These flourless chocolate peanut butter muffins are unbelievably moist and tender and packed with chocolate and peanut butter flavor. You simply won't believe this gluten-free and even grain-free recipe, made without added butter or oil!
Why this flourless muffin recipe with peanut butter and chocolate works so well
When I first developed this recipe in 2016, I had been failing off and on for years. And then you loved it as much as I do, so I doubled down on flourless baking recipes.
At the start, I tried to make flourless chocolate peanut butter muffins without banana. But banana helps add moisture, plus lots of natural sweetness.
- The structure of the muffin comes from the smooth nut butter and eggs. Even the mashed banana helps.
- The moisture and sweetness from the honey and banana.
- The flavor comes from honey, cocoa powder, and peanut butter.
The result is these amazingly moist, tender and even light grain-free flourless peanut butter breakfast muffins.
They taste great, aren't very sweet, and are still super filling. A staple of the gluten free breakfast rotation in my house.
What makes this grain free chocolate peanut butter muffin recipe the best—even if you don't like banana
If you compare this flourless recipe to my recipe for flourless chocolate peanut butter breakfast cookies, you'll find that the real difference is the addition of mashed banana here.
If you really don't like the taste of bananas, you don't even taste them. I do like bananas, but I'm still sensitive to the taste because I only want things like our gluten free banana muffins to taste like them.
If you scroll down, though, I do have some suggestions for replacing the mashed banana. And you can always try our recipe for flourless Paleo muffins, which are much more neutral-tasting.
What makes these chocolate peanut butter muffins healthy?
Most grab-and-go breakfast foods aren't healthy at all. Even if they fill you up for the moment, you'll probably crash pretty soon after.
These chocolate peanut butter muffins are healthy because they're made with smooth peanut butter as a base, and much of the sweetness comes from mashed bananas. If you've ever been running low on energy and grabbed a spoonful of peanut butter as a snack, these muffins are a more satisfying alternative.
Ingredients and substitutions for chocolate peanut butter muffins
As long as you're using dairy-free miniature chocolate chips (or simply leaving them out of the recipe), these muffins are naturally dairy-free.
Here are some educated guesses about other allergenic ingredients you may have to eliminate. If none of them suits you, don't forget there are so many other gluten free breakfast ideas here on the blog.
Egg-free chocolate peanut butter muffins
There are 3 eggs in this recipe, as it's been scaled up to make more generous muffins, which is generally too many eggs to successfully replace in a recipe.
Before you try replacing each egg with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel), I recommend scaling the recipe back down to call for only 2 eggs.
The other ingredients would be as follows:
- 1 cup (256 g) peanut butter
- 2 mashed bananas (200 g)
- 2 “chia eggs”
- 4 tablespoons (84 g) honey
- 1/2 cup (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ounce miniature dark chocolate chips (optional)
Follow the remaining recipe instructions as written. The recipe should only make 8 chocolate peanut butter muffins.
No banana flourless muffins recipe suggestions
I love bananas, but I know not everyone shares my heart here. I really really believe that you cannot taste the bananas in this recipe.
One more pitch for including them: The banana flavor is completely overshadowed by the chocolate and peanut butter flavors.
But if you simply will not bake with mashed bananas, try replacing them with an equal amount, by weight, of unsweetened smooth (jarred) applesauce.
For a different, but similar recipe, try our flourless quinoa chocolate cupcakes recipe instead.
Making flourless muffins without honey
If you'd like to make vegan chocolate peanut butter flourless muffins, you'll need to make them egg-free (see above) and without honey.
I don't usually have success replacing honey in baking with pure maple syrup. Syrup is much thinner than honey.
To match honey's sweetness and viscosity, try Lyle's Golden Syrup instead. If you can't find Lyle's, I think light corn syrup (which is not at all the same as the dreaded high fructose corn syrup) should work, too.
Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins | A Magical Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (384 g) no-stir smooth peanut butter (or almond butter)
- 3 (300 g (weighed after peel is removed)) ripe bananas mashed
- 3 (150 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 6 tablespoons (126 g) honey
- ¾ cup (60 g) unsweetened cocoa powder natural or Dutch processed
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ ounces miniature dark chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line the wells of a standard 12-cup muffin tin and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the peanut butter, bananas, eggs and honey, and beat with a handheld mixer until very well-combined. Add the cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt, and mix with a spatula until just combined.
- Beat the mixture again with a handheld mixer until very well-combined. The batter should be thick but soft and as smooth as possible.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared wells of the muffin tin, and shake the tin back and forth to distribute the batter in an even layer in each well. Sprinkle the optional miniature chocolate chips evenly on top of the batter in each well.
- Place the tin in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the tops of the muffins are puffed and spring back and feel relatively firm when pressed gently in the center (about 25 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. They freeze exceptionally well when placed in a well-sealed freezer-safe container. Defrost at room temperature or in the microwave.
