I love muffins, I love chocolate, and I love chocolate for breakfast. If you’ve seen some of my recipes then this is not a shocker. A few weeks ago I challenged myself to try to make more healthy recipes, especially baked goodies. My quest started with some awesome Light Chocolate Chip Cookies.
A couple of weeks ago, someone left me a lovely comment about the High Domed Chocolate Chip Muffins that I made last year. That got me in the mood to make them again, but instead I put my thinking cap on. Wouldn’t it be great to continue on my personal quest by making a lighter chocolate chip muffin? Oh yes. 🙂
While these light chocolate chip muffins are lower in fat and calories than a typical chocolate chip muffin, they are still just as delicious.
Light Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe
(Makes 6 standard sized muffins)
Ingredients:
- 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cake flour
- 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Grease 6 standard sized muffin cups and set the baking pan aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Beat in 1/3 of the dry ingredients and half of the yogurt. Then beat in another 1/3 of the dry ingredients and the remaining half of the yogurt. Last, beat in the remaining 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix each step just until the flour mixture is incorporated. Be careful not to over mix.
- Set aside 1 tablespoon of the mini chocolate chips and mix the remainder of them into the muffin batter.
- Evenly scoop the batter into 6 muffin tins and evenly sprinkle the 1 tablespoon of mini chocolate chips on top each muffin.
- Bake them in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until a tester inserted comes out clean.
- Let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Store in an air tight container at room temperature or in a freezer friendly bag in the freezer.
Making muffins is mad easy! I’ve made a lot of them so I put together this nifty list of baking tips.
These muffins have less sugar, fat, and chocolate chips, than my High Domed Chocolate Chip Muffins. I would not say that these are “healthy” exactly, but they are certainly healthier than the high test version.
It turns out that you don’t need to replace the missing sugar with anything. These muffins are still plenty sweet tasting.
With only two tablespoons of butter they are way lower in fat than a typical muffin and still taste great. Isn’t that crazy? Thanks to the addition of Greek yogurt they also manage to stay nice and moist. I still love my High Domed Chocolate Chip Muffins, but these muffins are lighter and fluffier and I love that even more. You really can’t go wrong with either muffin option. It’s a matter of personal preference.
As my dedicated readers know, I’m kind of obsessed with mini chocolate chips. At first I just thought they were adorable, but I’ve now realized they’re pretty handy too. Especially in recipes where you are trying to make a little go a long way, like a healthier version of something. The small chocolate bits are more evenly spread out as compared to regular size chips so you can use less chocolate here and still get the same punch of chocolaty goodness.
I love, love, love this muffin base. It’s a simple and tasty vanilla base that you can use as a vessel for berries, nuts, other kinds of chocolate, or anything else your imagination can come up with. Heck, you could even just make vanilla muffins. Obviously I would never do that while we still live in a world where you can buy chocolate, but you can. I guess. 😉
I’m not sure if you can tell from these photos, but these muffins are tall! It’s as if I bought them straight from a fancy bakery shop. Actually, I think these are better than the most of the bakery ones because they’re not as heavy and greasy (not to mention these are far cheaper).
I love that I can still enjoy chocolate for breakfast and not feel as guilty about it. Who’s with me?
Adapted from: The America’s Test Kitchen: Family Baking Book
Here are some other fabulous muffin recipes.
Apple And Raisin Whole Wheat Muffins
You are the muffin queen! How did you know my all time favorite muffin is chocolate chip?!
I just had a hunch it was your favorite. 😉
I definitely like chocolate for breakfast too 🙂
These muffins look perfect and I love that they are lightened up. Less guilt 😉
Let’s start a “chocolate for mornings” breakfast club! 🙂
Hi Tina! I love muffins, and I love chocolate, and I love chocolate for breakfast. These look too good to be true. Such a treat! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
These light muffins are very real! 😉 Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂
I agree about mini chocolate chips. They are pretty much the best, and being mini makes them oh-so-cute. These muffins look wonderful. Sounds like the perfect breakfast or snack to me!
I wish I could find mini white chocolate chips and mini peanut butter chips!
