I’m lovin’ the new muffin pan I got and I wanted to put it to good use, so I’ve been experimenting with different flavors and fusing them all together. I think I’ve come up with some interesting combinations that I’m pretty sure will knock your socks off!
Look for those in future posts…
But for today’s recipe, I wanted to create the best ever chocolate muffins.
Much like my last muffin recipe, which was the Ultimate Blueberry Protein Muffins, and I loved how those came out, I knew I had to apply that same concept to another popular variation, the chocolate muffin.
In my mind, this muffin was gonna be epic. It was gonna have all of the Peanut Butter On Everything fixin’s—-protein, fiber, antioxidants, all-natural ingredients—-
Every bite, bursting with dark chocolate, dark chocolate, and more dark chocolate!
If you were to open the dictionary and look for a chocolate protein muffin, I wanted to make it so this right here is what you would see.
The absolute de-fin-i-tion.
And after much experimentation and taste tests, as Stone Cold Steve Austin would say, I think we “hit the nail right on the head, son!!”
So, without further adieu…
Enter….my Double Dark Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins!!
a 100% cacao dark chocolate, almond flour batter….
Loaded with dark chocolate chips, bananas, cinnamon, amaretto….
packed with protein, antioxidants, fiber…
these bad boys are exploding with flavors and will surely satisfy those inner chocolate cravings….
without all the sugar!!
quite possibly the ULTIMATE chocolate chip protein muffins!!
YOW-ZA!!!
These muffins are chewy, gooey, and chock full of flavor. Once you sink your teeth into its soft, moist center, your taste buds will be bombarded with so much chocolatey goodness, they won’t know what hit ’em!
One thing I’m sure you’ll really like about these muffins is….
NO refined flours, NO granulated sugars, and NO butter is used in the batter! That’s right—
1) Instead of all-purpose flour, the most common flour used to make muffins, I use almond flour.
It provides excellent nutritional value—-high in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants—all purpose flour provides NONE of this.
And also, according to the Diabetes Education Online website, “because fiber is a type of carbohydrate your body can’t digest, it does not affect your blood sugar levels. You should subtract the grams of fiber from the total carbohydrate.”
Generally, almond flour contains 5 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of fiber per serving. Taking this into account, this means that almond flour only has 2 grams net carbs per serving! Much leaner than all-purpose, and leaner than other commonly used flours like, whole wheat flour or oat flour!
More excellent info on almond flour can be found here.
2) Cacao powder is used to add extra chocolate-y flavor, and also helps eliminate the need to use more flour.
This in turn, lowers the presumed carb and calorie count of these muffins, while also bumping up its fiber content! Cacao powder also has its own unique antioxidants (which we’ll explain its benefits down below). A win-win for us all!
3) I use monk fruit sweetener instead of granulated sugar.
Most muffins add some type of sugar into their recipes, like brown sugar, table sugar, or coconut sugar, but these options are all super high in sugars/carbs, and we all know how bad sugars are no matter how you slice it.
Monk fruit sweetener is a fantastic substitute for regular white/cane/table/coconut sugar. Monk fruit sweetener is the juice collected from the monk fruit, and it is similar in appearance to regular table sugar.
The main difference—it’s about 200 times sweeter than sugar, but with zero calories, and zero carbs. You can sub it in at a 1:1 ratio for regular sugar.
I personally love this stuff! And I use it in most of my “sweet” recipes ever since I found out about it.
More detailed information about monk fruit can be found here.
4) I sub in peanut butter instead of butter.
I use peanut butter in these muffins to not only add that delicious, nutty flavor, and not just because of its high protein/nutrient content (about 7g protein, 12g unsaturated fats, 3g fiber per 2 tbsp serving), but also because it adds “healthy” fats and oils that help keep these muffins moist, which locks in its flavor.
For decades, butter has been known to be detrimental to your overall health because of its high saturated fat and calorie content. It seems to be making a comeback of late, as current research may suggest otherwise (Dr. Axe has a great article on the benefits of grass-fed butter, check it out here), but there’s no denying that its high fat content may not be that good for you.
