1-Bowl Fudgy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Vegan/GF)

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Stack of Banana Chocolate Muffins on a small tray

What started as chocolate tahini banana bread morphed into the fudgiest, most delicious chocolate muffins on the block!

Despite being naturally sweetened (with bananas!) and swirled with tahini, the main flavor is clear: CHOCOLATE.

They’re refined flour-free, gluten-free, plant-based, refined sugar-free, (oil-free optional), and made in 1 bowl

Banana, almond flour, oats, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, maple syrup, and other ingredients for making Banana Chocolate Muffins

These muffins start with making a flax egg, followed by adding bananas (spotty ones are best) to the mixing bowl and mashing with a fork.

Using the back of a fork to mash banana and flax seed meal in a large mixing bowl

Baking soda helps the muffins rise and a combination of coconut sugar and maple syrup gives balanced sweetness and texture while keeping them refined sugar-free. Then we add tahini for moisture, which also means there’s no need to add much oil.

Using a whisk to stir together wet ingredients for our Banana Chocolate Muffins recipe

Sea salt and vanilla enhance the flavors, and cocoa powder gives these muffins a rich, chocolaty flavor.

The final dry ingredients are almond flour and rolled oats, which keep these muffins wholesome, whole grain, and free from refined flours! The result is fluffy yet fudgy muffins flecked with whole oats. SWOON!

Pouring chocolate chips into a bowl of Banana Chocolate Muffin batter

And we saved the best for last: a sprinkle of chocolate chips for the perfect amount of melty chocolate in each bite!

Cooling rack with a batch of our Fudgy Banana Chocolate Muffins recipe

We hope you LOVE these muffins! They’re:

Fudgy
Chocolaty
Perfectly sweet
Tender
Easy to make
Surprisingly wholesome
& SO delicious!

They’re the perfect dessert for chocolate lovers and they pack well as an on-the-go snack. They even freeze well (in case you want to have a freezer stash to satisfy chocolate cravings fast — trust us, you do!).

More Chocolate Dessert Recipes

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Tray of partially eaten Banana Chocolate Muffins made with gluten-free oats and almond flour

1-Bowl Fudgy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Vegan/GF)

The fudgiest plant-based, gluten-free chocolate muffins on the block, made in 1 bowl with wholesome ingredients like almond flour, flaxseed, cocoa powder, bananas, and more!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Tray with Banana Chocolate Muffins beside a spoonful of tahini and bowl of cocoa powder
4.93 from 560 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 11 (Muffins)
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 4-5 Days

Ingredients

  • 2 medium-size ripe bananas
  • 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax egg)
  • 2 ½ Tbsp water (to make flax egg)
  • 1 ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or sub organic brown sugar)
  • 3 Tbsp maple syrup (or sub agave nectar)
  • 1/4 cup fresh drippy tahini (or sub other nut or seed butter of choice)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or melted coconut oil or vegan butter // if oil-free, sub more nut or seed butter of choice and reduce dry ingredients slightly to compensate for thicker batter)
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted if clumpy
  • 3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats (to keep grain-free, try subbing half the amount in coconut flour, though we haven’t tested it ourselves)
  • 1 ¼ cup almond flour (we haven’t tested with almond meal but think it would work)
  • 1/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a standard muffin tin with paper cupcake wrappers (if subbing a different size pan, adjust cook time as needed).
  • To a large mixing bowl add banana, flax egg (flaxseed meal and water) and mash to combine, leaving only a few chunky pieces. You want it pretty smooth.
  • Add baking soda, coconut sugar, maple syrup, tahini, sea salt, vanilla, and avocado oil and whisk vigorously to combine. Then add cocoa powder and whisk again to combine.
  • Add gluten-free rolled oats and stir to combine. Then add almond flour a little at a time and stir to combine. You're looking for a scoopable batter that's still moist (see photo). If too dry, thin with a bit of water or dairy-free milk. If too wet, add more almond flour a little at a time. Lastly, add chocolate chips and stir to combine.
  • Divide batter between muffin tins, filling almost all the way to the top (as recipe is written, about 11 muffins — adjust amounts as needed if adjusting serving size). Option to sprinkle on a few more chocolate chips before baking for more chocolate flavor.
  • Bake on the center rack for 25-30 minutes or until risen. When cooked, a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean.
  • Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer muffins to a cooling rack to let cool completely. The wrappers come off more easily and the texture is best when completely cooled.
  • Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 4-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*15 minutes prep includes 10 minutes for making the batter and 5-minute cooling time (although a 10- to 15-minute cooling time is ideal).

