Easy Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

You'll need basic ingredients for baking, plus some easy swaps that make the best vegan chocolate chip muffins:

• All-purpose flour: bread flour can also be used.
• Coconut sugar: unrefined and organic preferred.
• Extra virgin olive oil: or other oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil or coconut oil.
• Almond milk: unsweetened plain almond milk or unsweetened vanilla almond milk are my favorites. You can also use oat milk, soy milk, cashew milk or other non-dairy milk. You can also use vegan buttermilk.
• Ground flaxseed: this is combined with water to make flax eggs.
• Vanilla extract: did you know you can make vanilla extract at home in your Instant Pot?
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips: these are usually dairy-free and vegan, but always double check your brand to make sure. Here is a brand that makes dairy-free chocolate chips. Feel free to use dairy-free milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips if you'd like.
• Baking powder and salt

Not only do these vegan muffins use coconut sugar, they use about half the sugar as traditional muffin recipes do. Because of the sweetness the chocolate chips add, you can safely reduce the sugar without worrying that they'll taste bland. This recipe also uses unsweetened almond milk instead of the sweetened variety.

Are Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins Healthy?

This depends on your definition of healthy. One standard size muffin has around 300 calories, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 17 grams of fat, and 4 grams of protein. Remember that they are still chocolate-filled muffins and are not sugar free.

Instructions

It's super easy to make dairy-free chocolate chip muffins. I make them in one bowl using a whisk for less mess and less cleaning.

1. Start by making the flax eggs. Combine 6 tablespoons of water with 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 12 cup muffin pan with olive oil or line with muffin liners. While the oven's heating, combine the all-purpose flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients and add the flax eggs, almond milk, olive oil and vanilla extract. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients for about 30 seconds, until everything is just combined. *Be careful to never over mix muffins! If you do, you may get tough, uneven, or peaked-top muffins.
3. Fold in the dairy-free chocolate chips.
4. Pour the muffin batter into the muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes, until the top of the muffins begins to turn golden brown. Don't be afraid to fill the muffin cups to the top! You'll get nice and tall muffin tops that look like bakery-style muffins!
5. Before removing from the oven, check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out dry, the muffins are done. If it comes out with wet batter on it, continue to cook in 2 minute increments until cooked through. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the muffin tin.

How To Store Muffins

Muffins can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They are freezer-friendly for up to 6 months when stored in a freezer safe plastic bag. Defrost in the fridge overnight or on the countertop a few hours before enjoying.