Double Chocolate Avocado Muffins

If you love my popular Avocado Pumpkin Muffins, then these Double Chocolate Avocado Muffins are right up your alley. I mean, what’s not to love about a rich, fluffy, oh-so-chocolatey muffin that doubles as a sweet tooth fix and a healthy snack?

This might surprise you, but mashed avocado is the secret to this recipe’s success. It works quietly behind the scenes, adding the healthy fats and moisture that creates that fudgy, tender texture without needing any butter or oil. How cool is that? 

–and I promise you won’t taste the avocado AT ALL. The deep chocolate flavor, thanks to melted chocolate and chocolate chips, is front and center. Even the picky eaters won’t suspect a thing!

Recipe highlights

• Bakery-quality. These muffins rise beautifully with a moist, fluffy crumb, domed tops, and just the right amount of sweetness.
• Secretly healthy. Avocado boosts the healthy fats and enhances the moist crumb, but you can’t taste it.  
• Double chocolate. Melted dark chocolate and chocolate chips make these muffins taste extra decadent and indulgent. 
• Versatile. Enjoy plain or topped with frosting or whipped cream (hello, healthy cupcakes!).

• Unsweetened chocolate. For the deep chocolatey base, use 100% dark chocolate bars or unsweetened baking chocolate –I use Baker’s.
• Flour. I use unbleached all-purpose flour, as it gives these muffins structure without being too dense.
• Espresso powder. Don’t worry, your muffins won’t taste like coffee –it simply intensifies the cocoa notes. You can skip it, but you’ll miss out on that “can’t-put-my-finger-on-it” richness.
• Dry essentials. Baking powder, baking soda, and salt work together to ensure a perfect rise and tender crumb. Just be sure your baking powder and soda are fresh (expired leavening agents can result in sad, flat muffins). 
• Avocado. These wouldn’t be chocolate avocado muffins without it! Use one that gives slightly with gentle pressure and quickly mash it before blending for a perfectly smooth batter that bakes up irresistibly fudgy. Perfectly ripe avocados are essential here!
• Buttermilk. Full-fat buttermilk helps achieve ultra-moist muffins while adding tangy richness.
• Greek yogurt. Just like the buttermilk, full-fat Greek yogurt helps keep the muffins soft and satisfying. 
• Vanilla extract. Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation, for warm, aromatic sweetness. If you’re feeling fancy, vanilla bean paste is a delightful upgrade.
• Coconut sugar. I love coconut sugar in this recipe for its subtle caramel notes and lower glycemic impact, but light brown sugar works too. 
• Egg. One room-temperature egg acts as a binder. Don’t skip it! 
• Mini chocolate chips. I like using mini semi-sweet chocolate chips to ensure gooey pools of chocolate in every bite, but a chopped dark chocolate bar or regular chocolate chips are suitable swaps. 

How to make chocolate avocado muffins 

Step 1: Prepare for baking. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

Step 2: Melt the chocolate. Microwave the chocolate in brief bursts, stirring between each, until smooth and glossy. Alternatively, gently melt it using a double boiler on the stovetop, which is my preferred method. Set it aside to cool slightly.

Step 3: Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Step 4: Combine wet ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat the mashed avocado on medium speed until it’s smooth. Add the buttermilk, Greek yogurt, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract and beat until thoroughly combined, then add the melted chocolate and beat until smooth.

Step 5: Incorporate the dry mixture. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry mix to the wet until fully incorporated, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula during the process.  

Step 6: Fold in chocolate chips. Using a spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Step 7: Scoop and bake. Divide the batter evenly among your lined muffin cups –filling each about 3/4s full, and bake for about 20 minutes.

Step 8: Cool. Let the muffins rest in the pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy! 

Recipe tips and FAQs

• Don’t scoop the flour directly. This can pack in too much flour and ruin the recipe. Instead, spoon the flour from the bag into your measuring cup and level it off.
• Room temperature ingredients mix better. If your egg, buttermilk, or yogurt is straight from the fridge, it can make your batter lumpy or seize the chocolate. Let them sit out for 15-20 minutes before starting for the best results. 
• Let the melted chocolate cool first. Steaming hot chocolate can partially cook the egg or curdle the yogurt. Aim for lukewarm before mixing it into the batter. 
• Don’t overmix the batter. Once you add the dry mix to the wet, mix just until there are no visible streaks of flour. Overmixing can lead to tough, rubbery chocolate avocado muffins.
• Portion your batter perfectly. A large cookie scoop works perfectly for this and helps achieve beautiful bakery-style domed tops. 
• Check for doneness early. Mine were perfect at the 20-minute mark, but oven temps vary. Begin checking around the 18-minute mark to avoid overbaking. A toothpick should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
• Cooling matters. Letting the minutes cool in the pan for just a few minutes, then transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling, helps prevent soggy bottoms. Don’t rush this step.

Variations

These wholesome avocado chocolate muffins are totally satisfying on their own, but if you’re in the mood to switch things up, here are some fun ideas: 

Customize your mix-ins – Don’t be afraid to swap a portion (or all) of the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chunks, or peanut butter chips. For a more wholesome vibe, try chopped walnuts, pecans, or even cacao nibs. 

Dress them up like healthy cupcakes – Spread almond butter, peanut butter, or sunflower seed butter on top for a creamy, healthy fats-rich finish. Or splurge on a swirl of whipped cream or frosting. My Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting or Nutella Buttercream is divine here. My daughter loves them topped with cool whip.

Boost the sweetness – If you’re craving an even sweeter dessert-like experience, sprinkle turbinado sugar on top before baking for that signature bakery-style sparkle and crunch.

Storing and freezing

Storing: These muffins will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

Freezing: Once the muffins are completely cooled, wrap them individually and then freeze in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 2 months. To thaw, just pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so.

More nutritious muffin recipes

• Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins
• Banana Blackberry Muffins
• Banana Carrot Muffins
• Pistachio Nut Muffins
• Pumpkin Banana Muffins

If you love this double chocolate avocado muffins recipe, I would be so grateful if you could leave a 5-star 🌟 rating in the recipe card below. I love reading your comments and feedback!

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