Rich, fudgy and naturally sweet, these Double Chocolate Prune Muffins with Walnuts are jammed with layers of chocolate flavor. Silky pureed California Prunes keep the crumb tender and moist, a touch of espresso deepens the cocoa, and walnuts and dark chocolate chips are folded into the batter and scattered over the tops, so there's chocolate and crunch in every bite. A finishing sprinkle of flaky sea salt makes it all pop.
More California Prune recipes by Baking the Goods
Inspired by Cherry Bombe Farmers and Makers in Paso Robles
Sometimes inspiration involves a plane ticket to a faraway destination, but lucky for me, this time I found it right in my own backyard. Cherry Bombe hosted their Farmers and Makers event in Paso Robles, just up the road from my home in Atascadero, CA. I got to tag along with my pals and partners from California Prunes. Picture a weekend packed with influential, brilliant and inspiring women in food and beverage, plus speaker panels, snacks and sips, engaging conversations, belly laughs, a few happy tears and the kind of connections that stick. Basically summer camp for food people, with top-tier wine.
Things kicked off at the Welcome Party at Austin Hope & Treana Tasting Cellar, where the California Prunes booth turned snacking into a friendly competition: Vote for Your Favorite Bite. My Savory Prune Cheddar Almond Bites went head to head with Jaíne Mackievicz's Prune Coconut Bonbons and the Easy and Delicious Tiramisu Snack Bites from Alison of A Table Defloured. Alison took home the crown, and I can't argue with a royally delicious take on tiramisu. Congrats, Alison!
Photo credit James Collier for California Grown
Photo credit Kate Blohm for Cherry Bombe
A dream dessert lineup sparked the idea for these Double Chocolate Prune Muffins with Walnuts
On Saturday night, California Prunes presented She's My Cherry Pie: After Dark at EMRE, inside The Ava Hotel, with a custom tasting menu by Chef Sarah Thompson of Casa Playa at Wynn Las Vegas. I'm still dreaming of Chef Sarah's light and vibrant Mole Verde Tamal. Then came the moment I'd been counting down to all night (okay, all week): the dessert bar. It was a prune lover's dream.
- Pumpkin Sonora Cake with Bay Leaf Prune Caramel Compote by Rose Wilde of Red Bread
- Sugar Plum Shortbread by Traci Hozie-Alderson of Brown Butter Cookie Company
- Toasted Milk Cookie with California Prune Jewels by Kyra Johnson of Kyra's Bake Shop
- Blue Corn Tres Leches with Blackberry and Prune by Jewelee Lopez, pastry chef at Casa Playa
Dinner and dessert were both paired with California wines, because every course deserves a hot date. Watching these talented women make California Prunes shine in so many creative, delicious ways had me mentally warming up my oven for what would become my Double Chocolate Prune Muffins with Walnuts.
Aside from the dessert course, we were treated to a slice inside the minds of some of the bakers I admire most. My baking north star Jessie Sheehan, host of Cherry Bombe's baking podcast She's My Cherry Pie, moderated the panel of the contributing bakers. Each shared stories from their baking past and what inspires them today. I left with a full belly, a warm heart and a batch of fresh ideas already preheating.
Photo credit James Collier for California Grown
The warm fall flavors and spices at Saturday's dinner set a seasonal tone, and I came home dreaming up deep, cozy flavors of my own. That idea soon rose into these Double Chocolate Prune Muffins with Walnuts: rich chocolate, the warmth of espresso, the natural sweetness of California Prunes and plenty of toasty crunch.
Ingredients for Double Chocolate Prune Muffins with Walnuts
This simple recipe for Double Chocolate Prune Muffins with Walnuts uses classic pantry staples but combines them with a few clever flavor and texture enhancing additions. It's one of those great recipes that has some indulgent bits but also feels like a healthy recipe thanks to the lower sugar levels in favor of incorporating prunes as a natural sweetener. But, these chocolate muffins are still a treat.
- California Prunes: soaked and blended into a silky puree that adds moisture and natural sweetness.
- Natural cocoa powder + dark chocolate chips: We double down on the chocolatey goodness by using both cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips to achieve depth in flavor. You want to use natural cocoa powder here, as opposed to Dutch-process because the slight acidity will react with the baking soda and add lift to the tender crumb. It also brings a bright, fruity chocolate flavor that pairs perfectly with the prunes. The chocolate chips create streaks of silky chocolate throughout, adding an additional ripple of richness.
- All-purpose flour: gives the muffins structure without making them heavy.
- Baking powder + baking soda: work together to give the muffins rise into an even dome.
- Instant espresso powder: deepens the chocolate notes without tasting like coffee.
- Buttermilk + room-temperature eggs: for a tender crumb and an even, smooth batter.
- Avocado oil or light olive oil: keeps the muffins soft and moist for days.
- Brown sugar adds caramel notes that mimic the prunes.
- Vanilla extract: rounds out the chocolate and adds warmth.
- Walnuts give a textural crunch and soft nutty flavor when folded in and sprinkled on top.
- Fine sea salt + flaky sea salt: balances the sweetness and makes the chocolate taste richer. The flaky sea salt is an optional add-on at the end but I find it really enhances the other flavors so I highly encourage you give it a try!
Simple swaps
- Pecans or pistachios for walnuts
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips
- Qhite whole wheat flour for up to half the all-purpose flour
- Leave out the espresso if you are avoiding caffeine (although, it is a minimal amount)
California Prunes add natural sweetness and moisture
California Prunes are a true superstar ingredient because they're so versatile. I've used them in everything from Smashed Prune Snickers Bites to Savory Prune Cheddar Almond Bites. In these muffins, they're pureed and blended right into the batter. That silky puree does some heavy lifting by keeping the crumb moist and tender, adding natural sweetness so the recipe needs less sugar and deepening the chocolate flavor.
