Jumbo Vegan Chocolate Beet Muffins - The Simple Green (2024)

These jumbo vegan chocolate beet muffins are a favourite—the crumb is fudgy yet light and the top is crunchy. Beetroot puree keep these muffins moist and adds natural sweetness. This recipe makes 6-8 jumbo sized muffins or 12 standard sized muffins.

This post is sponsored by Paderno Kitchenware however all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that help keep me in the kitchen!

Why beets work with this recipe

It might seem a bit suspect having beets in chocolate muffins, but I can assure you it's not what you think. Beets disguise themselves well in chocolate; my kids don't realize a vegetable is hiding in their chocolate muffin.

Beets add moisture to this recipe which makes the crumb fudgy and decadent, yet also light and spongy. They also add a lovely reddish hue to the muffins. Moreover, beets are naturally sweet.

Why you will love this recipe

This recipe is:

• Easy to make
• Vegan
• Fudgy yet light
• Secretly hiding a vegetable
• Not overly sweet
• Dairy-free and egg-free
• Great for a snack or as a simple dessert
• Adaptable for a standard muffin pan

What you will need

To make these jumbo vegan chocolate beet muffins, you will need the following ingredients, most of which you can likely find in your kitchen.

• beet puree
• ground flaxseed
• water
• whole wheat flour
• unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch processed)
• granulated sugar
• baking powder
• baking soda
• sea salt
• olive oil
• unsweetened almond milk or plant-based milk of choice
• vanilla extract
• semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional, but recommended)

You will also need a jumbo sized muffin pan, however you can also use a standard 12 cup muffin pan (directions for that are below).

How to make this recipe

The most time consuming portion of this recipe is making the beet puree. There are notes in the recipe card to make your own, however, to save on time, I sometimes use store bought cooked and peeled beets—it's simply a matter of pureeing them in a blender.

Once you have your beet puree ready, the next step is to let the ground flaxseed and water gel together for 5 minutes. In the meantime, sift the dry ingredients together.

Next, mix the beet puree with the flax mixture and the remaining wet ingredients. Then, combine the wet and dry ingredients then portion the batter into a prepared muffin pan.

The muffins bake for 25-35 minutes (depending on which sized pan you use) and then cooled for 5 minutes in the pan, then left to cool completely a wire rack.

Can I make puree from fresh beets?

If you want to make your own beet puree, this recipe will take a little bit more time. To make approximately 1 cup of beet puree, peel and quarter 3-4 medium sized beets (approx. 1 pound of beets).

Steam the beets for 15 minutes or until a knife easily pierces them. Add the cooked beets to a food processor and blend until pureed. Measure out 1 cup for use.

If you are using fresh beets, it's important to use beets that are as fresh as possible—the longer beets sit, they more earthy they can taste which will come through in the final recipe.

Why use a jumbo muffin pan

It's not essential to make this recipe in a jumbo pan, however, the larger size makes these feel like more than just a muffin. The sizing of a jumbo muffin tin makes these seem like little cakes and, as such, you could easily serve this as a dessert.

However, if you don't have a jumbo pan or prefer a smaller size, this recipe is suitable for a standard 12 cup muffin pan. There are notes below and in the recipe card if you want to go with a standard pan.

The importance of quality bakeware

Baking is a passion of mine and having quality bakeware in the kitchen is essential. The PADERNO Non-stick Jumbo Muffin Pan is a great choice for this recipe. With its PFOA/PTFE-free non-stick interior, there is no need to line or grease this muffin pan, which means one less step and less waste.

This pan is also made of commercial-grade, heavy-gauge aluminized steel which makes it durable and provides even heating—these muffins bake evenly which helps maintain their fudgy yet light crumb and make for the best muffin top. Moreover, it is fully dishwasher safe.

To learn more about the line of professional culinary and baking tools and appliances, visit the PADERNO website or follow along on social media @PadernoKitchenware #itsacookingthing.

Can I use a standard muffin tin?

Yes. This recipe is for a jumbo muffin pan, however, it can be made into 12 standard size muffins if you wish. The oven temperature stays the same, however, you will need to reduce the bake time to 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If your muffin pan is not non-stick, you will also need to grease the muffin pan or line it with papers.

Substitutions

• Whole wheat flour can be exchanged for whole spelt flour in a 1:1 ratio.
• Almond milk can be exchanged with any plant based milk you like in a 1:1 ratio.
• Olive oil can be exchanged for any neutral tasting vegetable oil in equal measure.
• Dutch process cocoa powder should NOT be substituted with regular cocoa powder, otherwise the recipe will not rise well.

Storage and make ahead instructions

These jumbo vegan chocolate beet muffins will last covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. If you wrap them well, you can freeze these for up to 1 month.

While the most time consuming step is making the beet puree, it can definitely be made in advance to save on time. Again, you can also purchase pre-cooked and peeled beets then pop them into a blender to puree them rather than making it with fresh beets. Beet puree will last 2-3 days in the fridge.

More recipes like this

If you enjoy this recipe, you may like these other favorites (which also include hiding vegetables in chocolate):

Double Chocolate Beetroot Cake [vegan]

Vegan Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Vegan triple chocolate sweet potato cupcakes

And don't be shy to tag me on social media if you make this recipe (or any of my recipes for that matter) @the_simple_green! Leave me your feedback below as well.