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The next time you’re craving chocolate for breakfast, make these.
Muffins tend to have a bad reputation when it comes to choosing a healthy breakfast or snack. And unfortunately, most of the time it’s well-deserved.
Many muffins are essentially cupcakes in disguise, after all. Made with refined white flour and packed with added refined sugars and hydrogenated fats, all that’s missing is the frosting on top.
I won’t lie, there are few things that are tastier than a moist blueberry muffin with sprinkles of crumb topping. However, a baked good like that clearly falls under the dessert, rather than the breakfast, category.
But not this recipe. No, these are packed with nutritious ingredients, making them perfectly passable as a portable breakfast, or an easy snack that you can feel good about.
If you’re looking to cut back on added sugar, bananas are the way to go. Yes, they still contain sugar, but that natural sweetness comes in a more nutritious package of fiber, potassium, and other essential vitamins and minerals.
In addition to making these muffins sweeter, mashed bananas also add moisture and impart a tender texture. This allows us not only to cut back on the quantity of sugar in this recipe, but also to cut back on the amount of butter that’s needed in the batter.
And choosing coconut sugar over granulated white sugar is even better, since coconut sugar is a low-glycemic alternative.
But what really makes these baked goods a nutrition win is the sprouted wheat flour.
While you may have seen sprouted wheat bread in your grocery store, chances are you aren’t as familiar with actually buying and baking with sprouted wheat flour.
Depending on your grocery store, you may be able to find sprouted whole grain wheat flour in the baking aisle. However, I had better success going to a market that specializes in healthy foods. Of course, you can also find it on Amazon.
One Degree Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat Flour, available on Amazon
Sprouted flour can be made from any type of whole grain, not just wheat. Sprouted grains are those that are allowed to sprout and begin to germinate.
Why is this a good thing?
Sprouting breaks down many of the protective barriers in grains, making them easier to digest, and allowing for better absorption of many of the vitamins and minerals found in the grain.
They also taste better. During sprouting, some of the starches break down into simple sugars, resulting in a slightly sweeter flavor and less of the bitterness that is sometimes associated with whole grains.
While the exact nutritional profile will vary based on the type of grains used, sprouted flours are often higher in fiber, protein, and B vitamins than traditional whole grain options.
As with any whole grain product, keep in mind that sprouted ingredients can go rancid if they are not stored properly, due to their high content of healthy fats.
To store, keep your sprouted flour in an airtight container in the freezer. You can keep it frozen for up to 1 year.
So, enough of the suspense – where does the chocolate part come in?
Don’t worry, I saved the best part for last! These muffins are made with two different kinds of chocolate: cocoa powder, and chopped dark chocolate.
Both of these ingredients are high in flavanols, a type of antioxidant that’s been shown to help protect against many chronic diseases.
These cocoa sources also lend a deep chocolatey flavor to these muffins, which perfectly complements the sweetness of the banana.
Chocolate, bananas, and sprouted wheat flour – this recipe proves that baked goods actually can be enjoyed as a healthy breakfast or snack!
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Sprouted Wheat Coconut Cocoa Banana Muffins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
Forget sugary, store bought muffins. These sprouted wheat coconut cocoa banana muffins strike the perfect balance between sweet and healthy.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sprouted wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line or lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter either by hand with a sturdy spatula or using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the ingredient wet until combined. Stir in the chopped chocolate and coconut flakes. The batter will be thick.
- Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full with a large cookie scoop.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Baked Goods
Keywords: sprouted wheat flour, chocolate, banana
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Prep and Measure Ingredients, Preheat Oven, and Prepare Muffin Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan, or line it with paper liners.
Mash the bananas. Overripe bananas will mash easily for this recipe. If using frozen mashed bananas, defrost them completely. Measure all of the remaining ingredients.
Melt the butter in the microwave, and set it aside to cool slightly.
Note: you can use dark chocolate chips in place of the chopped dark chocolate in bar form. I recommend using a product that is at least 70% cocoa.
Step 2 – Combine Ingredients
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas, coconut sugar, egg, and melted unsalted butter. You can do this by hand, or in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just combined. Fold in the chopped chocolate and coconut flakes.
Step 3 – Divide Batter and Bake
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Remove the from the oven and set it aside to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and place them on a wire rack to cool completely before storing.
Try Using Sprouted Wheat Flour in Your Favorite Recipes
Now that you have this new type of flour in your pantry, you’re probably wondering about where you can find some other recipes to use it in.
The good news is that it’s super simple to use! Sprouted wheat flour can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio for whole wheat flour in any of your favorite recipes.
Want to use it in place of all-purpose flour? This can result in a denser product, so I recommend starting by substituting just half of the all-purpose with sprouted. Just note that depending on the recipe, you may need to add additional liquid to help keep your baked goods moist.
Try using this flour in one of our tried-and-true whole wheat recipes next:
Have you baked with sprouted wheat flour before? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below. And don’t forget to give these chocolatey muffins a rating after you’ve tried them!
Photos by Nikki Cervone, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published by Shanna Mallon on November 22, 2011. Last updated on February 11, 2021. With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu and Nikki Cervone.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
The written contents of this article have been reviewed and verified by a registered dietitian for informational purposes only. This article should not be construed as personalized or professional medical advice. Foodal and Ask the Experts, LLC assume no liability for the use or misuse of the material presented above. Always consult with a medical professional before changing your diet, or using supplements or manufactured or natural medications.
About Kelli McGrane, MS, RD
Kelli McGrane is a Denver-based registered dietitian with a lifelong love of food. She holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in nutrition science from Boston University. As a registered dietitian, she believes in the importance of food to nourish not only your body, but your soul as well. Nutrition is very personal, and you won’t find any food rules here, other than to simply enjoy what you eat.
As always, beautiful writing. I have a question about sprouted grain flours–do they smell differently? Do they smell…wet? I guess that’s a strange way to describe it, but I’m trying to imagine how that translates to flavor.
Sorry for the delay in response, Jen. As for smell of sprouted flours, I haven’t noticed a wet smell. This sprouted wheat flour definitely smells whole grainy, if that makes sense, but the biggest difference is that it creates more dense results. Hope that helps!
These muffins! Bananas and chocolate go together hand in hand, of course, but adding coconut is a genius move.
thanks, maddie!
I love off-the-cuff baking. It’s just so satisfying and seemingly more rewarding than preplanned, arduous cooking (like what awaits us today and tomorrow for Thanksgiving – maybe that’s why I still haven’t decided on a vegetable side to make). This muffins look/sound amazing. My husband (also newly married) adores anything with coconut and chocolate so you can be sure I’ll be baking these soon.
Mostly I just wanted to write to say hello! I just discovered your blog and I really enjoy it. You can be sure I’ll be stopping by often!
thanks,
Talley
happy newlywedding to you, too, Talley! I’m off to check out your site! : )
These look so delicious. I definitely would love to try this recipe out as a breakfast treat for the kids. Thanks for putting it up.