I love when people are down with chocolate for breakfast. It’s a defiant move that contradicts our puritan prejudice against indulgence early in the morning. And one must wonder, is chocolate all that bad? I’ve hung out with enough marathoners to know that the answer is no. After all, cacao is a powerful superfood that pairs naturally with both coffee and tea. The trick lies in combining it with other nutrient-dense ingredients. Case in point: these muffins. With Dutch-processed cocoa, dark chocolate, yogurt and rye flour, they’re intensely chocolaty but not overly sweet.
I toss in a handful of chocolate chips, but feel free to omit them — the muffins will be just as delicious. Never skip the step of dissolving the cocoa powder in boiling water before adding it to the batter, which is also known as “blooming.” Blooming is the best way to thoroughly dissolve the powder and further enhance its chocolaty flavor. Make sure to use a tangy, full-fat yogurt such as Greek yogurt or skyr — it will reach with the cocoa powder to create an assertive yet balanced muffin that remains moist long after baking.
Rye’s woody, earthy flavor pairs beautifully with chocolate’s bold intensity, making it the obvious flour choice here.
This recipe results in a moist, rich muffin that stays soft for a couple of days. I like to pop one in the oven or microwave to turn it soft and gooey.
