Chocolate Chip Muffins

Name: Chocolate Chip Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup white all-purpose flour; 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed tightly); 4 Tablespoons cocoa powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup water; 1/2 cup plain applesauce; 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 16-24 chocolate chips

If you are needing a quick and easy dessert option, these chocolate chip muffins are a favorite in our house. I make them multiple times a week – and why not?

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They are healthier than most chocolate chip muffins – only 3 SmartPoints on Weight Watchers Freestyle. You know you have a winner when these are requested by your husband.

Did you know that 16 Ghirardelli chocolate chips are only 4 points? So, I thought what if I created a recipe that incorporated chocolate chips into a chocolate muffin. What would happen? Well, deliciousness, obviously.

Ingredients you will need for this recipe

3/4 cup white all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar packed tightly
4 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup plain applesauce
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
16-24 chocolate chips

FAQs about this recipe

Do you need eggs for this recipe?

No! This recipe doesn’t include eggs. The applesauce actually helps to bind everything together like eggs do with baking.

Is brown sugar healthier than white sugar?

No, they are nutritionally similar. Brown sugar does have additional minerals that white sugar doesn’t have, but using brown sugar doesn’t give you any more health benefits.

What’s the difference between brown sugar and white sugar?

Brown sugar is essential white sugar with molasses. The molasses allows the brown sugar to retain moisture, which results in baked goods that are both soft and dense (like these muffins).

White sugar is used in baked goods when you want the result to rise.

When I was trying to lose weight, I struggled with having chocolate/sugar cravings. Part of the struggle is because there aren’t a ton of healthier dessert options out there. At least not many that taste good.

Even on my site, there aren’t a ton of dessert options. It’s not that I don’t like dessert – or chocolate. I absolutely do.

It’s because it’s hard to find ways to cut back on sugar within desserts (at least I’ve struggled with it), while still maintaining a delicious recipe.

But that didn’t happen with these chocolate chip muffins. I also had huge success when I made this chocolate pudding, or these pumpkin snickerdoodles. But I had the most fun making these muffins.

How to make these chocolate chip muffins

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together – flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
In a smaller bowl, stir together the wet ingredients – water, applesauce, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract. Mix these 2 bowls together (I put everything in the big bowl).
Next comes the best part. Add in the amount of chocolate chips you decide to add. I put about 16-20 in my batter. *Depending on how many you add, this could affect your SmartPoints amount.
After you have stirred in your chocolate chips, pour the batter into a prepared muffin pan.
Cook for about 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow them to cool when they are done cooking – I know, I know…it’s hard to do! Enjoy!

What is your favorite chocolate treat?