Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake Muffins
Have two of your favorite dessert flavors in one treat! These Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake Muffins should be a part of your repertoire of desserts this year.
Ahhh..carrot cake and chocolate chips. These are a few of my favorite desserts, how about you? Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake Muffins are a great way to bring dessert to breakfast, my friends!
Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake Muffins are a new twist on two of your favorite desserts created together as a muffin so that you can have an on the go breakfast that tastes amazing!
These Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake Muffins also have a secret ingredient that you would never guess. Okay, I won’t actually make you guess, it’s quinoa! For those that don’t know a lot about quinoa, the ancient Inca Empire called it the “mother of all grains” and for good reason! It is high in fiber, loaded with protein and much more. Although it has only recently grown in popularity in today’s world, it is widely considered a super-food. Not everyone loves the taste of quinoa though and for these Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake Muffins, it doesn’t matter as you can’t even taste it in this recipe, but you know the wholesome goodness it there!
WHY IT WORKS:
- Carrot cake chips are both a delicious staple in the dessert world, why not include them in breakfast?
- These make a great grab and go breakfast.
- Uses coconut or date sugar instead of cane sugar while increases the healthfulness of these muffins.
RECIPE VARIATIONS:
- You can omit the chocolate chips and use either nothing at all, or you can put your favorite ingredient in its place.
- You can also leave out any nuts or seeds or substitute in any others that you wish.
- If you prefer other sugar substitutes, you can swap them out for the coconut/date sugar. Just be sure to check out mixing ratios first.
- Freeze once baked. On your way out the door, grab a frozen muffin and you are good to go! You can eat these muffins as breakfast, lunch or as a snack!
COOK’S TIPS:
- Make extra! These chocolate chip carrot cake muffins are not only great for meal planning, but they will also go fast. I suggest making a double batch!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CHIP CARROT CAKE RECIPE
- ½ cup cooked, cooled quinoa (make with ½ dry quinoa plus ⅔ cup water, simmered for about 15 minutes)
- 3 Tbl ground flaxseeds + 5 Tbl water
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 large ripe banana mashed
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup almond butter
- 1 cup finely grated carrots
- ½ cup coconut sugar or date sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup mini vegan chocolate chips (optional)
- ½ cup any nuts and/or seeds such as walnuts, pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake Muffins
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Lightly spray a cookie sheet with oil or line with parchment paper.
- Combine the ground flax and water and let sit for several minutes.
- In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients, oats, flour, quinoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl, combine the applesauce, coconut sugar, mashed banana, grated carrots, almond butter, vanilla and flax mixture.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and combine thoroughly.
- Add the mini chocolate chips and nuts and stir again.
- Drop by large spoonfuls into greased or lined muffin tin about ⅔ of the way full.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes, until the center is just cooked through.
- Remove and allow to cool on a warming rack.
