These Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins with Vegetables are vegan, gluten-free, and made with a cup of vegetables inside!
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I serve my kids fresh vegetables every day. Not a day goes by that they don’t see vegetables in their true form. That doesn’t mean I’m above serving them extra vegetables inside their muffins. Even the pickiest eater won’t suspect that these Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins with Vegetables have a whole cup of vegetable goodness baked right into them.
Trust me, they’ll only be thinking about the incredible chocolate and peanut butter flavor they are getting with every bite.
I used a mixture of cooked carrots and sweet potatoes for the vegetables. I think there’s definitely room to try different vegetables here (remember the Superfoods Chocolate Cake with beets?) but the carrots and sweet potatoes have a natural sweetness that works very well. You could also make these super easy by using canned pumpkin!
The idea of healthy muffins is really possible with my rockstar recipe. Let’s make peanut butter flavor muffins with veggies melted inside (the tasty kind).
If you want to level up your snack game with something delicious and nutritious, you’ve got to try these Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins with a veggie twist.
They’re not just tasty—they’re a clever way to sneak some extra veggies into your diet for fiber and protein in every bite. This recipe is my go-to when I need something sweet that won’t make me feel guilty.
It’s simple to whip up and the combo of peanut butter flavor with chocolate makes these muffins a crowd-pleaser every time. Plus, they stay fresh in an airtight container—perfect for grab-and-go moments.
Ready to bake these healthier versions of Reese’s peanut butter cups? Let’s get baking. First, we’ll look at the ingredients.
Recipe Ingredients–What You Need
Veggies in muffins? Yes, that’s what you can do with my recipe of healthy muffins. Here’s what you’ll need to make these peanut butter chocolate muffins:
- Vegetable puree–I use a mix of carrot and sweet potato purée. Both add a hint of sweetness, a good dose of vitamins, and fiber. Use your favorite mild vegetable here, just keep the amount to 1 cup. The vegetables lend moisture to the mix, as well, making these the exact opposite of dry.
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Unsweetened vanilla almond milk: A dairy-free option that keeps the muffins light and adds a hint of vanilla flavor. Any milk will work here.
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Natural peanut butter: It will provide a creamy texture and nutty flavor that compliments the chocolate perfectly.
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Vanilla extract: It’ll level up the sweet flavors in your muffins.
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Coconut oil: Coconut oil adds fat to the recipe. You can also use avocado oil or melted butter.
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Oat flour: Did I mention that these are vegan and gluten-free, also? I used oat flour that I blended from regular rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats, if necessary) and it worked great. This flour keeps the muffins gluten-free and offers a wholesome texture. All purpose flour or a gluten-free blend will work here, too.
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Baking powder: To make the muffins rise and fluff.
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Coconut palm sugar: Coconut palm sugar, is a natural sweetener that offers a caramel-like sweetness. I like because it is an unrefined sugar that retains a lot of minerals and has a lower glycemic index than regular white sugar. If you don’t have it on hand, it’s okay to use whatever sugar you prefer.
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Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened Cocoa powder is for a deep chocolatey taste in the muffins.
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Salt: For balancing the taste.
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Mini chocolate chips: Because who doesn’t love finding melty chocolate pockets in their muffins? I use the Enjoy Life brand that are dairy-free to keep this a dairy-free recipe. You an also use stevia-sweetened chocolate chips to make this lower in sugar.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins (with Vegetables)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a muffin pan with silicone baking cups, or oil it well.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable purée, almond milk, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and coconut oil very well until you have a smooth mixture. Use a fork to smooth out any chunks from the vegetables.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking powder, coconut palm sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Fold in half of the mini chocolate chips.
- Transfer about 1/4 cup of the batter per muffin cup. Top with the remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the muffins are set and a toothpick placed in the center of a muffin comes out clean (except for the melted chocolate chips), about 17-20 minutes.
- Allow to cool before serving. Enjoy!
Muffins tend to walk a fine line between breakfast treat and dessert. These are definitely in that category. What saves them? Hello, vegetables! Totally healthy enough for breakfast.
PrintDouble Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins with Vegetables
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 9-12 muffins 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins with Vegetables are vegan, gluten-free, and packed with nutrition via carrot and sweet potato! Your kids won’t ever suspect they are eating vegetables with these muffins.
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable purée*
- 1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup coconut oil*, melted
- 1 cup oat flour*
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2/3 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a muffin pan with silicone baking cups, or oil it well.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable purée, almond milk, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and coconut oil very well until you have a smooth mixture. Use a fork to smooth out any chunks from the vegetables.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking powder, coconut palm sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Fold in half of the mini chocolate chips.
- Transfer about 1/4 cup of the batter per muffin cup. Top with the remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the muffins are set and a toothpick placed in the center of a muffin comes out clean (except for the melted chocolate chips), about 17-20 minutes.
- Allow to cool before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can make 12 smaller or 9 slightly larger muffins. As my kids have grown, the bigger muffins work better for their appetites! Nutritional information reflects 12 muffins.
- I usually use a mix of sweet potato and carrot puree. Feel free to experiment and use different vegetables!
