Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins are made with better-for-you ingredients!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins
These muffins are amazing! They call for healthier ingredients and require very little sugar, compared with most muffins (like these Chocolate Muffins!). Plus, there is no wheat flour used. If you’re gluten intolerant, you’ll appreciate the absence of wheat flour!
One of my favorite things about these muffins is that there are no strange ingredients that you probably wouldn’t have on hand or know exactly where they are in your grocery store. Often, healthy muffin recipes call for specialty flours, oil, or sweeteners, and my goal is to use easily accessible mainstream ingredients. And — of course — at no sacrifice to flavor!
I mentioned that Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins are flourless; instead of using white flour, or even whole wheat flour, we use oats. The oats are blended into a powdery oat flour. No need to buy this from the store, since it literally takes seconds to make at home.
How to make oat “flour”
- Place old-fashioned or quick oats in a food processor or small blender jar.
- Pulse the oats until they are ground into a powder-like consistency that resembles flour (see photo above on the right).
- Stir the oats around to be sure that all the oats have been finely ground.
- Measure the oat flour for these muffins after it’s been turned to flour and not in the original whole oat form. Two tablespoons isn’t a lot, but contributes to the overall stability and flavor of these muffins.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffin ingredients
- Cocoa powder: Use natural cocoa powder, not a Dutch-process cocoa powder. I’ve tested these muffins with Dutch-process cocoa powder, and it does not work in these muffins!
- Oat flour. More on this in the section above.
- Baking soda, baking powder, salt. These baking agents help ensure a nice crumb and rise. Here’s how to make sure your baking soda and powder are fresh.
- Creamy peanut butter. Make sure to use creamy, not chunky, peanut butter in these muffins. If using natural peanut butter, be sure it is well mixed and incorporated (not separated or overly oily) before adding.
- Unsweetened applesauce. If using sweetened applesauce, you’ll want to reduce the amount of brown sugar.
- Vanilla Greek yogurt. Our favorite yogurt to use in these muffins is Honey Vanilla Greek yogurt (made by Greek Gods® — not sponsored). Whatever yogurt you choose to use, make sure you like it plain or you likely won’t love it in these muffins.
- Vanilla extract. Vanilla adds a nice flavor to the muffins. It’s not entirely necessary, so don’t worry if you don’t have any to add.
- Brown sugar. This recipe only uses 2 tablespoons, but if you aren’t used to healthier baked goods, you may want to increase the brown sugar to 4 tablespoons.
- Honey. This natural sweetener adds additional sweetness. The reason we use part honey and part brown sugar is because too much honey makes these muffins too moist.
- Egg. These muffins need one large egg; I have not personally tested using egg alternatives.
- Dark chocolate chips: To keep these Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins more on the nutritious side, we’re using dark chocolate. Dark chocolate has essential fats your body needs and is a powerful source of antioxidants. (Source.)
Quick Tip
If you are eating a gluten-free diet, these muffins are a great addition! While no gluten is added to this recipe, be careful to read the labels on the baking products you buy. Some contain gluten where you wouldn’t expect it, and others are made in a facility with gluten and may be exposed to cross-contamination with gluten products.
Tips
- Generously grease the muffin tin. I don’t recommend muffin liners in this recipe; the batter sticks to the liners. Make sure to really grease the cavities well. Of course, a good muffin tin also makes a world of difference. These tins are my absolute favorite, and I’ve never had a problem with these muffins not releasing nicely.
- Add a few dark chocolate chips on top. I like to add three or four extra chocolate chips on top of each muffin before putting them into the oven. Not only does this make the tops look nicer, it also ensures there is a chocolate chip in every bite!
More healthy baked goods
- Healthy Zucchini Bread with Greek yogurt
- Gluten-Free Apple Muffins with almond butter
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffins with dark chocolate chips
- Peanut Butter Granola with coconut
- Healthy Banana Muffins with Greek yogurt
Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin pan
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons oat flour see note 1
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce see note 2
- 1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 large egg
- 5 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Generously spray 8 of the muffin pan cavities with cooking spray, but don't use muffin liners!
