This gluten-free chocolate muffins recipe is a healthy chocolatey treat. These gluten-free muffins are also dairy-free, egg-free, and refined sugar-free and have no added sugars. Instead, these chocolate muffins are sweetened with date paste and mashed bananas.
This gluten-free muffin recipe requires a few steps but is easy to make and can easily be batched cooked and kept frozen - just defrost and reheat in the oven.
Since these healthy chocolate muffins are naturally sweetened with fruit they can really be enjoyed any time of the day without guilt, whether that is for breakfast, a snack, or even a healthy dessert.
This gluten-free muffin recipe was actually inspired by this healthy zucchini muffin recipe. These gluten-free muffins actually share a similar base recipe. So, once you nail down this chocolate muffin recipe, making these zucchini muffins will feel like a walk in the park and add to your options when making healthy delicious gluten-free, and vegan recipes.
Ingredients
This recipe is free of many allergens and refined sugars so if new to cooking gluten-free, vegan, or sugar-free some of these ingredients may be new to you.
Here is what you will need to make these healthy chocolate muffins:
- Egg Replacer: To make this recipe egg-free we use an egg substitute that is made up of ground flaxseeds and typically warm water. Although we recommend using warm coffee for this recipe to add to the richness and complement the chocolate flavor.
- Gluten-Free Flour: This recipe is made with simple gluten-free flour, specifically oat flour and almond meal.
- Leavening: baking powder and baking soda are used in combination with each other to make the muffins fluffy and rise.
- Chocolatey Goodness: the star of the show, cacao powder, using a high-quality cacao powder adds more depth of flavor and a super rich chocolatey flavor.
- Compliment the Flavor: ground cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract enhance the flavor and aroma of these chocolate muffins
- Richness: coconut oil is a dairy-free option for adding healthy fat and moisture
- Sweetness: no refined sugars are used in this recipe, just date paste (follow the recipe here) and ripe bananas.
- Nuts: for some crunch add in walnuts or your favorite nut of choice and shredded
- Optional Additions: shredded coconut, cacao nibs, chocolate chips
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Prepare ahead of time this date paste recipe, which will be used to sweeten this muffin recipe.
Once you have your date paste made, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
Place muffin liners into a 12-cup muffin pan and set aside.
Make the egg replacer by mixing together the ground flaxseed and warm coffee (or water) and set aside to thicken. The warm liquid helps activate the ground flaxseeds making a sticky egg-like texture.
Grab a large mixing bowl and whisk together all the dry ingredients, oat flour, almond meal, cacao powder, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate mixing bowl mix together all the wet ingredients and the egg replacer, add in the melted coconut oil, date paste, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract.
Slowly fold in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until well combined and all the dry patches are absorbed. It is normal for the batter to be sticky.
Lastly fold in the walnuts, shredded coconuts, and any additional add-ins.
Use a large spoon or 1/4-sized measuring cup to scoop the muffin batter and then roll the mix into a ball and place it into each individual muffin liner.
Once the oven is preheated, bake the muffins for 25-30 minutes.
Insert a toothpick to check for doneness—once it comes out clean, the muffins are done.
Allow muffins to cool in the muffin pan and then remove.
These muffins develop in flavor so allowing them time to cool in sit will bring out more of the sweetness. They even taste better after a couple of days.
Enjoy at room temperature or reheat the muffins for about 10 minutes in the oven at 350°F (177°C).
Storage
Store in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 5-7 days.
These muffins are great for batch cooking and freeze very nicely. Store the muffins in a freezer-safe bag. Simply remove muffins prior to use and let defrost. To reheat the muffins place them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350°F (177°C).
FAQ
To make oat flour, take rolled or stone-ground oats and blend them into a powder (or use a food processor). It is okay if it is a coarse texture for this gluten-free muffin recipe.
Recipe
Gluten-Free Chocolate Muffins Recipe(Vegan & No Added Sugar)
Equipment
- muffin tray
- muffin liners
Ingredients
Egg Substitute
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
- 5 tbsp warm coffee or water
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups oat flour
- 1 cup almond meal
- ½ cup cacao powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil melted
- 1 cup date paste
- 2 bananas mashed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Fold-In Ingredients
- ¾ cup walnuts roughly chopped
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
- ¼ cup cacao nibs optional
Instructions
- Prepare ahead of time this date paste recipe, which will be used to sweeten this muffin recipe.
- Once you have your date paste made, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Place muffin liners into a 12-cup muffin pan and set aside.
- Make the egg replacer by mixing together the ground flaxseed and warm coffee (or water) and set aside to thicken. The warm liquid helps activate the ground flaxseeds making a sticky egg-like texture.
- Grab a large mixing bowl and whisk together all the dry ingredients, oat flour, almond meal, cacao powder, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate mixing bowl add together all the wet ingredients and the egg replacer, add in the melted coconut oil, date paste, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract.
- Slowly fold in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until well combined and all the dry patches are absorbed. It is normal for the batter to be sticky.
- Lastly fold in the walnuts, shredded coconuts, and any additional add-ins.
- Use a large spoon or 1/4-sized measuring cup to scoop the muffin batter and then roll the mix into a ball and place it into each individual muffin liner.
- Once the oven is preheated, bake the muffins for 25-30 minutes.
- Insert a toothpick to check for doneness—once it comes out clean, the muffins are done.
- Allow muffins to cool in the muffin pan and then remove.
- These muffins develop in flavor so allowing them time to cool in sit will bring out more of the sweetness. They even taste better after a couple of days.
- Enjoy at room temperature or reheat the muffins for about 10 minutes in the oven at 350°F (177°C).
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