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A few weeks ago, Grandma and I stopped by Starbucks for an afternoon coffee date. She brought me a stack of crossword puzzles from the local newspapers, and I handed her a bag of these homemade cookies in exchange. Ā
At one point, Grandma looked at me and asked, āIs the pumpkin spice craze finally over?ā I laughed. Although she thoroughly enjoyed my pumpkin spice latte cinnamon rolls, Grandma didnāt quite jump on the bandwagon as wholeheartedly as I did! (Basicallyā¦ I could easily rename my blog to be āAmyās Healthy Pumpkin Bakingā every fall. Iām that obsessed!)
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I reassured her that pumpkin mania typically dies down shortly after Thanksgivingāyet itās quickly replaced with winter-themed flavors instead. As we glanced around the coffee shop, we saw other patrons holding Starbucksā new Christmas tree frappuccinos; display shelves filled with peppermint mocha coffee grounds and K-Cups; and sweet treats like snowflake-shaped marshmallows, polar bear cake pops, and snowmen sugar cookies.
As we looked down at Grandmaās own drink choice, a decaf eggnog latte, we both smiled. Maybe she likes the holiday-flavored fads a little moreā¦ Possibly because theyāre only āin seasonā for just over a monthāinstead of August through November, like pumpkin!
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The day after our coffee date, I woke up feeling inspired to bake these Healthy Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes, thanks to all of Starbucksā holiday cheer! But unlike the coffee shop drinks, these cupcakes contain no artificially flavored syrups or refined sugarā¦ But they certainly taste just as decadent and indulgent, even with only 96 calories!
I say that makes for a very happy holiday seasonādonāt you?? āļø
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To make these healthy cupcakes, youāll start with white whole wheat flour (like this!) and cocoa powder (like this!). White whole wheat flour has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour, but it has a lighter taste and textureāmaking it perfect for these moist and tender cupcakes!
As for the cocoa powder, you just need regular olā unsweetened! Youāre actually adding more cocoa powder than flour to the batter, so your cupcakes will taste rich and chocolaty without Dutched or special dark cocoa powder. Just remember to measure your cocoa powder correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (ā Thatās the one I own and love!) Too much cocoa powder will make your cupcakes turn out dry and bitterā¦ Rather than moist and decadent!
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Youāll also mix Greek yogurt into the batter to keep your cupcakes supremely tender! It even gives them a slight fudgy texture, similar to browniesā¦ And cupcakes that taste like fudgy brownies are definitely a-okay with me! Greek yogurt greatly cuts down on the number of calories in these cupcakes, compared to extra butter or oil, and it gives them a big protein boost too. Win-win!
Of course, we canāt make peppermint mocha cupcakes without the peppermint extract (like this!) and coffee! Youāll actually use instant coffee (like thisā¦ or this for a decaf version), rather than brewed coffee or coffee grounds. The former isnāt strong enough to taste, while the latter would make your cupcakes grainy. You need the kind that dissolves in water! Instant coffee is shelf-stable and keeps for ages, and youāll use it in all of my other peppermint mocha treats too!
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Before baking your cupcakes, remember to coat your cupcake liners with cooking spray! Low-fat batters, like this one, stick to paper and metal liners like superglue. This nifty trick ensures your liners easily peel away from your cupcakes!
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Time to whip up the chocolate frosting! You just need 4 ingredients: more Greek yogurt, more cocoa powder (like this!), vanilla stevia (like this!), and chocolate instant pudding mix (like this!). The chocolate instant pudding mix is what makes this frosting stiff enough to pipe and hold its shape! Without it, the frosting would be too runny. (If you donāt want to use the instant pudding mix, then use this chocolate frosting recipe of mine instead!)
As for the vanilla stevia, you actually use that to sweeten your cupcake batter too! Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that contains nothing refined or artificial (aka itās clean-eating friendly). Itās also really concentrated! This is the kind I use because I love its warm flavor and donāt notice any strange aftertaste. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, but I buy mine online here because thatās the cheapest price Iāve found. (And youāll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!)
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How cute are these?? And they taste even better! ?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees Iāll see your picture! ?) Iād love to see your cupcakes and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| Healthy Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes | | Print |
- for the cupcakes
- 1 cup (240mL) warm nonfat milk (around 100Ā°F)
- 4 tsp instant coffee granules
- 1 Ā¼ cups (100g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- 1 cup (120g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 Ā½ tsp baking powder
- Ā¾ tsp baking soda
- Ā½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Ā¾ tsp peppermint extract
- 2 Ā½ tsp vanilla stevia
- Ā½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- for the frosting
- 2 cups (480g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- Ā¼ cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- 2 servings (16g) sugar-free, fat-free instant chocolate pudding mix (see Notes)
- ā tsp vanilla stevia, or adjusted to taste
- To prepare the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350Ā°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners, and coat the liners with cooking spray.
- In a liquid measuring cup or a large glass, stir together the warm milk and instant coffee until the instant coffee dissolves. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg whites, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and vanilla stevia. Stir in the Greek yogurt. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the prepared milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.)
- Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners. Bake at 350Ā°F for 19-22 minutes or until the centers feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes bake, prepare the frosting. Add the Greek yogurt, cocoa powder, instant pudding, and vanilla stevia to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Cover the top of the bowl with foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, pipe the chocolate frosting on top just before serving.
Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.
I highly recommend using the vanilla stevia! Itās one of my favorite ingredients (youāll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!), and I buy it online here because thatās the cheapest price Iāve found. If you prefer not to use stevia in the cupcakes, substitute Ā¾ cup (180mL) of agave, honey, or pure maple syrup for the vanilla stevia. Reduce the milk to Ā¼ cup (60mL) if using any of those liquid sweeteners. (The batter should be fairly thick, similar to muffin batter.) If you prefer not to use the vanilla stevia in the frosting, then substitute 1 Ā½ teaspoons of this powdered stevia OR Ā¼ cup of Truvia or granulated sugar.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
For the instant coffee, I use this kind (or this decaf version). Do not substitute regular coffee grounds (they donāt dissolve and will make your cupcakes gritty) or brewed coffee (it isnāt strong enough). If you arenāt a coffee fan and would prefer dark chocolate mint cupcakes, then simply omit the instant coffee!
If you prefer plain mocha cupcakes, then just omit the peppermint extract.
You just need the dry instant pudding mixādonāt prepare it according to the package directions! For a more classic spreadable (not pipe-able) chocolate frosting that does NOT use instant pudding (and is clean-eating friendly), use this recipe of mine.
{gluten-free, clean eating option, low fat}
View Nutrition Information
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You may also like Amy’s other recipesā¦
ā”Ā Ā Ā The Ultimate Healthy Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
ā”Ā Ā Ā Healthy Fudgy Peppermint Mocha Cookies
ā”Ā Ā Ā Healthy Flourless Peppermint Mocha Brownies
ā”Ā Ā Ā Healthy Peppermint Mocha Dark Chocolate Truffles
ā”Ā Ā Ā Healthy Fudgy Peppermint Mocha Brownies
ā”Ā Ā Ā Healthy 35-Calorie Peppermint Mocha
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How would you substitute the egg whites to make it vegan? Could the liquid stevia be substituted with sugar?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Phoebe! I’ve already covered the best stevia substitutes in the Notes section underneath the Instructions. It can be easy to miss! My brother is allergic to eggs, so Iām pretty familiar with egg-free baking. ? Ener-G is my favorite egg substitute! It works perfectly in nearly all of my recipes, including this one. For my recipes, youāll need 1 Ā½ teaspoons of Ener-G + 2 tablespoons of warm water for each egg white. (Youāll also need Ā½ tablespoon of additional coconut oil for each egg yolk in my recipes, but that doesnāt apply here!) ? I’d love to hear what you think of these cupcakes if you try them!
great cupcakes! just they are slightly dense? anything to help with that?
I’m so glad you enjoyed these cupcakes Victoria! They’re actually meant to be a bit fudgy like brownies. If you’d prefer lighter and fluffier cupcakes, then replace Ā¼ to Ā½ cup of cocoa powder with an equal amount of flour. They won’t be as chocolaty, but the texture will be lighter. š
How would Dutch Processed Cocoa fare in these? I have a lot left over from other recipes still!
I really appreciate your interest in this recipe of mine too, Sara! I don’t recommend using Dutched cocoa in my baking recipes unless explicitly called for. It has a different flavor (much more dull and muted!) and acidity level compared to regular unsweetened cocoa powder, so it doesn’t lead to the same flavors, textures, or results in my baking recipes. š I’d love to hear what you think of these cupcakes if you end up trying them!
Hi Amy! I LOVE your recipes and have made quiet a few. Wanting to make a cake as a challenge but realizing you donāt have too many traditional frosted cake recipes. Can I convert a cupcake recipe into cake form?
I’m so honored that you’ve made some of my recipes, Megan! That really means a lot to me. Thank you for taking the time to let me know!
Pan sizes can actually greatly affect how recipes turn out, especially ones made with stevia instead of sugar, like this one. With stevia-sweetened recipes, pans that are too long or wide will often result in sunken middles. This is because sugar actually contributes to the structure of loaves and cakes, not just sweetness… So recipes sweetened with stevia (or many other no-calorie sweeteners!) will lack that structural component, and if the pans are too wide or too long, the loaves and cakes will sink. (Unfortunately, I’ve learned this from personal experience when I’ve tried baking my cupcake recipes and pound cake recipes inside of 9″-round, 9″-square, and 9×13″ cake pans! š )
So you’re welcome to try, but I can’t guarantee how the texture will turn out or if your cakes will collapse and sink. The flavors should remain the same though! š
Do you think a 6-inch pan would have promising results?
I can’t guarantee it, but you’re welcome to try! Like I mentioned, the texture may be different and your cake may collapse and/or sink when this recipe isn’t baked in a muffin pan, but the flavor will remain the same. š
Hi Amy!
Can I substitute granulated or brown sugar in place of the stevia in the cupcakes?
Yes! In the cupcake batter, you’ll need Ā¾ cup of granulated or brown sugar. Use Ā½ cup + 2 tablespoons of milk instead. I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cupcakes too, Sue — you must be baking almost nonstop right now! š