- Avocado oil or melted butter can be used in place of the coconut oil.
- All purpose flour or a gluten-free flour blend can be used in place of the oat flour.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: breakfast recipes
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: muffin
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 203
- Sugar: 13.4g
- Sodium: 128.3mg
- Fat: 11.2g
- Saturated Fat: 6.1g
- Carbohydrates: 23.9g
- Fiber: 2.4g
- Protein: 4.3g
- Cholesterol: 1.6mg
Variations You Can Do With This Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins Recipe
Moist muffins are my kids’ favorite breakfast food but they also get bored of the same thing. That’s why I keep swapping their ingredients to keep them tasty and healthy.
Here are some recipe variations you can try the next time you make them:
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Melt some natural peanut butter and lightly drizzle it over the top of the muffins. It enhances the peanut butter flavor and adds a lovely texture.
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Mix unsweetened cocoa powder with a bit of unsweetened almond milk and a touch of maple syrup. Drizzle it over your muffins for an extra chocolate kick.
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If you’re a fan of almond butter, mix it with a little vanilla extract and little sugar for a nutty contrast to the chocolate.
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Simmer some berries with maple syrup to create a simple fruit sauce. It adds a fruity freshness that pairs well with the rich chocolate.
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Combine sour cream or Greek yogurt with a bit of honey. It adds a tangy sweetness that’s perfect if you’re looking for something less heavy.
FAQs
Can I use a different type of nut butter in this recipe?
Absolutely. You can experiment with other nut butter like almond butter or cashew butter. Each brings a unique taste to your muffins.
How do I ensure my muffins come out moist and not dry?
To get those perfectly moist crumbs, make sure you don’t over bake your muffins. Keep an eye on them and remove them from the muffin tin as soon as a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Using ingredients like mashed banana or unsweetened applesauce can also help keep the muffins moist.
What’s the best way to store these muffins to keep them fresh?
After they’ve cooled, place the muffins in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can also freeze them by wrapping each muffin in plastic wrap and then placing it in a freezer-safe bag. When it’s time to eat, thaw at room temperature or pop them in the microwave for a quick warm-up.
This recipe was originally published in 2016. A new video was added 2019. New photos and recipe details were added in 2024.
Ruby says
Help!
What can I substitute for the sweet potato?
(I’m making right now, and realized my sweet potatoes are bad…) : /
Maryea says
I’m sorry I missed this! You can add extra carrot if it’s not too late. 🙂
Tara says
Could I use natural almond butter instead of nutural peanut butter?
Also, do you think the oat flour would do better than white or wheat flour of gluten isn’t an issue?
Maryea says
Yes you can use almond butter! I haven’t tried these with wheat flour, but it would definitely give them more structure because of the gluten.
Danielle says
These are AMAZING! The small amount of peanut butter comes through nicely and they’re good and moist. I’m so glad I found this recipe it’s exactly what I wanted in a muffin. Thanks so much this recipe will be repeated many times in my house!
Maryea says
So glad to hear this Danielle! 🙂
Alicia Ogard says
Hi! This recipe sounds fantastic but could I use all carrots if I don’t have sweet potatoes?
Maryea says
Yes, definitely!
Mary says
I have steel cut oats in the pantry. Can I grind these up for the oat flour?
Maryea says
I don’t think a regular blender would work with steel cut oats, but if you have a professional style blender, like a Vitamix, with a dry container, that would work.
Ashley McKee says
I made these tonight…wow! Incredibly delicious! Thank you for this magnificent recipe!
Maryea says
Great! So glad to hear it–thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Sonje says
What could you substitute if you have to avoid nuts? Kid’s school is nutfree zone. Maybe blended black beans?
Maryea says
I would use sunflower seed butter. Black beans may work too, but it would be more of a risk. 🙂
Alina says
I have to tell you that I made them last night :). My son went to one of his friends for a play date and he took some muffins with him. Everyone loved them: my kids (4 and 7 year old), my son’s friends (9 and 14 year old) and their parents and grandmother, my husband, myself, and my parents. I know, lots of people tried them :).
The only change I made was I replaced the sweet potato with pumpkin as I did not have sweet potato in the house.
I wish I would have tripled the recipe :). The muffins turned out moist and with the right amount of sweetness. Super delicious!
Maryea says
I’m so glad to hear this! 🙂 It’s great to hear that it works with pumpkin as well–I’ll use that tip when I don’t have sweet potato because I almost always have a can of pumpkin hiding in the pantry.
Kathy says
These look and sound so amazingly delicious!! adding to the list to make. 🙂
Maryea says
Thank you, Kathy! I hope you love them. 🙂
Kate says
These sound yummy! Carrots really are a great addition to cakes. I have added a little bit of shredded carrots to your banana bread and it tastes great!
Maryea says
Oooh I’m going to try that with banana bread. Great idea!
Michele says
I cannot wait to make these!
Maryea says
I hope you love them!
Dietitian Jess says
Pinning! These sounds delicious and I love the addition of the veggies- totally agree the best part of vegan baking is for all the worry free batter taste testing 😉
Maryea says
Thanks, Jess!