Mocha Chocolate Chunk Muffins

This recipe is inspired by Passionate About Baking‘s Mocha Walnut Choc-Chip Muffins. Anything I bake has to involve chocolate, and I was running out of chocolate combinations: chocolate-mint, chocolate-coconut, chocolate-peanut butter, chocolate-banana, chocolate-orange, etc. Deeba saved me with this mocha muffin recipe!

I made some substitutions to make it sugar- and gluten-free, and used goat milk instead of buttermilk. I also used strong espresso rather than instant coffee.

I’ve decided that one cup is the perfect amount of mixed nuts and seeds for a dozen muffins. That way, they’re full of protein and fiber, as well as lots of other vitamins and minerals.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup hot, strong Espresso
1/2 cup Goat milk
1/2 cup Vegetable oil
2 large Eggs
1 t. Vanilla extract
1 ½ cups Flour (I used a blend of corn and rice flours)
1 cup Honey
4 T. Cocoa powder
1 t. Baking powder
1 t. Baking soda
½ t. Salt
1 gluten-free, sugar-free Chocolate bar, cut into chunks
1 cup of Mixed nuts and seeds (I used sesame, sunflower, peanuts, and walnuts)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line twelve muffin cups with paper liners.

Mix together: espresso, goat milk, oil, eggs, honey, and vanilla and whisk until well blended.

Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.

Add mixed nuts and seeds to this dry mixture.

Add liquid mixture and stir just until combined.

Divide batter equally among muffin cups. Since gluten-free flour doesn’t rise all that much, I usually fill the muffin cups to just under one centimeter from the top. Sprinkle chocolate chunks on top, and add an additional walnut half on top.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted into center of muffins comes out clean.

Enjoy!