Little back-to-school easy vegan chocolate muffins for kids lunchboxes or an after-school treat.
I don't know about your children, but my son is always hungry when he gets home from school.
I know he's getting plenty of good stuff over the course of a day, so I don't mind him having a sweet treat in his lunch box or after-school.
These little chocolate chip muffins are perfect. They are super easy and quick to make, light and fluffy and taste great.
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🧁 Muffin ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients you need to make these tasty little muffins.
- Oat Milk - or your regular milk
- White Wine Vinegar - or cider vinegar
- Coffee - just a little, I talk about it below and offer a substitute
- Caster Sugar
- Vegetable Oil - or other mild oil
- Plain Flour - also known as all purpose flour
- Cocoa Powder
- Baking Powder
- Salt - just a pinch
- Dark Chocolate Chips
See recipe card for quantities.
☕ Coffee or not?
I add a small amount of coffee to the mixture. You don't taste it but it boosts the flavour of the chocolate.
When divided between 12 muffins, it's just less than a teaspoon in each.
If you are still not keen, you could add orange juice instead.
🍊 Variations
Make a few tweaks and end up with a really different muffin.
- Add orange juice (instead of coffee) and the zest from 2 oranges for a chocolate orange muffin.
- Add raspberries instead of chocolate chips. Raspberry works so well with chocolate.
- Add blueberries instead of chocolate chips.
- Add strawberry pieces instead of chocolate chips.
- Add vegan white chocolate chips or chunks (can't find either, just break up a bar or vegan white chocolate). Moo Free sell vegan white chocolate bars and vegan white chocolate buttons.
Also, try this Easy Vegan Apple Loaf Cake from my other blog Tinned Tomatoes. My son loves it.
💭 Scooping tip
For clean and easy batter scooping with less mess, use a spring release ice cream scoop.
It is much easier than using a spoon.
The ice cream scoop has a little lever inside that loosens the mixture when you are ready to release it into the muffin case.
⏲️ How long will homemade muffins keep?
Homemade muffins can be kept in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
They never last that long in my house, but you can keep them for a few days.
🌡️ Can they be frozen?
Yep, you can freeze homemade muffins.
Store them in a freezer bag or airtight container for 3-4 months.
Defrost in the fridge overnight.
💭 Top tips
- Wait until they are cool and gently remove the muffin case before you freeze them.
- Flash freeze them on a tray in the freezer, in a single layer, then move to a freezer bag or tub. It will help prevent them sticking together.
🧁 More vegan muffins to try
Here are a few more tasty, but easy muffins for you to try.
- Blueberry Ginger Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Jam Doughnut Muffins
- Lemon Muffins
- Strawberry & Cream Muffins
- Strawberry Milkshake Muffins
If you are looking for an even quicker vegan cake, try my Quick Vegan Iced Buns.
Also, if you love chocolate try this Vegan Easter Mini Egg Fudge. It's super simple and tastes lush!
🍴 Lunch Box Guides
For more Back-to-School ideas check out these lunch guides.
- 10 Vegan Lunchbox Ideas for Kids
- 45 Back to School Lunches for Kids
- Back to School Lunches for Kids
- Kid- Friendly School Lunch Plan for Vegan Kids
- Packing Lunch
For more vegan cake ideas, check out my Easy Loaf Cake Recipes.
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🔪 Step-by-step photos
Step-by-step photos of the Vegan Chocolate Muffins being made. Keep scrolling for the full printable recipe.
Step 1
- Preheat the oven and line 1 x 12 hole muffin tin or 2 x 6 hole muffin tins with muffin or cupcake cases.
- Add vinegar to the milk and set aside.
- Make up your coffee and leave to cool (you may use orange juice instead).
- Sieve flour into a large mixing bowl.
Step 2
- Add sugar and salt to the flour.
- Then add cocoa powder and baking powder and mix.
- Next add the chocolate chips.
Step 3
- Add the coffee or orange juice to the milk mixture along with the oil.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Fold in until just combined, then scoop into the muffin cases. I fill them fairly full.
Step 4
- Bake for 20- 25 minutes.
- Leave to cool in the tray for 10 minutes, then move to a baking rack to continue cooling.
- Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Back-to-School Vegan Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients
- 300 ml oat milk or your regular milk
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
- 50 ml coffee or orange juice
- 5 tablespoon vegetable oil or other mild oil
- 250 g plain flour also known as all purpose flour
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 200 g caster sugar
- 50 g dark chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan/350f/gas mark 4.
- Line a 12 hole muffin tin or 2 x 6 hole muffin tins with muffin or cupcake cases.
- Add milk to a jug with the vinegar and set aside.
- Make up your coffee (you may use orange juice instead) and set aside to cool.
- Sieve the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the chocolate chips.
- Pour the coffee (or orange juice into the milk mixture and add the oil.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold in until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Scoop the muffin batter into the muffin cases and bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer or toothpick comes out clean. A little moisture is ok with chocolate muffins as you don't want them to be dry.
- Leave to cool in the tray for 10 minutes, then move to a baking rack to cook.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- You may use orange juice instead of coffee.
- These muffins can be kept in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- These muffins may be frozen for 3-4 months, then defrosted in the freezer overnight.
Gina says
No kids in this house but we love these muffins all the same! The little bit of coffee really does help bring out the flavors.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Yes you are so right, the coffee definitely gives the chocolate a richer flavour.
Natalie says
It's time to start thinking about school lunch boxes again. I will definitely make this for my son. Thanks!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Only a week to go here. Yes too quick!
Jenn says
Wow! I'm all over these chocolate muffins - I love that they're a healthier alternative and one that I can feel good about giving to my kids! Am making these asap!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Have fun making and eating the muffins.
Jess says
I was looking for after-school snack ideas as I was fresh out of ideas and my kids want something other than a cheese stick! These muffins are perfect.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Yay! Such perfect timing. I am sure they will love them.
Beth says
Yummy! These muffins are going to be such a hit after school! My teens are going to just love these and gobble them up! So excited to make these and try them!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I hope you all love them as much as we do. It's a bonus how quick they are to make.
Jill says
Those look so good Jacqueline. I am adding them to my list. Jill
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Yay! I hope you and your daughter enjoy them Jill!
Richard says
They looks so quick and very easy so I am making them for my kids this weekend
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Super easy and kids really love them.