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These healthy chocolate cherry muffins are fluffy and delicious muffins bursting with baked juicy cherries and chocolate flavors. They are made with healthier ingredients like almond flour, olive oil and coconut sugar.
Cherries are one of my favorite fruits. I love to eat them, bake with them, and cook with them as often as possible! If you do too, check out my Chocolate Cherry Smoothie, Almond Flour Chocolate Cherry Lava Cakes, and Gluten-Free Apple Cherry Crisp.
I especially love these healthy chocolate muffins with cherries. They are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, and delicious!
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
- Chocolate and cherries are a wonderful combination.
- This recipe is great for those following a Paleo or Gluten-free diet.
- This recipe is allergy friendly. It is soy-free, peanut-free, gluten-free and dairy-free.
- It is a crowd pleaser!
Recipe ingredients
- Almond flour– blanched almond flour works best for baking because it is more refined in texture.
- Tapioca flour– this type of flour helps give a good texture to Paleo or gluten-free baked goods.
- Coconut flour– this is very absorbent so don’t use more than the recipe requires.
- Coconut sugar– this has a lower glycemic index than other sugars.
- Cocoa powder– make sure to use one that is unsweetened.
- Baking soda– this makes the muffins rise.
- Cream of tartar– I like baking with cream of tartar because it results in great texture.
- Eggs– this help bind the muffins together.
- Almond milk– make sure there is no added sweetener or flavor.
- Olive oil– this is used to replace butter in the recipe. Any kind of olive oil works here.
- Chocolate chips– make sure to use ones that fit your dietary needs. I like HU chocolate chips for Paleo baking.
- Pitted frozen or fresh cherries– both work. If using frozen, you don’t need to let them thaw first. Just use them straight from the freezer.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Additions/ Substitutions
- Instead of tapioca flour, you can use arrowroot powder.
- Instead of coconut sugar, you can use brown sugar, but then the recipe won’t be Paleo anymore.
- Instead of almond milk, you can use any non-dairy milk of choice.
- Instead of olive oil, you can use avocado oil.
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl. This includes the almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt
Step 2: Add the eggs, almond milk, and olive oil, to the dry ingredients and mix.
Step 3: Fold the chocolate chips and cherries into the batter.
Step 4: Bake!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Just throw the frozen cherries into the batter. They don’t need to be thawed.
I like to keep them covered and then keep them on the counter for up to 3 days.
Yes! Make sure they are fully cooled off first then individually freeze them in freezer friendly bags or containers.
Other Paleo Muffin recipes you’ll love
Paleo Gluten-Free Apple Crumb Muffins
Paleo Orange Cranberry Muffins
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
Healthy Chocolate Cherry Muffins (Paleo, Gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups almond flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- 2 Tbs coconut flour
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips
- 1 cup pitted cherries, ( frozen or fresh )
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12 cup cupcake tin or use liners.
- Combine the almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in large bowl. Mix with a fork until everything is blended together.
- Add the eggs, almond milk, and olive oil, and mix well. Stir until well blended. Fold in the chocolate chips and cherries.
- Evenly spoon the batter into the muffin tins.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes.
Notes
- Instead of tapioca flour, you can use arrowroot powder.
- Instead of coconut sugar, you can use brown sugar, but then the recipe won’t be Paleo anymore.
- Instead of almond milk, you can use any non-dairy milk of choice.
- Instead of olive oil, you can use avocado oil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Incredible! Tasted like an expensive chocolate cake from a fancy restaurant. I just brought home a ton of fresh cherries that we picked on vacation and needed a paleo recipe. This was perfect! Simple to put together and a total reward to eat. I used fresh tart cherries and dark chocolate chips from Trader Joes (72%) Both my husband and I loved it! Make sure to warm up just a little bit if they aren’t fresh from the oven so the chocolate melts as you eat it!
I’m so happy that you guys loved these!! The perfect use for fresh cherries 🙂
These are good but the olive oil gives them a slightly off bitter taste (even with my good quality extra virgin olive oil). Next time I think I’d use a more neutral oil like avocado. I also upped the sweetness with a little stevia
what are the macros for these muffins?
I just added it to the bottom of the recipe card
This was superb! I made a little loaf and used date sugar for the additional minerals and ghee. It was so chocolatey goodness. I also used Lily’s dark chocolate chips (sugar free). Thank you for sharing this recipe
I’m so glad!! Sounds delicious.
I was looking for a chocolate cherry recipe for a birthday party. I made a test batch and it was a hit with my husband, sons, and friend. Then, I made about 100 for the party. They were a big hit. It’s great to have something healthy that I’m happy to have leftovers of. The one tweak I made is to substitute ghee for olive oil.  I did use frozen cherries and threw them right into the batter.  Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe!Â
Wow I can’t believe you made 100! That’s amazing and I am so happy they were a hit 🙂
So when you thaw cherries they make a lot of liquid. Should I drain them or put the liquid in?
I usually just put them into the batter frozen! I haven’t had an issue baking them that way. 🙂
I’ve died to try these since seeing the pin. So I did. And I have to say the texture is perfect! Everything is perfect about these muffins except they need a little more sweetener. Next time I’ll add in some more coconut sugar or maple syrup or something. They’re just not sweet enough for me. Great though.
Yay!!! Happy to hear it! I bet the chocolate flavor will taste ever better with a bit more sweetener. 🙂
Chocolate and cherry is my favorite combination! Your photos are gorgeous ! Despite the fact that I just had dinner, I am imagining how great this would taste!
I have to try these! I am always looking for good Paleo recipes as sometimes I like to eat from that lifestyle.
I’m going to have to make these. My husband loves all things cherry and I love all things chocolate, so together it’s the perfect duo!