We love peanut butter and a little bit of chocolate added can make peanut butter taste even better. Why not make a peanut butter muffin recipe with chocolate chips? Being muffins, this should be an easy recipe and it is as simple as combining a few ingredients together without a lot of fancy equipment. No need to break out that mixer! You can do this all by hand with just a few bowls and a couple utensils.

However, that is where the simplicity ends and my trouble begins. As many of you may be aware, we lost our dear Jackson a few months ago and this recipe, like his untimely passing, haunts me. I began tinkering with this recipe over a year ago and thought I was close to finalizing it when Jackson suddenly became unwell. All my focus became about him and our desire to save him and the heartbreaking decision to let him go. I can't seem to finalize this recipe and would love some input on how to make it better.

Every time I start to work on this recipe again, I just seem to make it worse instead of better. I feel such melancholy as Jackson always tested out all the baked goods that were safe for dogs. He was always there in the background checking on me and telling me when to take a break for health and cuddles. His little face is ingrained in my mind when I pick up this recipe. I always made at least one muffin without chocolate for the pups to try. I also find I am kind of "stuck" and can't seem to move onto other baking projects, hyper-focusing on perfecting this recipe.

So this is where I ask my fellow bakers and friends for help! If you are brave enough to experiment on baking and trust me enough to say they are very nice muffins as written, you could have some fun learning how to modify a recipe to make it your own. I'll go over the steps of how to make these muffins, with the adjustments I tried along the way and what works and what didn't. Perhaps, my friends, we can honor Jackson's memory by working on this peanut butter muffin recipe together.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Below, we will teach you how to make this peanut butter muffin recipe with a few simple steps. It'll take longer to read the details or clean the dishes than it will to whip up this muffin! For those that are attempting to "fix" my recipe, I will include notes along the way. For those just here for the baked goods, feel free to click to the "jump to recipe" button as usual.

Step 1: Prepare the (mostly) Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. For this recipe, we are including sugar in the dry ingredients. (Adding the sugar to the peanut butter creates a grainy texture in the muffins.) Set aside.

If you are wanting to tinker around with this peanut butter muffin recipe, I have tried between 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar (100 - 200 grams) and I also used 2 tsp (8g) of baking powder and omitted the baking soda altogether. I can't increase the salt any more than I already have since some brands of peanut butter seemed to be more salty than others and I didn't like the outcome.

Step 2: Mix your Wet Ingredients

I recommend weighing out your peanut butter. Too little and you don't taste the peanut butter. Too much and the muffins become claggy. I have tried between 1/2 cup to 1 cup (128g - 256g) of creamy and crunchy peanut butters and can't seem to find a happy medium. However, I have found between 2/3 - 3/4 cup to be the sweet spot.

Slowly add in the oil. As you add the oil, it thins out the peanut butter. If you are wanting to experiment with this recipe, we've tried up to 1/2 cup oil (120mL), but beyond 1/3 cup oil (80mL) added, we found the muffin batter tends to clump and separate into a greasy mess and the end result is a very dense muffin that almost tastes wet in the center.

Look how thinned out the peanut butter looks with just that small amount of oil added.

Now you will want to add in the eggs. Something magical happens when you add eggs to the thinned peanut butter.

It becomes quite viscous instead of thinner as you'd assume. Know how when you eat peanut butter and it feels thicker as you chew? This is because the peanut butter is reacting to your saliva and naturally thickening. Science is very interesting.

Now you want to add in some milk. At first, it will not want to absorb and will become even thicker. But as you gradually add in the milk, it becomes thin again. This process of the peanut butter thickening and thinning with ingredients is why I'm having such a hard time finessing this recipe. Also, because of this phenomenon, when eating these peanut butter muffins, be sure to have a glass of milk or water with them. We have used as little as 1/2 cup of milk (120mL) and as much as 1 1/2 cups of milk (360mL) for those that are wanting to experiment. Too little and the muffins dried out as they baked, even at lower temperatures. Too much and the muffins became soggy tasting, even when over baked.

Once you have all the milk added, it's time to combine the ingredients together.

Step 3: Combine the Wet with the Dry Ingredients

Pour the peanut butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a spatula or spoon until just the flour is absorbed. Do not overmix. Over mixing can lead to the oils in the peanut butter separating. Depending on the brand of peanut butter you use, the mixture will be somewhat thick or a little thinner. Don't worry if it looks a little different than this photo.

Now you want to add in chocolate chips if you want to use chocolate. I recommend adding the chips a little at at time so they distribute better in the batter while baking. You may even want to reserve a small handful to sprinkle on the top of the muffins prior to baking.

If you add the chocolate chips a little at a time, each muffin should have plenty. However, feel free to use up to 1 1/2 cups (360g) of chocolate chips in total. Any more than that, and the muffins becomes gooey and may not bake properly.

Step 4: Baking the Muffins

Now you are ready to bake your muffins! Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin tins. There will be approximately 1/4 cup (60mL) of batter in each section. We always recommend using paper liners for easier storage, serving and cleaning up.

We do recommend you turn the tray 180° halfway through baking if you don't have a convection oven to prevent hot spots and over-browning of some of the muffins. Below you will see we didn't do that. Can you tell which ones were at the hardest part of the oven?

Substitutions and Tips

Here are some common substitutions and tips for this peanut butter muffin recipe.

• Fat-free, 2%, whole milk or buttermilk can be all be chosen for this recipe. Whole milk will give the richest flavor, but fat-free tastes excellent! For a tang, try buttermilk.
• You can use soy, almond or other milk substitutes for this recipe.
• Up to 1 cup (113 grams of chopped or whole peanuts can be folded into the batter.
• Do not use more than 1 1/2 cups (360g) of chocolate as it will change the texture of the muffins and they will not bake properly.
• Any type of cooking oil can be used for this recipe. Canola and vegetable oil will give a neutral taste.
• Melted coconut oil or butter can be substituted for the oil in this recipe. Melted butter will result in a muffin that stales within just one day.

Storage

Freshly baked muffins are always best eaten the day you make them. However, these will keep 2-3 days before they go stale and dry out. Let the muffins cool completely and store in a paper bag, an airtight container or a plastic bag. The crust will soften if stored in plastic bags.

These muffins freeze up to 3 months, but it is best to eat them within a few weeks as baked goods tend to dry out as they age in the freezer. To freeze cool completely and then store in a freezer safe container or storage bag. Thaw on the counter for approximately 45 minutes prior to eating. This may take less time or longer, depending on the temperature in the home. In general, the warmer the home, the quicker they will thaw.

Final Thoughts

In the end, I was satisfied enough with this recipe to share it with all of you. Many people enjoyed it just as it is posted below, yet I find it lacking. Perhaps this recipe is great as it is written and it's just grief clouding my judgment. Or perhaps it's the fact that chocolate triggers migraines and a side effect of those migraines changes my sense of taste for days on end. But we aren't here to talk about me; we are hear to bake and celebrate the life of Jackson. We are here to help you create happy memories with those you love. Because one day, they may be gone and the smell of peanut butter muffins baking away in the oven years from now will bring back a flood of happy moments you created over time with those you love. Happy baking my friends. Happy baking.

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

This peanut butter muffins recipe is loaded with creamy peanut butter and has just enough chocolate chips for every mouthful! Easy to make, bake and share!

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 24 minutes minutes

Total Time 44 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 352.8kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups (300g) flour
• 1 ¼ cup (300mL) milk
• ¾ cup (192g) peanut butter
• ¾ cup (180g) chocolate chips
• ¾ cup (150g) sugar
• 2 large (100g) eggs
• ¼ cup (60mL) oil
• 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
• 1 tsp (4g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (3g) baking soda
• ½ tsp (2.5g) salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375F (190C.)
• Grease and flour or line a muffin tin with paper cups.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In a smaller bowl, add the peanut butter. Gradually whisk in the oil until smooth. Next, whisk in eggs. Then, whisk in the milk and vanilla. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and stir together until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Divide batter equally into each muffin tin, about 1/4 cup.
• Bake 18 - 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean of batter. Some melted chocolate may cling to the toothpick. Center temperature should read between 200 - 210°F (93 - 99°C) when fully baked.
• Cool in pan for 5 - 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to finish cooling before storing.

Notes

This was the last recipe I worked on with Jackson.  The recipe has been a work in progress for months and I can't seem to get it just right.  Feel free to tinker around with this recipe and post any improvements you have made in the comments!  

If using a dark muffin tin, drop the temperature to 350°F (180°C) and increase baking time by 2 - 3 minutes.  

You can increase the chocolate chips or use mini chocolate chips up to 1 1/2 cups (360g) in total. Any more than that, the muffins becomes gooey and may not bake properly.

Try adding up to 1 cup (113g) of chopped peanuts for an even more more peanut flavor!

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 352.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 40.5g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 19.6g | Saturated Fat: 5.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7.8g | Fiber: 1g

Perhaps you are like me and buy strawberries in season but don't know what to do with them all. I like to quarter them or cut them into thirds and freeze what I'm not using right away. That way we can bake with them all year round and the berries don't go to waste.

This is a simple recipe to do. Rinse and prepare the strawberries, stir together all the dry ingredients. Then stir together the wet ingredients. Mix wet with dry and fold in the berries. Then divide equally into the pan to bake until golden brown. Muffins are great for the beginner baker!

If you liked this strawberry muffin recipe, perhaps you'll also like a chocolate muffin recipe to go along with them? After all, chocolate and strawberries are great together. Why not eat one of each?

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Strawberry Muffins

A hearty strawberry muffin recipe that is lower in sugar and rich in flavor. Easy to make and delicious!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 233.2kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups (300g) flour
• 1 cup (160g) strawberries
• ¾ cup (180mL) milk
• ¾ cup (150g) sugar
• 2 large (100g) eggs
• ⅓ cup (80mL) oil
• 2 tsp (6g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
• ½ tsp (2.5g) salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400F (200C.)
• Grease or line a muffin tin with paper cups.
• Rinse and cut strawberries to thirds. Toss strawberries in 2 tbs of the flour, set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Pour wet ingredients into dry, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in blueberries.
• Divide batter equally into each muffin tin, about 3 tbs.
• Bake 16 - 19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Notes

You may use 1 cup of sugar if you prefer a sweeter muffin.  

If desired, use self rising flour in place of plain.  Just omit baking powder and salt.

When using frozen berries, the baking time should be increased about 5 minutes.  Check for doneness around 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 233.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 39.1g | Protein: 3.8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.4g | Fiber: 1.1g

This is a simple recipe to make. Make chocolate banana muffins by hand without a mixer. A few bowls, a spoon and a muffin tin is all you need. You'll spend more time doing the dishes than creating the recipe. Within 1/2 hour, have a delicious and nutritious muffin in your hand ready to eat.

You can substitute the flour for gluten free or low carb flour quite nicely. Almond or rice flour works out really well. Add in some nuts, dried fruit or chocolate chips to customize them. Or perhaps all three? Can't get enough of muffins? Me either. Try out these delicious cranberry lemon muffins next!

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Chocolate Banana Muffins

A hearty chocolatey banana muffin lower in sugar and fat yet rich in flavor. A great way to start your day!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 175.6kcal

Ingredients

• 2 large (218g) mashed bananas
• 1 cup (150g) flour
• ¾ cup (150g) sugar
• 2 large (100g) eggs
• ⅓ cup (80mL) oil
• ½ cup (40g) cocoa
• 1 tsp (3g) baking soda
• ½ tsp (2.5mL) vanilla
• ½ tsp (2.5g) salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400F (200C.)
• Grease or line a muffin tin with paper cups.
• Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
• In a separate bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Mix in eggs, oil and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
• Divide batter equally into each muffin tin, about 3 tbs.
• Bake 16 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Center should reach 200F (93C) when done. Leave in pan 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to finish cooling.

Notes

You can add up to 1 cup (113g) chopped nuts for added flavor and texture.

You can use self-rising flour.  Simply replace with equal amounts and omit the salt and baking soda.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 175.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.3g | Protein: 2.7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.4g | Fiber: 0.5g

You can also use any kind of chili powder you desire. Paprika gives a nice, soft flavor without the heat. Chipotle powder will give you a bit of fire to your chocolate. Ordinary chili powder gives a lovely flavor and just the right amount of heat that won't be unpleasant. Chili powder is a blend of cayenne pepper for heat, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and paprika for flavoring. So you may want to avoid it if you don't want the undertones of other spices. Cayenne pepper is a good middle ground for heat and flavor. Any type of powder you use you can't go wrong as long as you like the taste of it. The key to baking successfully is using ingredients you enjoy eating.

These spicy chocolate muffins are very easy to make, too! You will simply stir together the flour, cocoa, spice, baking soda, salt and sugar. Then you add the remaining ingredients and mix just until a thick batter forms. Place a little in each muffin tin, bake and you're done! You can have muffins and cleaned up the dishes used to make them within thirty minutes. This is a quick recipe that also freezes well. Make extra batches and store them frozen for a fast meal or snack.