I love a light and fluffy muffin! I never buy mini chips, but always wish I had them on hand. Half the time, I end up choping my regular chips up before I use them
That’s a great idea to chop up some regular sized chips…I definitely need to try that! Thanks for sharing that awesome tip. 🙂
I love having chocolate at breakfast too. And these look perfect! I’ve never tried cake flour in muffins before but now I need to do that! And I’m totally obsessed with the mini chips too – so cute and they definitely seem to go farther as well!
This was my first time using cake flour in muffins and I love it! 🙂
Yum. You are so right – chocolate for breakfast is the best thing ever! These look amazing!
Chocolate at breakfast just rocks! 🙂
You are ABSOLUTELY speaking my language with these muffins, Tina! They’re gorgeous… and I love how you lightened them up! In fact, I might have to make these this weekend because, like you, I really enjoy a bit of chocolate for breakfast…
Awesome! Thank you so much! 🙂 Let me know how you make out if you end up making them.
Definitely pinning these, Tina! I’m seeing a lot of really good slight adaptations of classics lately, which is great as I think these are my favourite kinds of recipes. Adding Greek yoghurt to baked goods is my new baking ‘Ah-ha!’ moment. Have a lovely weekend!
Yasas, my friend! Greek yogurt in baked goodies is very popular here in the US. In fact, I’m not just calling it “Greek” because I’m half Greek. Hehe. Greek yogurt (at least here in the US) is thicker than regular (non-Greek) yogurt. It’s important to get the Greek kind so you don’t get a soggy final product.
How pretty are they! I actually prefer desserts a little less sweet these days (this way you can have more). Have a good weekend 🙂
Thanks so much! 🙂
Wow, these muffins looks delicious, Tina! The base looks amazing…I’ve never been a big chocolate-for-breakfast kinda guy, but these muffins could change my mind!
My husband isn’t a fan for chocolate in the AM either. If these convert you, that would be so cool. If it doesn’t then you can send me the leftovers. 😉
Suzanne of Simply Suzannes at Home
Oh yum, Tina!
Wish I had one with my cup of coffee this morning!
Have a great weekend,
Suzanne
Sending one your way! 😉 Thanks so much for stopping by. You too have a lovely weekend. 🙂
tina, I simply love your love of chocolate chips. If I am running down to half a dozen bags… I panic just like I do with the butter situation. Also, love how you created a light version for these gorgeous treats!
I always want 2 whole sale club size bags of chocolate chips in the house…That must be the food blogger thing. 😉
Oooohhh lighter muffins for breakfast are my very favorite thing! Yours turned out incredible and so so fluffy and tall. Girl, I’m dying to try this version! xx
I hope you do try these! They are my favorite muffin going right now. 🙂
These muffins look so light and fluffy! I love the way the batter looked before baking, I could eat it like that! Yummy! 😀
Haha. I always taste test all batters! You know, for good measure. 😉
These are some sexy muffins! I love the high domes and the light, fluffy texture. I’ve already pinned these to my breakfast board so I can make them soon–I need these in my life!
Awesome! Thanks so much. 🙂 I hope you love them as much as I do.
These look incredible Tina – so light and fluffy! I love the sound of these lighter muffins and any time I can have chocolate for breakfast sounds perfect to me 🙂 Hehe love the mini chocolate chips and so wish I had a few of these for breakfast right now 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful rest of the weekend 🙂
Thanks so much Kelly!
These are adorable! I could eat a few of these in one setting alone! 🙂
Thanks! 🙂
These look so perfect! Tall and pretty, soft and fluffy, and all that chocolate!
Thanks Ari!
I hope when I wake up these magically appear at the breakfast table!
As you wish. 😉
I LOVE chocolate chip muffins! Wish I could have some of these right now! They are beautiful!
Thanks so much! 🙂
I’m defintiely up for getting lighter sweet treats into my life! These look great!
Thanks!
Greek yogurt is the best addition to muffins! I’m loving all of these lightened up treats you’re making! Those chocolate chip cookies are still on my list!
Greek yogurt is magical. 😉 I’m glad you like these muffins! 🙂
Tina, these look and sound amazing! You don’t mind if I reach into the screen? 🙂
Lol! Thanks. 🙂
Wow do these look perfect!!
Thanks so much, Cathy! They were so delicious and I was sad when the last one was gone…guess that means I need to make more. 🙂