Chocolate Chip Cherry Muffins with Walnuts

Fresh cherries, crunchy walnuts and chocolate chips give these healthier muffins tons of flavor without a lot of sugar. Made with white whole wheat flour, ripe bananas, Greek yogurt and almond milk, then lightly sweetened with maple syrup for a delicious way to use up extra cherries this summer!

Muffins are such an easy grab-and-go breakfast idea or snack that I think we sometimes forget about. But why?! Muffins are easy to make and so easy to customize with your favorite in-season produce. In fact, these muffins are ready in under 30 minutes!

Personally, I absolutely love the combination of chocolate and cherries and since cherries are in season, I had to make a batch of these cherry chocolate chip muffins. As you can see, I added in walnuts for that little bit of crunch and some added protein.

Nutrition Tip: White whole wheat flour has all the health perks of regular whole wheat. But it’s made with a special variety of wheat, so it’s lighter in color and milder in flavor.

Can you substitute the cherries for another fruit?

Absolutely! Feel free to use whatever fresh fruit is in season. I also love using fresh blueberries. You can also use veggies in your muffins! Try these Sweet Spinach Muffins or these Mini Zucchini Bread Muffins.

Do you have to use walnuts?

No, you can substitute another nut of your choice or you can leave them out. Personally, I love baking with walnuts!

How do you store homemade muffins?

You can store your homemade chocolate chip cherry muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week. If they last that long 😉

Can you freeze homemade muffins?

Yes! I definitely recommend making a double batch of these easy muffins and freezing some! That way you have an easy breakfast ready-to-go and can add these to your meal plan. I wrap my muffins individually in press n’ seal then put them in a freezer bag. I know it seems like a lot of extra effort, but it really does help with freezer burn. You can keep your muffins in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Well, let’s get baking! I hope you and your family enjoy these Chocolate Chip Cherry Muffins as much as we do.

Chocolate Chip Cherry Muffins with Walnuts

Print

Fresh cherries, crunchy walnuts and chocolate chips give these healthier muffins tons of flavor without a lot of sugar. Made with white whole wheat flour, ripe bananas, Greek yogurt and almond milk, then lightly sweetened with maple syrup for a delicious way to use up extra cherries this summer!

Yield: 12 muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed ripe banana, about two medium bananas
• 1 cup plain lowfat Greek yogurt
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 cup pitted, chopped cherries
• 1/3 cup (plus 2 Tbsp.) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1/3 cup (plus 2 Tbsp.) chopped walnuts, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.
3. Mash bananas in separate medium bowl. Add yogurt, egg, almond milk and maple syrup, and mix well.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until incorporated. Fold in cherries, ⅓ cup chocolate chips and ⅓ cup walnuts.
5. Pour batter evenly into muffin tin. Sprinkle with additional chocolate chips and walnuts on top.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Remove muffins from muffin tin and let cool completely.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 146Total Fat: 6.2gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 230mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2.5gSugar: 9gProtein: 5g