Healthy Living How To reader, Wendy, asked me to give a healthy makeover to the boxed variety of chocolate chip muffins. You see, this busy mom has made these muffins, as an easy on-the-go breakfast for herself and her children. However, Wendy is working on reducing both sugar and wheat in her family's diet, so she sought out my help on how to make her favorite chocolate chip muffins without both. Challenge accepted and conquered!
Let's Get Ready to Rumble!
The Ingredient Round
- 9 ingredients vs 14.
- Natural unsalted roasted almond butter vs vegetable oil and palm oil.
- Organic raw coconut flour vs wheat flour.
- Organic and fair trade dark chocolate chips vs chocolate chips from unknown source.
- Non-GMO verified erythritol vs two different types of processed (most likely GMO) sugar.
- Aluminum-free baking powder vs baking powder from unknown source.
- Celtic sea salt with healthy minerals intact vs processed salt stripped of nutrition.
In addition to the ingredients in common, there are a few ingredients that are not.
What say you, do we know enough to declare a winner?
The Nutrition Facts Round
The winner is obvious (to me) without having to point anything out here, however, I will anyways, 85% reduction in sugar!
Who do you think is victorious in this round?
Sidenote: While some people believe that replacing processed white sugar with a “natural sugar”, like say honey, is healthier, I am not one of those people. Honey may be natural, but it still elevates blood sugar and it has just as much fructose as high-fructose corn syrup.
The Health Halo Round
If “health halo” is a new term to you, it is basically the descriptions that food manufacturers put on the label to make you “think” their product is healthy. “As positive and conspicuous as these messages appear on package labels, the fact is they promise health benefits that defy the ingredients listed in small print.” Compare the health halos, review the ingredients and then you tell me…
Is this the knockout punch?
A healthy alternative for Chocolate Chip Muffins. As written this recipe is gluten/grain-free, dairy-free, low-carb and no added sugar. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1/4 c. Roasted Almond Butter (see notes)
- 1/4 c. Unsweetened Almond Milk (see notes)
- 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1/4-1/3 c. Granulated Sweetener - for sugar-free I use Swerve
- 1/4 c. Coconut Flour
- 1 tsp. Aluminum-Free Baking Powder
- Pinch Celtic Sea Salt
- 1/4 c. Dark Chocolate Chips
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line muffin tin with non-stick unbleached liners.
- In a high-speed blender add all ingredients, in order, except chocolate chips.
- Process on high until smooth, about 45 seconds.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Divide batter equally between 8 lined muffin tins.
- Bake 23-25 minutes.
- Cool on rack before serving.
Notes
This recipe has been tested with my preferred ingredients. Please consider, if I recommend a substitution, it will be included as a note in the recipe.
For this recipe, use an unsalted, no sugar added, smooth almond butter. Feel free to play with other nut or seed butters, just be sure it meets the aforementioned criteria.
Homemade unsweetened almond milk or store bought almond milk works in this recipe. If store bought, read the label and avoid carrageenan.
I use Swerve, a non-GMO verified erythritol that measures cup for cup like sugar. This naturally fermented low-carb sugar is gaining in popularity as it is now being carried by Whole Foods. Our local co-op here in the Minneapolis stocks it as well. I have quite a few readers who love this product and ask for my opinion on it, so I am playing with it in my recipes.
Click +1 Below. Then go give this healthy chocolate chip muffin recipe a try!
Great food. I will make soon. Thank you
just a question…as i am trying to stay dairy and wheat free as we try and figure out my littel boys eczema triggers….you say this is dairy free..but what about the chocolate chips? is there dairy in chocolate? even dark choc? also…what are your thoughts on the sugar in chocolate as i know you tend to be low sugar or no sugar? thanks…
and love, totalyl love your site…thank you for doing what you do so well…so we can all benefit oursleves and our families…please keep doing what you do so well..your face is the picture of radiant health and i keep your posts close in my own journey of health for me and my kiddies…
Shell, the dark chocolate chips I buy do not have dairy in them. I keep my overall sugar intake low. For the most part I look at carbohydrates. Per muffin these have 2 g sugar, 6 g carb with 3 g of those being fiber.
Just made these tonight….Thanks for the recipe. My DH and I really enjoyed the muffins. I did not have almond butter, but I did have some fresh ground PB that met the requirements. I have been using Swerve in my baking lately and DH doesn’t mind things baked with it as a sweetener. In fact, he has probably eaten more of the muffins than I have. He usually helps himself to one a night if I keep some baked. Thanks again….these are a keeper and soooo easy.
I cannot wait to try this recipe! What’s nice is I have all the ingredients on hand for low carb baking. thanks for sharing!
