I have just joined the Chocolate Party! It is a great group of food bloggers who bake with chocolate and each month they decide on an extra compulsory ingredient. This month, it is cranberries.
I am on a mission to reduce my intake of sugar and that might seem a little contradictory with joining the Chocolate Party but I did say ‘reduce’ not ‘eliminate’. These muffins I made are completely without added sugar except for what is in the chocolate. I found the recipe at The Life of Clare blog and thought they mightn’t be sweet enough but was willing to give them a try. In fact, the bananas are enough and that makes these muffins sugarless apart from the chocolate content. How amazing is that? And they taste good!
You might have noticed that I am using a new recipe set up, Ziplist. If you click on Save in the recipe, you then create a free account. After that, each time you click on the save button, you add the recipe to your personal recipe box. You can also create a shopping list from the recipes in your box. And clip some coupons while you’re there. You can also use the print button to print the recipe and choose to include the photos or not. I have also added the nutritional information below the recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 mashed bananas
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup chocolate buttons, broken in half
- 3/4 gluten-free self-raising flour
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup desiccated coconut
- The cream from a 400g tin of coconut cream
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Mix all the wet ingredients together.
- Blend all the dry ingredients.
- Mix the wet with the dry until just blended – don’t over mix
- Spoon into muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes.
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They look wonderful! I love the cranberry/chocolate addition!
The Life of Clare recently posted..Ahhh, the possibilities… chicken coop part 1
It’s a great base recipe to vary as the need takes you.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Banana, Chocolate, Cranberry & Coconut Muffins
Love the presentation as well as the ingredients!
I may have to crash this chocolate party!
Do have a look at the other recipes! Who doesn’t love chocolate recipes?
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Banana, Chocolate, Cranberry & Coconut Muffins
Beautiful muffins, these are perfect for the chocolate party!
It’s a great party, Laura.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Banana, Chocolate, Cranberry & Coconut Muffins
these muffins look amazing – and I LOVE that there isn’t any added sugar:)
Thanks, Heather. I am so pleased about finding a recipe without sugar.
Suzanne
I love the fact that these have no added sugar except for what is in the chocolate. An almost guilt free treat.
Love your muffin stand too
Take out the chocolate and it is a guilt-free treat. The chocolate is not in any way essential.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Banana, Chocolate, Cranberry & Coconut Muffins
These look very delicious Suzanne, I like the low carb idea too in the muffins. Its nice to sometimes just enjoy the natural sweetness of fruits.
I find the sweetness of fruit is enough, especially ripe bananas and dates.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Banana, Chocolate, Cranberry & Coconut Muffins
I love the fact that these are healthier muffins–it means I can eat more of them.
The paper cups you used are so cute, too. 
Welcome to the Chocolate Party. 
Thanks, Jean. I think the paper cups add to the experience of muffin eating because visually they can be rather plain. Got to think of all the senses.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Banana, Chocolate, Cranberry & Coconut Muffins
With so many great flavors together it´s no wonder there´s no need for sugar! These muffins are certainly worth making!
They have certainly been gobbled up in my family so I would say they were a success.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Banana, Chocolate, Cranberry & Coconut Muffins
I’m so glad you joined the Chocolate Party! And we ALL need some less sugary treats with the holidays approaching…your muffins sound fantastic. Plus I love your fun muffin wrappers!
Thanks, Liz. It seemed like the best group to join – I mean, chocolate?
Suzanne
With ingredients like banana, chocolate and cranberry how can I pass up this recipe? I will Pin It for sure.
Thanks, Vita. it does have some scrummy ingredients.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Banana, Chocolate, Cranberry & Coconut Muffins
I saw these muffins on Claire’s blog and was thinking of making them. I think chocolate and cranberries work really well together. I mark bark at Christmas time with white chocolate and cranberries and some nuts xx
That bark sounds like a great Xmas treat. Do make the muffins – healthy and tasty. Can’t beat that.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Banana, Chocolate, Cranberry & Coconut Muffins
I love that you are trying to cut down on sugar. And I agree, that there is no need to go without dessert. These muffins look great. Love your pics. I am new to the chocolate party….still thinking what to make this month.
I think if you try to cut out something from the diet, then you start craving it, so gently does it. I will look out for your contribution.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Cranberry, Chocolate and Date Truffles
These look so pretty and festive Suzanne… a real feast for the eyes! With all the flavoured yummies you have going on in here, no need to add additional sugar – love that you kept it as is.
Kelly @ Inspired Edibles recently posted..Three Layer Chicken & Bean Quesadilla ~ protein rich, oven-baked goodness
They have worked well with no sugar and I will have the last one for morning tea today so they didn’t last long.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Cranberry, Chocolate and Date Truffles
Adorable! The muffins and their red-striped cups.
Also, I think dark chocolate will fit perfectly into your plan of eating less sugar. (It’s actually on the cusp of being considered healthy.) *fingers crossed*
Yes, I have to seek out the darkest chocolate I can find so I am not depriving myself completely of chocolate. Chocolate definitely has a lot of good points in its favour.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Cranberry, Chocolate and Date Truffles
Beautiful muffins. I love that they are natural sweetened. And the cupcake stand, so cute!
I got the stand in a cheap, end-of-line store for a few dollars. I must look out for others.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Cranberry, Chocolate and Date Truffles
I love your paper muffin cups! But most of all, the banana-chocolate-cranberry-coconut combo is just divine! Nom-nom-nom…!
It was a great combination of flavours, Jen. They’re all gone now – in our tummies.
Suzanne
your photographs of these muffins are beautiful! and i love those muffin liners… they are so cute
i haven’t used gluten free flour before…can i replace that with regular flour or will that mess up the recipe?
Thank you. I would imagine that there would be no problem with using normal flour. Just watch the batter is wet enough to be a muffin mixture.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Fried Agnolotti with Spinach and Cream Cheese Filling
What an intriguing combination of flavours – I would’ve never put the cranberries and banana together but it sounds delicious! I love that you wanted to reduce the sugar. Although most of the things I baked are totally bad for your health (I’m talking butter and sugar laden), I still reduce the amounts of sugar in every recipe when I bake. Your photos are gorgeous – I love the adorable muffin liners and the cupcake stand.
Thanks. It continues to be my mission to reduce the sugar in my diet and yet not to deprive myself of treats.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Fried Agnolotti with Spinach and Cream Cheese Filling
Love these flavors! What a pretty muffin!
The container makes all the difference,
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Thai Chicken Tartlettes
Beautiful presentation of your muffins! Nice to see a healthier baked treat and a great addition to the chocolate party;-)
Thanks, Patty. It’s good to be a part of the Chocolate party.
Suzanne
admin recently posted..Thai Chicken Tartlettes