Soft, fluffy dairy-free chocolate chip muffins made in one bowl. Easy to make, bakery-style, and perfect for vegan or dairy-free baking.
Update Note: I've made a few small tweaks to this recipe for taller, bakery-style domed muffins and added new step-by-step photos to make the process even clearer.
These dairy-free chocolate chip muffins are soft, fluffy, and incredibly easy to make in just one bowl. Made without milk or butter, they're ideal if you're dairy-free, vegan, or simply want bakery-style muffins at home without dairy.
They're especially hard to resist when they come out of the oven!
Love desserts without dairy? Try my Easy Apple Crisp, my 2 Ingredient Mousse, or my Vegan Bundt Cake.
Jump to:
- How do I make dairy-free chocolate chip muffins light and fluffy?
- What you'll need
- Ingredient Tips
- How to make dairy-free chocoalate chip muffins
- Dairy-free Variations
- Storage Tips & Freezing Instructions
- What to Serve With Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Frequently asked questions
- More Dairy-free recipes to try!
- Recipe
Why you'll love these diary-free chocolate chip muffins
- No milk or butter, this recipe is completely dairy free.
- No unusual ingredients; you probably have everything you need in your pantry. Perfect for dairy-free diets, allergies, or when you're out of milk.
- This recipe is very simple and pretty quick to make - about half an hour from start to finish.
- You don't need any equipment other than a whisk and a bowl, which means less clean-up.
- These muffins are soft and fluffy, not dense or overly sweet. And they bake up with a beautiful domed top.
- Your kitchen will smell like a bakery!
How do I make dairy-free chocolate chip muffins light and fluffy?
The key to light, fluffy dairy-free muffins is keeping the batter gentle and baking them correctly. Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until combined. Overmixing can make muffins dense instead of soft.
I also start baking the muffins at a higher temperature for the first few minutes and then lower it. This helps the muffins rise quickly and gives them that nice bakery-style dome on top. This technique is something I do for all my muffin recipes.
What you'll need
Ingredient Tips
- Almond milk + vinegar: This makes a quick dairy-free "buttermilk" and helps the muffins bake up tender.
- Nutmeg: Just a pinch adds a little something extra and boosts the flavor without tasting "spicy" or overpowering, but you could leave it out if you prefer.
- Oil: Keeps the muffins moist (even without butter). Use a neutral oil for the best flavor.
- Mini chocolate chips: They spread out better, so you get chocolate in every bite.
- Baking powder + baking soda: Both help the muffins rise nicely and bake up fluffy.
- Turbinado sugar: Optional, but it adds a crunchy bakery-style top.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities. 👇
How to make dairy-free chocoalate chip muffins
Step 1: Make the vegan "buttermilk"
Stir the plant-based milk and vinegar together and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Whisk the dry ingredients
Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg, baking powder and soda.
Step 3: Add the wet ingredients
Add the oil, vanilla and the homemade buttermilk.
Step 4 Add the chocolate chips
Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
Step 5: Divide the batter evenly
Make sure to fill the liners all the way to the top and sprinkle with some turbinado sugar.
Step 6: Bake
Then bake the muffins.
Dairy-free Variations
- Instead of mini chocolate chips, you could chop up some dark chocolate and make chocolate chunks.
- For a nice crunch, you could add your favorite chopped nuts in the batter or add them together with the turbinado sugar and sprinkle the tops before baking.
- You can drizzle them with some of this luscious chocolate syrup, which is also dairy-free and vegan.
Storage Tips & Freezing Instructions
Storing at Room Temperature
- Let the dairy-free chocolate chip muffins cool completely before storing to prevent them from getting soggy.
- Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
- To help absorb excess moisture, I like lining the container with paper towels on the bottom and top before sealing.
Freezing
- I prefer to freeze these dairy-free muffins individually. You can freeze them for up to 3 months, just make sure they are fully cooled first.
- For best results, freeze the muffins in a single layer until firm, then transfer them to individual freezer-safe bags or containers.
Thawing & Reheating
- Thaw frozen muffins overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature (about an hour).
- To enjoy them warm, I usually heat them briefly in the microwave for about 15 seconds. You could also wrap them in foil and warm in a low oven until heated through.
What to Serve With Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins
- These dairy-free chocolate chip muffins are great on their own, but they also pair well with:
- a cup of coffee or tea for an easy breakfast.
- fresh fruit for a light, balanced snack.
Frequently asked questions
I haven't made these without oil, but I suppose you could substitute apple sauce, however, I don't think they will be as moist.
Oil gives these muffins their moist, tender texture, so I recommend sticking with it if possible. If you need a substitute, you can try a mild-flavored oil or replace part of the oil with unsweetened applesauce, keeping in mind the muffins may be slightly less rich.
Yes, these muffins freeze very well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly before serving. For full instructions, see the Storage & Freezing section above.
More Dairy-free recipes to try!
Did you make this recipe? If so, please let me know how it turned out and leave a rating and review below! I'd love to hear from you! ❤️
Recipe
Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins (Easy Vegan Recipe)
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- small cookie scoop
- 12-count muffin pan
- cupcake liners
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (250 ml)
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (15 ml)
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (312 g)
- 1 cup sugar (200 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- ⅓ cup neutral vegetable oil (80 ml)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (15 ml)
- 1½ cups dairy-free/vegan chocolate chips (255 g)
- turbinado sugar for sprinkling optional
Before You Start:
For best results, please read through the full post before beginning the recipe.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Make the vegan "buttermilk": Stir the plant-based milk and vinegar together in a large cup. Set aside for 5 minutes.1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk, 1 tablespoon vinegar
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, pinch of ground nutmeg
- Add the oil, vanilla extract, and vegan buttermilk. Whisk just until combined.⅓ cup neutral vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Gently fold in the mini chocolate chips, reserving some for the tops if desired.1½ cups dairy-free/vegan chocolate chips
- Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling them all the way to the top. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and the reserved chocolate chips.
- Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few melted chocolate streaks but no wet batter.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Measure the flour accurately; using a digital kitchen scale gives the best results.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the muffins soft and fluffy.
- Use room-temperature ingredients so the batter comes together smoothly.
- Fill the muffin liners all the way to the top for tall, bakery-style domed muffins.
- Use a cookie scoop for quick, even, and mess-free portioning.
- Start checking for doneness a few minutes early, as ovens vary.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing, as they are delicate when hot.
- Let the muffins cool completely before storing.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
- Line the container with paper towels on the bottom and top to absorb excess moisture.
- Freeze fully cooled muffins for up to 3 months.
- For best results, freeze muffins in a single layer until firm. Then transfer to freezer-safe bags or containers once frozen.
- Thaw muffins overnight in the refrigerator or let them sit at room temperature for about 1 hour.
- Warm in the microwave for about 15 seconds, if desired.
- Alternatively, wrap in foil and heat in a low oven until warmed through.
I have a detailed picture tutorial in my post to help you out with each step of the recipe as well as lots of tips to ensure success. Baking Measurements
I have used weight measurements for all the recipes on this website. Even though I have also included American volume measurements for convenience, I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh all ingredients for the most accurate measurements. Digital kitchen scales are more precise than cups, which is so important in baking, and they give the most accurate, consistent results. Happy baking! © Pastry Wishes
Leslie Mitchell
I have a question. When do you add the milk and vinegar to the mixture? They are in a bowl set aside and are not mentioned again
Voula
Hi, Leslie!
Thanks for pointing it out to me! I have added the missing step in the post and the recipe card. ☺️