Vegan Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Vegan chocolate chunk muffins are a treat any time of day — even breakfast. They’re low in sugar and made with wholesome flour. This vegan chocolate muffin recipe is easy to make and they disappear quickly!

The following basic muffin recipe incorporates my favorite wholesome baking technique—using applesauce as a base and fat substitute. It makes the muffins amazingly moist while greatly reducing the need for added fat.

Can these muffins be frozen? Muffins are best eaten within a day or at most two after they are baked, so if you’re not going to be feeding a crowd of hungry muffin fans, I suggest either freezing half of them, or cutting the recipe in half. And yes, these do freeze well; allow them to thaw in the refrigerator a day before you’d like to use them.

Use good (and compassionate) chocolate and natural sugar: When it comes to chocolate, fair trade and organic are best. In most of my baking recipes I call for natural granulated sugar — and not much of it. See more about the varieties following the recipe box.

What kind of flour to use for vegan chocolate muffins

For a wholesome muffin, I recommend whole wheat pastry flour, light spelt flour, or einkorn flour. These whole grain flours are easy to find in natural foods stores. Make sure to get pastry flour rather than bread flour, as those are two different things! You can use a combination of any of these flours.

Whole wheat pastry flour or light spelt flour are virtually indistinguishable from all-purpose flour in baking, yet they have more going from them in the fiber and nutrient areas.

If you only have all-purpose flour on hand, that would certainly work, but won’t give you the wholesomeness of a muffin made with a more whole-grain flour!

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Yield: 12

Vegan Chocolate Chunk Muffins

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Vegan chocolate chunk muffins are a treat any time of day — even breakfast. They’re low in sugar and made with whole grain flour.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour or light spelt flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (preferably organic and fair trade)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup natural granulated sugar
• 1 cup applesauce
• 2 tablespoons safflower oil
• 1/2 cup nondairy milk, or as needed
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chunks, plus extra for topping (see variation)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and/or raisins, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
2. Combine the first 6 (dry) ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the applesauce, oil, and nondairy milk to make a smooth batter. If need be add a little more nondairy milk, but let the batter remain stiff.
4. Stir in the chocolate chunks and optional walnuts and/or raisins.
5. Divide the batter evenly among 12 lined muffin tins. Scatter some extra chocolate chunks on top of the muffins.
6. Bake for 20  to 25 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins are golden and a knife inserted into the center of one tests clean. When cool enough to handle, transfer the muffins to a plate or rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Notes

Variation: Of course, you can use chocolate chips in place of chocolate chunks. 

See more easy vegan desserts & sweets.

Top three photos: Vaaseenaa/Bigstock