Name: Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 28 min
Ingredients: 1 cup soy milk; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar ((sub fresh lemon juice)); 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/3 cup grapeseed oil (or any neutral flavored oil); 1/3 cup applesauce; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoons baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; 1 cup vegan chocolate chips (+ more for topping (about 3 tablespoons))

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Who wouldn't love fluffy and tender muffins loaded with chocolatey goodness? These Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins are guaranteed to create smiles in less than 30 minutes!

close up photo of vegan chocolate chip muffin on a white plate with more muffins in the background.

If you're a chocolate lover like me, you may want to give these muffins a try! They are tender and sweet without being overly sweet. Plus, they require simple ingredients and little effort to make. You can whip up a batch right now!

They pair nicely with a tall glass of cold cashew milk or chocolate hazelnut milk if you want to go chocolate crazy!

Table of Contents

How to make vegan muffins tender and fluffy?

Nobody likes a dry and crumbly muffin and there are lots of ways to avoid this issue. The good news is that you don't need dairy or eggs to create the perfect muffin.

For this recipe, I made vegan buttermilk by combining soy milk and apple cider vinegar together (fresh lemon juice works too). After 10 minutes it thickens and curdles just like dairy buttermilk.

You can use any plant-based milk, but I prefer soy because it thickens and curdles the most. The vegan buttermilk's slight acidity will help break down some gluten and create a moist and fluffy texture. It also will help with leavening.

I also used applesauce to create moisture and reduce the amount of oil in the recipe. It works wonderfully! You can also use the same amount of vegan yogurt, mashed banana or vegan sour cream for similar results.

How to make Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins

It's easy! First, preheat your oven to 375 °F (190 °C) and place 12 muffin liners in a standard muffin pan or lightly grease each slot.

Four process photos of mixing batter for muffins.

In a Medium Bowl, add the Soy Milk and Apple Cider Vinegar. Combine and let it sit for 10 minutes to create vegan buttermilk. It will curdle and thicken.
To a Large Bowl, add the Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt then whisk to combine well.
To the bowl with the Buttermilk, add the Sugar, Oil, Applesauce, and Vanilla then whisk to combine well.

Four process photos of folding batter together and adding chocolate chips.

Now, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold the batter gently until just combined and don't overwork it. The batter will be thick and lumps are perfectly fine. Now, gently fold in the vegan chocolate chips.

Two process photos of adding raw batter into muffin tins and topping with chocolate chips.

Using an ice cream scoop (or small measuring cup) divide batter evenly into each slot about ¾ the way full. Sprinkle with more chocolate chips if desired and pop them in the oven.

Muffin tin filled with fully baked vegan chocolate chip muffins.

Bake the muffins until they are slightly golden on top for about 18-20 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the middle of muffin, if it’s mostly clean, then they're ready. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring them to a cooling rack for another 10-15 minutes.

overhead view of two chocolate chip muffins on white plates and muffins in a muffin tin.

Success Tips

Make sure the baking powder and baking soda are not expired or the results could be undesirable. You may end up with flat and dry muffins and that's never fun.
For accurate results, don't scoop the flour with a measuring cup directly from the flour container. Instead, scoop the flour out of your container with a spoon and then into a measuring cup. Don't pack or tap the cup. After filling, lightly sweep a butter knife across the top to remove the excess flour. This will avoid adding too much flour which will change your results.
Don't open the oven during the baking process for any reason during the first 10 minutes. This will interrupt the leavening and your muffins will most likely sink. If you do have to open the oven for some reason, wait until after the 10-minute mark and work quickly to close it again, but try not to open until the 16-18 minute mark.
Oven temperature can affect baking results, so if your oven runs hot, this could make them brown too quickly on top and undercook inside. If your oven runs cool, the leavening agents may not react enough and your muffins could be flat and take much longer to cook. So adjust oven temperature if needed.

Can I freeze muffins?

Yes, they freeze really well and will keep in the freezer for 3-4 months. Just make sure to wrap them well to prevent freezer frost. When you are ready to enjoy, just leave them out at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes. They defrost pretty fast.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins on two white plates with more chocolate chips on the side. Muffin tin in the background.

More vegan muffin recipes to try

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