I was just introduced to your website a couple weeks ago, I am impressed! I have had 2 liver transplants. The first 2 weeks after I turned 21, April 18th, 2002 and the second December 23rd 2009. I never felt great after either transplants and after talking to friends in my same situation thought it was normal. I was not ok with not feeling well so I started working with a trainer and a nutritionist Lifetime.
I don’t remember the last time I felt so good! I have always been a ‘clean’ eater and have always loved cooking so I enjoy using your recipies and making them my own (I keep the baked goods the same)
So, here is my comment. I am really picky about the non surgar sweeteners. They always taste artifical to me. I tried the Xylitol you recommend and it is good but I found a better one that is made in the USA, is Kosher & has 5 star reviews on amazon and tastes excatly like sugar. My only complaint is the grauels are larger so you might have to give them a blitz in the blender to break them up if you want it to disolve faster in iced drinks. I use it to bake so it works great for me!
Thank you Vanessa for all you do. I have learned so much!
http://www.amazon.com/Health-Garden-Kosher-Xylitol-Product/dp/B003CNOUWQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Hi Lindsay! Thanks for taking the time to comment and share your story! I am curious if it was the Smart Sweet Xylitol you tried? It too is made from birth here in the USA.
Another great recipe! I gave up stevia, xylitol and erythritol for six weeks so I was unsure how this would taste with cocoa nibs and unsweetened carob chips. I also used egg whites because I didn’t have any eggs. It is very good and I feel like I am cheating! I made them into mini-muffins!!! They are wonderfully moist! Thanks again-perfect with my cold brewed coffee and your delicious coconut creamer!
Yes, very moist! Glad you enjoyed them Laura.
Printed it! They look really great 🙂
I made these today and they were great. I used only 2 tbsp. xylitol and they were sweet enough for me. I also eliminated the chocolate chips . This is what I did instead. I chopped one square of Lindt chocolate,then put half the batter in the muffin cup, a few sprinkles of chocolate then the rest of the batter.
Thanks so much for all your great recipes and the work you put into them.
Can we use normal erythritol or does in need to be Swerve? If we use erythritol do we need to add any stevia? Perhaps I should just use xylitol 🙂
You can use erythritol and stevia as well. These don’t need much sweetness, in fact the first time I made them I only used 1/4 c. worth (and were perfectly sweet for my tastes) and then the second batch used 1/3 c. as I was giving that batch away.
Lovely, thank you 🙂 I think I will go for the 1/4c worth as well.
Another winner! We used coconut sap/sugar since that’s what we had and they were great!! Our 5 year old came in and exclaimed, “We’re having muffins??!!” I had to make him stop eating.
I made the muffins tonight with peanut butter (natural- no sugar) but they stuck to the muffin liners- does anyone have advice to prevent this?
Thank you!
“E” the only muffin liners I have found to work in my kitchen that are truly non-stick and non-toxic are these.
Thank you! They didn’t stick that bad once cooled. I will keep the muffin liners in mind for the future…thanks again!
So I would use 1/4-1/3 cup of Swerve when I make this recipe, correct?
Yes.
Ok what to use instead of eggs? My son is gluten and dairy free but just tested positive to sensitivity to eggs:)
I’ve made these muffins twice and they’re quite tasty, but I can’t get them to not stick. The first time, I put them directly in my muffin tins coated in butter, all stuck except 1. This time I put them in paper cupcake paper cups, and they stuck even more to the paper. Any suggestions?
Melissa, I recommend these muffin liners, they truly are non-stick! They are also unbleached and non-toxic.
These look so yummy! I was actually coming to find you on FB to ask what you thought of SWERVE! This was the first post on my page! LOL! Have my answer now.
Thanks!
HI there – just wanted to tell you how I love this recipe. It is soooo quick and easy to make and turns out great. I always double the recipe and make 12.
I chop up a Chocoperfection bar instead as a stand in for the chocolate chips … or switch it up and use blueberries or cranberries for variety.
Thanks for a great recipe!
–n
Thanks Nat!
Sometimes you can use half a mashed banana in place of an egg, it just depends on the recipe. You’ll probably have to just try it and see if it works. There is an egg replacer that i’ve used in the past called ener-g but i havent read the ingredients list so i don’t know how healthy it is.
The egg is a leavener in this recipe. They would be very flat without it.
Can you use almond flour instead of coconut?
No.
At which Whole Foods Market did you find the Swerve? I just checked with the one in Minnetonka and they do not carry it.
I spotted it at Valley Natural Foods in Burnsville, MN and have been following the Swerve page on FB for updates on the WF locations that are carrying it. I purchased my lot online last fall before the holiday season to have on had for baking.