These Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins are not your average banana muffin made special with mascarpone cheese.
I love advent calenders.
And I mean LOVE advent calendars. It might be borderline obsessive at this point.
This year I have 6.
Two that are permanent and the others are either the kind with chocolate in them or little kid ones where you pull back the paper to reveal the surprise.
Back to that surprise thing.
I guess that’s why I like them.
A little surprise every day up until the big man in the red suit stops by.
Well, maybe not anymore, apparently Santa and I have a different interpretation of naughty…I am more lenient I guess. 😉
But this year I am not loving my advent calendars as much.
This year they are mocking me.
Single digits!
Holy crap on a stick Batman!
I definitely am feeling the pressure that so many people complain about.
Now, I won’t complain because there is no need to complain at Christmas time.
It’s a happy time.
But still, my calendar is putting the pressure on me.
Luckily I did get most of my Christmas cards done (I still need to send off my ones to Canada).
Some of my gifts bought as of yesterday (though you still have a few days on Amazon.com to get your gifts to you by Christmas).
But holiday cookie baking needs to be done. Except I am low on butter.
No problem right, just run out and get some.
Except we have snow and ice. Our area is the coldest it has been in 18 years.
And our little Focus wasn’t made for snow trekking.
Since I seem to have no time anymore, as my advent calendar keeps reminding me each morning, I made these muffins so I would have a quick breakfast each morning.
I kept half and froze the other half for when the calendar is really mocking me.
These Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins are moist and very full of banana flavor.
I only used half the espresso because my husband is not a big coffee fan and he is eating these as well.
And I also threw in some mascarpone cheese as I seem to throw that in every time I make something with banana now a days.
Hope you advent calendar is not mocking you.
And last but not least it’s a great day to buy my cookbook.
Want More Muffin Recipes?
Clementine Chocolate Chip Muffins
Cider Glazed Apple Fritter Muffins
Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups mashed, very ripe bananas
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp instant espresso powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, sugars, butter, mascarpone cheese, milk and egg.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Fill each sup about three-quarters full.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Move the muffin pan to a cooling rack, and let cool for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and let them finish cooling on the cooling rack.
- Muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
VeggieGirl says
I too love advent calendars 🙂 And I love those muffins!!
bakingblonde says
YUM, I haven’t had a muffin in months and those look wonderful!
Kate says
I don’t think I fully understand advent calendars, but I mailed out all our Christmas cards and got all our shopping done this week!
kathleen says
holy crap. these look unreal. and I share your affection for advent calendars, especially where there is chocolate involved!
claire says
Those muffins look great!!! And, yes, it’s crazy how fast Christmas is coming up!
patsyk says
Those muffins look so perfect for breakfast and a bit of hot tea!
Ivonne says
I feel like I haven’t been here in about 1,000 years! One of these days I’m going to get an advent calendar!
Erin says
I can’t believe that Christmas is just over a week away either! These muffins look great. I never would have thought to put banana and espresso together.
megan says
I haven’t had an advent calendar since I was a little girl. 6 is quite impressive 🙂
These sound delicious, I love the combination of bananas and chocolate, especially when I can have it for breakfast! Knowing me I’d probably double, make that triple, the amount of espresso…
Dana McCauley says
Nice way to update banana muffins! My readers were ga-ga for banana bread this fall. In fact, it turned into three posts. If I do a fourth I’ll be sure to link to your recipe.
CookiePie says
Love those muffins! Banana + chocolate = yummy breakfast 🙂
Bellini Valli says
My advent calendar is no longer mocking me. I braved the road conditions and went out with my daughter to get the last of the gifts, some sugar and butter and we’re set.
food librarian says
Coffee in the muffin! How perfect! 🙂 These look great.
snooky doodle says
wow these muffins would be my wake up call 🙂 so yummy delicious. Ha I ve bought only one present so far and no Christmas cards yet. So I think this year they ll be alot of disappointed people from me. Cake orders are taking their toll. Been so busy so far. Hope the weather turnd a bit warmer for you. Good day 🙂
Rosa says
That’s a lot! I have only one…
These muffins look really good and must taste wonderful!
Cheers,
Rosa
Manggy says
I’m not a big coffee fan either but I’d gladly take these muffins any way, as they are studded with yummy choc chips! Or maybe even butterscotch chips? ding ding ding!