Nutrition (1 of 11 servings)

Serving: 1 muffin Calories: 265 Carbohydrates: 29.6 g Protein: 6.3 g Fat: 16.7 g Saturated Fat: 3.1 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.96 g Monounsaturated Fat: 8.01 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 231 mg Potassium: 286 mg Fiber: 5.6 g Sugar: 17.2 g Vitamin A: 18.82 IU Vitamin C: 1.87 mg Calcium: 50.85 mg Iron: 2.72 mg

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My Rating:




  1. Jenn says

    It doesn’t indicate if the cocoa power should be unsweetened or semi-sweet or sweet. I have Ghirardelli Premium Baking 100% cocoa dutch-processed unsweetened. Will that work??

  2. Brooke Ashley says

    Yummy and easy to make! I made a half a recipe (as I only had one banana on hand) and it worked out great.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Abby, we aren’t sure if the texture will turn out the same, but another reader did report success using dates! You could try finely chopping them or pulsing in a food processor. Let us know if you try it!

  3. Joanna B says

    I’m so glad I went out on a limb and doubled this recipe the very first time I tried it… we’ll be enjoying these delicious muffins for days! I’m surprised that they don’t taste very banana-y… I guess all that chocolate dominates the banana flavour, which I’m totally okay with, because of the two flavours, chocolate wins every.damn.time!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Joanna. Thank you for the lovely review! We’re big fans of chocolate too, so we’re with you on chocolate always winning! If you do want a stronger banana flavor, using bananas that are more ripe should help :)

  4. Drea says

    I have made this recipe 3x now and each time it comes out sooo amazingly delish, soft, moist and not too sweet at all. I followed the recipe to the letter. The last 2x I omitted the oats, still amazing!!!
    I take them to work, as I do not trust myself with them in the house(I’d eat it all), and everyone loves it and asks for the recipe. My batch makes 12.
    I have pinned this recipe and deleted all other brownie recipes!!!
    Thank you so much!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Drea! Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  5. Menaka says

    I had 2 bananas left over and i made this recipe.
    It came out to be the cutest and fudgiest little muffin.
    Perfect for snack :) Thank you

  6. Bobby Sandimanie says

    One of the best recipes for using leftover soft bananas! I took earlier suggestions of using half baking soda/half baking powder, medjool dates with maple syrup instead of coconut sugar, and the final result was delicious. These are great for breakfast and keep so well in the fridge. Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Bobby. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

  7. Abigail Jacob says

    This is so good! So fudgy and delicious-my daughter who can be so fussy loves them which is saying something! She’s been taking one in her lunchbox to school. Thanks for another great recipe! I will keep this one and make again real soon.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, yay! We’re so glad these muffins get your daughter’s approval. Thank you for sharing, Abigail! xo

  8. Heather says

    I made these using peanut butter. I just wanted to share that I made these about two months ago and put half in the freezer. I just had one today and it tasted just as good out of the freezer (I popped it in the microwave for 20 seconds on 50% heat). Really good with my oat milk latte. Delicious recipe!

  9. Victoria says

    These look delicious, making them as I type this. But am curious about the amount of baking soda. Is that correct? I’ve never used that much baking soda before, usually 1.5 tsp of baking powder. Sometime baking soda leaves a bad taste. Can i use baking powder instead?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Vitoria! Yes, the baking soda amount is correct. We haven’t tried it with baking powder and aren’t sure what the results would be. You could also try half baking powder, half baking soda! Hope this helps!

  10. Jill Marie says

    I posted on FB too. These are some of the most delicious muffins I have ever had or made! I used chocolate chips (Field Day organic) and raw chopped walnuts but kept them inside the muffins. Also didn’t have large sea salt flakes. Sitting in lots of snow in upstate NY but I have to find people to give them away to because I have already eaten three of them!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Jill! Next time would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful to us and our readers! Thank you again!

  11. Elisa says

    I just made these, I did a couple substitutes:

    Replaced bananas with – 1/2 avocado, 1/2 tbsp oil & a drizzle of agave.

    Replaced Rolled oats and Almond flour with – 1 & 1/2 cups Oat flour.

    They came out amazing. I love your recipes.

