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    You are at:Home»Dairy-Free Recipes»Alisa's Favorite Dairy-Free Recipes»Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffin Tops made on a Basic Baking Sheet

    Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffin Tops made on a Basic Baking Sheet

    40
    By Alisa Fleming on July 17, 2022 Alisa's Favorite Dairy-Free Recipes, Bread, Breakfast, Dairy-Free Recipes

    I’ve seen those special muffin top pans, but am simply not impressed. It’s one extra bulky item to store in my little kitchen that basically produces stubby muffins. I want that true crusty muffin top experience – just lightly fluffy in the middle, like a tender breakfast cookie. And that’s exactly what these healthy chocolate chip muffin tops are. And did I mention, they are allergy-friendly too? No dairy, eggs, gluten, nuts, or soy!

    Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffin Tops Recipe - naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, soy-free, plant-based, and vegan with wheat flour option

    Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffin Tops made on a Basic Baking Sheet

    Everyone knows that the muffin top is the best part. Plus, I love that you get TWO muffin tops rather than a muffin top and bottom. Tony of course eats three … more. And since I’ve tested this recipe so many times, I have options for those of you who don’t have so many free-from needs or simply need some substitution options.

    • Butter Alternative Options: I’ve tested these chocolate chip muffin tops with Melt Organic and Earth Balance buttery spread. But I’ve also had success with coconut oil in place of the butter alternative. Just make sure to bring your dairy-free yogurt to room temperature. You’ll want to melt the coconut oil to mix it in properly, and cold yogurt can cause it to solidify into little shards. Also, refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes before mounding it onto your baking sheet. It will thicken a bit as the coconut oil re-solidifies in the cold air.
    • Sugar Options: I used an organic cane sugar to keep it vegan-friendly. But you can substitute coconut sugar or your granulated sugar of choice in an equivalent amount. It will affect the overall flavor and sweetness a touch, but you can adjust with a little more or a little less, if you like.
    • Wheat Flour Option: I like baking with oats, but you can certainly use all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour or white-wheat flour in this chocolate chip muffin tops recipe. Use 2 cups in place of the oats and starch, and you can omit the flax seeds, if desired.
    • Egg Option: I haven’t tested this chocolate chip muffin tops recipe with eggs, but in theory, you should be able to sub 2 large eggs for the dairy-free yogurt. This will decrease the sweetness a bit.
    • Flavor Options: You can substitute mashed banana or pumpkin for the dairy-free yogurt; adjust the sweetness as desired. The pumpkin will make it a little less sweet, while the banana might add a touch of sweetness, depending on the ripeness of your fruit.

    Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffin Tops Recipe - naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, soy-free, plant-based, and vegan with wheat flour option

    Special Diet Notes: Chocolate Chip Muffin Tops

    By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan / plant-based, vegetarian, and generally top food allergy-friendly. Just be sure to choose the oats, chocolate chips, butter and yogurt alternative that suit your dietary needs.

    Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffin Tops
     
    Print
    Prep time
    15 mins
    Cook time
    15 mins
    Total time
    30 mins
     
    As usual, see my post above for tons of options to modify these chocolate chip muffin tops, including using wheat flour and swapping out the sugar.
    Author: Alisa Fleming
    Recipe type: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Serves: 12 muffin tops
    Ingredients
    • 1⅓ cups rolled or quick oats (certified gluten-free, if needed)
    • 1 tablespoon flax seeds
    • ⅔ cup tapioca starch or non-GMO cornstarch
    • 2¾ teaspoons baking powder (2½ teaspoons above 3000 feet)
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup plain dairy-free yogurt (I used So Delicious)
    • ½ cup + ½ tablespoon sugar, divided
    • ¼ cup dairy-free buttery spread
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (see note below)
    • ½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I used Pascha)
    Instructions
    1. Preheat your oven to 400ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
    2. Place the oats and flax seeds in your spice grinder (or small food processor) and whiz until powdered, about 60 seconds.
    3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat-flax flour, starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    4. In a mixing bowl, beat the yogurt alternative, ½ cup sugar, butter alternative, and vanilla with a hand mixer until thoroughly combined. Stir in the dry mixture until combined, but do not over-mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
    5. The dough should be a cross between muffin batter and cookie dough. If too soft for spooning, place it in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes to thicken.
    6. Scoop the dough into 12 mounds on your prepared baking sheet, and using damp hands shape the mounds into domes. They spread a little during baking so go ahead and make those mounds a little tall. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining ½ tablespoon sugar.
    7. Bake the muffin tops for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they just starting to turn golden around the edges and no shininess is peeking through the top.
    8. Let the muffin tops cool for 10 minutes before devouring! Best served warm, but they can be reheated.
    Notes
    Vanilla Note: I like to use an extra dose of vanilla since it complements the oats and chocolate chips so well, and adds a natural sweetness. But if your vanilla supplies are precious, you can use just 1 teaspoon.
    Nutrition Information
    Serving size: 1 muffin top Calories: 167 Fat: 5.4g Saturated fat: 2.6g Carbohydrates: 28.5g Sugar: 13.9g Sodium: 85mg Fiber: 1.8g Protein: 1.8g
    3.5.3229

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    Alisa Fleming
    • Website

    Alisa is the founder of GoDairyFree.org, Food Editor for Allergic Living magazine, and author of the best-selling dairy-free book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living, and the new cookbook, Eat Dairy Free: Your Essential Cookbook for Everyday Meals, Snacks, and Sweets. Alisa is also a professional recipe creator and product ambassador for the natural food industry.

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    40 Comments

    1. sarah on May 21, 2015 11:13 pm

      These were delicious! Thanks for an easy and yummy recipe! We all loved them :). I followed your recipe and they came out perfectly.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 22, 2015 6:39 am

        Awesome! I’m so glad the recipe was a hit for you Sarah!

        Reply
    2. Pingback: Vegan Recipes To Impress a Carnivore Part 2

    3. Katie @ Recipe for Perfection on May 9, 2015 6:17 pm

      Oooh, lovely muffin tops! It’s great to have a dairy free option these days!

      Reply
    4. Lauren @ Wicked Spatula on May 9, 2015 4:55 pm

      Love love love these! I haven’t heard of that chocolate brand before so I’m definitely checking them out! I usually opt for 85 or 100% The darker the better in my opinion!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 9, 2015 6:30 pm

        I think you would love that brand Lauren – as virtuous as it gets and really tasty! I’m actually not into super-dark, but love their 85% – very smooth.

        Reply
    5. Jenna on May 9, 2015 1:13 pm

      I’ve always loved the tops of muffins. These chocolate chip muffin tops look fantastic.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 9, 2015 6:30 pm

        Agreed, it’s the best part!

        Reply
    6. GiGi Eats on May 9, 2015 10:47 am

      I really want to try this out with coconut flour – even if it doesn’t turn out true to form…. I am pretty sure it will still taste amazing!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 9, 2015 11:52 am

        I’d be curious if that worked out! Would definitely need more moisture.

        Reply
    7. Kathy Hester on May 9, 2015 10:22 am

      The are perfect for my newly gluten-free wife!

      Reply
    8. Healing Tomato on May 5, 2015 9:34 pm

      First off, I LOVE the name. Muffin tops! So creative. I love this recipe and personally, I prefer using the yogurt or even flax seed meal instead of the eggs.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 6, 2015 7:02 am

        Thank you! I know, sometimes the “subs” are actually the better option – it depends on the recipe.

        Reply
    9. Sandra Laflamme on May 5, 2015 8:08 pm

      Oh muffin tops, always the best part. This sounds like a fantastic recipe especially the vanilla chocolate chip combo.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 6, 2015 7:03 am

        The vanilla part was key for me! I’m thinking blueberry would go nicely, too.

        Reply
    10. Elizabeth on May 5, 2015 7:05 pm

      These look sooo good, Alisa. I should be so lucky on Mother’s Day! I had to laugh because I never see muffin tops without thinking of Seinfeld.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 5, 2015 7:16 pm

        Me too Elizabeth! Top of the muffin to ya 🙂

        Reply
    11. heather @french press on May 5, 2015 7:58 am

      I just love that you made these without a special pan – I have absolutely NO more room for pans, but the muffins tops are by far the best part

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 5, 2015 8:56 am

        I know, me too!

        Reply
    12. Abigail on May 5, 2015 7:02 am

      I always use coconut oil in my baking and cooking and glad you suggested that! Love that it’s a delicious and very healthy treat as well! Pinned. 🙂

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 5, 2015 8:56 am

        Coconut oil is my baking fat of choice too Abigail! Melt is the first buttery spread I’ve tried where I’m happy enough with the ingredients that I splurge sometimes 🙂

        Reply
    13. Florian @ContentednessCooking on May 5, 2015 2:53 am

      These cookies look incredibly delicious, Alisa! I like that these cookies are so simple to make without buying any complicated ingredients or having to go to many different shops.

      Reply
    14. Michelle@healthiersteps on May 4, 2015 10:48 pm

      Thanks for the extra special diet tips, they look absolutely delicious!

      Reply
    15. Liz @ I Heart Vegetables on May 4, 2015 7:30 pm

      These look SO good!! In high school, my friend and I would always go to Panera and get muffin tops, so I associate them with fond memories 😉 and chocolate chip were always my favorite!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 5, 2015 6:50 am

        I think I’d heard about Panera’s muffin tops – I haven’t tried them, but definitely like the homemade versions!

        Reply
    16. Laura @MotherWouldKnow on May 4, 2015 6:24 pm

      Alisa, I’m with you, muffin tops are the best part (of the muffin.) These look so puffy and delectable and love your list of substitutions, so all of us can make these regardless of our dietary preferences and needs.

      Reply
    17. Arman @ thebigmansworld on May 4, 2015 6:10 pm

      Alisa,

      You’ve convinced me to try out this chocolate by PASCHA! These look great and I’m glad you picked this over pancakes!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 4, 2015 6:18 pm

        Yes, way better than pancakes 🙂 Yes, you MUST try it Arman – I guarantee it will be your new fav.

        Reply
    18. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness on May 4, 2015 3:47 pm

      I LOVE THESE! I am so with you on the muffin top pans- girl got no space for one of those! But, muffin tops are the best part of muffins, so I love that you made these without one!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 4, 2015 4:52 pm

        Thanks Taylor! I know, all of the specialty bakeware gets a little out of hand!

        Reply
    19. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine on May 4, 2015 12:18 pm

      When I saw these pop up in my Facebook feed just now….I died…they sounds (and look) AMAZING! I am in love, haha!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 4, 2015 12:44 pm

        So glad I hit the sweet spot with this recipe Rebecca!

        Reply
    20. Amanda - RunToTheFinish on May 4, 2015 11:57 am

      adore how you walk through all the ways to substitute because we really are all learning we have to customize our food choices, but don’t always know how!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 4, 2015 12:02 pm

        Thanks Amanda! I do my best – I spend a lot of time testing different ways, so why not share? 🙂

        Reply
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