Healthy chocolate muffins made with old fashioned oats, cocoa powder and sweetened with maple syrup! Moist and fluffy, they are made with no flour (flourless!), no eggs, no butter! Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free.
Healthy Chocolate Muffins
I have been using my pantry staples for many recipes lately. We’ve had crazy chocolate cake, crazy vanilla cake, and no yeast soft pretzels.
It’s time to add chocolate muffins to the mix!
Classic chocolate muffins are generally made with butter, eggs, and milk, but my version is healthier and just as delicious.
No flour.
No eggs.
Zero butter.
Oil-Free.
In terms of texture, they are tender on the outside, fluffy, fudgy and moist on the inside.
Taste-wise, they are sweet, rich and loaded with chocolate flavor!
You won’t believe they are vegan and gluten-free.
The next time someone asks ‘Are chocolate muffins bad for you?’ you can scream NO!
How to make healthy chocolate muffins
The Ingredients
- Old fashioned Oats (rolled oats)– Oats replace the need for any flour, as we’ll be blending it to make oat flour. If you already have oat flour, that is great!
- Flax egg– A flax egg replaces the need for any eggs in this recipe. To prepare a flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 10 minutes, for a gel to form.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder– Be sure your cocoa powder is 100% unsweetened and Dutch-processed.
- Baking soda– To leaven the muffins, and give them some rise!
- Salt– Brings out the sweetness of the muffins.
- Milk of choice– Any milk works, like unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, etc.
- Maple syrup– To sweetened the muffins! I promise they do not have a maple flavor!
- Vanilla extract– A must for any muffin
- Chocolate Chips– To mix into the batter and also to top the muffins with! Come on, these ARE chocolate muffins!
The Instructions
You can either make these muffins in a blender, a food processor or just in a mixing bowl!
Blender/Food Processor Instructions
In a high-speed blender or food processor, add your ingredients (including the prepared flax egg), except for your chocolate chips, and blend until a smooth batter remains. Fold through your chocolate chips.
Distribute the mixture evenly amongst a 12-count muffin tin. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean from the center. Remove from the oven and let cool in the muffin tin completely.
Mixing Bowl Instructions
Blend your oats into a flour-like consistency. Then, add all your ingredients (including the prepared flax egg) into a large mixing bowl and mix well, until combined. Fold through your chocolate chips, reserving a few to top.
Divide the mixing bowl mixture amongst a 12-count muffin tin and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Can I use flour instead of rolled oats?
If you cannot tolerate oats or you prefer to use flour, you CAN substitute the oat flour for all-purpose flour or wholewheat all-purpose flour.
You will find that your muffins will be extra moist and fudgy.
Can I use eggs if I am not vegan?
Yes, absolutely.
I used a flax egg (a vegan egg substitute) to make the recipe vegan, but if you don’t follow a vegan diet, you CAN use a whole egg.
Be sure that it is a large egg, and preferably at room temperature.
Are these healthy chocolate muffins gluten-free?
These chocolate muffins are vegan and gluten-free.
To keep them gluten-free, I used certified gluten-free rolled oats when I made the oat flour. If you opt to use all-purpose flour, use gluten-free all-purpose flour (I recommend this brand).
Also, the chocolate chips used are dairy-free, so they are suitable for a vegan and gluten-free diet.
Are these muffins keto or low carb?
No, these muffins are not low carb, keto, or paleo.
However, this chocolate muffin recipe is keto-friendly AND low carb.
How many calories in a homemade chocolate muffin?
Traditional chocolate muffins can be quite the calorie bombs, clocking in at almost 400 calories per muffin.
My homemade chocolate muffins come in at a fraction of that, with just over 150 calories per large muffin!
What to serve with healthy chocolate muffins
Honestly, these muffins are perfect on their own, but I’ve been enjoying them in these ways too-
- With homemade spreads– I love spreading some homemade almond butter or for a double dose of chocolate, some healthy Nutella.
- As a topping– When I want a wholesome SWEET breakfast, I crumble up a muffin or two over some yogurt.
- Breakfast or snack plate- Pair the muffin with some protein or yogurt for a balanced meal or filling snack!
Storage instructions
- To store: Store leftover chocolate muffins in a sealed container in the fridge, for up to 7 days. I don’t recommend storing them at room temperature unless you intend to eat them all within 2 days.
- To freeze: Place the muffins in a ziplock bag and place it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- To reheat/thaw: If reheating from the fridge, place in a microwave for 20-30 seconds. If re-heating from a frozen state, please make sure it is thawed to room temperature first (or in the fridge overnight!).
More delicious NO FLOUR recipes
- No Flour Monster Cookies
- Flourless Sweet Potato Muffins
- Flourless Carrot Cake Muffins
- No Flour Cookies (6 flavors!)
- Flourless Brownies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Healthy Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 3 tablespoon water
- 2 1/4 cups rolled oats old fashioned oats * See notes
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cups milk of choice I used almond milk
- 1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chips of choice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a 12-count muffin tin with muffin liners and said aside.
- In a small bowl, combine your ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water and let sit for 10 minutes, for a gel to form.
- In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine all your ingredients (including the pre-prepared flax egg), except for your chocolate chips, and blend/pulse until all the ingredients are combined and the batter is smooth. Using a rubber spatula, fold in your chocolate chips.
- Distribute the batter amongst the muffin liners. Top with extra chocolate chips and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Let cool in the muffin for 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
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“healthful” is the proper adjective, meaning that the muffins contribute to one’s health. “Healthy” means well, vibrant, and alive. I’d venture the vast majority of English speakers and writers don’t know the difference. Jus’ sayin’…like, y’know what I mean? 😉 they do look yummy…more 😉
I’m okay with using the word healthy for recipes, it is just easier haha!
Thanks!
How can I reduce the maple syrup? Like to 1/2 cup and what to make up the other 1/2 of liquid?
I haven’t tried, so feel free to experiment and see.
I made these muffins last night and they are absolutely amazing!! You’d never guess that there’s no flour, eggs, and dairy. My friends love then too! I definitely recommend making these☺️
Thank you for the feedback, Emma!
would it be possible to sub rolled oats for steel cut? thx!
I haven’t tried, feel free to experiment and see!
It’s deceptive to claim your “no flour” recipes contain no flour. They do contain flour, which is made from oats. It’s still flour. 🙁
With all due respect, it is not deceptive at all. If you go through all my ‘no flour’ recipes, or any other food blogger for that matter, rolled oats is not considered a standard flour.
Enjoy these flourless muffins!
What I mean is if I use 1/2 maple syrup what do I use to make up the other 1/2 c of liquid so the recipe stays as moist?
Is it possible to use white sugar…maple syrup is pretty expensive for me..
hi, I wanna add protein powder to this recipe, how much would I need to use.
No idea, I haven’t tried this with protein powder. Feel free to experiment and see!
Hi there
Can I replace the flax egg with a normal free range egg?
Sure can!
I made a slight change to this recipe where i used one cup of vanilla flavored greek yogurt and half a cup full-fat milk. I also used 3 tablespoons of white sugar with 1/2 cup maple syrup. It turned out delicious!! Thank you for this recipe! It has already become one of my favorites 👍🏻