  12. Reem says

    Very good and healthy recipe. I substituted the sugar with dates. I baked it for30 minutes but I should have taken them out at 25 instead because the bottom burnt a bit. Still very delicious. Thank you very much💕

  13. Mary Beck says

    Delicious and easy!! Another great way to use ripe bananas. I followed the recipe to the letter, except I used cashew butter in place of the tahini. Thank you so much! So grateful to have you in my life! :)

  14. Gretchen says

    Delicious! I swapped out the oats for coconut flour measurement as recommended, used olive oil, added a splash of almond milk, and added chopped walnuts. Baked for 25 mins and they are perfectly moist and yummy! Going to make a few more batches to freeze.

  15. Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

    Thank you for sharing your experience, Carly! Sorry they were not quite right! Oat flour is more absorbent than almond, so perhaps try even less next time.

  16. Angelica says

    I made these and they taste amazing! I have been coeliac for as long as I can remember, so it’s really helpful to find gluten free recipes! :D
    I substituted a lot of things, but they turned out really good! 😊

      • Fran says

        Very moist and fudgie. Baked in a brownie pan (a square cupcake tray) and a couple came out crumbly. Put those crumbly bits on some bowls and topped it with plant based frozen “ice cream”. Made a yummy dessert. The ones that stayed whole will be frozen and enjoyed another day. This will be a staple in my recipe stash.

  17. AmyS says

    It is so moist and delicious!I subbed egg whites leftover from making cat food, cacao powder and date paste for sugar with chopped walnuts. Baked in a small toast-oven for 20 mins. It is amazingly good!

  18. Alejandra Quintero says

    This recipe is an absolute favorite of mine and part of the family snack rotation. I used 1/4 of brown sugar as I find brown sugar to be significantly sweeter than coconut sugar and that’s what I had on hand. I blended the oats to make the muffins kid approved. I also added a bit of hemp seeds and in one of the batches I threw in chopped dates. I used almond butter instead of tahini again for kid approval. This is the first recipe involving banana as part of the batter that my kid actually eats and loves. I love that I can get away with only using 1/4c of brown sugar for an entire batch of muffins. They’re filling and perfect for after school snacks. I had my doubts but I am so glad that I tried it out. Thanks for the recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you and your kids enjoy the muffins, Alejandra! Thank you for sharing! xo

  19. Baiba says

    Dear MB Team,
    Strangely enough this turned out to not be sweet enough. I always use only half of the required sweeteners for all MB recipes, here I used 3/4 of what is stated – still tasted like chocolate bread :D Added banana slices – that helped :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Baiba, this recipe is one of our less sweet ones, so we would recommend using the full amount of sweetener for the best result :)

  20. Danielle Simantob says

    Have you made this into a loaf? What would you recommend if I wanted to do that? I love this recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy it, Danielle! We think that would work great. We’d suggest ~35-45 minutes in a loaf pan.

  21. Emmy says

    I followed the recipe exactly except subbed tahini for peanut butter and almond flour with ap flour. The results were amazing! Healthy and delicious. Thank you for this recipe!

  22. Zoe says

    Hello! Long time fan of your savory recipes, but I’m always struggling to find vegan recipes on your site that don’t rely on nuts or nut flours due to allergies. Can you recommend a substitute for the almond flour in this? Could I 1-for-1 substitute wheat flour?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Zoe, all purpose flour might work. We’d suggest adding slightly less (a little at a time) as it’s more drying and absorbent. Hope that helps!

  23. Sabrina says

    I started checking the muffins at 18 minutes because I was nervous about over baking them. The toothpick didn’t come out clean until about 26 min, but the outside was burned. Would you recommend cooking at a lower temperature next time? I did spray instead of using liners—could that be the cause of the burnt edges?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sabrina, oven temperatures can vary. Next time we would suggest baking them at a slightly lower temperature for your oven. The spray would also help them crisp up more than just using paper liners as well!

  24. SR says

    These were amazing! I never comment but use your recipes a lot (I love the tahini brownies). These are my new go to chocolate muffin recipe. I did have to add more almond flour to get the right consistency as you said.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! Thanks so much for the wonderful review, SR. We’re so glad you’ve enjoyed our recipes!

  25. Eva says

    Amazing easy recipe!! They taste delicious, but unfortunately they sank :( so not fudgy at all… I honestly do not know what I did wrong, so all tips are welcome!! Thank you <3.

