Gingerbread Chocolate Muffins

 

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of AP Flour (spoon the flour into the measuring cup) ( or 1.5 cups AP flour and 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour)
• 2 tablespoons of Cocoa powder ( I used 1 TB of Traders Joes brand and 1 of Penzey’s Dutch)
• 1 tablespoon of Penzey’s Ground Ginger
• 1 Teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of flake kosher salt
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Molasses
• 1/4 cup of skim milk (why use whole milk or 2%, skim is better and favor will not be sacrificed)
• 2 eggs (farm fresh or egglands best) (friendly note if you want to decrease the fat even more use 2 egg whites in place of every one egg)
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) of butter (unsalted)
• 1/2 cup of natural applesauce or no sugar added (****best way  to decrease fat in a recipe, adds moisture;plus no one will either know)

Directions:

Place the first five ingredients into a medium glass bowl and whisk together thoroughly (we don’t want any cocoa powder balls. If your cocoa powder is very clumpy use a sifter for all the dry ingredients.

 

In a separate medium sized bowl melt the butter in microwave.

After butter is melted whisk in the sugar, applesauce, milk, and molasses.

Once mixed well add the eggs separately mixing to incorporate each egg at a time.

 

Now fold in the liquid mixture into the dry mixture (be careful not to over mix this will cause tunneling).

 

 

Line 12 to 14 muffin tins with cupcake wrappers and spray with Pam or other canola oil spray.

Use a # 16 scoop to divide the batter evenly. I came up with 14 muffins this way.

Place in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean).

 

 

  Enjoy!