Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins

Made with whole grains and naturally sweetened, these Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins are light, tender, and loaded with chocolate chips!

If you give this mom a muffin, she is one happy lady.

The same can be said for my entire family. From Peanut Butter Banana Muffins to Applesauce Muffins to Blueberry Muffins to these Chocolate Chip Muffins--we love them all!

I especially love when I can feel good about serving muffins to my family as an afterschool snack or part of a wholesome breakfast.

And these Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins fit the bill as a healthier option for several reasons.

• From the whole white wheat flour to the oats, these muffins are loaded with fiber and nutrients and are 100% whole grain.
• Instead of being full of refined sugars, these Chocolate Chip Muffins are naturally sweetened with maple syrup. But to be fair, the chocolate chips do add in some refined sugar.
• This recipe calls for a combination of applesauce and oil, which significantly reduces the amount of fat in the muffins, yet still keeps the muffins moist and tender.

Bottom line, these Chocolate Chip Muffins are wholesome, delicious, and super easy to make!

Notes on Ingredients

• Oats: Use either old-fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking oats, NOT steel-cut oats.
• Flour: To keep the muffins tender use whole white wheat flour. It produces muffins that are light and fluffy, while still being 100% whole grain. If you don't have whole white wheat flour, all-purpose flour will work in its place.
• Milk: Use any variety of milk or non-dairy milk you like. Keep in mind that if using non-dairy milk, you may want to use unsweetened milk to control the added sugars in the muffins.
• Applesauce: Use unsweetened or natural applesauce.
• Canola Oil: In place of canola oil, you can use melted butter or melted coconut oil.
• Chocolate Chips: You can't have chocolate chip muffins without chocolate chips! Use mini or regular semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Muffins

• In a small bowl, combine the oats with the milk and let that mixture sit while you prepare the remaining ingredients. This step will allow the oats to soften as they soak in the milk and helps to produce a really fluffy, tender muffin.

• In a separate large bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until well combined and no lumps remain.
• Add the chocolate chips to the flour mixture and toss to coat. This will help keep the chocolate chips suspended in the muffins, versus sinking to the bottom.

• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the applesauce, canola oil, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
• Add the applesauce and oat mixture to the flour mixture and gently fold the ingredients together until the flour is fully moistened and everything is combined. Just be cautious to not overmix the batter, or you may end up with dense, tough muffins.

• Once the batter is prepared, portion out the batter between 12 muffin cups. I find that using an ice cream scoop is the perfect, non-messy way to evenly portion out the batter.
• If desired, top each muffin with additional oats and chocolate chips.

• Bake the chocolate chip muffins until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

• Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes. Then remove the muffins from the pan and finish cooling them on the cooling rack. But I won't judge you if you grab one now--those warm chocolate chips are hard to resist!

Storage Instructions

Because these Chocolate Chip Muffins are made with whole grains and no preservatives, they should be stored no longer than 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Alternatively, they can be stored for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the refrigerator or frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Recipe Modifications

• Egg-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins: In place of the egg, mix together 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes before adding it to the batter.
• Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins: Use your favorite dairy-free chocolate chips.
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins: Be sure your oats are certified gluten-free and use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.
• Vegan-Friendly Chocolate Chip Muffins: Use a flax egg in place of the egg and dairy-free chocolate chips.

More Healthy Muffin Recipes

• Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
• Healthy Blueberry Muffins
• Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

If you tried out these Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.