I don’t know about you, but I am a sucker for anything that combines cherry and chocolate. Add a bit of coconut flavor to the mix, and I am at your mercy….unless it contains gluten….or dairy…or regular sugar. Then I have to pass.
However, these little bites of chocolate, cherry bliss I can say a big “YES, PLEASE” to! Suzanne Perazzini from the blog, Strands of My Life., has generously shared her recipe from her wonderful cookbook Paleo Treats, for her Paleo/gluten free/grain free/refined sugar free Chocolate Cherry Muffins here.
Suzanne’s cookbook is filled with all sorts of mouth watering desserts! Here are a few pictures to whet your palate!
You can purchase Paleo Treats by clicking the blue button below. Both downloadable and print versions available!: Click here to purchase Paleo Treats Cookbook
Suzanne lives in New Zealand where afternoon tea is commonplace (Lucky! We Americans just get a “snack”). You may notice that her recipe contains both metric and imperial/US standard measurements.
Chocolate Cherry Muffins
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
18 mins
Total time
33 mins
These delightful little beauties combine chocolate, cherry, and coconut into bite sized bliss that's perfect for afternoon tea with friends
Serves: 8
Ingredients
½ cup coconut flour
6 tbsp cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
½ cup coconut oil
⅓ cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsps white vinegar
6 large eggs
¼ tsp crème of tartar
12 fresh cherries
50g/2 oz sugarless chocolate
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
Line a set of muffin tins with paper cups.
Combine the dry ingredients together.
Place the coconut oil, honey, vanilla and vinegar in a food processor and whiz until well combined.
Separate 3 of the eggs, placing the egg whites in a separate bowl.
Add the 3 egg yolks and other 3 eggs one at a time into the processor and blend well.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and blend until just wet.
Beat the egg whites with the crème of tartar until stiff peaks form.
Add the blended mixture into the egg whites and fold carefully until completely mixed.
Fill the prepared muffin tins with about ½ the mixture.
Place a full, pitted cherry in the middle and fill with the rest of the mixture.
Bake 18 minutes or until the tops spring back when pressed or a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow the muffins to cool for at least 20 minutes.
Cut out a shallow shape from the top of the muffin (heart or star shape).
Melt the sugarless chocolate in a microwave and cool a little.
Pour into the top of the muffins.
Place half a cherry in the centre.
Notes
From Suzanne: "Make sure not to overcook the muffins and to eat them straightaway or freeze them to keep them really fresh. All coconut flour baking doesn’t last long because of the nature of the flour. I love baking in batches, freeze, and take one to work each day for a morning tea pick me up."
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 8 Calories: 289 Fat: 21g Saturated fat: 16g Unsaturated fat: 4g Carbohydrates: 22g Sugar: 18g Sodium: 188mg Fiber: 2g Protein: 6g Cholesterol: 141mg
3.4.3177 You can purchase Paleo Treats by clicking the blue button below. Both downloadable and print versions available!: Click here to purchase Paleo Treats Cookbook