Healthy Chocolate Muffins (No Eggs, No Dairy, Gluten-Free)

These Healthy Chocolate Muffins are simple, moist, and good-for-you muffins made with no eggs, no dairy, no refined sugar, and no gluten but they are full of taste. If you like chocolate-loaded muffins but normally skip them for a healthier but more boring alternative, this recipe will fix that! You can enjoy a muffin guilt-free!

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I love making chocolate muffins because they are some of my kids’ favorite treats. They ask for my Sweet Potato Chocolate Muffins, Banana Chocolate Muffins, and Chocolate Spinach Muffins all the time. But for me with a gluten sensitivity and a preference for lower sugar, I needed to make a different recipe.

This recipe is amazing, it tastes just like classic chocolate muffins but it contains less sugar, less carbs in general, more fiber, more vitamins and minerals and it’s full of taste.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Oat Flour – The base of the muffins, oat flour gives a light texture while keeping the recipe gluten-free (if using certified GF). It adds a mild nutty flavor and works as a binding agent in the absence of eggs. Almond flour or all-purpose flour cannot be used as substitutes since they will alter the texture and structure of the muffins. If you don’t have oat flour, you can make it by blending rolled oats into a fine powder in your blender.
• Baking Powder – This ensures the muffins rise and achieve a fluffy texture.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Cocoa adds a rich, chocolatey flavor to the muffins. Stick with unsweetened varieties to keep the recipe healthy. Avoid hot chocolate mixes, as they contain added sugar and milk powder.
• Almond Milk – It keeps the batter moist and provides a neutral flavor. Any plant-based milk like oat milk, soy milk, or cashew milk can be substituted, but avoid thicker alternatives like coconut milk as it may alter the texture. If you want more protein, go for soy milk which is sometimes enriched in protein.
• Maple Syrup – A natural sweetener that adds moisture and sweetness to the muffins. You can replace it with other liquid sweeteners like agave syrup or coconut nectar, but avoid granulated sweeteners, as they won’t maintain the same moisture level.
• Mashed Banana – Bananas act as a natural sweetener and egg replacement while adding moisture. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful the muffins. Unsweetened applesauce can be used as a substitute, but the flavor will be less intense.
• Light Olive Oil – Oil provides moisture and a mild richness to the muffins. Melted coconut oil, light avocado oil, or plant-based butter can be used as substitutes. Be cautious when using coconut oil; ensure it doesn’t come into contact with cold milk to prevent solidification.
• Vanilla Extract – This enhances the overall flavor profile with a hint of sweetness. It’s optional but highly recommended for flavor depth.
• Dark Chocolate Chips – I love to add chocolate chips to these muffins. They melt inside the muffins and turn into gooey chocolate in every bite. You can swap these for chopped nuts (pecans, almonds) or unsweetened shredded coconut for added texture and flavor. Avoid milk-based or overly sweetened chips to keep the recipe vegan and healthy.

How to Make Healthy Chocolate Muffins

These chocolate muffins are really easy to whip up. Here’s how in pictures.

Pour all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Stir the batter with a whisk until it’s well combined and there’s no lump.

Combine all the wet ingredients in a blender and blend it.

When the mixture is smooth, pour the chocolate milk on top of the dry ingredients.

Stir the batter with a silicone spatula until it’s smooth and shiny.

Pour the batter into a muffin tin and bake it for for 30-35 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C).

Carine’s Baking Tips

While this recipe is quite easy, let me share a few more tips to make sure you make it perfect every time!

1. Make Your Own Oat Flour: Blend rolled oats into a fine powder in a high-speed blender to ensure freshness and control the texture. Sift the flour to remove larger oat pieces for the smoothest muffins.
2. Use Ripe Bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful the muffins will be. Brown-spotted bananas work best for natural sweetness.
3. Preheat and Prep: Always preheat your oven and lightly oil the muffin liners to prevent sticking, especially since these muffins don’t contain eggs or traditional fats.
4. Avoid Overmixing: Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing can lead to dense muffins.
5. Blend for a Smooth Batter: Blending the wet ingredients ensures an even distribution of banana and prevents lumps in the batter.
6. Check for Doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin at the 30-minute mark. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, the muffins are ready. Overbaking can make them dry.
7. Cool Completely: Allow muffins to cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before serving. This helps them firm up and prevents them from crumbling.
8. Freeze for Quick Snacks: Double the batch and freeze some muffins for easy grab-and-go breakfasts or snacks. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for 15-20 seconds for a freshly baked texture.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

I’m pretty sure this recipe is close to no-fail, but just in case something goes wrong, you can always save it!

• Muffins Too Dense – Check that your baking powder is fresh and that you’re not overmixing the batter.
• Muffins Stick to Liners – Ensure you lightly oil the muffin liners or use parchment-style liners to avoid sticking. Let them cool down fully (they stick more when warm).
• Dry Muffins – Make sure your bananas are ripe and don’t bake the muffins for too long.

More Chocolate Muffin Recipes

Sweet Potato Chocolate Muffins

Banana Chocolate Muffins

Gluten-Free Chocolate Muffins

Chocolate Muffins

Healthy Chocolate Muffins

These Healthy Chocolate Muffins are simple, moist, and good-for-you muffins made with no eggs, no dairy, no refined sugar, and no gluten but they are full of taste. If you like chocolate-loaded muffins but normally skip them for a healthier but more boring alternative, this recipe will fix that! You can enjoy a muffin guilt-free!

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 muffins

Calories: 214 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 2 cups Oat Flour - (note 1)
• ▢ 3 teaspoons Baking Powder
• ▢ ½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ▢ 1 cup Almond Milk - (note 2)
• ▢ ½ cup Maple Syrup - (note 3)
• ▢ 1 cup Mashed Banana - equivalent to 2 large bananas (note 4)
• ▢ ¼ cup Light Olive Oil - (note 5)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Optional

• ▢ ½ teaspoon Salt
• ▢ ⅓ cup Dark Chocolate Chips - (note 6)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper liners. Slightly oil the papers with cooking oil spray. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk oat flour, baking powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
• In a blender add banana, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.
• Pour the banana milk mixture from the blender jug in the bowl with the dry ingredients.
• Stir with a rubber spatula until consistent, fold in the chocolate chips if desired and stir to evenly incorporate.
• Fill each muffin cup evenly with the batter.
• Bake in the center of the oven for 30-35 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C) until a pick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean.
• Let the muffins cool down for 1 hour on a cooling rack before serving.

Notes

Note 1: To make oat flour, blend rolled oats into fine flour in a high-speed blender. This recipe doesn’t work with almond flour or all-purpose flour.

Note 2: You can use any milk like oat milk, soy milk

Note 3: Any liquid sweetener can be used like agave syrup or coconut nectar

Note 4: The riper the bananas, the sweeter the muffins will be. You can swap mashed bananas for unsweetened applesauce.

Note 5: Melted coconut oil works too but do not bring it in contact with cold milk or it solidifies and forms lumps. Other options are light avocado oil or melted plant-based butter.

Note 6: Swap chocolate chips for chopped pecans, almonds, or unsweetened shredded coconut.

Storage: You can store the muffins in an airtight cake box in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them in sealed bags for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature the day before.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.8g | Protein: 4.4g | Fat: 8.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.2g | Cholesterol: 0.05mg | Sodium: 241.4mg | Potassium: 258.9mg | Fiber: 3.4g | Sugar: 12.4g | Vitamin A: 12.5IU | Vitamin B12: 0.01µg | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 130.2mg | Iron: 1.6mg | Magnesium: 56.7mg | Phosphorus: 149.1mg | Zinc: 1.2mg