  26. Cyclamen says

    I was recently diagnosed with Celiac disease. So thankful that I have been using MB for years as inspiration, so thank you for your work! I made these muffins…so amazing right the first time! The only change I made I used 3/4 C GF flour and 1/2 C almond meal instead of 1 1/4 C almond flour as I am experimenting working with GF flour. I am still under shock how much it cost to bake GF!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications! We’re so glad our recipes are helpful!

  27. Renee says

    Every recipe I make from you guys is so good! These muffins were not too sweet which is what I like and tasted delicious! I added an egg and they turned out fine.

  28. Denise H says

    This is the BEST gluten free chocolate chip muffin ever! I do not need them to be vegan so I use an egg, peanut butter instead of tahini but everything else the same. Sooooo good!

  29. Jamie says

    Wonderful and forgiving recipe!
    I would like to try a batch without cocoa, is there something I should be substituting? Or can I simply omit the cocoa?
    Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jamie! Cocoa is a helpful in this particular recipe because it plays an important role in the “chemistry” of a vegan/gf muffin! We do have a (not chocolate) banana nut muffin that you might like to try, though!

  30. SS says

    I’m always tweaking recipes, but this one is perfect. 10/10. Wouldn’t change a thing. Been making it for a few years now and it’s amazing every time.

  31. kelly says

    These are my favorite, and I’ve been making them for years!
    Wondering if you think they can be made with your new chocolate cake mix?

    I was thinking I’d add the banana, 1/4 cup tahini, vanilla, and choc chips from this recipe… and then just lessen the 1/4 cup oil that the mix calls for?

    What do you think?

    Thanks for all your work!

  32. Lois says

    I wanted to make these for my husband’s birthday on 9/20. We do not do oil and I am not much of a baker. Could you be more specific on how much more seed/nut butter to use and how much less of dry ingredients – OR – can I just substitute applesauce for the oil as I think I’ve heard that can be done when not using oil.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lois, we’d suggest ~2 Tbsp extra nut/seed butter and reducing the oats to 2/3 cup and the almond flour to 1 cup + 2 Tbsp. Hope that helps!

  33. Trudie says

    Hi. I absolutely LOVE these muffins. I think they’re the tastiest muffins I’ve ever had. I’m just wondering, is there a way to make them rise more ? Whenever I make them, they don’t rise very much at all. Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Trudie, thanks for the lovely review! Because these muffins are intended to be fudgy, they are a bit more dense vs. fluffy. If you want them to rise more, you could possibly try using baking powder instead of baking soda, but we haven’t tried it and cannot guarantee results.

    • Lorena says

      Omg these look scrumptious ! Sometimes I just crave a good chocolate muffin/cupcake. I’m not a huge fan of banana+chocolate. Can I replace the banana with another ingredient(s)?

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        Hi Lorena! Other readers have had success using applesauce instead of mashed banana, but you could also try yogurt!

  34. Roddy-Ann says

    I don’t have almond flour or meal. Do you think Brown Rice flour or plain white flour will work well?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Roddy-Ann, that should be fine, but we’d suggest using less because those flours are both more absorbent than almond. Hope that helps!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kristin, are you referring to whole wheat flour? If so, that might work, but we’d suggest less of it because it’s more absorbent. Maybe half the amount? Hope that helps!

  35. Cyndi says

    I’m absolutely in LOVE with this recipe. I’ve made it 2x so far and everyone loved them. With large ripe bananas and more almond flour I got 12 muffins no problem.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Cyndi! Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  36. Laura says

    96g of coconut sugar is way more than ½ cup. I first weighed it then poured into measuring cup. Its denser than regular sugar and you can’t just swap measures to weights. Please make sure you try these with metric measures. Its a much quicker and more accurate way to bake but I don’t feel I can trust your metric conversions. Also please weigh the bananas without skin. What is considered medium is vague. Thank you

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Laura, thanks for the feedback. We just measured our coconut sugar to confirm and the metric measurement appears accurate to us. Is it possible your coconut sugar is older and has lost moisture content? As for the banana, this recipe is pretty flexible, but we’ll keep that in mind moving forward.

    • Geri C says

      Very easy & so good! Made them for a healthy treat for my husband’s birthday. I think next time I might use oat flour instead of oats, but otherwise great as written!

