Recipe: Chocolate Chip Ricotta Muffins

I love muffins. Forget any other baked good, muffins will always win - hands down. One of my favourite base muffin recipes is my ricotta muffins. If you've been around here before, you'd have seen my Blueberry Ricotta Muffins and have also seen my love of ricotta with my Baked Banana Ricotta Cups.

Ricotta makes muffins, cakes and other baked goods super moist and fluffy without adding too much fat (especially if you use low fat ricotta!). These chocolate chip ricotta muffins have a hint of vanilla flavour and are moist, fluffy and delicious - and you will never believe they're low in fat! 

The recipe is extremely versatile and you can use whatever mix in you feel like. My favourite mix ins are blueberries and chocolate chips like this version, but I've also used dried fruits like raisins and dates, spices and even chopped apple - the possibilities are endless. 

This healthy version of your regular chocolate chip muffin is made without butter or oil and you won't miss them for a second! This is one recipe my family adores and one that has shown everyone that healthy can taste good - and even better than the butter and oil laden goods. 

It can easily be made gluten free, wheat free or with regular flour, depending on your dietary requirements. I always make the gluten free version for myself and love using buckwheat pancake mix since I love the flavour it gives. Using gluten free pancake mix in GF baking is so simple! You don't have to worry about extra starches or buying 300 different flours because it's all conveniently mixed for you! Try and find one that doesn't use any added sugar, however if yours does have sugar, just reduce the sugar in the recipe!

Chocolate Chip Ricotta Muffins gluten free/low fat

makes 12 delicious moist chocolate chip muffins

2 cups gluten free pancake mix/flour mix/regular flour/wholewheat flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

Pinch of salt 

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 

250g tub ricotta* (around 8 1/2 oz)  

2 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup cane sugar/white sugar

Around 1/4 cup water or milk (this will depend on your flour/climate/etc)

1/2-1 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F. 

In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. 

In a medium bowl mix together applesauce, ricotta, vanilla and sugar until combined.  

Pour wet mixture into the dry ingredients, adding enough water/milk to combine if needed.

Fold in chocolate and spoon batter into muffin cups. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted removes clean.

Note: I've tried this recipe with full fat and low fat (2%) ricotta, but never fat free ricotta - so I can't vouch for how well fat free ricotta would work! 

So tell me, what's your favourite kind of muffin? 

I don't think I could possibly choose a favourite! I love my cinnamon roll muffins, banana muffins, blueberry ricotta muffins and of course my healthy brownies - oh and you can't miss the protein brownies for an added protein boost! Plus I have about 50 new muffin recipe ideas to try!