Notes
Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins | A Magical Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (384 g) no-stir smooth peanut butter (or almond butter)
- 3 (300 g (weighed after peel is removed)) ripe bananas mashed
- 3 (150 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 6 tablespoons (126 g) honey
- ¾ cup (60 g) unsweetened cocoa powder natural or Dutch processed
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ ounces miniature dark chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line the wells of a standard 12-cup muffin tin and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the peanut butter, bananas, eggs and honey, and beat with a handheld mixer until very well-combined. Add the cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt, and mix with a spatula until just combined.
- Beat the mixture again with a handheld mixer until very well-combined. The batter should be thick but soft and as smooth as possible.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared wells of the muffin tin, and shake the tin back and forth to distribute the batter in an even layer in each well. Sprinkle the optional miniature chocolate chips evenly on top of the batter in each well.
- Place the tin in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the tops of the muffins are puffed and spring back and feel relatively firm when pressed gently in the center (about 25 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. They freeze exceptionally well when placed in a well-sealed freezer-safe container. Defrost at room temperature or in the microwave.
Mildred Wiens says
Excellent, just a bit strong chocolate. Could part of the cocoa be substituted with one of the flours, like arrowroot ?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid not, Mildred. I would say to make sure you’re using very ripe bananas, as that really sweetens the muffins and makes the chocolate flavor smoother.
Lee says
I just made these muffins in the hopes that one really doesn’t taste the banana flavor but alas I do. :( . I used mixed nut butter and cut the honey down to 3 Tablespoons. Otherwise, I didn’t make changes in the ingredients. I saw in one of the replies that you suggest using apple sauce as a substitute. Do you think apple butter might work better and also how much to use? Same amount in weight as the bananas?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m not sure what “mixed nut butter” is, Lee, but the strong flavor of peanut butter, and the addition of the honey as specified, both help to disguise the banana flavor. Every change, even ones that might seem unimportant, to you, takes you further away from the recipe as written. I don’t recommend apple butter, no. I refer you back to the part of the post that discusses applesauce, as you mentioned.
Kate says
Followed the recipe, looked lovely when cooked, but found them very dry, think if I were to make again would add some oil,
Nicole Hunn says
It sounds like you overbaked them, Kate. If you add oil, you’ll end up with greasy muffins—that are likely still overbaked. Check your oven temperature, as it likely runs hot (as most ovens do).
Margo Plachetka says
What are the calories and carbs in the recipe? Thanks so much!
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Margo, I’m afraid I don’t have that sort of information, but you can find it out just as I would, by plugging it into an online nutrition calculator. I like Spark People (https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp).
Becky says
I appreciate the time and effort you have spent developing your recipes. This one sounds really good. My question is you mention weighing the bananas and eggs, but did not mention what the weight should be for either. Can’t wIt to try them. Thank you again.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Becky, the weights are there—just click “metric” on the recipe card, and everything switches over. I’ve thought about defaulting to the weight, but many Americans are put off by that. It should be more clear to switch. I apologize for the confusion!
ETA: Good news! I’ve found a way to make both values (customary and metric) available at the same time.
Janice Neufeld says
What is the point of saying weighed out of shell or peel of no weights are given?
Nicole Hunn says
The weights are all provided, Janice. Just click “metric” on the recipe card, and everything switches over. I’ve thought about defaulting to the weight, but many Americans are put off by that. It should be more clear to switch. I apologize for the confusion!
ETA: Good news! I’ve found a way to make both values (customary and metric) available at the same time.
Tracey Taylor says
What kind of peanut butter do you recommend .
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Tracey, Good question! I recommend using any safely gluten free brand of smooth, “no-stir” peanut butter. That’s the kind that is smooth and light-colored right when you open the jar. It usually has some sort of oil added to it, to help emulsify the peanut butter. I like Skippy brand. Even the “natural” is still not the “drippy” kind. Unless it’s specifically indicated, I never recommend baking with real “natural” peanut butter, the kind that’s only peanuts and maybe salt. It’s not smooth or integrated enough.
Cindy Ranuio says
I want to thank you for the fantastic “Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins | A Magical Recipe” recipe! It is sugar-free, or at least using alternative sweeteners and I truly appreciate it. Because I am on a special sugar-free diet due to cancer, I really appreciate recipes like this right now! And I’m sure others who also need to go sugar free are grateful for such a delicious recipe!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad, Cindy! I’m so sorry to hear about your illness. These muffins are light in texture, but also really calorie- and protein-dense, which I hope is useful to you.
Tia says
Hi Nicole,
Thanks so much for another amazing recipe!! Just want to mention that I often replace bananas with canned pumpkin and it works pretty well. You lose the sweetness of the bananas but I don’t like anything too sweet anyway.