  37. Kitty says

    A new go-to recipe! I’m trying to stay away from added sweetness so instead of the coconut sugar and maple syrup, I subbed half a banana and 3 tbsp of water. I kept an eye on the texture of the batter to match it up with your batter in the video. They’re so fudgey and delicious! I currently have the third batch in the oven. Great recipe that includes my pantry staples! :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

  38. Jessica R says

    Whoa!!! These are amazing!! So chocolatey and fudgey and perfect! My whole family loves them. We’ve been eating them for breakfast and dessert. Thank you for sharing!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Jessica. We are so glad you and your family enjoy them! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo

  39. Sarah says

    Hello,
    This is heaven, so tasty !
    So I made the recipe for 3 servings, what a mistake hahahah (should have made a lot more)
    It filled up 4 silicon mold and cooked 15 minutes, and it was just perfect.
    I must say it’s so nice to be able to change the servings and also to be able to have both US customary and metrics it saves a lot of time.
    Thank you 🤗

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Sarah, and happy to hear you find the serving size tool so useful! Thanks for the review!

  40. Aimee says

    I haven’t made these in a while. I’d forgotten how yummy there are!!! I don’t keep oil in my house so I used a vegan butter (Earth Balance). They came out perfect! I used a dark bottom muffin pan and cooked for about 28 minutes. I love, love, love these muffins :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Aimee. So glad this is a favorite recipe for you!

  41. Lindsey says

    I made these for the second time today and they turned out great. Instructions are super easy to follow, big fan of only using one bowl. My parents each had one and couldn’t believe they were gluten, dairy and egg free. I bow down to your chocolate muffin making genius.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy them, Lindsey. Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  42. Laura says

    So yummy – it’s easy to see why this recipe is so popular! My substitutions:
    – no bananas so used 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce (muffins had no apple taste I could detect…)
    – no almond flour so used almond meal (muffins were not too crumbly, had a great texture)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Laura. So glad you enjoyed!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Maya, Some other readers have had success with all purpose flour. We’d suggest adding slightly less (a little at a time) as it’s more drying and absorbent. Hope that helps!

      • Maya says

        An update: I made these with AP flour and used almost the same amount, but added it in slowly as suggested. I also subbed carbonated mineral water 1/4 c as an egg replacement, and it worked very well. Super delicious, and will be making again! They reheat amazingly well in the microwave for 15 seconds.

  43. Debbie says

    Delicious muffins! I did add chopped pecans to the top. They were fudge and moist….felt like I was having dessert for breakfast! So easy to make❤️

      • Debbie says

        After viewing many of the reviews on the muffins, I will say I had no crumbling at all. They were intact and easy to remove directly from muffin cups to cooling rack.

  44. Ens says

    Fantastic, very very moist. definitely let them sit in the tin for a bit after baking or they will fall apart (still taste great even when I can’t wait).

  45. Seema says

    Made these today and they are delicious!! I have one question though – instead of oats, can I use oat flour? And if so, would it be the same amount?The little pieces of oats get in the way of the overall fudginess.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Seema, That should work! We’d suggest using slightly less because oat flour will be more absorbent. Hope that helps!

  46. Justine says

    While delicious, every single one of these muffins crumbled and broke coming out of the muffin tin! Resembling more of a smashed cake now, they are the only minimalist baker recipe I have tried that hasn’t come out perfectly – what could have went wrong?! I let them cool for about an hour while busying myself around the house.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Oh no! Sorry to hear that, Justine. Is it possible the flax egg didn’t get added? Or another wet ingredient?

  47. Wendy says

    I made these 1-bowl fudge banana chocolate chip muffins. Turned out so delicious. I modified the recipe by using JUST-Egg instead of flax egg and almond meal in place of almond flour. Fantastic results. The perfect dessert!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Great! We’re so glad they turned out well with those modifications. Thank you for sharing, Wendy! xo

  48. Amber says

    I have been meaning to make these the last few days. Currently waiting for them to come out the oven but the batter was delish! Love that I could safely indulge in licking the spatula (and whisk if I’m being honest) since it calls for a flax egg! :D

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We’re so glad you got to make them and enjoyed the batter, Amber =) xoxo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Tammy! Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  49. Danielle says

    Truly delicious muffin! I replaced the flax meal with one egg and replaced the coconut sugar with 1/4+ cup of melted honey.
    This is a keeper!

  50. The Vegan Goddess says

    I made these and the exterior was dry because I kept waiting for the toothpick to come out clean to indicate that it was fully cooked. I took them out of the oven when the toothpick was nearly clean so it wouldn’t dry out more.

    The middle was still a bit moist but the exterior was dry. It wasn’t overly sweet but it was tasty. The batter was sweeter and yummy.

    I think I would have preferred it a bit moister so I would take it out sooner the next time.

