Cassava Flour Chocolate Chip Muffins (Grain-Free & Paleo)

Name: Cassava Flour Chocolate Chip Muffins
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Grain-Free
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups cassava flour; ½ teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips; 2 eggs; 2 ripe bananas; 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree; ½ cup unsweetened almond milk; 2 tablespooons coconut oil, melted; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

October 27, 2018 / By Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition / 92 Comments

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These Cassava Flour Chocolate Chip Muffins are the perfect healthy treat. They’re grain-free, which makes them naturally gluten-free, too!

Cassava Flour is Ideal for Paleo Baking

I always have fun experimenting with paleo-friendly baking. Paleo treats are generally grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free, and made without refined sugars. My specific flour of choice for the last several years has been Otto’s Cassava Flour.

How to Use Cassava Flour for Baking

What is cassava flour? It’s made from the whole yuca root, so it’s technically a tuber. Also, Otto’s cassava flour is different from tapioca flour because it’s the whole root, dried and ground. I highly suggest checking out the numerous recipes on the Otto’s website where you’ll find ones for pizza, breads, and all kinds of goodies.

In many cases, cassava flour substitutes 1:1 for wheat flour, and the taste is very neutral! I encourage you to experiment with this flour, and check out other tried and true recipes from around the web (I created a Pinterest board just for cassava-based recipes, too).

How to Make Cassava Flour Chocolate Chip Muffins

Gather your ingredients which include: cassava flour, baking powder, cinnamon, chocolate chips, eggs, ripe bananas, applesauce or pumpkin puree, almond milk, coconut oil, and vanilla extract.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine the cassava flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl and stir.
Next, place the eggs, bananas, applesauce or pumpkin puree, almond milk, coconut oil, and vanilla into the base of a food processor. Pulse on high until ingredients are combined, about 15-20 seconds total.
Pour the liquid mixture from the food processor into the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and stir well.
Pour the batter into the muffin tin bake for 40 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature, and refrigerator or freeze leftovers.

I was so pleased when these muffins turned out just as I had hoped, with great texture and moistness. I used pumpkin puree to off-set some of the need for oil, so you could argue that these muffins include a serving of veggies.

Feel free to use applesauce or pumpkin puree; I’ve tried it both ways. These cassava flour Chocolate Chip Muffins are not as heavy as other grain-free baked goods that use almond or coconut flours. I really hope you try this recipe. It’s one that I originally shared a few years ago, but it’s one I keep enjoying over and over, and I hope you do too!

Cassava Flour is Not Low-Carb

Cassava flour is not low in carbs, but I consider it be a paleo-friendly item, especially when used for the occasional grain-free baked good.

I know a lot of paleo folks are into the low-carb thing, but I find I need quite a bit of carbs in my diet, especially to feel nourished, energized, and balanced. That’s one big reason I like to call my diet “clean eating” versus something more restricted like paleo or plant-based (new readers, feel free to read about my journey).

I make an effort especially in the evening to get enough carbs because I sleep much better when I do. Granted, foods like potatoes, rice, and other gluten-free grains are perhaps better for my health, but a chocolate chip muffin is absolutely okay in my book every once in awhile.

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Here’s the printable Cassava Flour Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe: