Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe
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This healthy chocolate chip muffins recipe makes a delicious, whole grain treat after dinner or on the go!
There’s just something about healthy chocolate chip muffins. I bite into their soft, spongy little bodies, and I’m immediately whisked away to my fabulously warm and sweet-scented dream kitchen and that perfect, double oven I keep fantasizing about. My stress seems to melt away and the only thing occupying my mind is that deep, rich gooey chocolate that seems to massage my shoulders and rub my feet on the way down.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MUFFIN AND A CUPCAKE?
Typically, a muffin is heartier. It’s often made with whole grains and is also often filled with healthier fare such as dried fruits, nuts and seeds. Muffins can be sweet or savory. They can sometimes be very similar to cupcakes, however, but cupcakes are basically tiny cakes. So there is a difference.
ARE MUFFINS HEALTHIER THAN CUPCAKES?
That is the broadly held idea. However, it’s not always the case. A muffin can be made just as sugary and just as unhealthy as a cupcake. While a cupcake is definitely cake in a smaller form, a muffin can have just as much refined sugar, process grains and other additives that many cupcakes have. And on the other side of that, a cupcake can be made with whole grains and healthier ingredients. So it all really depends on what you put into your muffins and cupcakes.
All that being said, these muffins, despite containing honey and chocolate chips, are a pretty good way to go if you are craving something sweet. They are unprocessed, whole grain muffins that use healthier ingredients at every turn. You can’t go wrong!
BASE MUFFIN RECIPE:
If you are wanting a good base recipe to use for other muffins, this is a great one. Sub the chocolate chips with other things like berries, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, whatever you can think of that fits into your definition of health and clean!
MORE CLEAN EATING RECIPES:
HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS RECIPE
Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (affiliate link)
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup oil (anything light in flavor)
- ¾ cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1 cup chocolate chips (either grain sweetened, low carb or dark chocolate are the cleanest choices)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line your muffin tin with cupcake papers.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, chocolate chips and baking soda.
- In a large mixing bowl, blend everything else with a whisk.
- Add the flour to the wet ingredients and whisk again.
- Pour into your muffin tin. Fill up the cups only half way.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Ultimate stress relief food: Dark chocolate. Hands down! 🙂
Chocolate. Definitely chocolate. It soothes my soul.
Chocolate for sure is the food I turn to for stress relief. With that said, I have not found relief in it lately. So I am back to clean eating after not doing very well the last two months and have found myself with now 10 lbs to take off. Today was the first day 100% clean and planning a special treat with your Pear Orange Cinnamon Sparkler tonight for my New Year toast!
Happy New Year to you Tiffany!
Spinning is my absolute ultimate stress reliever. I cannot get enough of the energy in the room emitted by all the other riders as we simulate outdoor cycling. Clean eating provides the nutrition and fuels my body and spinning gives me the positive outlet I need to release the stress of everyday life. Its a winning combination! I guess that is why I became an instructor;)
Happy New Year Tiffany- thank you for your awesome site- I visit it daily—and I use your recipes all the time!
Kristen – Thanks! That spinning class sounds like fun! Happy New Year to you too!
This looks like a fun New Year’s brunch item (or everyday maybe). Thanks so much for your site- I have started using your recipes and feel like I have so much more energy and enjoy cooking these foods. I went to the grocery store and only bought produce and bulk grains- they thought I was crazy. But, it’s worth it- thank you!
Jane – That’s FABULOUS!!! As they say, “the proof is in the pudding”. Or in this case, the proof is in the whole grains! lol. Enjoy!
O.M.G. My mouth is watering. Literally. I must try these!! I stumbled upon your sight looking for clean eating ideas and my kids have ben asking if there are any good ‘sweet’ recipes to try. Thank you!!! What a WONDERFUL blog you have here!!
Byn – Thanks so much! I have plenty of “goodies” on this blog! (Maybe a few too many!) So your kids should be happy! Hope you enjoy them!
Made these today — they were very yummy, even though I had to use Whole Wheat Flour as opposed to the pastry flour. I’m freezing them for my kiddos to have a quick breakfast on school mornings.
