[pinit] My kids really, really love it when I bake with almond flour. They don’t know Paleo from Schmaleo. They just know what they like. And these Paleo chocolate chip muffins fit the bill.
At this point, having given up entirely on making eggs (brain food!) for my kids before school each day (my youngest hates them and I just. can’t. fight. any. more.), I can never have enough make-ahead school morning breakfasts. I serve one muffin per kid with a bunch of fresh fruit, and that’s breakfast. And the muffins? They freeze beautifully and defrost overnight in the refrigerator (or with a quick spin in a toaster oven in the morning if I haven’t *ahem* planned ahead).
You can leave out the chocolate chips, or swap them out for something else. Just be careful not to mix in anything with too much moisture or it might not work. But, as always, give it a try and then report back so the rest of us can benefit from your wealth of experience!
And it bears stating that, while you may be able to get away with swapping out the mini chocolate chips with something else, I cannot. I can see my youngest (a/k/a my most whiny breakfast-eater) out of the corner of my eye, picking out the chips as she eats the muffin, one by one. I think she’s counting them to make sure that she got a sufficient number in her particular muffin. I guess, when you’re the youngest of 3, all super close in age, you learn to count what’s rightfully yours!
Looking for more basic Paleo recipes? I’ve got you covered. I’m all about the basic Paleo baked goods.
Prep time:Cook time:Yield:12 muffins
Ingredients
1/2 cup (168 g) honey
8 tablespoons (112) virgin coconut oil (melted and cooled) (can substitute an equal amount, by weight, of nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening (melted and cooled))
3 eggs (180 g, out of shell), at room temperature
1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces) almond or coconut milk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (280 g) finely-ground blanched almond flour (not Bob’s Red Mill brand or Trader Joe’s brand – they are too coarse)
1 tablespoon (8 g) coconut flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 ounces miniature dairy-free chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life brand), tossed with 1 teaspoon tapioca or arrowroot starch
Directions
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease or line a standard 12-cup muffin tin, and set it aside.
Place all of the ingredients except the chocolate chips tossed with starch, in the order listed, in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. You can mix the ingredients by hand, rather than by machine, but the batter will likely have lumps. Transfer the batter to a large mixing bowl, and add the chocolate chips and starch. Fold the chips into the batter into they are evenly distributed throughout. The batter will be thick but smooth.
Fill the prepared muffin cups each about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full with batter. With wet fingers, smooth the batter in each muffin cup into an even layer. Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 20 minutes). Do not overbake, and be sure that your oven temperature is accurate or the muffins will burn as almond flour has that tendency.
Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the tin for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Love, Me
P.S. I am getting the first prize package ready for a Gluten-Free on a Shoestring Bakes Breadgiveaway, to be announced here on the blog next Monday! All you have to do to enter is pre-order! Entries will be on the honor system. I trust ya.
If you liked this recipe, you'll love my new book!
[…] of the week: Breakfast: Paleo Chocolate Chip Muffins Pumpkin Streusel Loaf (using quinoa flakes instead of oatmeal) Eggs […]
Scott Cannon
November 13, 2013 at 2:05 PM
Excellent Paleo baked good – the first that even the kids enjoyed. Since my wife is allergic to almonds, I used the ground cashews that recently arrived at our local Trader Joes using the same weight as the almond flour. We also used coconut milk (the drinkable kind). The batter came out less thick than described and needed 3 minutes longer in the oven. They also were slightly oily, so may reduce the shortening next time.
If they are available locally, Guittard Real Semisweet Chocolate baking chips are dairy (and grain) free and taste much better than the Enjoy Life chips.
These are soo yummy!! Kids love them too. I did reduce the honey to 100 grams.
Liz
November 7, 2013 at 10:12 AM
Noooo Nicole! I’ve been trying not to hear the siren call of the half packet of choc chips lurking at the back of my pantry. In week 10 of no grains, no gluten, no dairy, no refined sugars and doing so well….and then you post this. Can I resist…?
Melissa
November 7, 2013 at 1:20 PM
Check out Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips for Grain/Dairy free!
Anneke
November 7, 2013 at 10:08 AM
That sounds like breakfast at my house, plus a glass of milk and a big glass of water. Oddly, the glass of water causes the most complaining. Really? You’re ruining my positive morning energy over water? Apparently it is something to do with the nasty school bathrooms and not enough time to go between classes. Whatever. You want me to make breakfast, you get the water. And the muffins. Sounds like a good deal to me! I have done a little with almond flour, but seems like it is time for me to embrace it fully. Almonds are really good for runners, and I have lots of those living here.
By the way, I pre-ordered! But you probably guessed that, if I haven’t already told you!
