Fudgy Vegan Double Chocolate Beet Muffins

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Cutting board filled with a batch of Vegan Double Chocolate Beet Muffins

When I was in high school my mom used to packed my lunch for me every day before I left for school. I know, I was totally spoiled. More on this fact here and here. But despite having a wholesome, homemade meal as mid-day fuel I always craved just a little something more. You know, something sweet. Something chocolate. Something like, an Otis Spunkmeyer chocolate chocolate muffin.

Don’t mind if I do, eat-it-cold-with-my-bare-hands while my friends watch in horror. #truestory

Fresh beets for making our Chocolate Beet Muffins recipe

But here’s the deal. I don’t even want to know what was in those things. And I’m pretty sure each one had at least 400 calories and loads of fat and sugar. Knowing that now, I avoid them at all costs. But that doesn’t mean I don’t crave a moist, chocolate chocolate chip muffin once in a while.

My solution? Make them healthier.

Making beet puree in a food processor
Wooden spoons and a bowl filled with homemade beet puree

This recipe starts with one seriously healthy ingredient: Beet purée! An entire cup of beet purée — equals out to about two whole beets — goes into a dozen, naturally-sweetened, whole grain muffins that also happen to be vegan. I didn’t even know such deliciousness was possible without butter, sugar and milk.

Batter and completed product of our Roasted Beet Double Chocolate Muffins
Sprinkling chocolate chips onto muffin tins filled with Vegan Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

Despite their intense appearance, these muffins are actually super simple once you get your beets puréed, requiring just one bowl and 30 minutes to prepare. And the ingredients are simple and wholesome:

flaxseed
beets
agave nectar
brown sugar
salt & baking soda
coconut oil
almond milk
cocoa powder
whole-wheat pastry flour
& dairy-free chocolate chips

If you have those things on hand, you’re in business. I mean, you’re in SERIOUS business. Look at these beauties!

Plate of Vegan Double Chocolate Muffins
Healthy dessert of Vegan Double Chocolate Muffins made with beets

I was so pleased with how they turned out. They’re:

Moist
Fudgy
Super chocolaty
Filling
& Altogether satisfying

Way better than the muffin of my yesteryear, but with all of the satisfying, chocolaty taste I remember and love.

Batch of Healthy Chocolate Muffins resting on parchment paper

Another perk? Each muffin boasts just 170 calories! I’m not big on counting calories myself — I believe more in intuitive eating. But I couldn’t help but brag about how nutritionally dense yet calorically modest they are! That means you can eat at least 2-3 at any given moment, right? OK good, that’s what I thought.

Batch of our Double Chocolate Muffins recipe on a towel

Enjoy these muffins with breakfast, as a snack, or a late-night dessert. I personally chose to share mine with friends — a.k.a. in a safe environment where I wouldn’t inhale half the batch before I realized what just happened. Bake them, share them or keep them for yourself. Whatever you do, just make them! You’ll fall in hardcore vegan love with these little guys. Enjoy!

Showing to fudgy inside of our Double Chocolate Beet Vegan Muffins

Fudgy Vegan Double Chocolate Beet Muffins

Fudgy, vegan double chocolate muffins with a secret healthy ingredient: puréed beets! Healthy, easy to make, and satisfies a serious chocolate craving.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Tray of Fudgy Vegan Double Chocolate Muffins
4.90 from 137 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings 12 (muffins)
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax eggs)
  • 5 Tbsp water (to make flax eggs)
  • 1 cup beet purée (or sub butternut squash, applesauce, or another hearty fruit purée)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar (sub honey if not vegan)
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or vegan butter (such as Earth Balance)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (or unbleached all-purpose)
  • 1/3 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips (plus more for topping)

Instructions

  • See this recipe for instructions on roasting a beet. Otherwise, you could sub another fruit purée, such as butternut squash or applesauce.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line 12 muffins with paper liners, or lightly grease (as original recipe is written // adjust number of muffins if altering batch size).
  • Prepare flax eggs in a large mixing bowl by mixing flaxseed meal and water and let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Add beet purée, melted oil, maple syrup or agave, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and whisk for 45 seconds.
  • Stir in the almond milk and whisk once more.
  • Add cocoa powder and flours and stir with a spoon or spatula until just combined, being careful not to over-mix. If the batter appears too thick, add a touch more almond milk. But it should be quite thick and NOT pourable – rather, scoopable.
  • Lastly, stir in chocolate chips. Then divide batter evenly between muffin tins (should be enough for between 11-12 as original recipe is written) and sprinkle with a few more chocolate chips (optional but recommended).
  • Bake for 17-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan, remove from tins and let cool on a cooling rack. Will keep covered for several days. Freezer for longer-term storage.

