I’ve been craving some chocolate decadence lately, but with some of the weight I gained back recently (keeping weight off is HARD people), I wanted something with fewer calories and sugar but not miss an indulgent thing – as it should be, right?! I have high expectations. I also have lazy expectations, so I threw all the ingredients in the blender and created a crazy-good double chocolate decadent monster. Yep, in the blender, the one-stop-good-old-smoothie-making blender … quick and easy … guilt-free … mess-free … chocolate bliss … these muffins are a very delicious thing and so accommodating. 🙂
Not only is this chocolate bliss, it’s moist as heck and surprisingly light. I find most flourless chocolate muffins are usually dense and look obviously flourless, this recipe has a lightness to it like a cake (using cocoa powder instead of a ganache), yet it has the richness of a brownie (nut butter and loads of chips to the rescue). The banana doesn’t really come through and is in here more for moisture than anything else. The peanut butter gives it only a hint of peanut flavor since I use unsweetened pure peanut butter, but if you prefer more of a sweet peanut butter cup like flavor in the muffin use a sweetened peanut butter. I add cinnamon to give the cocoa powder a deeper, richer chocolate flavor – a little goes a long way. These flourless double chocolate muffins met my family’s approval, in an hour. Seventeen muffins. Gone. In an hour. I knew I should have made more. With the added protein and unrefined sugar they’re also healthy enough to devour for breakfast without spiking your sugar levels so I don’t really feel bad we ate a bunch. Pure chocolate heaven that’s actually good for you? YES YES YES.
Also note, peanut butter can easily be swapped out for sunflower seed butter if nuts are an issue and see the recipe notes below for easy egg substitutions.
Go ahead, get that blender out and bake ’em. Have a few, they’re good for ya, and you’re worth it.
Xx Jessica
- 1 cup store-bought unsweetened creamy peanut butter (I use Earth Balance)
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- ¾ cup coconut nectar (honey or agave nectar are good too)
- ¾ cup canned coconut cream (shake well before using)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon pure GF vanilla extract
- ¼ cup ground flaxseeds
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 bananas
- 2 large eggs
- 1¼ cup dark chocolate chips, divided (I used Enjoy Life mini morsels)
- Preheat oven to convection mode 375 degrees F (190 C). Prepare two cupcake pans with liners. For the second cupcake pan, line five in the center for even baking. Set aside.
- Other than the eggs and chocolate chips, add all the ingredients into a blender (or food processor) and pulse a dozen times until well blended. Add in eggs and pulse a couple of times, just until blended. Add in 1 cup chocolate chips (remaining chips for sprinkling on prepared muffins) and again, pulse a couple of times, until just blended. Scrape up the bottom of the blender with a silicone spatula to make sure there isn’t any unmixed batter.
- Using a large ice cream scooper, scoop batter into cupcake liners nearly to the top, leaving about a ¼-inch of room. Use remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips (or more if desired) to sprinkle onto muffins.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes, checking on them at 14 minutes since ovens vary.
- At 14 minutes: if they have arisen dome muffin top and firm to a light touch, insert a toothpick, if it comes out barely clean (partly covered with melted chocolate) it’s ready. If the toothpick comes out completely covered in wet chocolate, continue to bake another minute, then check again. The muffins will continue to bake while cooling so don’t be tempted to keep them in the oven until a toothpick comes out clean or they will become dry. Let cool for 10 minutes before eating.
- For freezing: Cool them completely then transfer into a freezer-safe container in a single layer and cover the container with a double-ply of plastic wrap for three months.
- Alternatives:
- Any nut butter will work well so long it can be stirred with ease, an indication that it contains enough fat to keep these muffins very moist and utterly delicious.
- To amp up the chocolate flavor add a ½ teaspoon of ground espresso powder. Mine were kid friendly so I left it out, it does bring out a deeper chocolate flavor and suggested if you have it handy.
- Egg free alternatives: ⅓ cup of mayonnaise (Just Mayo brand is not Paleo but is egg free). They may need another minute or two in the oven so check them at 15 minutes and go from there. Or substitute with an additional banana. It will, however, keep in mind it will add a banana flavor to the muffins and also may need another minute or two of baking time.
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