Chocolate Protein Muffins with Healthy Ingredient Options for All

Breakfast on the go? Check! Healthy natural ingredients? Check! Tasty indulgent flavor? Yes, these dairy-free chocolate protein muffins check all the boxes. They’re even relatively low in calories and sugars, and the recipe includes options for various allergies and dietary needs.

Dairy-Free Chocolate Protein Muffins for the Whole Family

This recipe for dairy-free chocolate protein muffins is a sample from The Gluten-Free Family Cookbook: Allergy-Friendly Recipes for Everyone Around Your Table by Lindsay Cotter of Cotter Crunch. I have answers to some common questions for both the recipe and her cookbook below.

Where Can I Get Oat Flour? Can I Make My Own?

I usually make it! Simply process oats in your blender, food processor, or spice grinder until a fine powder is achieved. This usually takes just a minute or two. To make 1 3/4 cups oat flour, you will need about 1 3/4 cups oats, or about 7 ounces / 195 grams. You can also buy oat flour. If you need strictly gluten-free, be sure to use oats or oat flour that are specifically tested for gluten-free diets.

What Protein Powder Should I Use in these Chocolate Protein Muffins?

For plant-based protein powder, Lindsay typically recommends Vega, Orgain, Garden of Life, or Huel. These do all contain pea protein. You can source a different type if you need legume-free.

Can I Use a Different Flavor of Protein Powder?

You can, but keep in mind that the protein powder provides most of the chocolate flavor. If you don’t want a chocolate-flavored protein muffin, omit the cocoa powder and use the higher amount of plain or vanilla protein powder.

Where Can I Get Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Chips?

I like to use Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chips. They’re made free of top allergens, including milk. It’s Lindsay’s preferred brand too!

Is The Gluten-Free Family Cookbook Dairy Free?

Basically, it is. Lindsay provides option for various dietary needs. This does mean that dairy is an option in a few recipes, but all seem to be dairy free or have a dairy-free option.

What Other Allergens Does this Cookbook Address?

As you can guess by the title, it’s a strictly gluten-free cookbook. But unlike many other gluten-free cookbooks, Lindsay shuns gums and flour blends, and uses starch sparingly. She mostly utilizes oat, coconut, and occasionally almond for the flour. That said, most recipes are tree nut-free or have a tree nut-free option. She does use coconut a bit, but coconut is not a tree nut. The recipes are also soy-free and optionally egg-free.

What Else Can You Tell Me About The Gluten-Free Family Cookbook?

It’s a full color cookbook with over 75 allergy-friendly recipes. The focus is on healthy, easy food for both kids and adults. You’ll also find many fun everyday recipes, and options for vegetarian and vegan needs throughout!

Special Diet Notes: Chocolate Protein Muffins

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, optionally egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, optionally vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.

Lindsay Cotter

Dairy-Free Chocolate Protein Muffins

5 from 2 votes

Have your chocolate and eat it, too, with these high-protein muffins! They’re made with simple staples for a gluten-free and refined sugar–free breakfast or snack you can feel good about.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 12 muffins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Calories: 180

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 ¾ cups oat flour (certified gluten-free, if needed)
• ⅓ to ½ cup chocolate plant-based protein powder
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅔ cup dairy-free milk alternative at room temperature
• 2 eggs (at room temperature; see Egg-Free Option below)
• ¼ to ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
• 3 tablespoons naturally refined coconut oil or avocado oil (see Oil Note below)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-count muffin tin with liners or spray generously with cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl, sift together the oat flour, protein powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In another large bowl, whisk together the milk alternative, eggs or banana, sweetener, oil, and vanilla.
4. Gently combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin pan, filling the cups two-thirds to three-quarters full.
6. Bake the muffins for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins to a cooling rack to finish cooling before serving.
7. Store the muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 muffinCalories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 22.4gProtein: 8.4gFat: 7.6gSaturated Fat: 4.3gSodium: 169mgFiber: 2.8gSugar: 8.8g

Notes

Oil Note: If using coconut oil, use warm milk so the coconut oil won’t solidify. If using avocado oil, use milk at cold or room temperature.

Egg-Free Option: Substitute 1 small banana, mashed, for the eggs.

Vegan Option: Use maple syrup instead of honey and the egg-free option above.

Credit: This recipe is reprinted with permissions and slightly adapted from The Gluten-Free Family Cookbook : Allergy-Friendly Recipes for Everyone Around Your Table by Lindsay Cotter.

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See Our Dairy-Free Protein Powder Guide for More Guidance!