Mini chocolate flaxseed muffins are made with ground flaxseeds instead of flour, naturally sweetened, and come out soft and fluffy every time. These chocolatey bites are a healthier snack you didn't know you needed. We've been know to snack on these as an after dinner "treat," but I also love throwing them into lunches.
I love a good mini muffin and these mini chocolate flaxseed muffins are the perfect little snack when you're c
My gluten-free mini chocolate chip muffins area another bite-sized muffin we love throwing in lunches or grabbing for a snack.
Recipe at a Glance
- 🍫 Taste & Texture: Soft and fluffy chocolate muffins that resemble the taste of homemade brownies (but healthier).
- 🕰️ Prep & Cook Time: 15 minutes to prep, 15 minutes to bake.
- 🥛 Dietary Notes: Nut-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free friendly.
- 🍽️ Servings: 24 mini muffins
- 💚 What makes these different: Ground flaxseeds replace flour for Omega-3's, fiber and a boost in protein. I also use cacao powder for antioxidants and coconut sugar for natural sweetness.
Curious about the nutritional benefits of flaxseeds? Ask AI!
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Why We Love these mini chocolate flaxseed muffins
- Naturally sweetened - I use coconut sugar to keep these naturally sweet. Although it is still added sugar, I appreciate that it's more natural than refined white sugar.
- Added benefits of cacao - Cacao is a powerful source of antioxidants, among many other benefits like magnesium and iron.
- No flours, just ground flaxseeds - The base is made from entirely ground flaxseed (and little starch for texture) so you can enjoy the benefits of flaxseeds in each bite, including plant-based Omega-3s and lignans (antioxidant-rich plant compound).
- Perfect for snacks or adding in lunches - Along with my no-bake protein granola bars and chocolate coconut balls, these are great for throwing in lunches as a little "treat" or side item and are great to grab for an afternoon snack.
Flax 4 Life brownie muffins were the inspiration for this recipe. We've always been a fan, but I knew I could make a copycat recipe with more nutrient-dense ingredients, less added sugar, and one that comes at a fraction of the price. While they don't taste exactly like a brownie (remember, they are a healthier option), they do come close and I love knowing these provide some nutritional value!
My oldest is especially partial to all things chocolate and these are no exception. She's in a picky stage, so I was thrilled when she said she liked these. Also a good sign these were perfect after many rounds of testing!
When we are in the mood for a healthier chocolate recipe, you may also find us whipping up a batch of these easy brownie protein balls or healthy oat flour brownies.
Ingredients
- Ground flaxseeds - Be sure to use ground flaxseeds and not whole flaxseeds. And the more finely ground the better. When testing this recipe, I used Anthony's ultra-fine golden flaxseed meal. You may notice some bags labeled as "golden flaxseed." I recommend golden flaxseeds for baking because the flavor is slightly more subtle, but it's pretty minimal, so either golden or brown/regular will work.
- Tapioca starch - This can also be called tapioca flour. It is used to help with the light and fluffy texture of the muffins. If you don't have tapioca starch/flour arrowroot starch can be used in its place.
- Cacao powder - I love using cacao powder in my recipes as it's less processed than cocoa and containes more antioxidants. That said, unsweetened cocoa powder can also be used.
- Coconut oil - Either refined or unrefined coconut oil will work. I always use unrefined and can never taste coconut in the final product.
A complete list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card below. The above are some specific notes to help with selecting ingredients.
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Variations/substitutions
- Double chocolate muffins - Add in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips to the batter for double chocolate flax muffins. I love Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips as they contain just 3 simple ingredients (like chocolate should be!).
- Dairy-free - Use non-dairy milk or replace the milk with water.
- Extra protein - You could try adding in ½ cup of your favorite chocolate protein powder (or even vanilla). Please note I have not tested this. Because of the added dry ingredients they may turn out a little more dense. Do let me know if you try!