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Spicy Chocolate Muffins

A pleasant chocolate muffin with a kick to start the day. These muffins are quick to make and have a nice spicy flavor to amp up that chocolate flavor.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 195kcal

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (225g) flour
• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• ¾ cup (180mL) milk
• 2 large (100g) eggs
• ⅓ cup (80mL) oil
• ½ cup (40g) cocoa powder
• 1 tsp (6g) baking soda
• 1 tsp (4g) cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
• ½ tsp (2.5g) salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400F (200C.)
• Grease or line a muffin tin with paper cups.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, cayenne pepper, and salt.
• In a smaller bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry, mixing until just combined.
• Divide batter equally into each muffin tin, about 3 tbs each.
• Bake 16 - 19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before storing.

Notes

Use any flavor chili powder you like.  Paprika will give a mild flavor.  Chipotle will take the spice up a notch.  Chili powder is a mild blend of spices that may be just what you are looking for.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.8g | Protein: 3.3g | Fat: 7.3g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.4g | Fiber: 1.3g

Since working with cinnamon over the holidays and after making a giant cinnamon roll the size of a WV mountain, it was time for an easy recipe. I wanted to see if there was a way to create a muffin that was reminiscent of cinnamon rolls without all the waiting around for dough to rise. Something that could be made within 1/2 hour start to finish. Finally, after much tinkering around and adjusting ratios, the cinnamon crunch muffin was created.

My goal is to teach you to think on your feet. Some may just want a recipe and that's it. And that is totally okay! But if you really want to learn how to bake, switch over to weighing your ingredients and start manipulating recipes to see what happens. Worst thing is you have an inedible item. Best thing is you've created your own masterpiece.

Once that you have learned how to make cinnamon crunch muffins recipe, I encourage you to try different spices. Instead of the allspice, use a little nutmeg or cloves. Try both, even. Add more cinnamon. Try different flavors altogether. Not only can adjust the spices to your liking, try different types of sugar, use butter or margarine, melted butter in place of the oil. Double the topping if you don't have any regard to calories and see what happens. Muffins are a quick and easy way to experiment and learn how to create your own food.

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Cinnamon Crunch Muffins

A nice sweet and spicy muffin with a pleasant crunchy top that only takes minutes to prepare and is ready within 1/2 hour. These are not only really easy to make but a pleasure to eat!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 263.1kcal

Ingredients

For the Muffin

• 2 cups (300g) flour
• ¾ cup (180mL) milk
• ¾ cup (150g) sugar
• ½ cup (120mL) oil
• 2 large (100g) eggs
• 2 tsp (8g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (2g) cinnamon
• ½ tsp (1g) ginger
• ½ tsp (1g) allspice
• ¼ tsp (1.25g) salt

For the Topping

• 3 tbs (42g) light brown sugar
• 1 tbs (14g) butter or margarine
• 1 tsp (14g) crushed nuts
• 1 tsp (3g) flour
• 1 tsp (2g) cinnamon
• 1 tsp (1g) oatmeal

Instructions

For the Topping

• In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and flour.
• With a knife or fork, cut in the butter until it looks like crumbs. Set aside.

For the Muffins

• Preheat oven to 375 (190C.)
• Grease or line a muffin tin with paper cups.
• In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice.
• In a smaller bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil. Pour wet ingredients into dry, mixing until just combined.
• Divide batter equally into each muffin tin, about 3 tbs.
• Sprinkle on brown sugar topping. If desired, add oatmeal and nuts on top of sugar.
• Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven. Leave baked muffins in pan 2-3 minutes before removing. Cool on a wire rack.

Notes

You may use 1 cup of sugar if you prefer a sweeter muffin.  

If desired, use self-rising flour in place of plain.  Just omit baking powder and salt.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 263.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 37.6g | Protein: 3.8g | Fat: 11.8g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.8g | Fiber: 0.1g

If you are like me, my baking experiences started out with simple boxed cakes, prepackaged dessert kits and those classic bagged artificially flavored muffins. Despite it now being considered a faux pas, some of those packaged options are still a great option. Especially if you are new to baking or in a hurry.

You must keep things in perspective. Everyone starts at the beginning and soon you start to feel comfortable enough in the kitchen to venture out to homemade recipes. One of my favorite things to show people how to make are muffins. There is something so magical about a lumpy batter turning into a delicious baked good. They are also cheap and easy to make.

Blueberry muffins won't require you to buy a $300 stand mixer or even a hand held one. You can do this recipe with a few basic ingredients and a simple spoon to stir the batter. We prefer you to make these entirely by hand as it keeps the muffins light and fluffy. You also can make a ton of different flavors once you learn how to make muffins. Things like chocolate muffins with peanut butter chips can be just as easy to make.

