Eggless Chocolate Chip Muffins (Whole Wheat)

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour – leveled or 120 grams
• ½ teaspoon baking soda – leveled
• 1 pinch salt
• ⅓ cup chocolate chips – dark or semi-sweet or vegan

Wet ingredients

• ½ cup warm water
• ½ cup raw sugar or white sugar – 80 to 90 grams
• ½ tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or any neutral tasting oil

Steps

Preparation

1. Line a muffin tray with muffin liners, or grease the pan with oil instead.
2. Sift the whole wheat flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt through a sieve and set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes. In an OTG, heat both the upper and lower elements.

Making batter

1. Warm the water in a pan or microwave to about 45 to 46 degrees Celsius (113-114.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
2. Stir the sugar into the warm water until completely dissolved.
3. Add the oil, using olive oil, any neutral-flavored oil, or melted butter. Stir briskly for 2 to 3 minutes to mix the oil evenly with the water.
4. Add the lemon juice, or replace it with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
5. Put in the vanilla extract or vanilla essence.
6. Give the mixture another thorough stir.
7. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
8. Mix to a smooth batter without overmixing.
9. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter.

Baking

1. Pour or spoon the batter into the muffin liners, filling them to ¾ capacity.
2. If desired, put one or two chocolate chips on top.
3. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tops are browned and a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean.
4. Check during baking because oven temperatures vary. Use the center rack in an OTG.
5. After 3 to 4 minutes, take the muffins out of the pan and place on a wire rack to cool.

Serving suggestions

1. Serve plain as a sweet snack or dessert, or with milk, tea, or coffee.

Storage

1. Keep the muffins at room temperature in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. In a cold city or town, they stay fresh for up to a week.
2. In a warm, humid, hot place, keep at room temperature for only a day, or refrigerate immediately once the muffins have cooled to room temperature.
3. Freeze for a month if desired, then thaw at room temperature before serving.