How to Make mini chocolate flaxseed muffins
- Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to the center well.
- Step 3: Whisk together the wet ingredients before mixing in with the dry ingredients.
- Step 4: Full mix the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients.
- Step 5: Fill a greased 24-cup mini muffin pan with the batter. Muffin cups will be filled to the top.
- Step 6: Bake at 350 degrees F for 14-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Sara's Tips & Notes
- I recommend using finely ground flaxseed meal for better texture. If possible, also look for "golden" flaxseeds as it has a more mild flavor than brown flaxseeds, but it's pretty minimal so either will work. Terrasoul Superfoods and Anthony's are great options.
- Use a silicon mini muffin pan. This way you can easily remove the muffins from the pan by pushing up the bottoms of the muffin cups.
- Do not use muffin liners as these muffins tend to really stick to muffin liners. Instead, grease each muffin cavity.
- Use a 2-tablespoon spring loaded scoop for scooping the batter into the muffin cups.
- These muffins have more added sugar than I typically like, but I felt like a full cup of coconut sugar was needed to balance the flavor with the flaxseeds and the cacao. That said, I also tested them with ¾ cup coconut sugar and they turn out great with less sugar too. So, if you'd like to cut back on added sugar, you can go down to ¾ cup sugar.
Mini Chocolate Flaxseed Muffins FAQs
Flaxseeds are the seeds from the flax plant, often times called linseed. They are know to be rich in nutrients like Omega-3 fatty acids and fiber and have a mild, nutty flavor. You can buy both whole and ground flaxseeds, while ground flaxseeds are best for baking, cooking, and nutrient absorption.
The difference is pretty minimal. Brown flaxseeds are most common and have a more earthy, nutty flavor, while golden flaxseeds have a lighter, often sweeter flavor.
Yes! Evenly divide the muffin mixture between a lightly greased 12-cup muffin pan. Increase baking time to roughly 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Flaxseed muffins have a slight nutty, mild earthy flavor. Ground flaxseeds also add a heartier texture compared to muffins made primarily with refined flours. Flaxseed muffins won't taste exactly like a muffin made from white flour, but they are still delicious!
How to Store
These brownie flaxseed muffins are best enjoyed within 2 days. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature. To extend freshness, store in the fridge for up to 5 days. I actually like them better cold, straight from the fridge.
These muffins also freeze well and can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Any freezer-safe container will work, but I love storing mini muffins in Stasher bags.
More Recipes with Flaxseeds
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-Sara
Mini Chocolate Flaxseed Muffins
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Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 24-cup mini muffin pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup ground flaxseeds (also called flaxseed meal) *see notes
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup cacao powder
- ¼ cup tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. fine sea salt
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- ⅓ cup milk of choice
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan (a silicone muffin pan is recommended).
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ground flaxseed, coconut sugar, cacao, tapioca starch, baking powder, and salt.1 cup ground flaxseeds, 1 cup coconut sugar, ⅓ cup cacao powder, ¼ cup tapioca starch, 2 tsp. baking powder, ¼ tsp. fine sea salt
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, melted coconut oil, milk, and vanilla. Whisk the wet ingredients together first and then fully mix them into the dry ingredients.2 eggs, room temperature, ¼ cup coconut oil, melted, ⅓ cup milk of choice, 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups, fulling the muffin cups all the way to the top.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes, or until a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- I recommend using finely ground flaxseed meal for better texture. If possible, also look for "golden" flaxseed as it has a more mild flavor than brown flaxseed, but it's pretty minimal so either work great. Terrasoul Superfoods and Anthony's are great options.
- A 2-tablespoon spring loaded scoop works best for scooping the muffin batter into the muffin pan.
- Place the silicone muffin pan on a baking sheet so it's easier to transfer in and out of the oven.
Nutrition
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Sara Ecklin says
We love these straight out of the fridge and it's so nice to have a homemade snack that's easy for the kids to grab!