BAKING

Baking| Chocolate Cherry Muffins … healthy muffins we l♥ve!

“Life is just a bowl of cherries.”
Proverb
Cheery+chco+muffins6
There’s so much to do as always, & so little time. With the kids still at home on vacation, the day gallops by so fast. Still, I can’t figure out why it’s taken me so long to post these muffins. They’re on my file for quick reference, one of the quickest & best chocolate fixes I have on record. Found them on this blog – Cooking During Stolen Moments as I browsed the net for recipes for ‘muffins using dried cherries’. I amended the recipe a teeny bit to make them a twitch healthier, with some whole wheat flour substitution.Cheery+chco+muffins5
What do I love about them? E V E R Y T H I N G !! To begin with, they’re chocolate & a great fix for sweet cravings. The recipe uses cocoa which is more easily available in India vis a vis baking chocolate. Secondly, they use oil instead of buttah! I’m actively trying to substitute butter with oil as often as possible. Nothing but a personal attempt to try incorporate healthier food choices into our ‘ daily bread’, so as to say! Cheery+chco+muffins1Further, you don’t need a beater to get the batter together. A simple whisk is good enough. What’s more, no sifting! Here’s a recipe that falls together in 5-7 minutes flat, and also allows for easy substitution. No cherries = no problem. Use chocolate chips &/or walnuts instead. I love it! The muffins taste great the day they’re baked because the tops are crisp & crusty in a moreish way … almost endearing! They maintain a wonderful taste, sans crisp top, thereafter, and keep moist & delicious stored in the fridge, thanks to the oil! Cheery+chco+muffins4
They remind me of the Cappuccino Muffins I make when I have coffee cravings, which is quite often! That recipe belongs to Nic’s @ Cherrapeno, and is a firm favourite for it’s ease & wonderful flavour, and is in my ‘quick to make’ recipe file. The kids love cappuccino muffins. Capuccino+Muffins+Nic1A close contender, jostling for space right on top has been this bundt cake from the Food LibrarianCinnamon Chocolate Bundt Cake is another huge favourite at home these days. Now, we have another fighter in the ring, & more competition is always healthy! The Chocolate Cherry Muffins have marked their permanent abode in this file, & are a lot of fun. I’ve made them thrice already, & sometimes place fresh cherries on top prior to baking. A sprinkling of vanilla sugar adds to flavour!

Cheery+chco+muffins3CHOCOLATE CHERRY MUFFINS
as adapted minimally from Cooking During Stolen Moments
Ingredients:
1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. wholewheat flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 T. cocoa powder
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. dried cherries
1 c. milk
1/2 c. oil
1 egg
1 t. pure vanilla extract
galettes5
Method:
In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients, including the chocolate chips and dried cherries.
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, egg and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until completely moistened and combined.
Pour about 1/3 – 1/2 c. batter into greased or lined muffin tin. Bake at 200C for about 20 minutes, or until the muffins are done.

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deeba

About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

66 Comments

  • Lindsay

    What a coincidence! I made cherry-berry-choco-walnut muffins today for my weekly Muffin Day ritual. Great photos!

  • chakhlere

    wow!!
    Amazing snaps!!
    I am new baker and in love with your blog!!
    All your recipes are great!!

  • unconfidentialcook

    You can't beat the chocolate-cherry combo. These look great, and I love that they're semi healthy, too.

  • Susan from Food Blogga

    Hi Deeba, Did you used only dried cherries in the muffins? Are the fresh ones for the pics only (I wouldn't blame you– they're lovely!) B/C I was wondering if fresh ones would work. What do you think?

  • lisa (dandysugar)

    Love these babies! I like the substitution of oil for the butter. I'm thinking the same way as you in terms of substituting here and there with healthier ingredients. They're so pretty and tempting. Gorgeous pics as always too!

  • Barbara Bakes

    I love visiting your blog, you always have such beautiful posts and beautiful food. These muffins I could fall in love with!

  • Madhuli

    Hi Deeba lovely recipe for the yummy muffins..Just one question..will fresh cherry work instead of dried ones??Where did you get the dried cherries??are these similar to the candied cherries that we get here in India.Thanks

  • 5 Star Foodie

    Chocolate and cherry are one of my favorite dessert combinations – these muffins are scrumptious!

  • Nachiketa

    Ok this is not fair anymore…. This is just so yummy looking……

    I wanna eat this stuff too…..

    U don't love me anymore…..

  • Helene

    Thanks for sharing, I love anything with chocolate. I guess the dried cherries can be replace with any dry fruit. 🙂

  • Miakoda

    The chocolate cherry muffins look wonderful but the cappuccino muffins really got my head spinning.I don't drink coffee but I love the smell and flavor in baked stuff…I'm gonna try it soon!

  • Prathibha

    Those cute muffins look amazing Deeba…Love the combo of it..
    I have everything at home..need to give a try soon..
    But I m confused with dried cherries,Are those the ones which are available in normal grocery stores or the pitted ones??

