to my banana bread recipe I wound up with some really, really tasty muffins!  

HOWEVER!

Right before I started making them, my husband and I got into one of our semi-sweet vs. milk discussions.  We are a divided camp at this house.  He prefers "regular" (translate "normal") chocolate and I'm a semi-sweet fan.  I tried to tell him that semi-sweet was the new normal.  He wasn't buying it.  He was excited about the prospect of a banana peanut butter combo but really wanted me to use the milk chocolate.  I decided I'd make two batches - one with his milk chocolate and one with my semi-sweet.  The purple striped liners are my semi-sweets.

We tasted one from each batch.  And, you know, we both agreed we could enjoy them no matter which chocolate was used.  Of course, I only ate from my semi's after that.  And he only ate from his milk's.  But it was a fun reason to make a ton of these delicious muffins!  Thank goodness for willing family and friends to help relieve us of our abundance!

Peanut Butter Banana and Chocolate Chip Muffins

makes 15

Printable Recipe Card

1 c. sugar (200 g)

1/2 c. unsalted butter (113 g)

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter (129 g)

1 large egg

2 ripe bananas

1/4 c. milk

2 t. vanilla

2 c. all-purpose flour (250 g)

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. kosher salt

1 c. chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, 3 - 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl and paddle as needed.  Add the peanut butter and blend well.  Add the egg and mix well.

In a separate small bowl, mash the banana and the milk and vanilla together.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.  

Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture and mix just until it starts to come together.

Add half of the banana mixture and mix just until it starts to combine.

Add half of the remaining dry ingredients and stir just until it starts to come together.

Add the remaining banana mixture and mix just until it starts to combine.

Add the remaining dry ingredients and the chocolate chips and stir until it comes together.

Use a #16 scoop or a 1/4 c. measuring cup and scoop the batter into the muffins liners.  Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a muffin.  Let cool on a wire rack.

If you'd like to add a drizzle on top, and I highly recommend you do, melt 1/4 c. peanut butter in the microwave and place in a plastic ziploc baggie.  Snip off a small piece of the corner and drizzle over the tops.  Then melt 1/4 c. chocolate chips in the microwave, being careful to stir often and not to burn the chocolate.  It should take no longer than a minute.  Place in a plastic ziploc baggie and do as directed for the peanut butter.