Brownie Batter Chocolate Oat Muffins

When it comes to breakfast, I love a good egg sandwich, avocado toast, or a delicious scramble full of peppers, mushrooms, sausage and cheese. However, where my heart truly lies, and what I really want every morning, is with a sweet breakfast. I just have a big old sweet tooth when it comes to breakfast (and really any time), and I will almost always choose a sweet breakfast over a savory one despite how good those savory breakfasts may be. (I usually just end up have a savory "breakfast" for dinner, problem solved!)

I especially love chocolate for breakfast. I don't think I really need to explain it any more than that. Chocolate. Breakfast. Enough said. But even though I love sweets for breakfast, I don't always feel good about eating them. These brownie batter muffins solve that problem. They are sweet and chocolatey, yet have some nutrition in them, and are not just empty calories. Yes, you can have the best of both worlds! 

These yummy little brownie batter muffins are easy to make. Really just need one bowl and some simple ingredients. I cut down on the maple syrup from the original recipe from 1/2 to 1/4 cup to make them a little healthier and I thought they were just fine. So naturally sweetened with the maple syrup if that's your kind of thing. I'm sure honey would be fine as well, or just regular white or brown sugar if that's all you have, although I have not actually tried this I bet it would be fine. There is some protein and healthy fat from the almond butter (yes peanut butter would work just fine too). And you can go ahead and add in anything else that floats your boat; chocolate chips or chunks, cocoa nibs, any nut you like, even some fresh or frozen berries, or dried fruit. Customize away, and enjoy!

Brownie Batter Chocolate Oat Muffins
Adapted from Running with Spoons
Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) milk
• 1/4 cup (75 grams) maple syrup
• 1/4 cup (64 grams) almond butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups (160 grams) old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) whole wheat flour or whole wheat rye flour
• 1/4 cup (20 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Cocoa nibs (optional)
• Chopped chocolate (optional)

Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a muffin pan by spraying the cavities with cooking spray or lining them with parchment paper liners. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg. Whisk in the milk, maple syrup, almond butter, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Add the oats, flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder, and mix until well combined. Add the cocoa nibs and chocolate and give one more good stir to combine. 

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each until about 3/4 full. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Yields: 10 muffins
Approximate Calorie Count: 190 calories each
 

Frosted Brownie Roll Out Cookies

Need a chocolate fix? These simple yet delicious brownie roll out cookies are super easy to whip together when you need a basic chocolate cookie. They are easy and use ingredients that you are sure to have on hand. I've made them with both natural and Dutched cocoa and both turn out great. If you use the Dutched cocoa the cookies take on more of a oreo-ish look with that deep, almost black appearance, but they are definitely not Oreo texture. 

These cookies are soft and tender, a brownie in cookie form, perfect for any number of uses. They are good just plain, straight out of the oven, or frosted with your favorite frosting. This time I used a bright yellow and summery buttercream, but peanut butter frosting, or a chocolate ganache frosting would also be fantastic. Keep the cookies open faced, or spread the frosting between two cookies for a fun dessert sandwich. I have also scooped ice cream between two cookies for a super delicious ice cream sandwich. The cookies stay nice and soft, even in the freezer, making the perfect ice cream sandwich, easy to bite into and devour. A great recipe to have in your recipe box for any occasion! 

Other than the hour or so chilling time required for these cookies, they come tother very quickly. Mix, chill, cut and bake. Give these cookies a try the next time you want a cookie, but feel like doing something other than the good old standby - chocolate chip cookies. It's a refreshing change of pace. 

Brownie Roll-Out Cookies

Recipe from

Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (225 grams) butter, softened 
• 1 1/2 (300 grams) cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (approximately 60 grams — weights can vary a bit depending on brand)

Directions

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Whisk dry flour, salt and baking powder in bowl and set aside. Mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and cocoa in mixer. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.

Roll out cookie dough on floured counter. Cut into desired shapes, brushing extra deposits of flour off the top. (It does disappear once baked, though, so don’t overly fret if they go into the oven looking white.) Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 8 to 11 minutes (the former for 1/8-inch thick cookies, the latter for 1/4-inch cookies) until the edges are firm and the centers are slightly soft and puffed.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.