Benefits of California Prunes
- Fiber: prunes are a good source of fiber, which supports digestion and helps regulate the body's use of sugars.
- Bone health: research suggests that eating prunes every day can help support bone health, especially for postmenopausal women.
- Satisfying snack: research shows prunes help curb hunger more than a higher-carbohydrate snack with the same calories.
- Nutrients: prunes are rich in vitamin K and also provide potassium, magnesium and boron.
Flavor and texture: layers in every bite
These Double Chocolate Prune Muffins with Walnuts are all about layers. Start at the top, where domed, lightly crisp, crumbly tops are studded with toasty walnuts and pockets of melty dark chocolate, then finished with a crunchy sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Break one open and you'll find a moist, tender, almost fudgy crumb, thanks to the prune puree and a splash of oil.
The flavor is deep and bittersweet. Espresso and dark chocolate take the lead, California Prunes add a subtle, caramel-like sweetness, and that pinch of salt keeps everything in balance. Rich but not too sweet, soft but with plenty of crunch, they're just as good with your morning coffee as they are for an afternoon pick-me-up.
My favorite way to enjoy them? Warm, while the chocolate is still gooey and melty, alongside a piping hot cup of coffee.
These Double Chocolate Prune Muffins are easy to make
You gotta love a simple recipe that whips up in a snap. Muffins are one of those go-to, give me all of the comfort without a lot of effort bakes and these Double Chocolate Prune Muffins with Walnuts are the proof. Just a few simple moves in the kitchen and you're off and baking a batch of quick comfort that'll deliver exactly what you were longing for.
Puree power: Place the prunes in bowl of a food processor and pour the hot water over the top, allowing them to soak for a few minutes. Then blend until they are a smooth and sticky paste.
Whisk it up: dry ingredients in one bowl; eggs, oil, sugar, buttermilk, prune puree and vanilla in another.
Fold it in: combine gently, then fold in half the walnuts and chips.
Top it off: fill the cups nearly to the top, then sprinkle the remaining walnuts and chips over the tops.
Bake and finish: 375°F for 16-18 minutes, then add a pinch of flaky salt while they're hot. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Baker's Tips
- Use natural cocoa, not Dutch-process. It reacts with the baking soda to help the muffins rise.
- Bring the eggs and buttermilk to room temperature while the prunes soak.
- Check for doneness by pressing the tops; melted chocolate chips can fool a toothpick.
How to store Double Chocolate Prune Muffins
Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature, and you'll have moist chocolate muffins for a few days. To bring back that melty chocolate, warm one in the microwave for a few seconds.
Chocolate for breakfast? Yes, please.
Rich, cozy and naturally sweetened with California Prunes, these muffins make a strong case for chocolate first thing in the morning. Bake a batch for a slow weekend morning, tuck one into a lunchbox or warm one up when you need a comforting little treat. Take one Cherry Bombe weekend, fold in a whole lot of prune-filled desserts, add a generous sprinkle of Paso Robles' unique beauty and these Double Chocolate Prune Muffins with Walnuts came to fruition (pun very much intended).
This post was proudly made in partnership with California Prunes. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting me and the brands that I love. Follow @caprunes on Instagram to learn more about the health benefits of California Prunes and discover new recipes!
More Quick Bread Recipes from Baking The Goods
Recipe
Double Chocolate Prune Muffins with Walnuts
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 14 muffins 1x
Description
Rich, fudgy and naturally sweet, these Double Chocolate Prune Muffins with Walnuts are jammed with layers of chocolate flavor. Silky pureed California Prunes keep the crumb tender and moist, a touch of espresso deepens the cocoa, and walnuts and dark chocolate chips are folded into the batter and scattered over the tops, so there's chocolate and crunch in every bite. A finishing sprinkle of flaky sea salt makes it all pop.
Ingredients
1 cup California Prunes (pitted)
¼ cup hot water (for blending)
½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
2 tsp instant espresso powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 large eggs, room temperature
⅓ cup avocado oil or light (mild-flavored) olive oil
½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup roughly chopped walnuts, divided
¾ cup dark chocolate chips, divided
flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
Make the prune puree: Put the pitted prunes in a blender or food processor and pour ¼ cup of hot (near-boiling) water over them. Soak for a few minutes until very soft. Blend the prunes until completely smooth, then allow the puree to cool before using.
Prep the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. This recipe makes 14 muffins, so you will need to use a second muffin tin or bake in 2 batches.
Whisk the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, fine sea salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, brown sugar, vanilla, buttermilk and the cooled prune puree vigorously until completely uniform.
Combine: Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Be careful to not overmix.
Fold in the mix-ins: Gently fold in ¾ cup of the walnuts and ½ cup of the dark chocolate chips, reserving the rest for topping the muffins.
Bake: Use a large cookie scoop to divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups, filling each nearly to the top. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup walnuts and ¼ cup chocolate chips evenly over the tops. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Start checking around 14 minutes.
Finish (optional): As soon as the muffins come out of the oven, sprinkle the tops lightly with flaky sea salt.
Cool: Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Cocoa: use natural cocoa. Its acidity reacts with the baking soda to help the muffins rise; Dutch-process cocoa is neutralized and gives less lift.
Flaky salt: sprinkle it while the muffins are hot so the flakes stick to the tacky tops.
Storage: keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. Warm in the microwave for a few seconds to bring back the melty chocolate.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
- Method: Baking
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