These Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins are a guilt-free treat that doesn't skimp on flavor and the chocolate flavor is truly irresistible. Plus, they're oil-free, refined sugar-free, and dairy-free.
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
If you're a fan of chocolate, then you'll love these vegan chocolate banana muffins. Here's why I love them:
- Easy to Make: This recipe is incredibly easy to make, and you'll likely have most of the ingredients in your pantry already.
- Refined-Sugar-Free: We use ripe bananas and maple syrup to sweeten these muffins, making them a healthier alternative to traditional muffins. It's similar to my baked apples recipe, which is also refined-sugar-free.
- Oil-Free: We've skipped the oil in this recipe, making it a healthier option without compromising on flavor.
- Chocolate Flavor: The combination of cacao powder and vegan chocolate chips gives these muffins a rich, decadently chocolatey flavor.
- Snack or Breakfast: These muffins are the perfect snack for any time of the day. They also make a great on-the-go breakfast option.
Key Ingredients
- Whole Wheat pastry flour – It adds a healthier twist to the muffins. You can substitute it with all-purpose flour or a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour.
- Almond butter – We use it instead of oil for a dose of nutty flavor. You can swap it with any nut butter of your choice.
- Ripe bananas – They not only add natural sweetness but also make the muffins moist and fluffy. You can use a little trick to ripen fresh bananas quickly: pop the bananas into a preheat to 350 F oven for 5-7 minutes. Now you have ripe bananas.
- Maple syrup – It sweetens the muffins and adds a lovely depth of flavor. If you prefer, you can replace it with coconut sugar, with a slight adjustment to the yogurt amount.
Substitutions and Variations
We all love a good muffin, and when it's vegan, chocolatey, and refined-sugar-free, what's not to love? Here are some of our favorite substitution and variation ideas for these Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins:
- Flour: If you don't have whole wheat pastry flour, you can use all-purpose flour instead.
- Yogurt: If you don't have yogurt on hand, substitute it with ⅓ cup of any nut milk + 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to get that tangy flavor.
- Nut Butter: While we love the flavor of almond butter in these muffins, you can easily replace it with peanut butter or any other nut or seed butter.
- Extra Chocolate: If you're a chocoholic, feel free to throw in an extra handful of chocolate chips into the batter.
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins
Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare the muffin tin.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and ½ cup of chocolate chips.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and add almond butter, yogurt, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Whisk the wet ingredients together.
Step 4: Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the center. Gently whisk the mixture until just combined.
Step 5: Fill each muffin cup halfway with the batter. Top each muffin with the remaining chocolate chips and bake for 25 minutes.
Step 6: Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes before serving.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy these vegan chocolate banana muffins as a grab-and-go snack. They're perfect for breakfast on busy mornings or for a quick snack during the day.
- Pair them with a glass of almond milk or a cup of coffee for a satisfying treat.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use any type of vegan chocolate chips that you like. I recommend Hu Chocolate gems. They're sugar-free, oil-free, and soy-free chocolate chips. Enter the code IRYNA15 for 15% off on all Hu Kitchen products.
Yes, you can. If you have a nut allergy, you can also use sunflower seed butter. The flavor will be a little different, but the muffins will still turn out delicious.
For this recipe, you'll need 1 cup of ripe bananas. This is usually about 2 large or 3 small bananas. The bananas should have brown spots on the skin and should be soft to the touch. Ripe bananas are easier to mash and have a sweeter flavor, which is perfect for baking.
You can use any type of plant-based yogurt, such as soy, almond, or cashew yogurt. Choose a flavor that will complement the chocolate, like vanilla or plain. Make sure it's a smooth, creamy variety for the best results.
These vegan chocolate banana muffins can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want to store them for a longer period, you can keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just make sure to warm them up before serving for a better texture and flavor.
Similar Recipes
Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 c Whole Wheat pastry flour* Note 1
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoon cacao powder
- ¾ c vegan chocolate chips any size
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 c ripe bananas * 2 large or 3 small ones, see Note 2
- ¼ c almond butter can be replaced with peanut butter
- ⅓ c plant-based yogurt, such as cashew or soy* Note 3
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ c Maple syrup* Note 4
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a 12-count muffin tin with cupcake liners or if you don't mind oil, spray each cavity with a non-stick spray. You can also use a silicone muffin tin like this. It doesn't require greasing or liners.
- In a large bowl whisk together whole wheat flour, cacao powder, baking powder, salt and ½ cup of chocolate chips.
- Add bananas into a medium bowl and mash them with a fork or cocktail muddler. Add almond butter, yogurt, vanilla extract and Maple syrup and give everything a nice whisk.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients, then slowly pour wet ingredients into the center. Using a hand whisk gently mix the ingredients. Stop mixing when the batter is just barely combined. Don't overmix.
- Spoon the batter evenly into each cup or liner filling each halfway full. Top each muffin with the remaining chocolate chips and bake for 25 minutes. You can check the doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of a muffin. It should come out with fewer crumbs.
- Remove muffins from the oven, let them cool for 10 minutes and then remove from the cavities.
Notes
Nutrition
Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
Jessica says
These were amazingly delicious. Made extra and froze them for later!
Dannii says
We love chocolate and banana muffins. Such a delicious combo.
Iryna says
Thanks for your comment Dannii! It truly is a delicious combo.
Carrie Robinson says
Chocolate for breakfast?? Yes, please! 😉
Iryna says
Sending your way:)
Kelly Anthony says
I love that these banana muffins don't have any added sugar making them a great breakfast option for my girls.
Iryna says
Thanks Kelly! Yes, they are really healthy.
Anita says
These are so good. I won't mind having these lovely banana muffins for breakfast everyday if I can. 🙂
Iryna says
Thanks Anita!