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Rich and delicious (yet healthy!) vegan chocolate chickpea flour muffins, perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. They are grain-free & gluten-free.

I’ll cut to the chase: chocolate.
Chocolate muffins, to be precise. Moist, rich, and delicious, they are just what your December mornings need.
Table of Contents
- Vegan Chocolate Chickpea Flour Muffin Benefits
- Chickpea Flour for Grain-Free Egg-Free Muffins
- Ingredients
- How to Make Vegan Chocolate Chickpea Flour Muffins (GF)
- Step One: Preheat Oven and Prepare Muffin Tin
- Step Two: Combine Wet Ingredients
- Step Three: Combine Dry Ingredients
- Step Four: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
- Step Five: Portion the Batter
- Step Six: Bake
- Tip: Use a Quick-Release Scoop for Portioning Batter
- Storing the Muffins
- More Vegan & Grain-Free Chickpea Flour Recipes to Love:
- Vegan Chocolate Chickpea Flour Muffins (GF) Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Chickpea Flour Muffin Benefits
These muffins taste decadent, but they also happen to be:
- Vegan (no eggs, no dairy)
- Refined sugar free
- Grain-free
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
Making the batter requires about 3 minutes of time, followed by a brief bake. They are ready, start to finish, in under 30 minutes, which is especially ideal during the busy holiday season.
Chickpea Flour for Grain-Free Egg-Free Muffins
The key to making these perfect muffins both grain-free and vegan is chickpea flour.
This inexpensive, wholesome flour is made from finely ground dried chickpeas and works as both an egg-replacement and flour replacement. It is pretty amazing. Chickpea flour is also packed with protein and fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- cold strong coffee (or water)
- unsweetened applesauce
- coconut sugar
- avocado oil (or oil of choice)
- cider vinegar (or any light-colored vinegar, or lemon juice)
- vanilla extract
- chickpea flour
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- baking powder (grain-free, as needed)
- salt
- Optional: miniature semisweet chocolate chips
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Chickpea Flour Muffins (GF)
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
Step One: Preheat Oven and Prepare Muffin Tin
Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line 12 cups of a standard size muffin tin with paper or foil liners.
Step Two: Combine Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the coffee, applesauce, coconut sugar, oil, vinegar and vanilla.
Step Three: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
Step Four: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just blended (do not overmix). Stir in chocolate chips, if using.

Step Five: Portion the Batter
Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.

Step Six: Bake
Bake in the preheated oven for 13 to 17 minutes until risen and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Cool muffins in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tip: Use a Quick-Release Scoop for Portioning Batter
If you like to bake muffins and cupcakes with any regularity, and you do not yet own one of these quick-release scoops, I recommend remedying the situation post haste.

They make portioning batter a cinch (no more guessing and redistributing), which means every muffin or cupcake will be the same size. They are also great for making kitchen sink-size cookies and scooping ic cream, too.
Storing the Muffins
The cooled muffins will keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 days, or you can store them longer in the refrigerator (up to 1 week) or the freezer (for up to 6 months).
Happy baking!

More Vegan & Grain-Free Chickpea Flour Recipes to Love:
- Double Chocolate Chickpea Flour Cookies {vegan, grain-free}
- Grain-Free Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Chickpea Flour Beer Bread {3 ingredients, vegan}
- Chickpea Flour Biscotti {vegan, grain-free}
- Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies {vegan, grain-free}
- Chickpea Flour Shortbread Cookies {4 ingredients, grain-free, vegan}
- Chickpea Flour Chocolate Cake
- Chickpea Flour Carrot Cake Bites
- Chocolate Chickpea Flour Muffins
- Chickpea Flour Gingerbread Bundt Cake

Vegan Chocolate Chickpea Flour Muffins (GF)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cold strong coffee (or water)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar, (see notes for options)
- 1/4 cup avocado oil , (or oil of choice)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, (or lemon juice, or other light colored vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.25 cups chickpea flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder , (certified GF, as needed)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 3 to 5 tablespoons miniature chocolate chips, (certified GF, as needed)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line 12 cups of a standard size muffin tin with paper or foil liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coffee, applesauce, coconut sugar, oil, vinegar and vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just blended (do not overmix).
Stir in chocolate chips, if using. - Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 13 to 17 minutes until risen and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool muffins in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition





Could I substitute the coffee for chai?
Umm, that sounds like a great (and very delicious) swap, Niffermama! 💯 yes 🙂
These are amazing! I used 1/2 cup allulose to sweeten. Added 1 scoop plain protein powder and sprinkled tops with walnuts.
Ooh, I am glad to know that the allulose worked for sweetening, thanks for sharing that Martina! Glad you like the muffins 🙂
Good day.
Do you think I could make these strawberry flavoured instead? Maybe by using strawberry purée instead of applesauce and omit the cacao powder maybe use grind up frozen strawberries instead. Or how do you think I could make it strawberry flavour?
Hi Cali,
Roasting the strawberries, or cooking them down on the stovetop, can help intensify the flavor. Because of their high water content, strawberries do not add a lot of flavor or sweetness. I think it will be too many changes to take out the cocoa powder here plus do the strawberry substitution (the cocoa powder does more than add flavor, it also adds dryness, volume and structure).
Tried these today….perfect! Thanks for sharing!
Replaced applesauce with yoghurt. Very soft and delicious.
That’s fantastic, Chitra, thanks for sharing!
Hi Camilla, can I replace both the apple sauce and oil with the smashed banana? Thank you
Hi Janice,
Yes, I think that will work! If you are following that route, I suggest also replacing all of the coffee/water with mashed banana. Make sure the banana is really ripe and smashed very fine 🙂 I think I need to try it ,too!
These are good! I love that the coffee flavour comes through and deepens the chocolate. The texture of these muffins is quite crumbly (maybe normal for gf?), but they really are yummy. I followed the recipe, but had to top up my applesauce with some mashed banana. Also used coconut oil. I agree that the batter was not so appealing before baking :p
I’m so glad you like them, Kelsey!
I’m not sure how this will rise without eggs? Was this recipe a typo, because I’ve never been able to bake a cake without eggs
Hi Coleen,
No typo, there are no eggs in the recipe. Baking powder is the leavener in the recipe that makes the muffins rise. You can definitely bake without eggs 🙂
Hi, I was wondering what the measurements for all the ingredients are in grams, as I only have a set of scales…
Can’t wait to make these- they look delicious!
Thanks 🙂
Hi Jayla,
Done! I just added the metric measurements. 🙂
If i dont have applesauce, what is better substitute?
Hi Tiffy,
Mashed ripe banana will work. You could also use canned pumpkin (I would thin the pumkin slightly with some water, though, since it is much thicker than applesauce),
These were delicious! I have a question: could I use all applesauce instead of applesauce and oil? Thanks! (I’ve tried three of your recipes so far- so yummy!)
Hi Rebecca,
I am not sure, but I think it could still work 🙂
Hi – Wondering if you’ve ever used carob to make these?
I’m not a huge chocolate person, but you have me drooling, Camilla. These look absolutely spectacular!
I made these in a flash and they were so delicious, I almost ate the 4 all by myself! Thanks for making them so easy and quick! They taste like they are made with “regular” (eggs, ap flour) ingredients.
Oh my, these are irresistible! Amazing with a dollop of raspberry preserves as a special treat. Love your chickpea flour recipes!