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Blueberry Muffins

A hearty blueberry muffin lower in sugar and rich in flavor. Easy to make and delicious!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 233.2kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups (300g) flour
• 1 cup (160g) blueberries
• ¾ cup (180mL) milk
• ¾ cup (150g) sugar
• 2 large (100g) eggs
• ⅓ cup (80mL) oil
• 2 tsp (6g) baking powder
• ½ tsp (2.5g) salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400F (200C.)
• Grease or line a muffin tin with paper cups.
• Toss blueberries in 2 tbs of the flour, set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• In a smaller bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil. Pour wet ingredients into dry, mixing until just combined. Fold in blueberries.
• Divide batter equally into each muffin tin, about 3 tbs.
• Bake 16 - 19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Notes

You may use 1 cup of sugar if you prefer a sweeter muffin.  

If desired, use self rising flour in place of plain.  Just omit baking powder and salt.

When using frozen berries, the baking time should be increased about 5 minutes.  Check for doneness around 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 233.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 39.1g | Protein: 3.8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.4g | Fiber: 1.1g

When it comes to healthy baking, some think of boring bran muffins and don't realize even chocolate muffins can be healthier! Yes, folks. Tasty muffins can be quite healthy by using quality ingredients, less sugar and healthier fats. So if you are now ready to learn how to make healthier chocolate chip muffins, follow along!

These chocolate chip muffins are cake like in texture, light and airy, filled with chocolate and a pleasure to eat. Ready in less than 30 minutes from start to finish, you'll wonder why you have been buying those artificial muffin packets your entire life. To demonstrate how easy these are to make, I'll provide photos and a video below.

In the first place, these are easy to mix in just one bowl with an ordinary spoon or spatula, you won't even need to put in a lot of effort to get a nice tasting breakfast or afternoon snack. Secondly, they are delicious. Finally, they are highly customizable. I recommend once you learn this recipe to customize it to your taste. Perhaps you'd like some walnuts to go with the chocolate or some dried fruit? Maybe a little of both? Eating healthy doesn't have to be boring!

Perhaps more importantly, what are you waiting for to make these delicious healthier chocolate chip muffins? You could have already made them!

Now that you've read how to make healthier chocolate chip cookies, watch this video to see how truly easy they are. In less than 3 1/2 minutes, you'll be surprised that healthy can be tasty and quick!

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Chocolate Chip Muffins

A classic muffin with chocolate chips to make you feel like a kid again.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 251.8kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups (300g) flour
• ¾ cup (180mL) milk
• ¾ cup (180g) chocolate chips
• ¾ cup (150g) sugar
• 2 large (100g) eggs
• ⅓ cup (80mL) oil
• 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
• 1 tsp (4g) baking powder
• ½ tsp (2.5g) salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400F (200C.)
• Grease or line a muffin tin with paper cups.
• In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• In a smaller bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry, mixing until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
• Divide batter equally into each muffin tin, about 3 tbs.
• Bake 16 - 19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Center should read between 200 - 210F (93-99C.)

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 251.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 37.6g | Protein: 3.6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.4g

I have friends and family that love chocolate and I'm always trying to find was to satiate their appetites while still limiting high amounts of sugar and fats. Chocolate can be tricky to work with and stay low in calories, so I rely a lot on cocoa powder. It is low in fat and calories, has a good amount of protein and lets you add in a nice rich chocolate flavor cheaply. You can go from a nice mellow milk chocolate to a dark and demanding attention chocolate with just a few teaspoons. The trick is getting enough moisture so the cocoa powder doesn't dry out the baked goods.

Now these are very rich and delicious, but a little higher in calories than I normally suggest. If you want a lighter version, there is an equally good chocolate muffin recipe found here that is less in calories and saturated fat. If you aren't concerned about calories or looking for a special treat, continue reading as these will not disappoint!

If you still are struggling on learning how to make decadent chocolate muffins, check out the following video. It's quick and concise just like the recipe.

