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You are here: Home / Dessert / Muffins/Cupcakes / Best Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Muffins

Best Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Muffins

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These are seriously the BEST Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Muffins you will ever have! Made with almond flour and oat flour and are so rich, decadent and delicious! You would never know they are dairy-free and oil-free!

vegan chocolate muffins with chocolate sauce on top on red plate

*This post was originally published on 12-6-2013 and has been updated with better instructions and information.

BEST VEGAN GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

When I say these are the best vegan chocolate muffins, I’m not messing around. Many vegan, especially gluten-free baked goods, can have a very gummy and dense texture. But these are not only light and fluffy, they are SO moist without a drop of oil! They honestly make everybody who eats and makes them say, how in the world are these vegan and gluten-free and oil-free?

And you only need 8 ingredients (+ salt/water). I’m a sucker for double chocolate in any dessert, especially muffins. Like these Whole Wheat Vegan Chocolate Muffins and Vegan Chocolate Mug Cake.

4 muffins on red plate over a flower napkin on wood table

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

(Only 8 main ingredients needed. Full details and measurements on the recipe card below.)

  • Superfine blanched almond flour: This is different than almond meal (which is just ground up almonds with the skins on). Blanched almond flour is almonds that do not have their skins, have been blanched, dried and then ground into a fine flour. This yields exceptional moisture to baked goods and makes them lighter and fluffier than just ground up almonds. It makes an excellent replacement for oil, which I’ve been using for years and years on this blog.
  • Superfine oat flour: I love using the Bob’s Red Mill brand because it is fine and yields fluffiness and rise to the muffins. Homemade is fine if you can get it superfine like in a Vitamix. A food processor won’t get it that fine though and the muffins would end up more dense.
  • Tapioca starch: This replaces the eggs. Tapioca has great binding qualities, as well as rise and moisture. If you cannot find this or don’t have it, cornstarch will work great here too. They will just be slightly drier and more fragile, but not a huge change since a small amount is used.
  • Baking powder
  • Pure maple syrup
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Vanilla extract
  • Semi-sweet dairy-free chocolate chips

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

Step 1: To a large bowl, add the almond flour, oat flour, starch, baking powder and salt. Whisk well.

Step 2: To the same bowl, add the water, syrup, vanilla extract and chocolate chips. Stir until well combined.

Step 3: Divide the batter into 12 muffin nonstick liners and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick basically comes out clean with a few crumbs on it.

4 muffins closeup view on red plate

GLUTEN-FREE AND OIL-FREE PERFECTION

Nailing both gluten-free and oil-free, as well as vegan, isn’t always an easy feat. Getting the right ratios of ingredients used can make or break the perfect muffin. Too moist of a muffin can be wet and soggy, which is yuck. Not enough moisture will have you smacking the roof of your mouth and running for some water just to swallow it. But these vegan double chocolate muffins are fluffy, light, moist and absolute perfection.

hand grabbing muffin off of plate

MORE VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE MUFFIN RECIPES

  • Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
  • Best Vegan Blueberry Muffins
  • Chocolate Chip Muffins
  • Bakery Style Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
  • Vegan Gluten-free Sweet Potato Muffins
  • Gluten-free Cinnamon Coffee Chocolate Chip Muffins
  • Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes
  • Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
  • Vegan Orange Muffins
  • Vegan Gluten-free Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Muffins

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy here.

If you make this recipe,  be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!

hand grabbing vegan double chocolate muffin

Best Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Muffins

Brandi Doming
These are seriously the BEST Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Muffins you will ever have! Made with almond flour and oat flour and are so rich, decadent and delicious! You would never know they are dairy-free and oil-free!
5 from 35 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 22 mins
Total Time 37 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Gluten-free, Vegan
Servings 12 muffins
Calories 260 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (168g) superfine blanched almond flour
  • 1 cup (128g) superfine oat flour
  • 3 tablespoons (24g) tapioca starch
  • 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (36g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup (160g) pure maple syrup
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (180g) semi-sweet dairy-free chocolate chips (Plus more for topping. If using the mini chips, use a heaping 1/2 cup instead since there will be more)

NOTE

  • Always use a scale for accuracy when baking, following MY gram weights listed. You never need cups, just the scale and bowl.
  • I use this scale.

Instructions
 

  • Preheat an oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 12 cup muffin pan with foil liners. I use stay-brite foil liners by Reynolds. These work the best and do not stick whatsoever. They will stick to paper liners.
  • To a large bowl, add the almond flour, oat flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt and whisk very well until there is no lumps remaining.
  • Make a well in the center and add the water, syrup and vanilla and stir those gently before mixing in with the rest of the ingredients. Stir for a couple of minutes until it's very smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Divide the batter into 12 lined muffin cups, they will be filled basically to the top. Using a large ice cream scooper makes it easy and mess-free. Sprinkle more chocolate chips on top, if desired.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the tops are slightly cracked and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. The toothpick will not come out clean. Since these contain starch, they will still cook a bit after coming out of the oven, so the toothpick should still have some sticky crumbs on it and then they are done. Mine are always perfect at 20 minutes. Let them cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to cool completely on a wire rack. They will fall apart if you try to eat them immediately....although I don't blame you for trying! For parties or presentation, I like to drizzle some melted chocolate on top as well. Store them in an airtight container or plastic wrap at room temperature and they will stay soft and moist.