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 12 servings)

Serving: 1 muffin Calories: 171 Carbohydrates: 27 g Protein: 3 g Fat: 6 g Saturated Fat: 4 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 233 mg Fiber: 3 g Sugar: 12 g

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  1. nicole says

    Do you think I could sub the beet for banana? I want to make my son a chocolate cake with chocolate peanut butter frosting, but don’t think the peanut butter would go with the beets… Thinking of just subbing a cup of beet puree for a cup of mashed bananas, thoughts?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Nicole, hmm, we’re not sure! We think it might taste too much like banana and be dense (like banana bread). But if that doesn’t bother you, go for it! The flavor of the beets is very mild! We do also have other chocolate cake recipes (such as this one) that might be a better fit if you don’t want to use beets.

  2. Katelyn says

    This is my absolute favourite muffin recipe to bake. I started when we had an overabundance of beets from our veggie box, but will now buy beets specifically for this recipe.
    They freeze beautifully! Individually wrapped, will thaw by lunch.
    I use a chia egg because I don’t usually have flax, and regular dairy products because I’m not vegan. I’ve also subbed cocoa nibs for the chocolate chips and find they give a fun texture.
    Thanks for a great recipe!

  3. Kristen Balogh says

    Very good !! I don’t bake with oil so instead a very ripe banana. I used applesauce instead of beet which I didn’t have on hand. I added cacao powder instead and next time I may use less flour and add protein powder as I do often.. I love chocolate so I added some white chips as well😊

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

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

  4. Mary says

    We make a batch of these often. Freezing some for later. I have used steamed and roasted beets with similar results. I always use coconut sugar for my brown sugar. I have used a variety of flours. Whole wheat, Einkorn, and most frequently spelt. Depending on the type of flour and how moist my beet puree is I sometimes add a little more almond milk. Also I have used cocoa and raw cacao with equally good results. I personally prefer the cacao for the health benefits. Oh and I do love choclate so I always find myself going a bit heavier on the choclate chips. Thank you for a great recipe.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

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

  5. Renee says

    This my first attempt at vegan baking & I’m so pleased! I needed to use some of the recommended subs—regular flour, maple syrup & coconut oil. These really set up well & I found they taste even better once cooled. I love the combo of lower calorie-nutrient dense. I’ll be making these again. Thanks!

  6. Heidi says

    Fabulous recipe!! I’ve made two lots of muffins and one Black Forest cake (using this recipe as the cake base) – they’ve all turned out well, but the cake was super! I’m going to make it again this Saturday for a birthday gathering. I changed quite a few things – cake = 1 1/2 x recipe. Substituted the flax eggs for 2 free-range eggs – from our backyard chooks! (3 eggs for the cake because I made 1 1/2 the recipe). I don’t like refined fats – so I substituted the almond milk + coconut oil for coconut cream (only using the thick part of the can). Gluten free flour – a mix of freshly milled buckwheat, almond meal, ground flaxseed and tapioca. Honey + stevia (blend) + rapadura sugar as sweeteners. Cacao powder instead of cocoa. I added a little soy milk at the end to thin the batter down just a tad. Ohhhh my goodness – divine – amazing – and oh so healthy!!!!! Love the addition of the roasted beets! My hubbie and our friend couldn’t taste the beetroot! The blackforest version is insane.. especially smearing the centre with home-made low sugar strawberry jam!!!!! Coconut whipped cream mmm mmm. This is going to be my go-to chocolate cupcake/muffin/cake recipe from now on. Keen to try other fruit/veg like apples, cooked carrot, maybe citrus and berries too! I am a massive experimenter. Of course, omitting the eggs would probably make it tougher – I do love my plant-based baking, however, using eggs definitely makes a difference :)

  7. Kristen says

    Vegetables hiding out in desserts is one of my favorites things. I love being able to eat something sweet and know that it’s still healthy. These did not disappoint! I halved agave and brown sugar and used whole wheat flour but otherwise followed the recipe. Mine didn’t come out nearly as smooth and pretty but they were still moist, perfectly sweet, and delicious.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Tiffany, we haven’t tried these with gluten-free flour but other readers have had success with a all-purpose gluten-free flour blend!

  8. Amy says

    This is a fantastic recipe! I use real eggs and safflower oil. I’ve made them so many times, and have used chopped chocolate when I’m out of chocolate chips and they’re still perfect. What I love is that they aren’t too sweet, with an amazing deep chocolate flavor. My grandkids can’t believe there are beets in these muffins!

