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.
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! Further, 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!
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. A close contender, jostling for space right on top has been this bundt cake from the Food Librarian … Cinnamon 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!

CHOCOLATE 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

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 @ PAB

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 thoughts on “Baking| Chocolate Cherry Muffins … healthy muffins we l♥ve!”

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

    Reply

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

    Reply

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

    Reply

  4. 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?

    Reply

  6. 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!

    Reply

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

    Reply

  10. 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

    Reply

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

    Reply

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

    I wanna eat this stuff too…..

    U don't love me anymore…..

    Reply

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

    Reply

  15. 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!

    Reply

  16. 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??

    Reply

  17. 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???

    Reply

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

    Reply

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

    Reply

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

    Reply

  27. 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 🙂

    Reply

  28. 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

    Reply

  29. 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!

    Reply

  33. 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 🙂

    Reply

  34. 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!

    Reply

  38. 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.

    Reply

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

    Great blog!

    Reply

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

    I'm now a follower too.

    Reply

  41. 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. 🙂

    Reply

  42. hi and hello

    Nice work keep going

    just check mine and give you comments…

    MIND EXCHANGING THE LINK….REPLY ME IF YOU WISH…

    KunthanRaj

    ……..post your comments………

    Reply

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

    Reply

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

    Sent to twitter immediately 😀

    Cheers!

    Gera

    Reply

  50. 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

    Reply

  51. 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!

    Reply

  52. 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!

    Reply

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

    Reply

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

    Reply

  55. 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.

    Reply

  57. 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.

    Reply

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

    Reply

    1. 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.

      Reply

  59. 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…

    Reply

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