Coffee fans will love the subtle espresso undertones in these healthy chocolate muffins they’re perfect alongside your morning cup or as an afternoon pick-me-up. I’ve paired the espresso with dark chocolate for an even deeper and more intense flavor profile, but you can easily replace the dark chocolate chunks with semisweet chocolate chips if you like your chocolate a little sweeter.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (112 g) almond flour
- ¼ cup (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp (12 g) instant espresso powder
- 2 tbsp (14 g) ground flaxseed
- 1½ tsp (6 g) baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup (59 ml) unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup (64 g) almond butter
- 6 tbsp (128 g) honey
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ cup (90 g) coarsely chopped dark chocolate chunks (for dairy-free, use vegan chocolate chips)
How to Make It
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare a muffin pan by lining the cavities with parchment paper liners. Set aside.
- Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, ground flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a high-speed blender and pulse a few times until all the dry ingredients become well combined.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the chocolate chunks, and process on high for about 30 seconds or until the batter becomes smooth and creamy. Periodically stop and scrape down the sides of your blender, as necessary. Finally, fold in the dark chocolate chunks by hand, saving a few to sprinkle on the tops.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about ¾ of the way full. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining chocolate chunks.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. As soon as they’ve cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