Donia Robinson
November 7, 2013 at 10:19 AM
Anneke, you definitely need to embrace almond flour. The texture is so incredible. Never grainy, always light and fluffy. So. Good.
Jennifer Sasse
November 7, 2013 at 11:41 AM
Yes girls – but what about the fat content? :(
Danyell
November 7, 2013 at 12:25 PM
Almonds are a good fat though. It is good for you!
Donia Robinson
November 7, 2013 at 2:50 PM
That’s my thought. I feel like the fat and protein in the almonds are better than empty carbs. My 2 cents… ;)
Anneke
November 7, 2013 at 1:41 PM
Believe me, Jennifer, no worries about the fat content with these kids! Now, I am another story . . .
Donia Robinson
November 7, 2013 at 7:45 PM
Oh, and I’ve heard that almond flour baked goods are good for people with diabetes, so that’s another reason for you to embrace it!
wow – I guess I should be so happy I only have 2 kids almost 5 years apart! LOL. These look great though and mine will love them for breakfast. Though I’m so happy that they love hard boiled eggs for breakfast too – lucky me! Speaking of chocolate chips, my oldest asked for a chocolate chip cookie crusted ice cream pie for thanksgiving since I’m in charge of pies this year…..do you think I can use the chocolate ice cream bowl recipe for that?
Donia Robinson
November 7, 2013 at 9:00 AM
I look forward to making these! I LOVE almond flour. It’s pretty amazing what you can bake without a true “flour.”
Poor, poor youngest. Ours has a chip on her shoulder as well, though it goes a little farther than just counting chips. She’s a bully! I’m the middle child, so that should explain a lot…
[pinit] My kids really, really love it when I bake with almond flour. They don’t know Paleo from Schmaleo. They just know what they like. And these Paleo chocolate chip muffins fit the bill.
HELLO! I’m Nicole! I make gluten-free food enjoyable & affordable. If they can make it with gluten, we can make it without. That’s a promise!
Comments are closed.
[…] of the week: Breakfast: Paleo Chocolate Chip Muffins Pumpkin Streusel Loaf (using quinoa flakes instead of oatmeal) Eggs […]
Excellent Paleo baked good – the first that even the kids enjoyed. Since my wife is allergic to almonds, I used the ground cashews that recently arrived at our local Trader Joes using the same weight as the almond flour. We also used coconut milk (the drinkable kind). The batter came out less thick than described and needed 3 minutes longer in the oven. They also were slightly oily, so may reduce the shortening next time.
If they are available locally, Guittard Real Semisweet Chocolate baking chips are dairy (and grain) free and taste much better than the Enjoy Life chips.
[…] Paleo chocolate chip muffins. […]
These are soo yummy!! Kids love them too. I did reduce the honey to 100 grams.
Noooo Nicole! I’ve been trying not to hear the siren call of the half packet of choc chips lurking at the back of my pantry. In week 10 of no grains, no gluten, no dairy, no refined sugars and doing so well….and then you post this. Can I resist…?
Check out Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips for Grain/Dairy free!
That sounds like breakfast at my house, plus a glass of milk and a big glass of water. Oddly, the glass of water causes the most complaining. Really? You’re ruining my positive morning energy over water? Apparently it is something to do with the nasty school bathrooms and not enough time to go between classes. Whatever. You want me to make breakfast, you get the water. And the muffins. Sounds like a good deal to me! I have done a little with almond flour, but seems like it is time for me to embrace it fully. Almonds are really good for runners, and I have lots of those living here.
By the way, I pre-ordered! But you probably guessed that, if I haven’t already told you!
Anneke, you definitely need to embrace almond flour. The texture is so incredible. Never grainy, always light and fluffy. So. Good.
Yes girls – but what about the fat content? :(
Almonds are a good fat though. It is good for you!
That’s my thought. I feel like the fat and protein in the almonds are better than empty carbs. My 2 cents… ;)
Believe me, Jennifer, no worries about the fat content with these kids! Now, I am another story . . .
Oh, and I’ve heard that almond flour baked goods are good for people with diabetes, so that’s another reason for you to embrace it!
Very good point, Donia!
wow – I guess I should be so happy I only have 2 kids almost 5 years apart! LOL. These look great though and mine will love them for breakfast. Though I’m so happy that they love hard boiled eggs for breakfast too – lucky me!
Speaking of chocolate chips, my oldest asked for a chocolate chip cookie crusted ice cream pie for thanksgiving since I’m in charge of pies this year…..do you think I can use the chocolate ice cream bowl recipe for that?
I look forward to making these! I LOVE almond flour. It’s pretty amazing what you can bake without a true “flour.”
Poor, poor youngest. Ours has a chip on her shoulder as well, though it goes a little farther than just counting chips. She’s a bully! I’m the middle child, so that should explain a lot…