5) Last but not least…
Whey protein powder is used to add some muscle-building protein. Banana is used as a natural sweetener, and I added cinnamon, and almond extract to enhance these already flavorful muffins up even more.
OK, here are the nutritional benefits of the main ingredients in these Double Dark Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins…
Dark chocolate has been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids—all of which are believed to help fight cancer, fight free radical damage, and fight disease. Certain research has shown dark chocolate to maybe help improve brain function, boost memory, and enhance focus. Also, flavonoids in dark chocolate have been shown to help improve heart circulation.
Bananas are fully-loaded with potassium, a very important nutrient which has been shown to help support the body’s circulatory system, help move oxygen throughout our cells, and helps to lower high blood pressure. Bananas are high in fiber, which helps to keep our digestive system running smoothly and helps to remove toxins.
Cinnamon is widely-considered as the most antioxidant-rich natural spice available in the world. The antioxidants found in cinnamon are believed to maybe help fight cancer, slow the aging process, fight off disease, and protect cells from DNA damage. Studies have shown cinnamon may help lower blood pressure and help increase blood circulation.
Peanut butter, which is basically grounded up peanuts, contain about 8 grams of protein per ounce, this is more than allother nuts. Peanuts contain bioactives like flavonols and phenolic acids, that provide numerous health benefits. Studies have shown that resveratrol (found on the peanut skins), a bioactive found in only a few foods, may help lower risks of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes.
Here’s what you’ll need….
And of course, a muffin pan, like so….
Some quick notes before you get started…
-you can sub 1/2 cup applesauce instead of the banana.
-once you pour the batter onto the muffin pan, add more dark chocolate chips on top before you place it in the oven!
-This generally will take about 16-18 minutes baking time. Be careful NOT over-bake!!*** This will dry them out!
Keep a close eye on them and take them out right when they’re done.
-Check them at about the 15 minute mark and do the toothpick test to see where you’re at (toothpick down the center), and place it back in the oven for a few more minutes if need be, but not a second more!
-Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge. Best if consumed within 3-4 days. I like to re-heat them back up in the microwave, it’s just like they’re fresh out the oven!
If you like these, then you gotta check out my….
- Triple Dark Chocolate Macadamia Nut Protein Cookies
- Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Fudge Protein Brownies
- Rocky Road Protein Pizookie
Alright then, let’s get to it!!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 16-19 minutes |
| Servings |
muffins
|
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 2 scoops chocolate whey protein powder
- 4 1/3 tbsp cacao powder
- 3 tbsp monk fruit sweetener
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 large banana
- 1 whole egg
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 3 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Ingredients
|
|
- Preheat oven to 375.
- In mixing bowl, add flour, protein powder, cacao powder, cinnamon, baking powder, monk fruit sweetener. Mix thoroughly.
- In separate larger bowl, mash banana with a fork. Add eggs, almond extract, peanut butter. Mix thoroughly.
- Gradually pour dry ingredient bowl contents into larger wet ingredient bowl, while mixing. Mix until fully incorporated. Fold in dark chocolate chips.
- Line muffin pan with baking cups. If not available, grease muffin pan with olive oil. Using spoon, add batter into each muffin section, at least 2/3 full, or fill to the top. Should make about 7-8 muffins.
- Bake in oven for about 16-19 minutes, or until toothpick down the center comes out clean. Careful not to over-bake!
- Remove from oven. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Enjoy!
-you can sub 1/2 cup applesauce instead of the banana.
-once you pour the batter onto the muffin pan, add more dark chocolate chips on top before you place it in the oven!
-This generally will take about 16-18 minutes baking time. Be careful NOT over-bake!!*** This will dry them out! Keep a close eye on them and take them out right when they're done.
-Do the toothpick test at about the 15 minute mark to see where you're at. Place back in the oven if need be, and watch closely.
-Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge. Best if consumed within 3-4 days. I like to re-heat them back up in the microwave, it’s just like they’re fresh out the oven!
Did you try this recipe? How did it turn out for you?? I would love to hear from you! Sound off in the comments section below or use the social media buttons throughout the website. Enjoy!!
