Earlier this week I had lunch with two women, which is quite a rarity in our old boys club of an industry. It was refreshing and lovely. Like men, we spoke about politics, business issues and ideas… and a little bit of diet talk. The three of us agree we want to be fit and healthy, but we also really have a love affair with food. It’s quite a dilemma balancing the two. I preached the importance of knowing where your food comes from and they nodded. They cried at the evilness of bread and pasta and before I had a chance to agree or disagree, I was saved by the waiter.
“A salad with grilled salmon please”
“A salad with grilled shrimp please.” 
And then me… “Um… Hmm.. I can’t decide..” But I knew exactly what I wanted. “Oh hell, I’ll have a big bowl of linguine with clams please.”
And. It. Was. Worth. Every. Single. Carb.
When I got home, I was in the mood to bake but still guilty from my mid-day indulgence. I decided to try a “skinny” version of Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins. No butter, no oil. My hubby is a big fan of the full-fat, over-sized Costco muffins so that these passed both of our tests is a major feat.
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Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
Try a “skinny” version of Chocolate Chip Muffins. No butter, no oil.
Ingredients
- 3 large bananas
- small cup unsweetened applesauce
- small cup sugar in the raw (next time i will try 1/2 cup of honey as substitute)
- 1 large egg (if you want to avoid eggs altogether, you can probably add 1/2 an additional banana, I used 1 omega-3 enriched egg)
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup (240 ml) semi-sweet chocolate chips (confession: i used milk chocolate chips, i like them better. skinny or not)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Line a muffin tin with baking cups (or spray tins). Set aside.In a large bowl mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher. Mash them very well – no big lumps. Stir in the sugar, egg, and applesauce.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder into the wet ingredients. (sifting helps avoid cocoa or flour lumps) Lightly mix to combine. Fold in chocolate chips. The batter will be a little chunky. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups – fill them all the way to the top. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Muffins stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Chocolate
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 190
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
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- Coffee and Whiskey Chocolate Mousse
- Superfood: Avocado Chocolate Smoothie
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these muffins “skinny” — they still have chocolate chips?
The recipe skips all butter and oil, using 3 mashed bananas plus a small cup of unsweetened applesauce as the fat and moisture source instead. The author uses whole-wheat flour and reduces added sugar, keeping the chocolate chips as a deliberate indulgence — she even confesses to using milk chocolate chips over semi-sweet because “skinny or not” she likes them better.
Can I make these without an egg?
Yes — the ingredient list explicitly notes that if you want to avoid eggs altogether, you can probably add an extra half banana in place of the 1 large egg.
Why should I sift the cocoa powder and flour rather than just whisking them in?
The instructions note that sifting helps avoid cocoa or flour lumps in the batter. Because cocoa powder in particular tends to clump, sifting it directly into the wet banana mixture before folding in the chips ensures an even, smooth batter.
