Healthy and Delicious Chocolate Muffins or Cupcakes

Satisfy chocolate cravings at breakfast, snack time, or dessert with these healthy chocolate muffins or cupcakes. They have a rich chocolate flavor that isn’t too sweet, and they’re easy to make. Put extras in the freezer for easy portion control when cravings strike. 

Made with wholesome ingredients like whole-grain flour, baking cocoa, and vegetable oil, these chocolate muffins or cupcakes have fiber and heart-healthy fats, while being low in saturated fat and sugar compared to storebought or bakery versions. They’re versatile and easy to serve for breakfast or a sweet treat. 

Variations and Serving Suggestions

• Try swapping the cocoa for alkali or dutched cocoa, sometimes called black cocoa, for a more intense chocolate flavor. It’s less bitter than regular cocoa, so you can use a little less sugar
• For a decadent dessert, try drizzling the cupcakes with a simple chocolate drizzle. Stir together ¼ cup of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Add 2 tablespoons of milk or water and stir well. Drizzle over the cooled cupcakes. This will add 3 grams of sugar per cupcake.
• For a richer cupcake, distribute ¼ cup of mini chocolate chips over the cupcakes before baking. This adds 30 calories and 3 grams of sugar per cupcake.
• For a chocolatey breakfast, serve a muffin with fresh fruit and a source of protein like a hard-boiled egg, 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter or ½ cup of cottage cheese or yogurt. 
• For a lower-carb, gluten-free muffin, omit the whole-wheat and all-purpose flours. Use 1 ½ cups of almond flour. 
• For a dairy-free muffin, use unsweetened almond or soy milk instead of yogurt.
• It’s okay to swap the banana for unsweetened applesauce, canned pumpkin puree (plain, not pie filling), or sour cream. The texture will be similar, and the muffins or cupcakes will be slightly less sweet.
• For a different sweetener, use honey instead of sugar. Reduce the water to ⅓ cup.

Recipe for Healthy Chocolate Muffins

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients: 

• ¾ cup of whole-wheat flour
• ¾ cup of all-purpose flour
• ½ cup of baking cocoa (unsweetened cocoa powder)
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ¾ cup of mashed ripe banana
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup of sugar
• ¼ cup of olive or canola oil
• ⅓ cup of plain yogurt
• ½ cup of boiling water (measured after heating)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• (Optional) ¼ cup of chopped walnuts

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners or spray with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat together the mashed banana, egg, sugar, oil, yogurt, and vanilla extract. 
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined. Pour in the boiling water and stir gently until the batter is smooth. It will be thin. 
5. Stir in walnuts if desired. 
6. Distribute the batter evenly into the muffin cups, filling each one about ¾ full. 
7. Bake for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick cups out clean. Cool before transferring to a rack. 

Nutrition information per muffin (including walnuts): 190 calories; 7 grams of fat; 1 gram of saturated fat; 30 mg of cholesterol; 140 mg of sodium; 27 grams of carbohydrates; 9 grams of sugar; 3 grams of dietary fiber; 3 grams of protein

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