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Decadent Chocolate Muffins

This muffin is loaded with chocolate for the extreme chocolatey way to start your day.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 261.2kcal

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (225g) flour
• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• ¾ cup (180mL) milk
• ¾ cup (180g) chocolate chips
• 2 large (100g) eggs
• ⅓ cup (80mL) oil
• ½ cup (40g) cocoa powder
• 1 tsp (6g) baking soda
• 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
• ½ tsp (2.5g) salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400F (200C.)
• Grease or line a muffin tin with paper cups.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a smaller bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry, mixing until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
• Divide batter equally into each muffin tin, about 3 tbs.
• Bake 16 - 19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 261.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11.3g | Saturated Fat: 3.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.5g | Fiber: 1.3g

Now, this is time for a confession. Until just recently, I destroyed all muffins and they were flat and tough like really bad pancakes. And then, one day, something clicked in my head. The same thing that turns fluffy pancakes into flat sad coasters is the same thing that destroys muffins: over-mixing your batter. Keep that batter slightly lumpy and you'll have pillowy soft muffins.

My first experiment went beautifully. I simply took the banana bread recipe and placed it into muffin tins. However, I quickly found myself eating just as much as the banana bread throughout the day. The quick bread recipe needed fixing, they had to be healthier.

Instead of butter, I chose to use oil for a much healthier option. There are people that love to tell you butter and other meat based fats are healthy for you and carbohydrates are evil. Plant based fats that are lower in saturated fats and high in mono and poly unsaturated fats are ideal for those wanting long-term, sustainable weight loss. Always choose plant based fats over animal ones whenever possible.

I'm actually so impressed, I am going to rework my banana bread recipe to see if I can replace some or all of the butter with oil. It was that delicious.

New to the site, a video tutorial for this recipe! I'm new to youtube and still learning how to film so feel free to make suggestions. Any tips are always welcome! In the meantime, check out this short video on how to make banana muffins.

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Banana Muffins

A hearty banana muffin lower in sugar and fat yet rich in flavor. A great way to start your day!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 175.6kcal

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (225g) flour
• 2 large (218g) mashed bananas
• ¾ cup (150g) sugar
• 2 large (100g) eggs
• ⅓ cup (80mL) oil
• 1 tsp (4g) baking powder
• ½ tsp (2.5mL) vanilla
• ½ tsp (2.5g) salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400F (200C.)
• Grease or line a muffin tin with paper cups.
• Stir together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl.
• In a separate bowl, mash bananas with a fork.
• Add the bananas, eggs, oil and vanilla into the flour mixture. Stir until just combined.
• Divide batter equally into each muffin tin, about 3 tbs.
• Bake 16 - 19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Notes

You can add up to 1/2 cup (56g) chopped nuts for added flavor and texture.

You can use self-rising flour.  Simply replace with equal amounts and omit the salt and baking powder.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 175.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.3g | Protein: 2.7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.4g | Fiber: 0.5g

How were these delicious muffins invented? Read below for some details. Or just skip to the recipe. They are so easy to make, you'll have them in the oven before you finish this paragraph!

Muffins recipes are relatively new to me. Up until a week ago, I've always stuck to those artificial packages and store bought super calorific muffins. It's not that I didn't want to make my own, they just looked so hard to make! And every time I tried, I failed miserably. They mostly ended up looking like cupcakes with very flat tops and they often tasted absolutely dreadful.

It wasn't until I was talking with my friend, Tara that she helped me break the code. One, my madeira cakes had a domed top by design. Second, so did cornbread. So what was it in these two recipes that caused this to happen? More flour and less mixing!

So I decided to try again. This time, I thought: why not modify a recipe I already know works well? Taking a cake recipe, I lowered the sugar and fat content and raised the flour. It was successful! Thanks, Tara! I finally made a lovely muffin.

Now if I could just become more creative on the names of said muffin... Not a very catchy title: Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Muffins. But still tasty! What would you call them?

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Muffins

If you are a fan of peanut butter and chocolate, you will adore these muffins. Rich cocoa and indulgent peanut butter chips, these will be a delight.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 275kcal

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (225g) flour
• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• ¾ cup (180g) peanut butter chips
• ¾ cup (180mL) milk
• 2 large (100g) eggs
• ⅓ cup (80mL) oil
• ½ cup (40g) cocoa powder
• 1 tsp (6g) baking soda
• 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
• ½ tsp (2.5g) salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400F (200C.)
• Grease or line a muffin tin with paper cups.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a smaller bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry, mixing until just combined.
• Fold in peanut butter chips.
• Divide batter equally into each muffin tin, about 3 tbs.
• Bake 16 - 19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Notes

Any type of oil such as canola or vegetable can be substituted for olive oil.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 39.8g | Protein: 3.3g | Fat: 11.8g | Saturated Fat: 4.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.4g | Fiber: 1.3g