    Is it supposed to be dry on the outside?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Because these are “fudgy” they are supposed to be on the moister side, both inside and out. Glad you still enjoyed!

  51. Elise K says

    I would love to try making these with regular egg – do you know how many eggs I would need? Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Elise! We haven’t tried it but we think 1 egg in place of the flaxseed meal and water would work well. Let us know how it goes!

  52. Nzinngha Masani-Manuel says

    I really like this healthy delicious easy recipe. I did make this Sat May 7th as a healthy dessert for my dear husband & I. THANK YOU!!!

  53. Clairelle says

    Easy, quick and delicious! I’ll be making these muffins again (and again).
    I baked them directly in a silicon muffin tin, with no paper wrappers, and they came out with no problem.
    Thanks for the recipe!

  54. Nicole says

    Love these! I dropped everything to make these when they popped on Instagram and they did not disappoint. I used melted coconut oil instead of avocado, and had to put sliced almonds in my coffee grinder to make almond flour but they came out great – a new favourite! I checked them at 25 minutes and they weren’t quite done so put them back on for another 5 minutes but unfortunately a call came in and they ended up in a few minutes longer, but still turned out great! It really hit my sweet tooth this afternoon and i can’t wait to make again. Thanks for the recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed, Nicole. Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Janice! We haven’t tried that so we don’t know if it would work. Let us know if you give it a try!

  55. Sarah says

    This recipe is a gift! The muffins are over the top moist and rich with a crisp crust on top. I substituted almond meal for the almond flour and accidentally substituted one Tbsp olive oil for one of the table spoons of avocado oil. They were delicious despite the changes.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yum! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Sarah. So glad you enjoyed!

  56. Adrienne P. says

    Mixed feelings on these muffins. I make MB recipes quite frequently…

    The consistency of the muffins was odd the first day, but after sitting in a Tupperware container overnight and getting softer, the texture is simultaneously cakey and fudgy. They also just barely peel away cleanly from the liners.

    Modifications: I halved the sugar, used olive oil instead of avocado oil, and used a half cup instead of 3/4 cup of old-fashioned oats.
    I utilized Lily’s 65% cocoa baking chips. Living at 5,000′ elevation, I added 5 minutes of baking time, which was perfect.

    As others have said, I would have preferred the oats to be more fine, so next time I would blend them up first and still utilize half a cup instead of 3/4.
    I am not a huge fan of the banana taste in these, so next time I’d use applesauce.
    I will also add the full amount of sugar next time because mine are pretty bitter from the 65% chocolate.

    I would make these again; they’re just not what I was expecting.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Adrienne, thank you for sharing your experience. Some cupcake liners stick more than others – we prefer the ‘If You Care’ brand – they peel away easily. Hope that helps!

  57. Libby Maurer says

    Absolutely love this recipe! I make mini muffins and store in the freezer for a quick snack before sport or bed. I always add coconut flakes & almond extract for a bit more depth and sometimes sub crunchy PB for the tahini. For special occasions I frost w PB cream cheese frosting. The recipe is fool-proof & such a crowd pleaser!

  58. Caroline says

    Oh my goodness. I just realised that this year is your 10 year anniversary! You started in 2012 and now it’s 2022! 10 years (soon), congrats!! Maybe not today but later in the year it will be 🎉 And about the muffins, they’re delicious and super fudgy xx

  59. Tiffany says

    WOW 🤩 these are so deliciously fudgey! I made mini muffins and cut the time in half and they came out perfectly! Definitely let them cool in the tins for a few minutes. I forgot and took off a few tops. Thank you, your recipes never disappoint!

  60. H says

    For the record, I am a health conscious foodie, but not vegan OR gluten free. AND if I were to consider chocolate cake, it is probably my least favorite dessert option. But for some reason I was compelled to make these. I followed the recipe exactly (oh thats not true, I used brown sugar b/c I ran out of coconut sugar). AND THEY ARE INCREDIBLE. I will definitely be making these again and again and again. Thank you so much

  61. Sniedze says

    Hey there!
    Thank you for this recipe. I have made it quite few times. Last time I made some more adjustments. Sugar I substituted with date flour, almond flour with gluten free flour blend (made my own used the recipe from here to), cacao substituted with carob powder and flax egg to a happy farm chichen egg and added some rice cream, because the batter was very thich. Tastes of course completely different from original recipe taste, but made it more healthy for me and I am happy about it.

