Chocolate bran muffins are the perfect healthier way to satisfy your chocolate cravings. These double chocolate gluten-free bran muffins are made with cocoa powder, oat bran, gluten-free all-purpose flour, unsweetened almond milk, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can make these muffins dairy-free by choosing a dairy-free brand of chocolate chips.
These chocolate muffins are the perfect addition to breakfast or a filling snack or dessert. I would just add a protein shake or eggs and call it a meal. My kids love these muffins. Not to mention, it's a great way to sneak a little more fiber into their diet.
How To Make Double Chocolate Gluten-Free Bran Muffins
Ingredients You'll Need:
- Oat bran hot cereal- dry measured
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour (I use and recommend King Arthur brand)
- Cocoa powder
- Leavening ingredients: Baking powder and baking soda
- Salt
- Unsweetened almond milk- I used unsweetened chocolate almond milk, but regular works fine too
- Applesauce
- Avocado oil
- Egg
- Brown sugar
- Good quality vanilla extract
- Semisweet chocolate chips
Recipe Steps
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place paper baking cups in a 12 muffin pan. Whisk together: oat bran, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining wet ingredients and brown sugar together.
Combine flour mixture and wet mixture. Stir until combined and then fold in the chocolate chips.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately remove muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack or serve warm.
I love to split these in half and filled with a tablespoon of peanut butter. It's like a warm Reese's peanut butter cake without the extra calories.
Double Chocolate Gluten-Free Bran Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat bran cereal measured dry *I used Quaker oat bran cereal
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour *King Arthur brand recommended
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk *I used Almond Breeze unsweetened chocolate almond millk
- ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp good quality vanilla extract
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place paper baking cups in a 12 muffin pan.
- Whisk together: oat bran, gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Whisk together wet ingredients and brown sugar until blended. You can use a stand mixer for this.
- Combine flour mixture and wet mixture.
- Stir until combined and then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Immediately remove muffins from pan and cool on a wire rack or serve warm.
Nutrition
*This post was updated on March 31, 2020 from the original recipe post published August 19, 2011.
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The Better Baker
Amee - these look awesome!! Your post struck a chord in my heart...my aunt and uncle were missionaries in the DR many years ago. More recently, my brother and wife have made two trips to DR delivering shoeboxes for OCC. They've hosted the man in charge of OCC for DR in their home...he saw a picture of my aunt and realized it was because of their ministry he came to know the Lord years before. Isn't God just amazing and mighty???? WOW!
Amee
Thank you, Denise! I hope to get back up there soon. 🙂 Marsha, that is awesome. What a special service they gave to the Dominican people. It is a great country. I found the people to be warm and very personable. We hope to go back again sometime.
Denise
Yum - printing this one out and making it asap. Sounds like you guys are doing great, happy and healthy. WOuld love to see you when you're back in my neck of the woods!! Take care. Love, denise
SJQ
Can maple syrup or honey be used instead of brown sugar?
Amee Livingston
They would probably work well in this recipe, but it is adding a lot of liquid to the batter. I haven't tested this substitution, so I can't guarantee the same end result. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out!
Lisa O Shea
Can i just use regular flour?
Amee Livingston
Hi Lisa, yes, regular flour would work for this recipe. Enjoy!