Chocolate Vegan Muffins with Chocolate Chips

These jumbo double chocolate vegan muffins are fluffy, moist, packed full of chocolate (hello melty chocolate chips), and are vegan! Plus, it’s an easy one bowl recipe. The bakery style muffin size and DIY parchment paper liners will make you feel like you got them from a high end bakery. These make the perfect on the go breakfast, snack, or coffee treat.

The base of these muffins is applesauce. This give the muffins most of their moisture, sweetness, and body. The baking powder and baking soda react with the acid in the apple sauce so you don’t taste it in the end!

The way these get the richest chocolatey flavour is through the cocoa powder. You want to use a natural/raw (not dutch processed) cocoa powder. That way the acidity in the cocoa powder can react with the leavening agents (baking powder and soda) and give the cupcake more lift.

🧁 How to get perfect muffins

How do I get moist and fluffy muffins?

Weigh the flour for accurate results.
Don't overmix the batter.
Make sure your baking powder isn't expired. Store it in the fridge to preserve freshness.
Don't overbake the double chocolate vegan muffins! Keep a close eye on them after you reduce the temperature because they can overbake quickly.

Why is it important to let my batter rest?

Letting the batter rest for 5 minutes before scooping and baking lets the cocoa powder bloom. This gives the muffins a richer chocolate flavour and colour after baking.

How do I get my vegan muffins to have a nice domed muffin top?

The trick with how I get these muffins to rise and form a big dome on top is by baking them at a high temperature for the first 15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature so that they can bake through without burning.
Also, the more chocolate chips you pile on top, the more it will weigh down the middle of the dome and it can cave in. Don't add too many if you want a nice dome.

Can I make regular sized muffins

Use regular muffin liners and scoop the batter into the muffin tin almost all the way full. This will make about 12-14 regular sized muffins.

How to make your own jumbo bakery style muffin liners

Find a jar or glass that fits into the bottom of the muffin tins. Cut six 5" (15cm) squares of parchment paper. Flip the jar so the bottom is up and place the square of parchment paper on top. Press down the the paper onto the sides of the jar so that it forms a cup shape. Flip the prepared liner over and place into the muffin compartment. Repeat with the rest of the squares.

It's ok if the paper doesn't fit perfectly, it will once it gets weighted down by the muffin batter.

Alternatives to making muffin liners

You can use store bought large tulip muffin liners for these muffins. They will be able to hold the large amount of batter needed to make a jumbo muffin.

Can I freeze chocolate muffins?

You definitely can! Just package them in a freezer safe bag or airtight container. They can be stored for up to 2 months. Before eating, make sure that you defrost the cupcakes at room temperature or in the oven, and heat them back up! That will make them taste as if they were just baked.

🍰 Check out my other plant based desserts:

🍫 Ingredients

Applesauce: Use a thicker applesauce if you can. Don’t worry, you won’t taste the applesauce once baked! It’s there to provide moisture, body, and a bit of sweetness. In a pinch, you can substitute bananas but the muffins will taste like banana.
Oil: Grapeseed, light olive, vegetable oil, and melted refined coconut oil all work great!
Milk of choice: use whatever milk you prefer - I used cashew milk.
Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar: This gives the muffins acidity to react with the baking powder and baking soda, giving it a lot of lift.
Pure vanilla extract: for obvious flavour reasons
Sugar: you can use coconut sugar, granulated, or brown sugar.
Salt: slate brings out and deepens the chocolate flavour
All purpose flour: I have only tried this recipe with all purpose flour. You can also try making it with 1:1 gluten free flour, but I haven’t tested it.
Baking soda and baking powder: These react with the acids in the applesauce, cocoa powder, and vinegar to create lots of bubbles and lift
Cocoa powder: Choose a natural cocoa powder because the acid in there will help react with the alkaline in the baking soda and powder, creating even more lift and a deep chocolate flavour.
Dairy free chocolate chips (and more to sprinkle on top): These will give you those melty chocolate bits inside the muffins. Mouthwatering!

☕ Steps

Preheat oven. Make DIY jumbo muffin liners by cutting and shaping squares of parchment paper
Mix together wet ingredients and sugar
Sift the dry ingredients into the wet
Add the chocolate chips and fold until a thick batter forms
Rest the batter for 5 minutes to help the cocoa powder bloom. This gives the cupcakes a richer chocolate flavour
Scoop into prepared muffin pan liners
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Enjoy!