Nicole Hunn says
That’s an interesting swap, Tia. I could see it working just as you described. I’ll have to try that sometime! You will absolutely love these muffins, this way or that.
Rosemary Roberts says
Hi I just made these muffins. I did not have runny honey so used set, the peanut butter was not the type you recommend and was quite dry at the bottom of the jar so it took a bit of work to mix it in well.I also substituted carob for cocoa. The mixture was quite thick and they did not flatten on top but stayed “Rocky” I’ll get some runny honey for next time but could I have added maybe some oat or almond milk to thin the mixture a little
Nicole Hunn says
Rosemary, you made a lot of substitutions, which is why the recipe didn’t turn out as expected. With each substitution, you’re moving further away from the recipe as written.
Cathy says
Super easy, super moist and filling!
Ellen Alexander says
This recipe is THE best! Have you ever thought about making a layered cake? I might give is a go with homemade, keto friendly butter cream icing. Any suggestions welcome!
Thank you for this delicious recipe. You have gain a new follower.
Nicole Hunn says
I have a recipe for Paleo chocolate cake, Ellen, and one for chocolate cake made with quinoa as a base. I really don’t think this recipe would hold up if baked in a cake pan, though. So glad you loved the muffins! They are a staple in my house.
Lisa Torres says
Can I make this in a loaf pan?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid not, Lisa. You might like my recipe for flourless quinoa chocolate cake.
Teena Merlan says
Can these be made in loaf form? If so, how would you adjust the time? I don’t have a muffin tin. Thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid not, Teena. I have a number of quick breads on the blog. I think they’d suit your needs better!
Ana says
Hi Nicole,
Will I be able to use a substitute for peanut butter? Would Greek yogurt work?
Thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Ana, there is no substitute for nut butter in this recipe. Please have a look around the other flourless recipes here on the blog for something else that fits your needs!
sabria fafach says
They Were So Moist! I love them!
Gayle M. Derwinski says
I have made these delicious muffins many times and store them in the freezer. They are delicious!
Nicole Hunn says
I try to have a batch of these in the freezer for busy mornings, Gayle, but they get eaten so fast!! So glad you love them, too.
Christina Whited says
Is it possible to use almond butter or cashew butter instead of the peanut butter? Do they perform the same or are adjustments needed? Thanks so much for all your wonderful work.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Christina, you should be able to use a no-stir almond butter, like Barney Butter brand. Nothing like a drippy (sorry for lack of a better word!) truly natural nut butter. I hope that helps!
Elaine says
Quick and easy recipe and outstanding muffins. I followed the recipe pretty precisely and got a yield of 18 muffins! Jackpot! The hubby is a happy camper.
Nicole Hunn says
It sounds like either your muffin wells are smaller than those in my tin, or you made much smaller muffins. Either way, if you’re happy I’m happy, Elaine!
Carole says
Could Agave nectar be used in place of the honey?
Nicole Hunn says
That’s a good idea, Carole, and definitely worth trying!
Doreen B says
These Muffins are the BEST!!!!. I want to call them a cross between a muffin and a cupcake. They are more delicate and fluffier than a muffiin, but just a slight bit denser than a cupcake..
I have to say, the sweetness is perfect for me, as I do not like overly sweet bakery items. That being said, The great chocolate flavor and the moistness are enough to satisfy..
A lot were asking for nutritional breakdowns. I actually did the nutritional breakdown and it is as follows. Using Low salt, Jif ,creamy, no stir peanut butter and standard other ingredients.
Per muffin: Calories 193, Total Fat 12.2 g, Saturated Fat 2.6 g, Cholesterol 35mg, Sodium 164 mg, Total Carb 18.6g, Sugars 11.9g , Fiber 2.5g., Protein 6.5 g,
Jennifer S. says
Yum and yummy!
Laurie Rankin says
Oh, my goodness! I’m in LOVE! Have several “go to” GF/dairy free muffins, but these are our new favourites! Have to admit, I was kind of dubious, because I’ve had some monumental gf cooking failures, but these are amazing! Going to try them with cashew butter next. Thank you!!!!
Nicole Hunn says
I understand your skepticism, Laurie! It’s almost like one of the laws of nature was reversed or something. ?
Marilyn says
I’m really ok with being labeled a heretic, but is there a way to make these without the cocoa? I’m thinking almond butter with orange & cranberries, or maybe pumpkin. Thanks so much for another genius recipe!
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Marilyn,
I plan to experiment with this recipe concept quite a lot, so sit tight if you can! I’m working on a truly “vanilla” version of this (not peanut butter-flavored, even). Stay tuned!
Mare Masterson says
♥☻☺♥ ♥☻☺♥ ♥☻☺♥ ♥☻☺♥ I am a happy woman right now! Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
This is definitely right up your alley, Mare! See—good thing you never really left us. :)