Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins {Oil-Free And Sugar-Free}

These Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins are totally guilt-free dessert idea that doesn't skimp on flavor. This recipe is Oil-Free, Sugar-Free and absolutely mouthwatering. Plus, these muffins freeze great too.

Let me just lay it all out - these muffins are sensational!

Studded with overripe bananas, healthy cacao and vegan chocolate chips, these little treats are bound to become your favorite.

While I don't consider myself the best dessert maker, I can vouch for these muffins. They are soft and moist and so chocolaty. Mmm!

My favorite part is that these muffins are ridiculously easy to make. You can even involve your kids in the process. Let them mash the bananas, measure out chocolate chips or stir the ingredients.

In addition, just like my Baked Apples, these Banana and Cacao Muffins are Oil-free and Sugar-free which is so important if  you follow Whole Food Plant Based Diet.

🥘 Ingredients

This recipe requires mostly pantry ingredients. If you don't have one or another ingredient, you can follow the substitutions tips that I listed below.

Here's what you need to make these healthy muffins happen:

• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour - you can absolutely substitute it with a regular all-purpose flour or use a combo of ½ cup of all-purpose flour and ½ cup of whole wheat flour.
• Bananas🍌  - for the maximum natural sweetness of the muffins use overripe bananas. If you have fresh bananas that are still green, here's a little trick to make them ripe: pop the bananas into a preheat to 350 F oven for 5-7 minutes. Now you have ripe bananas.
• Baking powder for helping our muffins rise.
• Cacao powder - you can use cocoa powder if you don't have cacao.
• Plant-based yogurt - I used cashew mango yogurt. Specific flavor is not essential at all, you can use just plain cashew, almond or soy yogurt. If you don't have yogurt, substitute with ⅓ cup of any nut milk + 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
• Vegan Chocolate Chips. I recommend Hu Chocolate gems. Sugar-free, Oil-free and Soy-free chocolate chips. Enter the code IRYNA15 for 15% off on all Hu Kitchen products.
• Almond butter is used in place of oil. Can be replaced with Peanut Butter or any other nut butter.
• Vanilla Extract
• Maple syrup for an added sweetness and flavor
• Salt - enhances the flavor of all ingredients

🔪 Instructions

Here's how you can make these easy treats:

1. Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a 12-count muffin tin with cupcake liners or if you don't mind using oil, spray each cavity with a non-stick spray. Alternatively, you can use a silicone muffin tin like this. It doesn't require greasing or liners.

2. Combine all dry ingredients

Whisk  together whole wheat flour, cacao powder, baking powder, salt and ½ cup of chocolate chips. Add these to a large bowl as it will be easier to whisk everything together once you combine dry and wet ingredients.

3. Mash the bananas

I recommend to mash them really well so that they can seamlessly blend into the batter.

4. Combine all wet ingredients

To a bowl with bananas add almond butter, yogurt, vanilla extract and Maple syrup. Whisk everything nicely.

5. Combine wet and dry ingredients

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.

6. Fill the muffin pan cavities and bake

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.

Another way to check if these Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins are ready is to insert a food thermometer into the center of a muffin. The temperature should read between 200 to 205 F.

🍽 Storing

These Vegan Sugar-Free Muffins can be stored for up to 3 days on the counter or in a fridge. To prevent them from drying out, place the muffins in the food storage container with a lid. I recommend these glass containers.

In addition, these muffins can safely be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply remove muffins from the freezer and either let them defrost on the counter for 1 or 2 hours or microwave individual muffins for about 30 seconds.

🍽 Similar Recipes

• Raisin Filled Cruffins
• Chocolate Cruffins

Recipe

Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins

These Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins are totally guilt-free dessert idea that doesn't skimp on flavor. This recipe is Oil-Free, Sugar-Free and absolutely mouthwatering.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 muffins

Calories: 972kcal

Author: Iryna

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

Flour

You can substitute Whole Wheat Pastry Flour with a regular all-purpose flour or use a combo of ½ cup of all-purpose flour and ½ cup of whole wheat flour.

Bananas

Make sure to measure out exactly 1 cup of mashed bananas. If your bananas are green or not ripe enough, pop them into 350 F oven and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Yogurt

You can use any plant-based yogurt or if you don't have it, you can substitute with ⅓ cup of any nut milk + 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.

Maple Syrup

You can replace it with coconut sugar if you like. If you do so, make sure to increase the yogurt amount to ½ cup. 

Nutrition

Calories: 972kcal | Carbohydrates: 152.6g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 38.2g | Saturated Fat: 4.9g | Sodium: 373mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 17.8g | Sugar: 75.4g | Calcium: 1097mg | Iron: 1mg

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