  62. Hannah says

    We looove the flavor and ease of these muffins. But curious, could they be made without the oats? We find the texture of the whole oats take away from the ooey gooey-ness for us.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Hannah, yes! You can make it into oat flour by blending up the oats or replace with a lesser amount of sorghum flour. Hope that helps!

  63. Jana says

    I made this last night for our friends who were visiting and eat gluten free. I subbed the almond flour for 1 cup of GF blend and 1/4 cup of almond meal. I used quick oats instead of rolled oats because I didn’t want the oats to be visible. I was surprised how much the muffins rose in the oven considering this is a GF recipe. The muffins came out great and everyone loved them. Thank you for making these wonderful recipes and please make another cookbook so I can buy it. 🙂

  64. Corinne says

    THESE ARE INCREDIBLY MOIST AND DELICIOUS!! Sitting here now, writing out this recipe for my friend who LOVED these when they devoured them at my home. :-)
    If you love chocolate… I highly recommend them!! The Minimalist Baker never lets me down.

  65. sherry says

    These came out perfectly. I used 1/4 c coconut sugar and next time will reduce the maple syrup to 2 T. They came out chocolatey and without the guilt!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Sherry! Thank you for the lovely review and sharing your modifications! xo

  66. Hazel says

    These muffins are soo good!!! Love how they are a healthier treat and I don’t feel guilty for letting my 8 year old eat two of them 😊. I used a normal egg and peanut butter instead of tahini.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Liza, we’re sorry to hear they didn’t turn out as expected! Did you make any modifications? What type of oats did you use? This is one of our reader favorite recipes so we wonder if something might have gone wrong.

  67. Amanda says

    Delicious!! My whole family loved them. I LOVE the almost 6gm of fiber per muffin. No hesitation to let my kids have more than one! Eat up, people! Also- soo easy to throw together. Thank you for the great recipe.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you and your family enjoy them, Amanda! Thank you so much for sharing! xo

  68. Christina says

    These are amazing. Not amazing in the gluten free world but the gluten world. My newly diagnosed celiac 8 year old calls for my baking to change and this was just what I needed i needed to boost my confidence. My kids devoured these. Hubby and myself. My 4 year old asked for them for her birthday. Now i hate making changes changes. BUT I didn’t have have flax so used a normal egg. My oil was coconut oil. Printing and keeping. Thank you. Thank you.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We love to hear this! So glad you all enjoyed this recipe, Christina. Thanks for the lovely review! xo

  69. Sammy says

    These are so.good. I have had my eye on this recipe for a really long time but never had enough of the ingredients to make them, until today! I only had one banana so I cut the recipe in half and made about 12 mini muffins. I used All Purpose flour because I didn’t have almond flour and they still turned out perfect. I just made sure to add the flour in small quantities until I got the the correct consistency of the batter. I didn’t measure but it was probably only about 1/2 cup. I cooked the mini muffins for 10 mins at 350 and they turned out perfect.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad they turned out well! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Sammy! xo

  70. Kat says

    These muffins are insane! So fudgy, rich and chocolatey. I’ve made them three times and will definitely be making them again. I reduced the amount of almond flour by about 1/4 c for a double batch and found the result to be extra fudgy. Would recommend!

  71. Emma says

    These are simply amazing. I have them stocked in the freezer at all times for when a chocolate craving hits. I have made them with natural peanut butter and tahini, and greatly prefer the tahini texture as they are more moist.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoy them, Emma! Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  72. Shannon says

    I really want to make these. I have a flax and egg intolerance. Can I substitute with a chia egg?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Shannon, other readers have reported using a chia egg with success. Let us know if you try it!

  73. Angela says

    These muffins definitely live up to their name. They are so fudgy and decadent! I made them exactly as the recipe is written but the first time I think the batter was a bit too wet and I didn’t bake them long enough so they were difficult to get out of the muffin tins. The second time they came out just perfect! I needed to bake them for the full 30 minutes and I used parchment baking cups. Such a delicious and tasty treat! Thank you for the recipe!

  74. Megan C says

    These are great! I had to modify a little because I didn’t have chocolate chips, so I left them out. I also didn’t have almond flour so I used 1c of AP flour. They turned out delicious, but a little dry as others who didn’t use almond flour have mentioned. I also wasn’t a big fan of the chunks of rolled oats, so next time I’ll try instant oats. Maybe my oven runs hot, because mine were done in 14 minutes. Thanks for the great recipes :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for sharing, Megan! We’re thinking the all purpose may have contributed to the shorter bake time.

