These Chocolate Date Muffins are simple muffins sweetened with dates, with a soft and fluffy crumb, and made with no eggs and no dairy.
While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!
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Chocolate Date Muffins
These Chocolate Date Muffins are simple muffins sweetened with dates, with a soft and fluffy crumb, and made with no eggs and no dairy.
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Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 184.6 kcal
Ingredients
- 10.5 ounces Medjool Dates - pitted, equivalent to 1 1/2 cup (300g), or about 17 large Medjool dates (note 1)
- ¾ cup Water - warm (note 2)
- ¾ cup Almond Milk - warm (note 3)
- ⅓ cup Light Olive Oil - (note 4)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour - (note 5)
- ½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ cup Coconut Sugar - (note 6) optional for more sweetness
- ½ cup Chocolate Chips - (note 7)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-hole muffin hole with paper cup. Lightly oil the paper cups with oil spray. Set aside.
- Pit the dates if they are not pitted. Weigh them for precision after they have been pitted. Discard the pit. Place the pitted dates in a high-speed blender.
- In a glass jug, add water and almond milk. Microwave for about 80 seconds, until hot.
- In the blender jug where you placed the dates, add the warm liquid mixture and olive oil. Most blender jugs can handle hot liquids. If yours can't, then soak the dates in a glass bowl with the warm liquid. Close the jug or cover the bowl with a plate, set it aside for 10 minutes to soften the dates.
- Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and coconut sugar if used.
- Blend the date mixture at high speed until smooth and creamy, and pour onto the dry ingredients. Add vanilla extract.
- Use a rubber spatula to gently stir and combine everything until smooth and consistent. If the batter looks too thick and dry, add a little more milk, one tablespoon at a time.
- Stir in the chocolate chips if used.
- Fill each muffin paper cup evenly with the batter and add a few more chocolate chips on top of each if you like.
- Bake the muffins on the center rack of the oven for 30-35 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs on it, meaning the muffins are baked, but still moist.
- Let it cool on a rack for 2 hours before eating.
Notes
Note 1: I haven’t tried the cake with other date varieties. It might work, but it’d bring a slightly different taste, texture, and sweetness. I highly recommend weighing the pitted dates for best results.
Note 2: If you like orange and chocolate, you can swap the water for warm orange juice.
Note 3: Any milk works for this recipe, like soy milk, coconut milk, or oat milk.
Note 4: Or any low-flavor oil like melted refined coconut oil or canola oil.
Note 5: You can also use whole wheat flour or white spelt flour. The cake doesn’t work with almond flour or oat flour. I haven’t tried all-purpose gluten-free flour. It could work, but the texture will be different, a bit drier.
Note 6: You can use any granulated sugar, like brown sugar, sugar, or skip it, if you don’t want added sugar in your muffins.
Note 7: Or finely chopped walnuts, pecans, or skip entirely.
Storage: Store the muffins in an airtight cake box in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 184.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.9g | Protein: 2.1g | Fat: 6.8g | Saturated Fat: 1.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.5g | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 193.2mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 18.4g | Vitamin A: 26.4IU | Calcium: 49.4mg | Iron: 1.1mg | Magnesium: 25.7mg | Phosphorus: 48.9mg | Zinc: 0.3mg
Ingredients and Substitutions
This paragraph gives you all my tips about picking the right ingredients. For the full recipe with measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!Go to Full Recipe
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.
- Medjool Dates – These provide the primary sweetness and moisture for the muffins, creating a naturally sweet and soft crumb. It’s best to weigh them after pitting for the most accurate results.
- Water – This helps soften the dates and forms part of the liquid base for the muffin batter. For a delicious twist, you can swap it for warm orange juice if you enjoy the chocolate-orange combination.
- Almond Milk – This contributes to the liquid content of the muffins, ensuring a moist texture. You can use other plant-based milks like soy milk, coconut milk, or oat milk.
- Light Olive Oil – This adds richness and moisture to the muffins, contributing to their tender texture. Other low-flavor oils, such as melted refined coconut oil or canola oil, also work well.
- Vanilla Extract – This enhances the overall flavor profile of the muffins, adding a warm and inviting aroma.
- All-Purpose Flour – This forms the main structure of the muffins, giving them a soft and fluffy consistency. You can also use whole wheat flour or white spelt flour for a slightly different texture. It won’t work with almond flour or oat flour without many other changes.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – This is responsible for the rich chocolate flavor in your muffins.
- Baking Soda – This reacts with the acidic components in the batter, helping the muffins rise and become light.
- Baking Powder – Another leavening agent, this works alongside baking soda to give the muffins their airy texture and good rise.
- Coconut Sugar – This provides additional sweetness to the muffins. It’s an optional ingredient, so you can skip it if you prefer a less sweet muffin with no added sugar. Any granulated sugar like brown sugar or regular sugar also works.
- Chocolate Chips – These add pockets of melted chocolate throughout the muffins for an extra touch of sweetness. You can also use finely chopped walnuts or pecans, or omit them entirely.
How to Make Chocolate Date Muffins
This recipe is super simple to make, here are pics of key steps to see the texture you need.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Combine the other ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Pour the date mixture on the dry ingredients and mix the batter until smooth.
Transfer the batter to a muffin tin and bake them for 30-35 minutes at 350°F (180°C).
Carine’s Baking Tips
Let me share a few more tips for a perfect date chocolate muffins.
- Weigh Dates – Not all Medjool dates are the same size, so weighing your pitted dates for precision is crucial for consistent results in your muffins.
- Warm Liquids – Using warm water and almond milk helps to soften the dates quickly, ensuring they blend into a smooth, creamy mixture for your batter.
- Blender – While most blender jugs can handle warm liquids, if yours can’t, soak the dates in a separate heat-safe bowl with the warm liquid before blending.
- Gentle Mix – When combining the wet and dry ingredients, use a rubber spatula and stir just until everything is incorporated and smooth. Overmixing can lead to tough muffins.
- Adjust Batter – If your batter appears too thick or dry after mixing, gradually add a tablespoon of milk at a time until it reaches a smooth, consistent texture. This can happen if your dates were particularly absorbent or if some liquid evaporated.
- Optional Sweetness – If you prefer less added sugar, feel free to skip the coconut sugar. The muffins will still taste good, just with a milder sweetness from the dates.
- Flavor Boost – Stir in chocolate chips or chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to add extra texture and flavor to your muffins.
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Thank you !