  9. Chicana says

    I turned this into a loaf (increased time and tested it for doneness every few minutes.) The chocolatey-ness with the beets makes a delicious moist baked treat. I didn’t have a full cup of beet puree and made up the difference with Mott’s Mixed Berry Carrot applesauce. Another MB winner :)

  10. Mnic Clem says

    I have been making these muffins for almost 3 years. They are my husbands fave and I love them too. I plant extra beets in my garden now and then I puree them and freeze in 1 cup portions. So I can make some all year long with my home grown organic beets. Thank you @Minimalist Baker for this delicious, healthy recipe!

  11. Hadley says

    I cannot get over how good these muffins are! Amazing! They taste like a fudgy chocolate cupcake but they’re not loaded with sugar! Made mine with applesauce because I did not have and coule not figure out where to get beet puree. Also had to sub Namaste brand GF flour for the whole wheat since we’re gluten free. Oh my word they are good! Easy to make, great texture, gentle bit of fruity flavor but mostly just chocolate-fudge goodness. I used Guittard brand chocolate chips. Amazing as always!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

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

  12. Lulu says

    Yum! I made this today with a cup of grated raw beets instead of purée and blended the beets with all the wet ingredients. Turned out great- wonderful texture, delicious, and a hit with the kids too!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed them, Lulu. Thank you for sharing! xo

  13. Bruna Oliveira says

    These are absolutely delicious! Super moist, very chocolatey and a total win with the kids and grown ups.

  14. Karen H. says

    Pretty good! Very moist, fudgy texture, but a little “beetier” flavor and color than other chocolate beet cake recipes I’ve tried–this didn’t bother me or my husband but my children didn’t like them. I will try it again with half beet puree/half apple sauce to see if they like it better. Thanks!

  15. Ieva says

    Thank you for this recipe. My toddler, who doea not like beets, love those muffins! Amazing way how to get them to eat beets! 😊

  16. Deborah says

    I absolutely LOVE this recipe! It is so versatile. I have made it with eggs; I have made it with flax seed; I’ve done half egg and half flax. I’ve tried beets and squash and applesauce and even carrots and some bottled cherries I needed to use up. The “framework” for this recipe is awesome, because no matter what I’ve tried, it has turned out great, and my kids gobble them up. In fact, I usually make a double batch and put half of the cooked muffins in the freezer, because my family always wants more.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Love your creativity with the recipe, Deborah! We’re so glad you enjoy it as a framework. Thank you for sharing! xo

  17. Danijela says

    Had no time for beet puree, so went with apple&pear store bought, 1 cup plain white + 1/3 whole wheat and instead of baking soda used 10 g of baking powder. Turned out great!
    I think I want to add some coffee next time…

      • Tarra says

        We have made these numerous times and they always turn out amazing! Thank you for such an incredible recipe!! If your readers are short on time, our Trader Joe’s and Costco both have steamed beets, which I have puréed and used for the recipe (In case anyone is nervous about cooking the beets or is looking for a bit of a short cut:)
        Definitely a recipe my family requests often!

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Amazing! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy them, Tarra! And thank you for sharing that helpful shortcut! xo

  18. Sara says

    Um… these are AMAZING! I needed something portable, healthy, and tasty for my daughter to take to school for breakfast and these were perfect. Today is the second day of school and I have a second batch in the oven because they are so good that we’ve almost eaten them all in 3 days. My daughter, who is 6, helped me make them and she is so proud that they have beets in them! Thanks for making recipes that are kid approved and make me feel good about what I’m feeding my family.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Rosa, we haven’t tried it that way, but other readers have reported success with chicken eggs and making it as a cake. You may need to increase the bake time for a cake. Let us know how it goes!

  19. Emily says

    I have made this recipe multiple times! It is a favorite for everyone! Plant based or not! I personally don’t use any oil at all so I sub my oil for applesauce or extra beet purée!! It comes out incredibly delicious every time! (And it doesn’t stick) We also use this recipe for birthday cakes, and brownies! Thank you for this recipe! It is a LOVE in our book!

  20. Candice says

    made this recipe so many times … with substitute for the flour(1 cup whole grain spelt and 1/3 cup seedmeal mixture (equal parts sunflower, pumpkin, flax and chia seeds) perfect everytime. I also add 2 tablespoons of plain yoghurt. A family favorite and all time crown pleaser. Thank you so much for this recipe.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for sharing your experience and your modifications, Candice! We are so glad you enjoyed. xo

  21. Alison says

    I’ve made these a handful of times with various substitutions, and they are great!!! I’m in a pickle – my son’s elimination diet is grain-free. I can’t use almond flour because no nuts at school. He reacts to GF oats. ARGH. Will cassava work? I have cassava, coconut, tapioca flours. What can I use? What combos?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy them, Alison! Perhaps a combo of the three that’s heavier on the cassava and tapioca? We haven’t tried it though and can’t guarantee results. Let us know how it goes!

    • Natassa says

      I made them yesterday using half carob flour and half oat flour (oats blended).
      It can work also with buckwheat which you can blend it and turns into flour as well. No need to buy the expensive buckwheat flour.
      Also, the carob flour is not only super healthy but gives an extra chocolate feeling to everything so no need for extra chocolate if you want to go super healthy here :-)

  22. Haley says

    Great recipe and toddler approved! I bought canned beets and puréed it in a mini food processor. Here are the subs I made since I had these things on hands-subbed 2 eggs for flax eggs, stevia for brown sugar, sugar free syrup in place of regular syrup, and white chocolate chips instead of dairy free chocolate chips. I made these into 48 mini muffins and baked at 375 for about 15min. Will make again!

  23. Elizabeth says

    Anyone made these without cooking the beets first? I use raw beets for a yummy beet-strawberry smoothie. I’ve made chocolate beet muffins before that used raw beets. The muffins were rich and delicious (and not “beety”) but I can’t find the recipe.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Elizabeth, we don’t know that raw beets would give the same texture in these muffins, and their flavor would probably be more apparent.

    • Jenna says

      I have made this recipe time and time again – always with the beets raw…just shredded finely (into nearly a puree). Sometimes I use just beets OR a mixture of homemade applesauce and raw beet puree. It always turns out awesome. It’s not super obviously “beet-y” – just Earthy and Chocolaty and Delicious!

  24. Stephanie says

    I’ve made these countless times, and they never disappoint. I never tell the secret ingredient until after people have fallen in love. Today, since it’s high beet season in my garden, I made a huge batch of the batter. I used half for muffins, but I added a dollop of chocolate hazelnut butter to the center of each (https://minimalistbaker.com/4-ingredient-nutella-vegan-gf/). Yummy! The other half, I thinned out with some coffee to make pancakes. These turned out great, too!

  25. Mel says

    Thanks Dana for this wonderful recipe. This is my go-to recipe for muffins. Love that they are so healthy. Have made this many times (love that this recipe is so reliable each time!) since 2018, and shared it to friends and family. Each time it get gobbled up! :)

  26. Michelle says

    I have made these several times with my toddler “helping”. We love these muffins! I’ve done both flax eggs and regular eggs and both work great. Mine are always done close to 17 min and moist and tasty. Thanks for consistently good recipes!

      • Rose says

        I made these with more than a few substitutions, but they turned out pretty darn well – and decently healthy for a treat! I used zucchini (I had several to use) instead of beets, eggs, a combo of all purpose, almond and oat flours, and I added vanilla. And hand chopped chocolate chunks, but when I make these again, I’ll probably use chips so that the chocolate doesn’t melt into puddles on top.
        Anywho, these were a fun experiment for a great – thanks for sharing your awesome recipes!

  27. Ashley says

    Yep… this recipe is a keeper… i’ve made this at least 4 times now and each time my children love them… i have to add at least 1/2 cup Of chocolate chips just for good measure, and today had to add an extra splash of milk to compensate for the types of flours I was using, but tasty none the less. Thanks for the trusty recipe, no doubt making these again!
    -Ashley

  28. Jenny Levine says

    I made these and they were incredibly good! Totally Otis S.-esque! I got beets in my CSA and didn’t know how to use them–so Minimalist Baker to the rescue. I learned how to roast them, then pureed, and used them in two recipes. Did not detect any beet flavor. They were SO good! I will be making this again. THANK YOU!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Paddy, coconut flour is more absorbent and usually benefits from the addition of eggs, so we’re not sure about it in this recipe. Let us know if you try it though!

  29. DLL in Boston says

    Delicious and moist! I used pre-cooked beets, soy milk instead of almond milk, and half spelt flour / half white flour, and coconut sugar instead of brown sugar (because these are what I had!). I made them in a mini muffin tin using a one-tablespoon cookie scooper and baked for 13 minutes at 375 degrees. They were easier than I expected. My husband and 11 yr old loved them. I will make again.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed them! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

  30. Aman says

    These are absolutely delicious. Last week I made them with beets. And this week with processed apples. They were still fudgy with apples but the fudge factor shot up considerably. Also a side Thank you for introducing the book ‘Fiber fueled..’ It has transformed my life literally. I never use to know what/how to eat properly. And that book and your insta- interview of questions with Dr. B really helped me. As a vegetarian, I already had options. But reading that book increased my options by like a million. Thank you soo very much.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, we’re so glad to be able to help, Aman! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your story!