Mexican-Spiced Triple Chocolate Muffins are full of nutritious ingredients, and feature deep chocolate flavor with a hint of cinnamon and cayenne. If you’re a fan of Mexican Hot Chocolate, these muffins are for you!
Some people see a couple of near-rotten bananas on their countertop as a reason to bring out their favorite tried-and-true banana bread recipe. (For me, that’s this thing of beauty.)
But as a food blogger, I see extra-ripe bananas as a reason to think outside the loaf.
I’ve been wanting to share using Mexican chocolate on my blog for quite a while now, and I saw this as the perfect opportunity to do so. These chocolaty muffins feature a touch of a cinnamon and cayenne. However, the spices are part of a deeper, complex flavor profile so no one flavor is overpowering.
I used three kinds of chocolate here: cocoa powder, melted unsweetened chocolate, and a few dark chocolate chips. These are a chocolate-lover’s dream! But we only use a little bit of each, so these Triple Chocolate Muffins aren’t overwhelming in their chocolate flavor. Additionally, the banana helps round out the flavor!
And like most muffins (that is to say, not un-frosted cupcakes masquerading as muffins), these are good breakfast material! Whole wheat pastry flour takes the place of all-purpose flour for more nutrition, and avocado oil provides healthy fat.
Next time you have a couple of super ripe bananas lying around, give this recipe a try!
The Best Triple Chocolate Muffins Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A healthy twist. These Triple Chocolate Muffins are healthier than a lot of muffin recipes! We use whole wheat pastry flour and avocado oil to bump up the nutrition. Additionally, we use banana, which lets us use less sugar and less oil.
- Unique flavor. With a hint of cinnamon and cayenne pepper, the flavor profile was inspired by Mexican Hot Chocolate.
- Chocolate on chocolate on chocolate. Yes, these are definitely a chocolate-lover’s dream! But the good news is that we don’t use too much of any one type of chocolate, so they’re rich and chocolaty, but aren’t overpoweringly so. And they aren’t overly sweet, either!
Ingredients in Triple Chocolate Muffins
- Whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Cayenne pepper
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Overripe banana
- Avocado oil
- Milk
- Blackstrap molasses
- Vanilla extract
- Unsweetened chocolate
- Chocolate chips
- Turbinado sugar
How to Make Triple Chocolate Muffins
- Prep work. Preheat the oven to 375F; line a muffin tray with 12 paper liners.
- Dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Wet ingredients. Beat the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy, and then beat in the banana, oil, milk, molasses, vanilla, and finally the melted chocolate.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to stir the dry ingredients into the wet half at a time, being careful not to over-mix.
- Pour the batter and top with goodies. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tray, and sprinkle the chocolate chips and coarse sugar on top.
- Bake! Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out dry or with just a couple crumbs, about 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tray once halfway through. Be careful not to over-bake.
Variations on This Recipe
- For more decadent-tasting muffins. Skip the banana. Increase the sugar to 1 1/4 cups, increase the avocado oil to 3/4 cup, and increase the milk to 2/3 cup.
- If you don’t have blackstrap molasses on hand. You can omit the molasses and use 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar instead of 1 cup granulated sugar.
- Switch it up with white chocolate. Instead of the dark chocolate chips on top, use white chocolate chips.
Triple Chocolate Muffins FAQs
What is the Best Flour for Muffins?
You can use either whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour to make muffins. However, whole wheat pastry flour will yield muffins with a lighter, more delicate texture.
What is the Best Oil for Muffins?
Any oil with a light or neutral flavor will work well for muffins. Common types of neutral-flavored oil for making muffins include: canola oil (aka rapeseed oil), soybean oil, corn oil, and what is labeled “vegetable oil”.
For the added health benefits, I like to use avocado oil or light olive oil.
How Long do Homemade Muffins Last?
You can store these homemade muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
More Delicious Muffin Recipes to Make
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xoxo, Faith
Mexican-Spiced Triple Chocolate Muffins (Aka Mexican Hot Chocolate Muffins)
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup mashed overripe banana
- 1/2 cup avocado oil or other neutral-flavored oil
- 1/4 cup milk whole or reduced-fat
- 2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 ounces good-quality unsweetened chocolate melted
- 3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F; line a muffin tray with 12 paper liners.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Beat the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy, and then beat in the banana, oil, milk, molasses, vanilla, and finally the melted chocolate.
- Use a wooden spoon to stir the dry ingredients into the wet half at a time, being careful not to over-mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tray, and sprinkle the chocolate chips and coarse sugar on top.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out dry or with just a couple crumbs, about 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tray once halfway through. Be careful not to over-bake.
Faith’s Tips
- Storage: You can store these homemade muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on May 27, 2016. It was updated with more information on January 11, 2022.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
So smart to use the bananas along with the Mexican Chocolate flavors! I bet these are the most balanced and “full bodied” if you will, muffins EVER!
You had me at triple chocolate and I love that hint of spice… gorgeous muffins!
Faith, you know the way straight to my heart! Chocolate, whole grain flour, avocado oil, and did I mention chocolate? I love the balance of decadence and healthfulness..
Now that’s a way to use up ripe bananas! So much goodness and love the Mexican twist in flavors.
Fabulous flavours, beautiful texture and gorgeous muffins!
Cheers,
Rosa