Guess what my dearest friends?! It is officially October.  Autumn is now in full swing and the leaves are falling.

I just love this season.  The cool air, the orange and red leaves, the delicious food! I especially love how this season inspires me to get in the kitchen and bake. Recently I decided to make use of one of my favorite Fall ingredients- pecans. As I thought about how to use them I just kept thinking about those cute little breakfast brownie bites. Of course, those bites in their grain-filled and refined sugar-free form would not be an option for me, or for most of you I’m sure!

So I decided to make a Paleo version 🙂

These little Paleo Dark Chocolate Mini Muffins are just so cute, and they have a wonderful muffin texture.  I suggest serving them with coffee – a Bulletproof coffee would be perfect with them. Enjoy! 🙂

Dark Chocolate Pecan Muffins (Grain-free)

Prep: 10-15 min      Cook: 10-17 min depending on size        Yields: 24 mini or 12 regular muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs (room temp for mixing bowl method)
• 1/2 cup palm shortening or grass-fed butter (room temp for mixing bowl method)
• 1/3 cup almond milk or lite coconut milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1/3 cup arrowroot powder
• 1/2 cup cacao powder (cocoa powder works too)
• 1 tbsp coconut flour
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup to 1 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, coconut, or any other nut (optional)
• 1/4 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (optional)

Tools:

• Hand Mixer or Food Processor
• Muffin Tin
• Muffin Cups (I prefer parchment paper muffin cups – just $2 most places!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep the muffin tin by adding the muffin cups.

2. Two options:

Mixing bowl method: In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or by hand cream together all the wet ingredients and coconut sugar. Once smooth add the dry ingredients (except for the nuts/chocolate chips/coconut) and mix well. Then, fold the pecans in or other mix-in you chose.

Food processor method:  Add everything to the food processor except for the nuts/coconut/chocolate chips. Process until smooth, wiping down the sides as needed.  Once smooth, add your pecans or other mix-in to the batter, and then pulse a few times until mixed in.

3. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups – they will be close to full.

4. For mini muffins bake 10 to 12 minutes.  For regular muffins bake 15 to 17 minutes.  When inserted a toothpick should come out clean – and the tops should be nice and bouncy.

5. Let cool 5 min or so and then enjoy! 🙂

** Store in an airtight container on the counter.

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