Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins [Dairy-Free, Egg-Free]

Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

My friend Jenni baked these muffins for me for the first time back in college. I remember thinking, “Gosh, these are so good!” Now that I am an allergy mom, I’ve had to make some adjustments to the recipe so my family could enjoy these little chocolatey morsels.

While applesauce can be a good egg replacer, there is already a large amount of applesauce in the recipe. My fear was that too much applesauce would make the texture soggy, and I wanted to be sure that I still got a tender crumb. I had to replace 4 eggs in the recipe. So to compromise, for two eggs, I used 1/2 cup applesauce, and for the other 2 eggs, I used ½ cup non-dairy yogurt. To improve the leavening, I also added a bit of apple cider vinegar to react with the baking soda.

For a nice crumb, a combination of unsweetened applesauce and non-dairy yogurt replaces the egg in this vegan breakfast treat.

For breakfast last weekend, I served these to my family visiting from St. Louis. Someone said, “Gosh, these are so good!” Decades and allergen-free adjustments later, this recipe is still a winner!

Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes 24

1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or 2 cups all-purpose flour)
1 1/3 cup dry quick oats
12 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups dairy-free mini chocolate chips (I use Ghiradelli or Enjoy Life brand)
½ cup non-dairy yogurt (for a soy-free option, use coconut or rice yogurt)
1 cup canola oil
2 cups natural applesauce or natural cinnamon applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspooons apple cider vinegar.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with baking cups and spray with allergen-free baking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, 6 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and chocolate chips.
3. In another bowl, mix together yogurt, oil, applesauce, vanilla, apple cider vinegar and remaining 6 Tablespoons sugar.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients together and stir just until moistened.
5. Distribute batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, about 3/4 full (I like to use an ice cream scoop for this step).
6. Bake 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the tops are slightly browned.

Baker’s notes: I prefer the unsweetened applesauce as a lower-sugar option, but I have successfully made this recipe using applesauce that has added sugar, including the chunkier homestyle with added cinnamon. Also, this recipe came from my personal recipe box, given to me by my friend Jenni several years ago. I searched for it on the internet but could not find the original source, so unfortunately I don’t know who to credit. I thought it was from Nestle but the recipe did not come up in my internet search. If I ever come across the original source I’ll be sure to add that information on this post 🙂

Variation: SunButter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins. Add 1/2 cup SunButter to the wet ingredients.

About Sheila Ray

I've been a full-time creative communications professional since college, and my work includes art direction, graphic design, writing and photography. I run a freelance creative marketing strategy business from my home office. I'm also a mom of two children, one of which has life-threatening food allergies. I experience, learn, and discover more about myself and God's plan for me everyday. As I share my stories, I share my faith. I hope you find my blog informational and inspirational.

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