Dark Chocolate Power Muffins
Looking for a great muffin? Dark Chocolate Power Muffins are the answer.
Amazing Slate Chocolate Milk, Dark Chocolate and Chocolate Covered Almonds
Why “power”? Chocolate milk is a terrific source of protein, dark chocolate is an amazing source of antioxidants and almonds are a true superfood. We think these are very powerful little muffins!
To get started, prepare two standard muffin pans with liners or generously apply cooking spray. For the topping, mix together the melted butter, sugar, salt, unsweetened dark cocoa powder, vanilla and flour until a rubble consistency appears. Chill in the refrigerator while preparing the muffin batter.
Combine the Ingredients
For the muffins, stir together the oil, sugar, salt, 1 ¼ cups of the chocolate milk, yogurt, espresso powder, extracts and eggs. Mix well. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, unsweetened dark cocoa powder, baking powder and soda. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and gently stir ingredients until moistened (do not over mix). Fold in the chopped dark chocolate and chopped almonds. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan ¾ of the way. Remove the topping from the refrigerator, stir or with your hands, form into small clumps. Generously add the topping to the muffins with a teaspoon. Bake and set on a cooling rack.
For the glaze, prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper and top with a cooling rack. In a medium bowl, stir together sifted confectioners’ sugar, salt, unsweetened dark cocoa powder and remaining chocolate milk. The glaze consistency should be thick but pourable. Add more milk if needed. Place the room temperature muffins on top of the cooling rack. Glaze the muffins with a spoon as shown in the picture.
The Glorious Chocolate Topping
Chocolate muffins can be dry! For moist muffins, ensure all ingredients are at room temperature and are accurately measured, mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, do not overmix the batter and do not overbake.
For vegan, gluten free and other substitutions to the Dark Chocolate Power Muffins, see the Notes section for additional details. Also, the muffins are easy to make and don’t require any special equipment.
Dark Chocolate Power Muffins
Serve the Dark Chocolate Power Muffins for breakfast or brunch, with a bright fruit salad and yogurt. Try them with hazelnut spread or peanut butter!
Try our Espresso Overnight Oatmeal for more Slate chocolate milk recipes.
Dark Chocolate Power Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 stick of melted vegan or regular butter
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons of vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour
- ½ cup of neutral oil
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 11oz. can of dark chocolate milk, such as Slate, at room temperature, divided
- ½ cup of vanilla or chocolate yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon of espresso powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of almond extract
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour, measured accurately
- ¼ cup of unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 dark chocolate baking bar, chopped
- 1 cup of dark chocolate covered almonds, chopped
- 1 and ½ cups of sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon of unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 5 tablespoons of remaining dark chocolate milk, or as needed to reach desired glaze consistency
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare two standard muffin pans with liners or generously apply cooking spray.
- For the topping: In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, sugar, salt, unsweetened dark cocoa powder, vanilla and flour until a rubble consistency appears. Chill in the refrigerator while preparing the muffin batter.
- For the muffins: In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, sugar, salt, 1 1/8 cup of the chocolate milk, yogurt, espresso powder, extracts and eggs. Mix well. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, unsweetened dark cocoa powder, baking powder and soda. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and gently stir ingredients until moistened (do not over mix). Fold in the chopped dark chocolate and chopped almonds. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan ¾ of the way. Remove the topping from the refrigerator, stir or with your hands, form into small clumps. Generously add the topping to the muffins with a teaspoon. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, rotating the pan in the oven halfway through. Remove from the oven. Release from the muffin tin (use a spreading knife for easy release) after 10 minutes of resting in the pan and set on a cooling rack.
- For the glaze: Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper and top with a cooling rack. In a medium bowl, stir together sifted confectioners’ sugar, salt, unsweetened dark cocoa powder and remaining chocolate milk. The glaze consistency should be thick but pourable. Add more milk as needed. Place the room temperature muffins on top of the cooling rack. Glaze the muffins in a zig zag motion with a spoon. Allow the glaze to set, about 2 hours.
Notes:
· Dark Chocolate Banana Muffins- Try adding 2-3 very ripe large, mashed bananas to the batter! Add the fruit with the wet ingredients and increase the baking time to 23-25 minutes with this addition.
· Dark Chocolate Raspberry Muffins- Try adding 1 pint of frozen raspberries to the batter! Add the fruit with the chopped chocolate and almonds.
· Whole Grain Substitution- To use a healthier flour substitute the all-purpose flour for equal parts with a white whole wheat product.
· Vegan Substitutions- generally replace the eggs, chocolate milk, yogurt, chocolate and butter in the recipe for vegan substitutions. Replacements include- Egg (substitute for 2 eggs)- 2 tablespoons of flax meal with 6 tablespoons of water; mix and let combine for 5 minutes. Milk- vegan chocolate milk.
· Gluten Free Substitution- To make the Dark Chocolate Power Muffins gluten free, generally, substitute the all-purpose flour for equal parts with a 1:1 flour product.
· It’s important to take the extra step of sifting the confectioners’ sugar in the Chocolate Glaze through a fine mesh strainer. Some bakers even double sift! Confectioners’ sugar absorbs moisture from the air, forming lumps that can affect the texture of the glaze. Once sifted, the sugar will create a smooth consistency when combined with the chocolate milk.
· Plain chopped almonds, dried cherries, dried cranberries, raisins, chocolate covered espresso beans or white chocolate chips can be substituted for dark chocolate covered almonds.
· For moist muffins, ensure all ingredients are at room temperature and are accurately measured, mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, do not overmix the batter and do not overbake. Bonus, the muffins are easy to make and don’t require any special equipment.
· If you would like to freeze the room temperature muffins, seal in a freezer bag, then glaze once defrosted.
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