These Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are a very distinct food memory for me.  I rowed crew in high school which is kind of a niche sport, especially when you’re in high school.  It’s a little bit of a hassle because you have to have a body of water, a boathouse, and of course boats.  Not the most popular high school sport.  Our regatta’s would typically be at the Schuykill or Cooper Rivers (Philly or Camden).  They would typically be weekend-long affairs.  While some of the weekend was spent actually on the water either warming up for a race or racing, there was always a significant amount of downtime that consisted of watching the other races and basically tailgating along the side of the river.

All of the parents of the kids on the team would pitch in to provide the snacks (lots, and lots of snacks).  And my mother would bring these muffins.  They always got raves from all of my teammates.  I love them too.  They seem like such a simple flavor combination: banana and chocolate chips, but some things never get old.

I made them recently for some friends to munch on while we were volunteering for some local community service.  A perfect morning treat!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yields almost 24 regular size muffins (definitley 24 if you add walnuts)

Ingredients

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (room temp)
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 eggs  (room temp)
• 2 cups mashed banana (ripe!)
• 2 tsp baking soda dissolved in 2T hot water
• 3 cups flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375 and line the muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt), and set aside.
3. Cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time, and add vanilla extract to butter and sugar mixture.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet in a batches.  Try not to over mix.  Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts (if you want).
5. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins.  Fill them each about 2/3rds full.  Bake them for 20 minutes or until tester comes out clean and top is golden brown.