Dates-Walnut Chocolate Muffins (Whole Wheat & Eggless)

Category: Baking
Preparation Time: 15 mins  
Cooking Time: 25-30 mins
Servings: yields around 12-15 muffins 

Dates-Walnut Chocolate Muffins

Mini Muffins:)

 Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:

• Wheat flour / Atta - 1 cup
• Cocoa Powder - 1/4 cup
• Baking soda - 1 tsp
• Salt - a pinch

Wet Ingredients:

• Black Dates, deseeded - 1 cup (around 20-25 nos) 
• Milk - 2 cups, divided
• Brown Sugar - 1/3 cup (I used Dark Brown Sugar; Jaggery can also be used)
• Cold Butter - 1/2 cup
• Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Other Ingredients:

• Walnuts, chopped - 1 cup
• Wheat flour - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Soak the deseeded dates in 1 cup of warm milk for 2-3 hrs
   
   
   
   
2. Pre heat oven to 350°F
3. Grease the muffin pans / line with muffin liners
4. In a sieve add the dry ingredients (Wheat flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder) and sieve them into a bowl and keep it ready
   
5. In a blender, add the soaked dates along with milk and grind to a smooth puree and keep aside
   
6. Finely chop the walnuts and mix it up with 2 tsp of wheat flour to avoid sinking during baking process
   
7. In a mixing bowl, add the cold butter and brown sugar and beat it well till the sugar gets dissolved and become creamy texture
   
8. To this add the remaining 1 cup of milk, Vanilla extract and dates puree; blend well
   
9. Now add the sifted flour into the wet ingredients and gently mix it up to form a batter
   
10. Fold in the toasted nuts, mix gently
    
11. Spoon the batter into muffin tins 
    
12. Bake for around 20-30 minutes (depend on the size of the muffins), or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean 
    
13. Cool for about 10 minutes in the pan and then remove from pan to cooling rack
    
14. Serve warm with a glass of milk!