Description
These bakery-style vegan chocolate chip muffins are moist, tender, and full of rich chocolate flavor. Made with oat milk, vegan sour cream, and flaxseed meal, they offer a dairy-free and egg-free alternative that’s perfect for any occasion. The muffins have a perfectly soft crumb with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, topped with crunchy coarse sugar and melty dark chocolate chunks for a delightful finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 mL) oat milk, at room temperature
- ½ cup (115g) vegan sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup (75g) vegan butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled or weighed
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- ¾ cup (155g) organic cane sugar
Add-ins and Toppings
- 8 ounces (225g) 60 to 75% dark chocolate, chopped OR 1 ½ cups (255g) vegan-friendly chocolate chips
- 1 to 2 tablespoons coarse or raw sugar, for sprinkling (optional but recommended)
Instructions
- Prepare milk and sour cream: Measure out the oat milk and vegan sour cream, leaving them on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes until they reach room temperature, which helps with proper mixing and texture.
- Preheat oven and prepare muffin tin: Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 425ºF (218ºC). Grease the bottoms and sides of a standard 12-cup muffin tin generously with coconut oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Make flax eggs: In a small bowl, whisk together flaxseed meal with 4 tablespoons of warm water. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes until it gels into a thick consistency, which acts as a binder replacing eggs.
- Prepare vegan buttermilk: Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the oat milk and stir. Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes to curdle slightly, mimicking the acidity and texture of traditional buttermilk.
- Chop chocolate: Chop the dark chocolate into medium-sized pieces. Reserve about ¼ cup (~30g) of the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips separately for topping the muffins later.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, ground cinnamon, and optional nutmeg until evenly distributed.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the flax eggs, melted vegan butter, and cane sugar until fully combined. Next, whisk in the vegan sour cream, prepared vegan buttermilk, and vanilla extract. It’s fine if some small sour cream lumps remain.
- Combine wet and dry: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined; the batter should be thick and slightly lumpy but do not overmix. Fold in the chopped chocolate pieces with a silicone spatula until evenly distributed.
- Fill muffin tins: Spoon the batter nearly to the top of each muffin cup. Sprinkle coarse sugar on top of each muffin and press the reserved chocolate pieces into the surface for decorative and crunchy toppings.
- Initial high-heat bake: Bake the muffins at 425ºF (218ºC) for 6 minutes to get an initial rise and crust formation.
- Lower heat and finish baking: Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350ºF (175ºC) and continue baking for another 16 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and store: Remove muffins from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack. Let them cool for 20 to 30 minutes before loosening the edges with an offset spatula or butter knife. Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Note 1: Bringing oat milk and vegan sour cream to room temperature ensures better mixing and a smoother batter.
- Note 2: Use melted vegan butter such as plant-based margarine or coconut oil to add richness; let it cool slightly so it doesn’t cook the batter.
- Note 3: Choose vegan-friendly dark chocolate or chocolate chips without dairy. Chopping chocolate by hand gives better-size chunks for pockets of melty chocolate.
- Note 4: Sprinkling coarse or raw sugar on top adds a pleasing crunchy texture and attractive sparkle to the muffins.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 26 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, American
Keywords: vegan chocolate chip muffins, dairy-free muffins, egg-free muffins, breakfast muffins, plant-based baking, vegan dessert