- In a large bowl, stir together the cocoa powder, oat flour (see note 1), baking soda, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar.
- In a separate bowl, combine the peanut butter, applesauce, Greek yogurt, vanilla, honey, and egg. Mix until completely combined.
- Add dry ingredients on top of wet and chocolate chips on top of that. Stir until just combined. Transfer the batter into the prepared muffin tin. If desired, top each muffin with a few more chocolate chips.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool in the muffin tin for 2–4 minutes and then gently coax out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are absolutely delicious Chelsea. I knew by looking at the ingredients that this would be a keeper. The 1st time I made a double batch and they were gone in 24 hours. A few days later, I made a triple batch, gone in 36 hours. My adult sons gobble them up for breakfast and mid morning snack at work. My one son, who unfortunately does not eat very healthy, actually asked me to make them again just 2 days later! Thank you!
Wow!! Amazing 🙂 I LOVE hearing things like this so thank you so much for sharing 🙂 I really appreciate your comment and glad these have been such a huge hit!
Hey Chelsea,
I made your healthy choc chip cookies and can i just say they were beyond amazing. Everyone in my house, even the junk food lovers were pleased. THANK YOU! I will make the brownies tonight. Super excited
Hi Seemein! Thank you so much for the comment 🙂 I am so thrilled to hear they were such a hit! I hope the brownies are equally popular 🙂
I have to admit I had very little hope that these would actually be good. But they are FANTASTIC. My picky kids LOVE these. I have no guilt about them eating these muffins! Thanks for this recipe. We will use it again and again.
YAY!! I’m so happy that you and your kids loved these muffins 🙂 I’m thrilled it was a hit! Thanks Josie!
These are AMAZING!!! I have made them several times now and they are now a staple in our house! Not only do we love them, but I like to take them as dessert when we go places and people rave about them! I use coconut sugar instead of brown, but other than that I follow the recipe exactly 🙂 thank you for this fabulous recipe!
Hi MacKenzie, thank you so much for the comment! 🙂 I am so thrilled this recipe has been so well enjoyed! 🙂
I followed exactly, and doubled the recipe… but mine burnt long before the time 🙁 I have a true convection oven, but did not put it on convection bake… Otherwise nice and fluffly but burnt before 10 minutes on the reduced heat… Will have to adjust the next time!
Oh bummer!! I hope you get a chance to enjoy these next time with an adjusted time! 🙂
Hi Chelsea, I did everything correctly as in the recipe and my muffins did not rise, also can I just ask
is 2 tablespoons of blended oats the correct measure? as it does not seem alot to me (was it a misprint)
or just my bad baking lol!!!, anyway they taste okay will probably have them with custard.
Hey Lesley, I’m sorry to hear that! I haven’t ever heard that and gotten lots of reviews for this recipe. The 2 tbsp.s is correct 🙂 Are your baking agents fresh? Was the oven fully preheated before putting the muffins in? Did you overbeat the mixture? These muffins don’t rise a ton like a typical bakery style muffin, but they shouldn’t be flat at all 🙂
Mine didn’t rise either. I just opened a new baking powder. I tested my baking soda with vinegar and it’s still good. My oven was preheated, and I don’t think I overmixed it.
They don’t rise a whole ton as you can see from the pictures and video…did they look different from pictures/video?
Are these mini muffins?
Nope 🙂 Regular sized!
Did you really mean 2TBS of oat flour and that’s all? I’m making them tonight, but would love to know if I read it right. I love your pumpkin/oatmeal/chocolate chip muffins. I’ve quadrupled the recipe and keep them in the freezer.
No canned pumpkin puree this time of year, so I’ll try something else. Thanks
Any idea how his would turn out if you doubled the recipe and baked in a loaf pan, say at 350F for an hour?
I don’t believe it would turn out in a loaf pan. I haven’t had much success with “flourless”recipes in a loaf pan, they typically burn around the edges and are gooey in the middle.
These muffins are Amaaaaazing! We can’t seem to keep these for longer than a day. They just vanish! They are so delicious and decadent thank you:)