Cinnamon muffins, made healthier using wholemeal flour, dates and coconut sugar for sweetness and trail mix to add some crunch.
So this week I’m shaking my baking (poet and didn’t know it) up a bit.
At some point during winter, I generally want to tone down the comfort food a bit. I try to swap it out for something healthier (don’t worry, this phase won’t last long) Haha 🙂
So how about a muffin that you can eat, guilt free, for breakfast? Yes, please. And just look at how gorgeous these are.
I did a fair bit of research on sugar for this recipe. I advise you not to 🙂 Long story short, don’t eat too much sugar and you’ll be ok.
I originally wanted to make these Cinnamon muffins sugar free, hence the sugar research, but it turns out that’s a pretty tall order for a sweet snack. So these delicious beauties are made sweet using dates (just like in sticky date pudding) and a little coconut sugar. It’s a natural sugar so a much better option than highly processed white sugar. These Cinnamon Muffins aren’t as sweet as a chocolate muffin but they are just sweet enough to feel like a treat.
In addition to the sugar swaps, I’ve used wholemeal flour, instead of regular white flour. This is readily available in supermarkets so no problems there. Then I’ve added some nuts and seeds to the mix to end up with yummy, fluffy Healthy Nutty Cinnamon Muffins.
You can put a batch in the freezer and they’re always ready for a quick and easy breakfast on the run or a healthier afternoon snack for the kids. They’re tender and moist and make you feel like you’re doing something good for yourself and enjoying it all at the same time.
I’m pretty proud of my healthy little creations, so get baking people 🙂 You’ll love them.
Healthy Nutty Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients
For the Muffins
- ¾ cup (120g) pitted dates, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp baking soda (bicarb)
- 260 g (2 cups) Wholemeal flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda (bicarb)
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup mixed nuts and seeds note 2
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup almond milk
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar note 3
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 115 g unsalted butter, melted
For the topping
- 1 Tbsp * coconut sugar note 1
- 4 Tbsp butter, room temp note 1
- 2 Tbsp nut & seed mix note 1
- ¼ cup wholemeal flour.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C (350F). Prepare a 12 hole muffin tin with liners or grease and lightly flour the muffin holes.
- In a bowl, cover the dates with boiling water. Stir in 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Let them sit and allow to soften for about 10 minutes while you organise the rest of your ingredients.
- In a large bowl mix together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, coconut sugar, nuts, seeds and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond milk, vinegar, vanilla, eggs and melted butter.
- Once the dates have softened, drain away all the liquid, then use a stick mixer or blender to blend them to a puree. Add the date puree to the wet ingredients and whisk together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Try not to over mix.
- To make the topping, combine all the ingredients together with your fingers until everything is well combined.
- Scoop the mixture into the muffin tin until each one is about ¾ full. This batch will make exactly 12 standard size muffins.
- Top each one with about a teaspoon of topping mixture.
- Place in the oven for 18-20 or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Notes
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4 Comments on “Healthy Nutty Cinnamon Muffins”
Could you give some examples of the combinations of nuts and seeds you have used and how to make my own?
Great question Lorraine. I like to use a very simple mix of sunflower seeds and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) but you can add others, like sesame seeds, poppy seeds or even nuts. Pine nuts would be lovely or you can put in your faves, roughly chopped. Happy Baking 🙂
Coconut sugar? Substitutes for it if I can’t find it?
Hi Deanna, you could use any sugar you like. As I wanted to make these muffins a little healthier, I used coconut sugar as it is low GI and unrefined. If you want to stick to the ‘healthy’ alternative sweeteners, you could try maple syrup but you may need to drop the liquid in the recipe a little. Let me know how you go 🙂