  75. Charmaine says

    This is so delicious! Any tips for turning this into a cake or loaf? This could make for a nice birthday cake. :-)

  76. Emily says

    These muffins are SO good! I made them to bring to a birthday party so my little vegan fam would have something fun to eat while the others ate a traditional cake. Everyone ended up eating these and loved them!
    They’re moist (sorry if you hate that word), perfectly decadent, but not so rich that they’re hard to finish. They’re just perfect!
    I’ll be making these again. And again and again!

  77. Casey says

    These are amazing! I’ve made them twice now, subbing Lankato granulated sweetener for the coconut sugar (trying to lessen my sugar intake a bit) and using Lily’s sugar-free chocolate chips. They taste great!

  78. Kelly says

    Ok I made these last night and this is easily the best GF muffin recipe I have tried thus far. I used a real egg, agave, brown sugar, salted almond butter (and left out the added salt) and added 3/4 of an extra ripe banana–they are delicious.
    Is there a sub for the rolled oats? I’m wondering how to make these even more cake-like because the texture and flavor is so delicious, but would be curious to try leaving the “cake” uninterrupted!!

  79. Jenny says

    Followed the recipe, absolutely scrumptious, and very easy to make. Baked for 25 minutes in 350 degrees convection oven.

  80. Megan says

    I love this recipe! This is my new go-to recipe to use up brown bananas. I did substitute part coconut flour and part regular flour for the almond flour, and it worked great.

      • F Ramos says

        Very delicious recipe! So easy using a blender. First, I blend all the ingredients except oats, almond flour, chocolate chips, and baking soda. I then add the oats to the liquified ingredients in the blender and blend some more until smooth. In a bowl, I mix the almond flour, baking soda, and chocolate chips. Then, I fold in the blended ingredients and bake in the muffin pan. The result is a non-grainy fudgy cake-like muffin that is not too sweet! Thanks for the recipe!

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          We’re so glad you enjoy them! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your blender method! xo

  81. Allie says

    Made these and they are amazing! So fluffy and moist. The centers of mine didn’t rise or puff up. Do you know why? Honestly it doesn’t matter to me because they are so yummy, I was just curious. I will absolutely be making these again. Such a great!

  82. Jennifer says

    I just made this and YUM!

    I live at 6500 feet in Colorado and made it as written except using coconut oil instead of avocado oil. Baked at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, though my oven is reading a bit high (~360). They turned out wonderfully. I was able to get 12 muffins.

  83. Monika says

    The first time I made these, the flavor was phenomenal! I followed the recipe exactly, and it worked great even though I am at elevation (Salt Lake City). The muffins were a little soft, so I took note to add a little extra starch the next time.
    The second time I made these, they came out perfectly! I added 2 heaping Tbsp. of potato starch when adding the oats and almond meal. They held together much better and had a more wheat flour muffin consistency!
    Another top tip: peel and freeze your bananas, then thaw them and mash using a hand mixer. So easy and the bananas end up sweeter than using freshly peeled bananas (so you can use less maple syrup!). These are hanging around for the usual rotation of desserts for breakfast!

      • Evie says

        Amazing! Easy to make and delicious. Used cashew butter in place of tahini. Texture is perfect on these. Thank you for another amazing recipe.

      • Monika says

        This is a favorite for me when I want a nutritionally dense, post-workout snack. It hits the spot every time! I want to try adding some chopped nuts such as pecans or walnuts. I think they would add some fun texture. (Note: I did use my modification of 2 Tbsp. of potato starch. I much prefer the sturdier texture.)

        I also want to add, since it seems nobody has commented to confirm their success with a loaf pan, that 40 minutes at 350°F worked great. I used a 9-inch non-stick (dark) pan, so maybe opt for a longer baking time if you use a light metal pan.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Thanks so much for the lovely review, Monika! We have a similar recipe with walnuts and it’s super delicious :) Just keep in mind they might dry it out a bit if you use a lot, so adjust as needed!

  84. Amy says

    I make these almost weekly – they are just that good! I love that they taste so chocolate-y and rich, but are much more filling than an average muffin. I’ve tried tahini, peanut butter, and almond butter and honestly – can’t taste a difference any way – always just as good :)

  85. Jessica Robinson says

    I made these and tried the substitution of half the amount coconut flour in place of oat flour. They were wonderful.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Jessica. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo