These flourless Chocolate Protein Muffins pack in the nutrients but taste like a brownie. They are quickly mixed up in a blender and have so many nutrients tucked inside. Plus: They store so well in the fridge!
Chocolate Protein Muffins
Muffins are one of those foods that we like to have in the house for easy breakfasts and snacks since they store so well in the fridge and are so easy to eat. These protein muffins taste like a moist brownie but have a load of nutrition inside…including veggies!
Honestly, you’d never know they were in there, but it’s nice to get in a little extra nutrition, right?
I don’t advocate sneaking veggies into everything we serve our kids—we want (and need!) our kids to trust us with the food we feed them—so I love making these with my kids and having them help me add the ingredients.
The zucchini, kale, and ripe banana adds moisture and flavor. The cocoa powder makes each bite super chocolatey, which my little taste testers think they is super yummy.
I love these healthy chocolate muffins since they are packed with protein and healthy fats, which means they provide nicely balanced and long-lasting energy for our busy little people. Plus, the texture is super soft and moist, which makes them easy for younger toddlers to chew and swallow.
Ingredients You Need
To make this recipe you’ll need the following ingredients so you know what to have on hand or pick up at the store.
- Peanut butter: This provides the base for the muffins. I usually use unsweetened creamy peanut butter. You can use sunflower seed butter to make them nut-free as you like.
- Eggs: I use large eggs in baking, and in this recipe they help the ingredients hold together nicely, which is key since there isn’t any flour.
- Honey (or maple syrup): This is my preferred sweetener here. Avoid honey for kids under age 1.
- Raw zucchini (or yellow summer squash): This veggie is great in the mix since it blends in so well. If you don’t have any, just double the banana.
- Kale (or spinach): I prefer to use greens I’ve frozen to knock down the “green” flavor, but fresh ones will work, too.
- Ripe banana: Use bananas with brown spots for the best sweetness and flavor.
- Cocoa powder: I use unsweetened cocoa powder and usually buy SACO or Hershey’s Special Dark.
TIP: Use a very ripe banana with brown spots for the best natural sweetness.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the process involved in making this recipe so you know what to expect. Scroll to the bottom for all of the info.
- Add all ingredients to a blender.
- Blend, stopping to scrape down the sides or move the mixture around with the stick that came with it (if you got one).
- Divide batter in a greased muffin tin. Top with chocolate chips if using.
- Bake and test for doneness with toothpick or cake tester. Let cool.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes to make it easier to get them out of the pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our kids are usually getting plenty of protein without us worrying too much about it, but it is an essential nutrient for balanced energy. Each regularly sized muffin has 7 grams of protein which is a nice dose!
You can use a food processor though definitely let it process for at least a minute to try to get the greens fully blended. A blender usually makes a more uniform texture, which is why I use it here.
You can bake these as full size muffins or minis, depending on your preference. And this batter also works in a donut pan should you want to go that route. It’s nice that it’s so versatile so you can adjust for the appetites in your household.
I’m always amazed at the texture of these muffins, which is light and moist. I tend to like the flavor better when these are served chilled, but taste them both ways and see what you think.
What’s the best way to clean a blender?
This batter is a little sticky due to the volume of nut butter, so here’s the best way to clean your blender.
- Fill the blender 1/2-¾ full of warm to hot water. Add a squirt of dish soap.
- Put the top on securely and blend, starting on low and working up to high. Keep going until the sides of the blender are clean. (Any stuck on batter will come off from the friction of the water!)
- Rinse out.
How to Store
Store for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature.
Best Tips for Success
- Use a very ripe banana with brown spots for the best natural sweetness.
- If your peanut butter has been in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for an hour before using OR warm for 15 seconds in the microwave.
- Spray your measuring cup with nonstick spray before measuring the honey to make it easier to pour out.
- Stir a handful of chocolate chips into the batter to make it slightly sweeter.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes to make it easier to get them out of the pan.
- I find that these taste best with greens that have been frozen and once the muffins have been fully cooled (and even chilled in the fridge for a bit!).
- Dice the muffin for little ones as needed.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe, so please comment below to share!
Chocolate Protein Muffins (With Veggies!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup peanut butter (almond butter or sunflower seed butter)
- 1 cup roughly chopped very ripe banana
- 1 cup roughly chopped raw zucchini (if you don't have zucchini, use 2 cups banana)
- 1 cup kale leaves (lightly packed; or spinach)
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- chocolate chips (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a mini or standard-size muffin tin with nonstick spray or line with paper liners.
- Fill muffin cups about ½ full using about ¼ cup batter in each. Top with chocolate chips, if using.
- For regular muffins: Bake 20-22 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- For mini muffins (or a donut pan): Bake 12-14 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, run a knife around the edges, and carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Store for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature.
- We prefer to eat these cold.
- Use a very ripe banana with brown spots for the best natural sweetness.
- Nut-free: Use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter.
- Egg-free: Use a liquid egg substitute such as Just Eggs.
- If your peanut butter has been in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for an hour before using OR warm for 15 seconds in the microwave.
- Spray your measuring cup with nonstick spray before measuring the honey to make it easier to pour out.
- Stir a handful of chocolate chips into the batter to make it slightly sweeter.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes to make it easier to get them out of the pan.
- I find that these taste best with greens that have been frozen and once the muffins have been fully cooled (and even chilled in the fridge for a bit!).
Nutrition
This post was originally published June 2019.
These are so yummy! And they make me feel so much better to serve for breakfast than regular muffins. Definitely better cool or cold.
These are so yummy! My most picky eater LOVED these! 😍
I didn’t have zucchini so subbed some carrots – love this recipe! So yummy!
These are amazing!
We haven’t made with zucchini yet. Been using the extra banana and spinach because it’s what we have on hand. The kids, me and my husband love them.
This is an absolutely amazing recipe! I’ve made it countless times in the past month since finding it. My toddler loves them and asks for chocolate muffins morning, day and night. I love that the recipe is pretty forgiving, sometimes I have a little more than a cup of zucchini or a little less than a cup of spinach but as long as I’m close they’ve turned out great. I haven’t added the chocolate chips yet, I’m sure they’d make these even better but we like them fine without. I use a silicone mini muffin pan and it takes about 25 minutes to really get them all completely cooked through. This last time I only felt like pouring the batter into 1 muffin pan so I decided to see if it would make good chocolate waffles. I added a little bit of water, just enough to make it slightly runnier and poured the batter on my mini waffle iron. They are so good! I can’t wait to surprise my son with chocolate waffles this weekend 🙂 Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Can you make this with a food processor instead of a blender?
You can but it is better to smoothly blend the batter to ensure that there aren’t any chunks of veggies:)
My picky 4 year old loves them! Thank you!
Disclosure: I made this in my blender (not Vitamix) with egg substitute and no flax.
The batter came together fine in the blender, tasted good, and looked like muffin batter to me. However, when I poured 1/4 cup into each spot I had enough batter to fill two tins, and when they baked they expanded and completely collapsed like a souffle. I realize now that the blender added air and bulked up the batter, so my tins were essentially half air half batter. I can’t salvage the end product because it’s glued to the muffin liner in a thin layer. Really bummed because what I was able to pry off was delicious. I saw a comment below that someone did it without veggies and without a blender using a stove to soften the nut butter. I may try that in the future.
I imagine that the egg replacer didn’t add much structure, which is why they collapsed. Due to the unusual ingredients in this, I don’t usually recommend trying them with an egg replacer, but let me know if you get it to work.
what can you sub instead of banana?
Thick applesauce or roasted sweet potato are the most common subs for banana in baking.
Soo yummy and big hit with kids and adults! I love the clean ingredients. It is so easy and quick to make. I didn’t have Zucchini (just left that part out, didn’t sub with more banana either) and it turned out great.
Can this be made without eggs and banana? What would be good substitutes?
I haven’t made this recipe without both of those ingredients so I can’t say for sure, but let me know if you try something out.
This recipe is fantastic and makes a very filling muffin. Great texture for being flourless. Didn’t have the zucchini this time but excited to try that next.
Wow! Okay, full disclosure, I made them without the zucchini and spinach (which I know the hidden veggies are the main purpose here), but you sent out the recipe in an email, I saw it, and couldn’t wait, despite not having any zucchini in the house and having used up all the spinach already. So I used 2 1/2 small bananas, left out the spinach, and since I don’t have a Vitamix and didn’t feel like cleaning up the food processor, I let my peanut butter melt a little on the stove to soften, and make the entire recipe easier to stir by hand. The muffins are delicious! Mine are wonderful as they are, even room temperature. This might be due to the fact I have no veggies in them. I do plan to make them as intended in future! For today, we are enjoying a delicious snack!
Followed recipe exactly. Did not sub anything. Tasty but so dense and flat. Made mini muffins. Baked for 14minutes. Toothpick was clean. Even checked to see if my baking soda or powder expired.
I want to make these and i have baby spinach that i froze. If I’m using spinach that has been frozen, do I defrost it before making these or just throw it in still frozen?
If it’s in a bag that you froze, you can just measure it out and toss it into the blender.
This looks great! Will be making these but have a question on the zucchini, do I have to squeeze the water out first? Or just as is in the blender? Thanks
Just add in!
Made these as mini muffins and they are great! We all love them! Thanks for sharing!
Delish!!!!
When I first took these out of the oven they looked great, with a nice muffin top dome. But as they cooled they went flat. Texture seemed off too. Sort of dense and spongy. Flavor is good. I feel like these could be great but I missed the mark somewhere and not sure what to do differently. Suggestions welcome! I found the flavor nice but more mild then expected. I’d like to punch up the chocolate flavor a little bit.
Mine did the same and toothpick said they were done. I think undercooked, I did 20 minutes. Will do longer next time.
These muffins are astoundingly delicious – they taste like mini flourless cakes! I made it exactly as written, except I subbed chia for the flax. My picky son loves them, and so do we- Thank you Amy!
Hi. Is it ok to make these without kale or spinach? Thanks!
Sure
My toddler is scarfing them down! So easy and glad everything was in one blender – just mix!
Highly enjoyed these – but definitely listen to the recommendation of eating these COLD! I was impatient, ate one soon out of the oven, and was disappointed. However, the next day when eating one straight from the fridge I was super impressed. My toddler loved these! We will be making them again.
If using frozen spinach, does it need defrosting or can we throw it in blender too?
If it’s frozen spinach in a block, you would want to defrost it and squeeze the liquid out. If it’s frozen in leaves, you can throw it right in.
Loved this recipe!! And there are no toddlers in my house. 😊 It’s a delicious & satisfying snack. I’m getting ready to make it again (only 4 days after my first batch!). Also lots of friends saw my post and wanted the recipe too!
So good!! Still perplexed how that beautiful texture came about without any flour?! They were the perfect amount of chocolate and sweetness and you don’t taste the veggies at all! Thank you for another awesome recipe!
Delicious! I used fresh spinach, 2 cups of banans (no zucchini available), and subbed all purpose flower for flax meal. I also added a handful of chocolate chips to the batter as well as chips on top (kids are visual eaters).
How can I make them without eggs?
This is not the best recipe to try to make without eggs due to the somewhat unusual combination of ingredients.
My kids are allergic to banana could you substitute with apple sauce or pumpkin and just add some maple syrup for sweetness
Sure, I bet that would be similar.
I’ve made these many times, so delicious! I’m making them now and realized I don’t have any cocoa powder. Making them without – thoughts on that?
I haven’t made them without and I am not sure how the flavor/color will be. You may want to add a little flour to replace the cocoa powder though
These look amazing!! Do you have a suggestion as to what I could sub the peanut butter for? Could I use plain greek yogurt?? (really hoping to incorporate the greek yogurt for the extra protein!) I want to make for school and not allowed to pack peanut products! 🙁
I haven’t made them with greek yogurt, so I can’t say for sure, but it’s possible that might work great!
I know this, is older, but you could use sun butter instead! It’s made with sunflower seeds and usually isn’t restricted at schools. That or maybe cashew butter or almond butter
I have made these many times. My toddler and 8 year old love them! Can this be made into a cake?
I haven’t tried that but I bet it would work!
This is uncanny, as I was just about to ask this! Have you tried making it into a cake?
I haven’t, but it should work well! The baking time will depend on the size of pan you use.
Can these be made without the cocoa? Nervous about the caffeine for my toddler.
It’s a CHOCOLATE protein muffin recipe. It would probably be better to get another muffin recipe because the cocoa is one of the main ingredients here 😥
My son came home from preschool talking about his friends’ “secret recipe muffins.” His mom sent me this recipe. I’ve followed you for years, but never made this particular recipe. The whole family loved them! My son even said he now likes spinach. We will definitely be making these over and over.
Oh yay!
Yum, yum, another winner! No zucchini so I subbed 3 small shredded carrots. I also used 3/4 cup frozen kale for the leafy greens. No chocolate chips over here, but my toddler and I love them! This recipe made 24 mini muffins and 5 regular sized muffins for me.
These are amazing! Thank you for the recipe. The only problem I have is saving some for my daughter and not eating them all myself 😂
Has anyone used anything other than honey or maple syrup that tasted just as good?
You could replace with sugar and add 2 tablespoons milk. I’m not sure what other options you’re looking for so let me know!
Wow Amy, what a great recipe! Thank you! The muffins turned out so moist and delicious, that we could not stop eating them 😋
I used almond butter instead of peanut butter and frozen kale (as per your suggestion) and it did not taste like green veggies at all! My toddler was thrilled with the result (so am I for finding a win-win recipe). Thank you again! 👌
My daughter loves these muffins. Curious though, where does the 1g of trans fat listed in the nutrition facts come from?
From what I can tell, it is naturally occurring in the egg.
We LOVE your recipes, thank you for being such a fantastic resource! Can these be made without flaxseed?
Yes, you can leave it out or use rolled or instant oats in place of it. Enjoy!
Can I sub applesauce for the banana in this recipe, as well as many of your other recipes? My son has an intolerance for banana…his little belly just can’t handle it for some reason and so many baked goods recipes for littles have banana! Thanks for your help.
Yes, that is generally a good option.
These are SO good. I ate about 6 of them already. I added half a cup of flour but I’m sure they are just as delicious without.
Incredibly delicious!!! So good in both flavour and texture!
Do these need to be refrigerated or is that just a preference? (Ie. Can we take them on a road trip and eat them the following day for breakfast?)
That is fine. More than 3 days I would refrigerate them though.
Hi! Do you think not using chocolate chips on top will omit the chocolate flavor? I’m hoping not to use it due to health reasons but would not want this to taste like vegetables. Thank you!!!
They should still taste like cocoa (but they do taste better with the chocolate chips)
Great healthy treats for picky toddlers, the batter is amazing!!
Do you thaw the frozen veggies before adding to the blender?
I add them frozen.
Just perfect
Kids love them! I love them! Just perfect
We love these!!! I love making a batch on Sunday to have with breakfasts for the week. My son thinks he’s getting a special treat every morning haha
K wow!!!! I have a very picky toddler. He’s been on the kick of not wanting to eat anything. He LOVED these. And I loved how they were soo easy to make and had wonderful ingredients. Thank you, thank you!
You’re so welcome!
Love this recipe but I’m curious is there an alternative to the bananas? I have a family member that is allergic but would them to enjoy it as well.
Roasted mashed sweet potato is a good alternative or a very thick applesauce. Hope that helps!
Move over toddlers this is big kid approved too!
My 10 and 13 year old tried these both with PB and Almond butter and have concluded that almond butter tastes the best (have not tried with sunflower butter yet) – since I prefer chia over flax and always have chia on hand I used 2 tbsp of chia instead and they baked out just fine (the vitamix pulverizes chia too). The texture is so delicate I would almost call it more of a cupcake than a muffin. These are a keeper – thank you for this amazing recipe!
These are gooood! I goofed and added like 2.5x the amount of zucchini (don’t ask haha) so I added a couple scoops of whole wheat flour and they turned out amazing! My daughter and I both love them!
Very pleased with how these turned out despite my blender being completely incapable of handling it, (I think it was the peanut butter). I will make some adjustments next time through, but really like the protein and fat content with veggie bonus in a muffin package. So grateful for what you’re doing!
Great recipe! You’re right, these are better cold instead of hot/warm. I used Sunbutter instead of peanut butter and they were great. Interesting texture, reminiscent of quiche, but not at all bad. I had quite alot of batter, I may have been liberal with my measuring though, I filled my muffin cups 3/4-7/8 full. The muffins were nice and high in the oven, but deflated when I took them out. Maybe I need to cool them more gradually in the oven to keep the height?
Love your recipes! Is there any good sub for the banana? I’ll add more choc chips to these next time (only added a few on top) but the banana seems a little overpowering. I dont always like banana in things so it prob is just be me but any tips? Ty!
Try bumping up the cocoa powder a bit and I stirred my chocolate chips in before pouring batter into the muffin tin. We tried them both with peanut and with almond butter and kids prefer the almond butter ones (and I concur) in the almond butter ones with a good dutch cocoa and choco chips, I could not taste the banana.
Any tips on not sticking?! I used mini muffin pan and the stuck to the pan and sunk as well! Taste yummy though! Thanks!
I use nonstick spray to grease nonstick muffin pans to prevent sticking. And I would check the baking soda for freshness. Glad they taste good!
Just discovered your website while browsing Pinterest for recipes for my two very picky eaters. I’m sure my toddlers are gonna love so many of your recipes. Thank you, Amy! Keep up the good work! Much love from the Netherlands.
I had high hopes based on the reviews but my toddler and I didn’t like them. We’re both super tasters so maybe that’s why. Too much vegetable taste and smell. Love your other recipes though!
Love love love this recipe!
Are the nutrition facts listed for a serving size of one mini muffin or regular sized muffin?
Hi Daisy,
They are for 1 regular muffin or about 2 mini muffins. I am so glad you loved it!
My family loves this recipe! We have made it about 5 times now, with slight adjustments each time based on what we had on hand.
I will say: Don’t despair if you have fewer than 3 eggs. I have successfully made a batch of these with one egg + 2 flax eggs. The texture is still soft and dense like a brownie and they baked at the same temp in the same timespan.
Thank you for this wonderful and fun to make recipe! It has been a biweekly staple for our household!
This are awesome! My 5 year old son loved them! His only complaint, they weren’t round at the top, like other muffins. LOL! Do you think adding more baking powder or baking soda would help them puff up higher?
Otherwise, amazing! Thank you!!!
OH MY GOSH, YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER!! I have an extremely fussy 2-year, who literally will eat no veggies this day.
This is the first of your recipes I have tried… and initial he said ‘no!’ to the Chocolate Cake! I mean, what child says no to cake??? haha
But as I sat and ate mine, he took a bite of my cake (I was in shock), then he said he wanted “MORE”! BIG SMILES!!! And before he could finish each bite, it was “more” “more” “more”. Normally I say, don’t talk with your mouth full… but I was loving hearing the “mores” knowing he was loving this very healthy chocolate cake… shhh its our secret it has veggies in it.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and your beautiful recipes.
I am off to spend more time reviewing your library of recipes for more tasty winners like this one! 🙂 I will be enjoying my second piece while having a cuppa.
I loved these! I subbed butternut squash for the zucchini and it was great.
These are fantastic. I used frozen chopped collard greens since that’s what I had on hand. My toddler ate two! A lot of folks comment on the protein but getting enough fat is a challenge in our house so these are a total winner. Perfect as a filling bedtime snack to sustain a little one overnight.
So glad to hear that!
When you say 1 kale, do you mean 1 bag or 1 leaf?!
It says 1 cup kale leaves in the recipe at the end of the post. Hope that helps!
I cannot believe how tasty and healthy this muffins are. My two year old helped me make them and ate 5 mini muffins once they were slightly cooled, and I didn’t feel a single ounce of guilt (I also ate a few ;-)). Will definitely be making these again!
Trying to trouble shoot…. Mine came out almost raw/fudge texture? I sprayed my muffin paper cups because other people said they were sticky and they still stuck? I’m not sure what I did wrong. Is it just the result of no flour or oats to bind properly? I kept putting back in the oven because I assumed they weren’t baked enough but it didn’t help. My older kids didn’t really like them, my 1y isn’t picky so she ate. Idk?
Was the baking powder and baking soda fresh? That’s the usual reason when muffins don’t bake through. I’m sorry you had that result though!
I’ve admittedly never bought kale before but after seeing this recipe show up on your stories, I decided to give it a shot. My 3-yo devoured it so this one is definitely going into regular rotation. I struggle to find ways to give him enough protein and I love that this is packed with all the good things! Highly recommend!
Can I make these without any sunflower or nut butter? I want to make them for my little ones class but I don’t have any sunflower for nut free 😔
Maybe try this recipe instead? https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/fluffy-chocolate-muffins
Hi! might you use frozen bananas? would that work? thanks for your delightful content. –mama of 2 yo and 5 yo chocolate fans
I think it would work similarly as long as they aren’t too icy. If they are, thaw first, drain off the liquid, then use. Enjoy!
These were amazing, wanted to comment because I’m making them for the 2nd time in less than a week. I subbed grated carrots for the zucchini. My 3 year old & 18 mo old (and wife and father in law) loved them. We couldn’t believe they were flourless. Have extra kale on hand, will give that a try instead of the spinach. Thank you!
For being loaded with veggies and flourless, these have no business being this good!!! We adjusted the level of sweet and amount of chocolate to make them a treat and my toddler prefers these over the actual sweets in our house-what a win for a picky toddler!
Thank you so much Amy for such a delicious recipe that is packed with veggies and nutrition!! I was very impressed that it tasted just like a regular chocolate muffin! Definitely adding this to our breakfast/snack rotation!
Came out very well! Sweet, fluffy and great way to feel less guilty of introducing chocolate (cocoa) to my toddler since it’s nutritious, not just empty carbs! Easy to make.
Delicious, super easy and guilt free!
Do you think Almond butter can be used in place of Peanut butter?
Sure, that should work similarly.
My ultimate mom food. My two toddlers love them but truthfully I make them for me! This recipe is incredible. Super easy to throw together and I feel so nourished when I eat them. I never leave out the chocolate chips though. A weekly make in my house. Freeze well.
Picky eater approved! And I prefer if he has more than 1!!
What weight of frozen spinach would you recommend for this recipe? Thanks!
Loved this!! My daughter asked for another then noticed a tiny small spec of zucchini and didn’t want more tho! :(( they also looked lighter than in the pic…should I add more cocoa? My son had 3 though! Love that it has no oil or sugar
A favorite in our house .
I only have cacao powder, would this be overpowering in this recipe? I find it has much stronger flavour than cocoa powder.
It should work similarly.
I used half the amount listed for cocoa powder and they turned out amazing! My 18mo daughter loves them – they’re so soft and moist, we can’t stop eating them. Will definitely be making on a regular basis!
Forgot to give stars on my last comment! One more thing – these really stuck to my muffin pan and to paper cups. I used butter. Any suggestions?
I would coat the liners with nonstick spray and be sure to use it to grease the muffin tin well. I use classic Pam and have good success with it.
My son and husband love these and so do I! Is the nutrition based on a single mini muffin or single regular muffin? I’m waiting for results from my glucose test and looking for easy snacks if I need to track my blood sugar.
I added coconut, turned out great! Love all the stuff packed in to these- puts the parent of a very picky eater at ease! The single recipe made way more than 24 minis for me, almost double. Also it was a little taxing on my vitamix, which added some time. But they’re really good!
Absolutely delicious! My husband and kids devoured this
These are awesome! Amazing recipe!
Thank you! These muffins are just as delicious as the store-bought chocolate veggie muffins and are so much healthier!
Hi i am wondering if it’s possible to replace summer squash with another vegetable? Cauliflower maybe?
I haven’t tried that but maybe!
I tried this recipe and they look delicious apart from the taste of peanut butter being overpowering. Can you advise could I substitute other ingredients or reduce the quantity of peanut butter?
I haven’t made them any other way so I’m not sure I have one without playing around with the recipe more.
Mine didn’t really rise and came out like a brownie bite- did I just undercook it?
It’s hard to say, but you could check the freshness of the leavening.
Thank you so much for this amazing Recipe! I have shared it with my sisters who also have picky eaters. This has been such a success with my 3 year old who does NOT eat any vegetables other than tomatoes. He keeps asking for those muffins everyday.
I didn’t see the flax seeds listed at the top with the ingredients, so I didn’t add them to my grocery list. I see them now listed at the bottom in the recipe. Can the flaxseeds be omitted? Thank you.
You can omit them or use oats or chia seeds if you have them.
I am vegetarian ,so what can I use instead of eggs? as it seems incomplete without egg
Hi- I think you could try an egg replacer like the one from Just Eggs, but otherwise, I am not sure you can make this with another type of egg replacer.
My son and I LOVE these muffins. We enjoy them cold right out of the fridge. We usually have them with some cream cheese or ricotta on top. They are such a great way to get veggies in!
I am obsessed with this recipe. Delicious, packed with good stuff that is easy to keep on hand, and dirt simple to make. My toddler loves these, but I usually wind up eating most of them because they are so good. I agree they are best chilled.
I’m so glad to hear that!
I’ve made these twice! Love them! I really appreciate having a peanut butter alternative so I can send it to school with my picky eater!
I do have a question! There isn’t a serving size with the nutrition facts. How many muffins and what size? Thanks!
Oh sorry about that! Nutrition is for one standard size muffin (so 1 muffin if you make 12).
This recipe is ABSOLUTELY DELISCIOUS!!! I have a son who is a very picky eater. He loved these muffins & no clue that he had eaten KALE!!!! Will make this recipe AGAIN & AGAIN!!!
Awesome!
These are absolutely divine. They are super moist and rich. I have used Bob’s Red Mill Egg replacer with success. You cannot taste ANY vegetables. My toddler sees theses and freaks out with excitement. I often offer them as dessert when he hasn’t eaten well or for snack.
I love these! Unfortunately, my toddler doesn’t. 🙁 Her first taste of chocolate, I think, made her shiver. Still introducing every few days along with her Banana Spinach muffins and Banana/Zucchini/Blueberry muffins – both of which she loves.
I am excited to make these for our road trip this week! Could I use some cacao nibs on top instead of chocolate chips?
I think so though the flavor and texture would be different of course.
These were surprisingly good. Texture is spongy but great. I will like to taste them when they are out of the fridge or defrosted – I threw them all in the freezer for my toddler. Will definitely make again.
WOW these are amazing. Tastes like chocolate banana bread. Maybe I will even share some with my toddler. 😀
Turned out so yummy! My three kiddos loved them! Thank you for another wonderful recipe for my picky veggie eaters 😂
Very delicious! Success with toddlers and hubby. Live it that we use one utensil only! Thanks, Amy!!
Perfect everytime! These are cooked nearly every week they are so delish! Good for the whole family not just the littles.
I’m so glad to hear that!
I’d love to make this but so you have the measurements in grams & lbs? I’ve tried to convert them myself before for other recipes & the quantities always turn out wrong so the recipe doesn’t work.
These look amazing & I know my toddler would love them so would be brilliant to be able to get them right! 🙂
I don’t have that right now but I’m working on it!
I don’t have zucchini…what might I substitute for that? Shoot, I shopped for everything else!
Thanks
I don’t have any flaxseeds and I have no experience with flaxseeds. Would it hurt to leave them out? What is its purpose?
It helps make sure the batter isn’t too wet. If you don’t have any, you could use flour instead I think.
Great recipe! Didn’t have flaxseed so used chiaseeds instead.
Any substitutions for eggs?
I haven’t found one I like for this recipe. I worry they wouldn’t have a muffin texture if you used a flax egg but it’s possible a store bought egg replacer would work okay.
As an adult these are not my cup of tea, but my extremely picky toddler LOVES them and that alone makes them worthwhile. Thank you!!!!
I’m glad to hear that!
After reading the other reviews, I thought these might be more like brownies than muffins. I put the batter in a greased square cake pan, and baked at 350 for just over 30 minutes. I used wow butter instead of pb and sprinkled chocolate chips on the top. I found my one banana wasn’t quite a cup so made up the difference with applesauce. They were a hit with the kids!
I’d love to try this with my toddler and 10 month old – but would have to use maple syrup instead of honey for bub. Should I use less maple syrup than the recipe says for honey? Or it doesn’t matter?
Thanks!
As a baker, i had doubts about this recipe and unfortunately i was right. These did not turn out well and even the chocolate chips couldn’t hide the very vegetal taste. No matter how long i baked them, and the fact that a toothpick came out clean, the middle was always dense and a little too wet. I saw it noted somewhere in the recipe that because there is no flour, these couldn’t be dense, but that’s incorrect. Without flour (or more cocoa powder) to absorb some of the liquid from the other ingredients, these will absolutely be dense. That’s why dishes such as flourless chocolate cake are super dense. I’m bummed i wasted good ingredients on this.
You may find that the flavor mellows if you stash them in the fridge overnight and try one tomorrow. I have not had that issue with the interior through my testing of this recipe, but I very much appreciate the feedback.
Has anybody tried and had success with an egg substitute for these? We can’t have egg, and I usually use a flax egg, but noticed they already contain some and thought it might be too much.
I don’t know that these will work with an egg substitute due to the rest of the ingredients. Sorry!
Is there a possible substitute for bananas? I know it is where the sweet comes from but we can’t eat bananas here.
Usually, applesauce, pumpkin, or mashed roasted sweet potato work similarly as banana in baked goods. The sweetness will vary though.
How much applesauce would you suggest using as a substitute for bananas?
I would use the same amount.
Are these supposed to soft and fluffy? Mine are so wet!
No, they should be regular muffin texture. Did you change anything in the recipe? Is it possible they needed to bake a little longer?
Can I use PB2 in place of regular peanut butter? If so, how much?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. If there are measurements on the label about making the powder into regular peanut butter equivalents, you could try following that.
I used pb2! I think the muffins really benefit having a fat. I subbed applesauce to mix with the pb2 and it was too much moisture
We can’t import Bananas to Bermuda where I live, and frozen ones have been hard to come by lately. Any banana substitutes?
I left out the flax seed because I didn’t have any on hand. I am now reading the comments that I should have added a substitute. The texture seemed okay, but the flavor was just blah, and neither of my kids would eat them.
Not even with chocolate chips? Sometimes kids like them better once they are duly cooled and cold from the fridge.
My little is allergic to eggs…any good substitutes?
I don’t have an egg-free option for this one (it’s harder when there’s no flour) but my Spinach Banana Muffins have a really great egg-free option if you want to check those out!
Can I use frozen bananas and kale? Excited to make this for my toddler, thank you!
Sure! I would thaw the bananas first I think and use about 1/4 cup of the frozen kale.
I don’t have zucchini. Could I use peas or riced cauliflower? If so, how much?
Of those two I think the riced cauliflower would work. I’d do 1/2 cup
I made this recipe and used flour as a substitute for ground flax. Worked perfectly and my hard to please toddler has loved these. I have never left a comment on any page, but this was such a success for our household and I wanted to say thank you for sharing your recipe ?
I’m so glad to hear that and thank you for letting me know!
I have some grated beets – can I add those? IF yes, what should I omit to balance out the flavor?
I haven’t tried this with beets so I can’t say for sure. Let me know if you give it a shot!
WOW this recipe is amazing, I cannot get over the amount of veggies/fruit/protein in them and they are delicious! My kids and nieces and nephews scarfed them up with no clue as to all the wonderful veggies etc they were consuming! LOVE These!
Has anyone tried this with PB powder? Wonder how to adapt with the change in moisture level?
So good! My toddler cried after they were all gone ?
These muffins are delicious! My 18 month old is a picky eater and loves them. Keep the hidden veggie recipes coming!
What can I use instead of ground flaxseed? Is chia ok? And if so should I grind it first in a blender or something?
You can use instant oats or flour if that’s a better option for you.
Is the quantity the same if we use oats or flour instead of flax? Thanks!
Yes!
What’s a good substitute for the zucchini? Thank you.
You can use yellow summer squash
Do you suggest using unsweetened or sweetened cocoa powder? Salted or unsalted butter?
unsweetened cocoa powder and unsalted butter (though salted butter would work too if that’s all you have)
Do you have a recommendation on what I can use in place of the banana? My son is allergic. Thanks!
Typically, applesauce or mashed roasted sweet potato are good substitutions for mashed banana.
Is it ok to lower or omit the honey/maple syrup? Thanks!
I haven’t tried it without it and you’d want to use very, very ripe bananas to make sure they are sweet enough. If you do want to omit it, I’d replace it with either plain yogurt or applesauce so the overall volume remains the same. Let me know if you try it!
Can you sub almond butter for peanut? In most Australian schools peanuts are banned so wanted to make these as a treat for school…
Yes, that should be fine
Is there a substitute for the flax meal? Or can I leave it out? I don’t have any and don’t want to buy it for such a small amount. Thank you!
I’ve only made them with flaxseed but I bet that chia seeds or instant oatmeal (or slightly ground up regular oatmeal) or even regular flour would work instead.
Do you need to peel the zucchini or get some of the water of out them before putting them in the blender?
Nope!
I’ve read that many of the cacao powders contain cadmium which makes me worried. Is there a brand you found that doesn’t have cadmium?
Do you remember where you read that?
Hi!
Do you use regular peanut butter in this or “drippy” all natural? Can’t wait to try it, either way!
I prefer to use natural unsweetened peanut butter!
Could you substitute avocado for the peanut butter?
I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure.
I used a mix of almond butter and sun butter because it’s what I had in the house. I’m not sure if it was the sun butter or the zucchini, but there was a definite taste of something unexpected for a muffin. I’d like to try them again – would butternut squash offer a milder/sweeter/less vegetable taste? Would like to try that with just almond butter (no sun butter). Thank you!
Hi- Sunbutter does have a distinctive taste so it was likely that if I was to guess. You shouldn’t have been able to taste the zucchini, but butternut squash would be a little sweeter, yes!
Thank you so much for this recipe! My 16 month old twins love them! I halved the amount of maple syrup but I feel like I could have left it completely out and they would be just as good!
I’m so glad to hear that!
These are absolutely to die for! I love them, my husband loves them, and most importantly my kids love them. I like that they are super easy to make and packed with nutrition.
My 20 month old is so picky with veggies lately! She only drinks them out of the lower sugar pouches. I LOVE that these are delicious and healthy for her! My husband, out toddler and I all ate these out of the oven when they were finally cool enough! I made them into mini muffins, they are so great to freeze and have a stash ready for snack time! Thank you for another delicious muffin go to!
Yay!
What is the actual serving size for the nutrition facts? 1,2,3 muffins?
1 muffin. (the recipe makes 12 standard muffins)
I made these this morning and can confirm they are delicious, especially straight from the oven. Notes: I had success using food processor, but processed my banana and veggies (spinach and 1 small zucchini) first. Sunbutter tasted great. I added allergen free mini chocolate chips. I’m currently dairy free but will def continue making these when that’s no longer an issue (even though we have no dietary restrictions).
What could I use to substitute some or all of the banana? My toddler deals with chronic constipation and we try to avoid bananas due to their “binding” nature. Thank you!
Usually applesauce and mashed roasted sweet potato works in place of banana in baked goods though I can’t say for sure since I haven’t tried them in this recipe. Let me know if you try it!
I used sweet potato and a little bit of applesauce and they turned out great! They have a slight”health-food” aftertaste from the veggies ? but the cocoa and chocolate chips make it feel like a treat! My 2 year old gobbled hers right up! ? Thank you for the recipe and substitution suggestion!
I just made this and it was a super hit for all ages! I would recommend not putting in the peanut butter first if using a vitamix! Had a hard time getting it all to mix. Next time will blend the veggies first and then add in other ingredients. Will def make this one again!
Great tip, thanks for sharing!
Can you use WOW butter instead of sun butter?
I haven’t tried it but I would think so.
Do you recomm3end a flax or chia egg to substitute?
I prefer chia seeds.
I am always looking to hide veggies and this is an easy way. I think I will add more kale next time, I didn’t know how much to put. They taste very good but the consistency is a bit mushy on the inside.
Hi
Can I use spinach and honey instead of kale or the 2 won’t mix well?
Thank you
Spinach should be fine!
I have been looking for an easy breakfast alternative for my picky little sweet tooth. I might have used too much kale because they had a green tint. I was worried she wouldn’t touch them, but she devoured them!
I will say that I don’t recommend doubling the recipe. They were super hard to blend well in my vitamin because the batter is so thick, but they still came out great!
Thanks for this!
I’m glad she liked them and I could see that being an issue with a double recipe! Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it!
Awesome Recipe! My 3 yr old loved them. Super moist and silky smooth. Didn’t have cocoa powder so we used 100% cacao baking chocolate and blended it a tad longer in the vitamix.We have gluten, dairy, and soy allergies so we used allergy friendly chocolate chips on top. This recipe is a keeper!
I’m so glad that you and your kiddo enjoyed these and I’m glad that the baking chocolate worked out well!
Hi, can these be freezed? How long can i keep frozen? TIA!
You can freeze them, once cooled fully, in an airtight zip top bag for up to three months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temp!
Can I use spinach instead of Kale? And can I use maple syrup instead of honey?
Yes and yes! Spinach and maple syrup will work great!
is there anything I can use to substitute the 3 eggs? my son has allergies.
I have made them with chia eggs in place of the eggs. If you try it, know that you should do them as minis and they’ll need to bake for at least 10 minutes longer since they are very wet. (It would likely turn out better if you presided the zucchini/summer squash and squeeze all the liquid out before adding to the blender.) Let me know if you have any other questions!
What is the purpose for the flax seed? Would chia seeds work as a substitute?
It helps bind the batter. I haven’t tried it with chia seeds but I bet it would work just as well!
Any suggestions on what to use to bind instead of flax or chia? We have severe flax allergies!