  • Divya Kudua

    Thanks to you,I've become a master cupcake maker at home:).Hubby feels the Vanilla cupcakes tastes 100 times better than the bakery-bought ones:).Next on my list was Cappuccino muffins,they look so pretty Deeba:).But this recipe is so simple,I might make it now,right now:).

    Btw,is the temperature mentioned 400C or 400F?I'm guessing it is 200C???

  • Jo

    These choc cherry muffins look really sinful. There is no better pairing than these 2 ingredients. As usual your photos are beautiful.

  • Parita

    Ok I am having some fresh cherries right now! i should have saved them for these muffins, looks gorgeous!

  • Happy cook

    The look beautiful and delcious.
    here holidays starts for Shyama from today , it is her last exams today.
    Hurray 🙂

  • Jennifer

    Those pictures are just out of this world!!! Truly in awe!! I love of hearty and beautiful they are!

    Sweet cheeries are on sale this week at Whole Foods… I am going to get some today! Thanks 🙂

  • Gloria

    Im without words! and this is so difficult! My dear Deeba believe when I say you you have the most beautiful pictures in the blogsphera, I think so, specially when yo made fruits as these, I love cheries, Nice and yummy, huggs to you xoxoxoxoxo Gloria

  • lisaiscooking

    Beautiful photos of the muffins and the bundt cake! The chocolate cherry sounds fantastic, and so does cappuccino. I'll have to try them both!

  • Manggy

    I love chocolate combined with tart fruit. I don't think I could ever not sift my flour, though– it's always better for me to be consistent in my rhythm so I never make a mistake 🙂

  • Marta

    these look so delicious! I love baking with stone fruits, even if pitting those bad boys is a pain!
    These muffins looks lushious and, like always, your images are impeccable!

  • Dwiana P

    hello Deeba, it is always nice to come see your blog again. here is a talented women who like to cook. thanks for the posting though, I have been stuck of any ideas on what to cook recently. anyway just want to stop by and say hello.

  • finsmom

    These look amazing! I love chocolate and cherry together, so I am sure I would love these!

    Great blog!

  • Rachelle @ "Mommy? I'm Hungry!"

    These look so pretty and yummy, I've marked this page to bake soon! =)

    I'm now a follower too.

  • Lauren

    The muffins look so delicious! Love the little bright spots from the cherries. Bet the taste combo is out of this world!

    Just a heads up about oil–if you're using "refined" vegetable oil, or even canola oil, it has been processed/oxidized to the point where free radicals have been created. That's generally the case with tasteless oils. The concentration of omega-6 fatty acids is pretty high for plant based oils, so in some cases it IS better to use real butter, or a cold-pressed unrefined safflower oil (look for more monounsaturated than polyunsaturated fat grams on the label) or nut oil. 🙂

  • kunthanrajan

    hi and hello

    Nice work keep going

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  • Dhanggit

    this is the happiest festival of cherries and chocolate!! and i guess my stomach agrees to that very well 🙂 your photos are always amazing!

  • Gera @ SweetsFoods

    Cherries and chocolate…chocolate and cherries, doesn’t matter the order: a winning combination on these muffins!!

    Sent to twitter immediately 😀

    Cheers!

    Gera

  • muralimanohar

    Oh, man, now I am HUNGRY. I just read ALL of the posts I have missed for the last few months, and I am LOVING all the egg-free recipes! Now, I just need to work out the proper substitution ratio of agar to gelatin, and I am set! :p

  • Kate @ Stolen Moments

    Oh, those pictures are breathtaking!

    I'm honored that the inspiration for your recipe was from one of mine. I'm so glad you like it!

  • Arwen from Hoglet K

    I know what you mean about trying to be healthy. I've been trying hard to make cakes that use oil instead of butter. I'm very excited to have a chocolate one to try – thanks!

  • Nicisme

    I always have coffee cravings, but these look wonderful! You on a chocolate and cherry bender??? LOL!!

  • Katrina

    These sound awesome. I have some dried cherries right now and may just have to whip these up!

  • Chaya

    I love your blog and the way you set up your recipes and the wonderful photos and the great recipes and the health aspect,

    I really had a good time looking around and I will be back soon.

  • Healthy chocolate

    Many feels that chocolate is not good for health. But some are good for health like, unsweetened chocolate, bitter-sweet chocolate, raw chocolate bar. One can add grinded cacao beans to smoothie preparations, sweet dishes, tea or beverages, yoghurts, granolas, ice-cream or sweet preparations. One can even make beverage by blending the powdered cacao with hot water or with milk substitutes like hemp milk, multigrain milk, or coconut milk. Also chocolate sauce can be made.

  • Tushna

    tried these today…proportions of sugar, baking soda and milk are totally wrong. It requires more sugar and milk and lesser baking soda

    • Deeba @ PAB

      Hi Tushna,
      I’m sorry they didn’t work for you. I made them a couple of times last year with both oil and butter, and the recipe is from another blog. A lady from The US also made them a few times, and mailed me for the rceipe as she couldn’t find the link. Sorry about this; will test them once again when the cherry season begins.

  • Jayasri

    Deeba made these check out my blog.., you will like it as I made it the way you would love with fresh fruits…, thanks for this lovely recipe and it was a great inspiration…

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