Notes

  • FLOURS: Superfine oat flour and superfine almond flour is what will yield the best, fluffiest results. I like to use store-bought Bob's Red Mill oat flour for my recipes because it is so fine and makes the for the best fluffiest texture. Almond flour brands I recommend are King Arthur flour, Wellbee's, Honeyville and Nature's Eats brands all work well.
  • STARCH: If you do not have tapioca starch, cornstarch is the next best substitute to give the closest results. Use the same weight amount. Cornstarch makes things slightly drier than tapioca and a tiny bit more tender, but since a small amount is used and the muffins are so moist, it will work fine here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffinCalories: 260kcalCarbohydrates: 31.9gProtein: 6.5gFat: 13.7gSaturated Fat: 3.9gSodium: 83mgPotassium: 196mgFiber: 4.6gSugar: 15.7gCalcium: 106mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @thevegan8 on Instagram and use tag #thevegan8!
Keyword best vegan chocolate muffins, oil free muffins, oil-free chocolate muffins, vegan chocolate muffins, vegan gluten free chocolate muffins

Filed Under: Dessert, Gluten-free, Muffins/Cupcakes Tagged With: almond flour, chocolate, Desserts, Gluten-free, Muffins, Oat flour

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelley

    June 15, 2020 at 6:42 pm

    5 stars
    THIS confirms that Brandi is a MAGICIAN!!! HOW on earth did you make an oat based muffin SO light, fluffy, AND moist?!?! I’m perplexed! I have been a vegan baker for almost 20 years, using Earth Balance butter, all purpose flour, and refined sugars, but NO MORE!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      June 15, 2020 at 8:51 pm

      Awww yay, really really happy to hear that, thank you Kelley!

      Reply
  2. Amy

    July 25, 2020 at 5:07 pm

    5 stars
    I am SO excited to make these today! I already know they’re going to be good because they’re on your site!!! Thank you Brandi!!!!!

    Reply
    • Amy

      July 25, 2020 at 6:28 pm

      5 stars
      Confirmed! They’re DELICIOUS!!! Thanks for sharing, Brandi! 🙂

      Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 27, 2020 at 8:46 am

      That is so sweet, thank you Amy!!

      Reply
  3. Elizabeth Palumbo

    July 30, 2020 at 8:38 am

    5 stars
    I made these cupcakes/muffins today. 5 ☆☆☆☆☆s. Perfect! They are 🎶amaaazing🎶 !! My new favorite dessert to make. Vegan, No oil, No sugar. Thank you @thevegan8

    Reply
  4. Charlotte

    August 2, 2020 at 12:42 am

    Brandi,
    Just a big hug and thank you for your generosity in sharing your recipes. I am just enjoying a Matcha Tea Latte with one of your Vegan Blueberry Muffins. So yummy. With COVID impacting so many lives there is a lot of cooking and baking going on. But making something wonderful from scratch is so soothing and validating. Only drawback is your recipes are so delicious that I need to practice more “refrigerator self distancing”. LOL ❤️☺️

    Reply
  5. Molly

    August 9, 2020 at 4:19 pm

    5 stars
    These are SO CHOCOLATEY and SO MOIST! It’s like eating a brownie in muffin shape but somehow better! I’ve been sending this recipe to everyone I know since I made these yesterday. I’ll be making these every weekend from now on!

    Reply
  6. BRENDA

    August 9, 2020 at 4:46 pm

    Can arrowroot starch be used in place of the tapioca starch?

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      August 9, 2020 at 5:51 pm

      I’m not sure, I’ve never tried it. Cornstarch is the best replacement for tapioca, so that would be better if you have it.

      Reply
  7. Rosie Good

    August 13, 2020 at 4:25 am

    What is the difference between tapioca flour and tapioca starch? I have the flour, not the starch, and want to make these muffins NOW! thanks!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      August 13, 2020 at 8:50 am

      They are the same thing! Some bags just label them differently but they are the same.

      Reply
  8. Latoya Bessant

    September 24, 2020 at 8:51 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my gosh, these muffins are perfect in every way: moist texture, healthy, and delicious – also satisfies those chocolate cravings so well, lol!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      September 25, 2020 at 6:16 am

      Thank you so much Latoya!!

      Reply
  9. Brittany France

    October 23, 2020 at 3:20 am

    5 stars
    Wow!!!! Brandi you have outdone yourself once again. These are the best chocolate muffins I have ever tasted. Even my junk food vegan brother is obsessed. Thank you for such a simple yet delicious recipe.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      November 29, 2020 at 11:55 pm

      So sorry I missed this Brittany, I’m so thrilled to hear these are the BEST you’ve ever had, yay!!

      Reply
  10. Patricia Minihan

    December 6, 2020 at 4:27 am

    5 stars
    I made these today. They are absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      December 6, 2020 at 4:45 am

      Yay! So glad you loved them!

      Reply
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I'm Brandi, creator of this vegan blog and cookbook author of The Vegan 8 Cookbook. The majority of my recipes focus on 8 ingredients or less, not counting salt, pepper or water. I'm an expert on oil-free cooking and baking! We went vegan to help control my husband's debilitating gout. Our lives and health improved dramatically. While my husband still has some challenges, his health is much better than when we were eating animal products! I create delicious vegan comfort food in a healthier way. read more →

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