Banana Muffins and Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

For years I have used a delicious banana muffin recipe that I got from my sister Gayle to use up over-ripe bananas. The muffins always turn out incredibly moist and delicious, and are eaten up literally faster than I can make them. A few weeks ago I found another banana muffin recipe online which called for small chocolate chips. I decided to try it, because, who doesn't love chocolate chips??? :-)

I'll share the recipes with you and then tell you the verdict for which one my family members preferred.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins (from somanybunnies blog)

1 cup sugar (I used sucanat instead, same amount)
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 ripe bananas
3 T milk
1 cup whole wheat flour (can use 2 cups of whole wheat, or 2 cups of white, whatever you have)
1 cup white flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup small chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 375. Grease muffins tins. Cream butter and sugar for 3-5 minutes (I just stirred with a whisk instead). Add egg. Add bananas, mashed. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk. Finally add chocolate chips. Scoop into muffins cups and bake for 10 minutes or until done (I found this was not nearly enough time and baked for closer to 20 minutes). OR, put muffin pans in freezer until batter is frozen, then put in ziploc bags and store in freezer until you are ready to bake them.



Banana Muffins (from my sister Gayle - sorry no blog! I wish she had a blog, she is amazing)


2 large bananas, mashed (I often use 3 instead)
Add 1.5 cups sugar (I add just under 1, and this time I used sucanat instead of white sugar)
Add in 1/2 cup butter, softened
Beat these together
Add 2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream (I have skipped this whenever I was out and they still turned out great)
Beat
Spoon in:
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups flour

Stir til well mixed. Spoon into muffin tins and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Since I used sucanat for both recipes this time, they turned out darker in color than they do when I use white sugar. With white sugar they are more golden in color.




I made each of these recipes a few days apart and then asked each member of the family which they preferred. Here are the results:

Husband: "I like them both, but I think I prefer the original recipe because it's so moist."

Daughter G: "I like them both but I think I like the first one a little bit more."

Son G: "I like them both the same."

Son L: "I like the chocolate chip one a little better."

Son C: "I like them both!"

Little Man: "I like them both too!"


So there you have it. Two winning recipes! You know what they say.....variety is the spice of life!