Oh, I need to confess that I had to use semi-sweet choco chips b/c the grain sweetened ones are over $9/lb….maybe someday. Thanks for the recipe!
Tasha – Holy hairballs! I pay about $3 for a bag. Wow! Happy you enjoyed them though!
I just made these today on our snow day in the Northeast. They are delicious. I’m going to freeze them so I only eat one a day. My husband will love these and they are healthy! Thanks, Tiffany!
Kimberly – You’re welcome! Freezing them is a wonderful solution too. They are way too easy to eat!
What is the best way to make the double chocolate? Is there one?
Kayla – You could add about a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to the flour.
Do we have to use pastry flour? I can’t find it anywhere
If you use regular whole wheat flour, you will simply end up with a denser, more coarse muffin. But it will still taste the same.
If you use regular whole wheat flour, you will simply end up with a denser, more coarse muffin. But it will still taste the same.
I have tried several of your muffin recipes in the last few weeks and this is my favorite yet! How about using white whole wheat flour instead of the pastry flour?
Missie – You can easily sub with white whole wheat pastry flour. No problem.
I’m new to this site and have a question – since these don’t have any protien in them, they wouldnt suffice as a meal by themselves. I assume you would have to have some kind of protien with it or maybe you could add protien powder to this recipe? I’m looking for a way I can grab these very quickly (I have about 5 min between waking up and leaving for the gym) and Id like to eat it on the way to the gym. That way, I can stay consistent with eating within an hour of waking up – otherwise I won’t be able to eat until 2 hours later when I finally get to work. So maybe two muffins (with protien powder added) would be a great start to my day?? Then a few hours later I could do oatmeal with a fruit mixed in…?
Jennifer – I would add a hard boiled egg with that. Or egg whites. It’s the best way to know you’re getting enough protein. While I do bake with protein powder, there’s some question as to how the protein in the powder holds up during baking. Better safe than sorry.
At the risk of sounding really picky, the smell of eggs makes me gag (sorry!). I’m willing to give in to eating all the vegetables all day long but I just can’t do it with the eggs. Are there any other solutions for a good breakfast protein? 🙂 Thanks so much for helping me!
Jennifer – You don’t have to have eggs for breakfast. Any meat will do! I have ground turkey patties for breakfast often!
Jennifer – I would add a hard boiled egg with that. Or egg whites. It’s the best way to know you’re getting enough protein. While I do bake with protein powder, there’s some question as to how the protein in the powder holds up during baking. Better safe than sorry.
I’m new to this site and have a question – since these don’t have any protien in them, they wouldnt suffice as a meal by themselves. I assume you would have to have some kind of protien with it or maybe you could add protien powder to this recipe? I’m looking for a way I can grab these very quickly (I have about 5 min between waking up and leaving for the gym) and Id like to eat it on the way to the gym. That way, I can stay consistent with eating within an hour of waking up – otherwise I won’t be able to eat until 2 hours later when I finally get to work. So maybe two muffins (with protien powder added) would be a great start to my day?? Then a few hours later I could do oatmeal with a fruit mixed in…?
The coconut oil and milk will be fine. Not sure about the wheat. You’d have to try it.
You can use pretty much any oil you like. Coconut oil would be fine.
just pulled these out of the oven a short while ago, and they are amazing!! swapped the apple & oil for fresh butter, but my little boy will wolf these down as a lunch box treat!! 😉
Awesome! Glad you’re enjoying them! 🙂
Do you think it will mess up the muffin if i use regular flour and semi sweet chocolate chips?
Lynn – In theory, it should be fine.
Can I substitute gluten free flour or coconut flour?
Thanks!
Allison – Technically, but you’ll probably need more of it to achieve the same consistency. Coconut flour is very “thirsty” stuff.
Ok, thanks for the response!!!
I have been using this recipe for 5+ years! My family loves it! W
Erica – Fantastic! That’s so amazing! Thanks so much for sharing that. You made my day! 😀