Mocha-Glazed Banana Mocha Chip Muffins

I’ve always been one to advocate for healthier muffins. I haven’t been a huge fan of calling cupcakes “muffins” because you want to eat them at breakfast and without the frosting…

But, sometimes, you just have to play along, right? Well, maybe.

At least, I still tried to make it a little better for you. You’re welcome. And you get your chocolate for breakfast too!

No, it’s not a giant chocolate bomb of a muffin, but it’s bursting with little chocolate chips and a hint of espresso to really get your day started! Woo hoo!

They’re man-approved too. My mister told me that any muffin I make with banana is a favorite in his book, but one that he feels a need to eat for breakfast AND dessert in the same day, that’s a total winner.

So go ahead, have your muffin, tell them it’s not a cupcake, and laugh because it’s totally dripping in Mocha Glaze (not the same as frosting, right?).

Plus, isn’t Mocha Glaze just your morning coffee mixed with antioxidants (chocolate)…? Notice that I didn’t say the glaze is optional. Because it’s not.

Mocha-Glazed Banana Mocha Chip Muffins
(makes 15 muffins)

¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

2 eggs

½ cup granulated Stevia

3 large over-ripe bananas, mashed

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. instant espresso grounds

2 cups flour (white whole wheat or a gluten-free blend)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Mocha Glaze:

3 Tbs. unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)

1/3 cup dark chocolate (or semisweet chocolate) morsels

1 tsp. instant espresso grounds

~Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Line your muffin tin with paper liners or spray the tin with nonstick spray.

~In your mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, oil and eggs, stirring quickly (with a fork) to incorporate. Then, add the Stevia, bananas, and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Add the flour, espresso and baking soda and stir until completely mixed. Finally, add the chocolate chips and mix.

~Scoop the batter into the muffin liners (about 2/3-full). Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and a test stick comes out clean.

~Let the muffins cool on a wire rack.

~Make the Mocha Glaze: In a microwave-safe dish, heat the almond milk until hot but not scorched (this is very quick because of the small quantity, so approximately 30 seconds). Add the chocolate to the heated milk and stir. The chocolate will melt into the milk, creating a silky glaze (if the chocolate isn’t fully melted in, pop it in the microwave for another 15 seconds, but don’t over heat it, just keep stirring until it fully melts in). Stir in the instant espresso.

~Spoon the Mocha Glaze over the middle of each muffin, letting it drip and spread into each crevice. Let them cool and set before serving (or serve immediately and get a little messy). Enjoy!