I had to look at the link because we don’t have Advent calendars here (that I know of). Hmm, husband may be right, even if that 50% off is totally tempting! It can be reused for next year, right? 😉
Monica H says
I am so making these, I have all the ingredients on hand.
Stop by for my 7 days of holiday cookies!
veron says
Oh goodness your muffins are mocking me. Talk about triple threat. Banana…chocolate…espresso…all my favorites! and you made it with mascarpone too!!!
Jodie says
These look fabulous. I love things with melty chocoloate chips in them!
Joelen says
You’ve deliciously taken the traditional banana chocolate chip muffin to a new level by adding espresso… YUM! Thanks for not skimping on the chocolate either. You really know how to get into’s someone’s sweet tooth 🙂
Debbie says
My son loves his advent calendar. I’ll take the muffins!
Julie says
I love advent calendars so much! Had to have one when I was a kid. I’m not a fan of the chocolate ones, just the basic cardboard kind. But the sur la table…nice. I want your banana muffins with cinnamon chips, which I’m crazy about right now!
Katie says
Oh I love advent calendars tooo! I LOVE gingerbread house one– I definitely think your husband should let you get it!
LaurGrob says
These muffins look incredible! I love banana and coffee, why not together? And never thought to add the mascarpone, but it sounds interesting. Why is it that muffin recipes always call for a well in the middle of the dry ingredients?
Hannah says
Even my regular calendar is mocking me! I can’t believe how little time there is left… And so there are many sweets to make still!
Elizabeth says
Those chocolate chips look so melty and delicious!! and yay for more health food!
Cassie says
Ooh, yum! I too adore advent calendars, and mine is mocking me for the same reason yours is 😛 Emma, at least, is thrilled with this funny white stuff 🙂 she looks so funny running around in the snow like it’s the best stuff ever 😀
Elle says
Gaaah, no need for an Advent calendar…the days are numbered anyway…and only a week to go. Got packages mailed, and some cards, and a dinner party done, but still much too much to do. Still all the lights look so nice around the neighborhood…guess it’s a happy season so why stress?
grace says
the only advent calendar i’ve ever had has always been my favorite christmas decoration–it’s a calendar with a little santa-mouse that you move from day to day. 🙂
great muffins, as expected. studs of melty chocolate always tickle my fancy. 🙂
nina says
Are you sure you could not fit in more chocolate chips??? Where IS that coffee????
Amanda says
I clicked to the gingerbread house advent calender. It’s half price and I think you do need it. It will last forever… 😉
Rico says
Amazing visuals and delicate baking…thx for sharing
cindy says
oh my. that advent calendar is so damn cute i could just die.
Dani says
oh i cannot wait to try this recipe!!!!
ps – yay for advent calendars 🙂
Gretchen Noelle says
I am shocked at how quickly Christmas has snuck up this year. These look like a delicious combination of flavors. Yum!
Jenny says
This year I bought my children a real treat of an advent calendar – Lego ones where they get a new little set of lego each day until Christmas Eve! Waaaay too much money but they are having a blast and getting rare little lego’s every day.
They too are sad to be at single digits as it means they are running out of lego doors to open.
Ashley says
Holy crap that is the most awesome advent calendar ever!!!! I want it. I was running low on butter too but thankfully live close enough to walk to a grocery store to get some.
Mrs. L says
I’ve been doing an advent calendar for my husband for several years. I found one that goes to the 25th, is wooden and has plenty of room to stick in more than just a small item. Each day is filled with chocolate or some morsel along with a Christmas saying or wish (lines from favorite Christmas movies too). That house advent is awesome!
Jaime says
my grandfather used to give us advent calendars when i was a kid…i used to love opening them up and eating those chocolates 🙂
my hubby would love these muffins!
Sylvia says
One of my favourite Sunday morning recipes from Baked! My adaptation: 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup of all purpose flour. I also cut the butter by half and they still taste great.
johanna says
and i thought i was a bit mad having three advent calendars!!! this year, each child had to have their own… santa in a hot-air balloon with presents hanging down as weights, which has been around for Carolin for at least 10 years, a little train with drawers down its sides for baby Henrik and for Max, a lovely band of tiny knitted stockings and old woman made and i won in an auction (don’t even ASK how much I spent on it). Best of all is the excitement of the little ones at opening their calendar each and every morning… worth all the effort of chasing teeny-weeny presents to fit in the calendars!