Keto Lava Cake Muffins

by KetoFocus.com

5 Stars (1 Reviews) 3 Comments

Kid Friendly

These keto lava cake muffins are rich, chocolatey, and completely sugar-free, with a molten center that makes them taste anything but low carb. They’re easy to make, gluten-free, and the perfect quick dessert when you’re craving something warm and gooey.

A rich chocolate lava cake muffin with a molten center oozing out, sitting on a white plate.

A full tray of freshly baked keto lava cake muffins topped with melted chocolate chips.

A single keto chocolate muffin topped with glossy chocolate chips, displayed on a white plate.

25 Mins

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size:
1 muffin

Servings

213

Calories

18.7g

Fat

5.4g

Protein

Net Carb

7.8g

Total Carbs

My kids devoured these the moment they got home from school. I barely had time to grab one for myself before they were gone. But these aren’t your typical chocolate muffins…these are a lava cake but in muffin form. Think rich, fluffy chocolate cake on the outside with a molten, gooey center that oozes out when you take a bite. They taste like something you’d order from a fancy dessert menu, but they’re sugar-free, low carb, and secretly packed with protein.

Why make this recipe?

What makes these muffins so good is the texture. The egg white protein gives them a light, airy lift while the oat fiber adds that soft, bread-like crumb you never get in most low carb bakes.
And that molten center? It’s made with cocoa, a touch of cream, and butter…simple ingredients that melt together into the kind of chocolate filling that makes you close your eyes for a second.
These muffins bake up beautifully in about 15 minutes, and the trick is to pull them out before they’re fully set so they stay moist and fudgy inside. Once they cool slightly, you pipe the warm chocolate filling into the centers, and it turns into this glorious, melty surprise when you bite in. I like to serve them warm with a sprinkle of powdered sweetener or a little sugar-free whipped cream if I’m feeling fancy.

Whether you’re making these for a family treat, a dinner party, or just to fix a chocolate craving after dinner, they’re one of those desserts that doesn’t feel like it’s keto or low carb. They’re easy to make, unbelievably good, and totally kid-approved—which, in my house, says it all.

Table of Contents [ click to toggle ]

Recipe Details
- Keto Lava Cake Muffins Ingredients
- Keto Lava Cake Muffins Directions
Similar recipes others love
How to Get the Perfect Molten Center in Keto Lava Cake Muffins
Baking tips to prevent dry lava cake muffins
Storage information
FAQs
Nutrition information: facts & macronutrients

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Keto Lava Cake Muffins Ingredients

1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup egg white protein powder
2 tablespoons oat fiber
3/4 cup brown sugar substitute
1/2 cup sugar-free sweetener
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot brewed coffee
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips

Chocolate Lava Filling Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar-free sweetener
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt

Keto Lava Cake Muffins Directions

STEP

1

Preheat oven

Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners, then lightly coat the whole pan (including the top and the muffin cups), with nonstick cooking spray.
STEP

2
Mix the dry ingredients

Whisk the almond flour, egg white protein powder, oat fiber, both sweeteners, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Ingredients

1 cup almond flour

1/4 cup egg white protein powder

2 tablespoons oat fiber

3/4 cup brown sugar substitute

1/2 cup sugar-free sweetener

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt
STEP

3
Combine the wet ingredients

Combine the coffee, butter and cocoa powder in a large bowl and let sit for a minute. The heat of the coffee will start to melt the butter. Whisk until very smooth, then whisk in the eggs until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir with the whisk until smooth.
Ingredients

1 cup hot brewed coffee

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 large eggs
STEP

4
Pour the muffin batter

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin cavities, filling about ¾ of the way to the top. hen evenly divide about half of chocolate chips among the muffin cups. The chips will sink as they bake, that’s okay.
Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips
Quick Tip
Batter will be thin, so consider using a scoop or a measuring cup to pour the batter into the muffin cavities.
STEP

5

Bake the chocolate muffins

Bake until crackly on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out with a few crumbs, 15 to 16 minutes.

Quick Tip
Be sure to not overbake to keep these moist. The muffins will continue to bake as they cool in the pan and will deflate.
STEP

6
Prepare the chocolate filling while the muffins bake

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar-free sweetener, cream, cocoa powder, butter and salt. Stir over medium heat until smooth, bubbling and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool until warm, stirring occasionally. Transfer the filling to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag.
Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar-free sweetener

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/8 teaspoon salt
STEP

7

Add remaining chocolate chips

Immediately after the muffins come out of the oven, gently press the remaining chocolate chips on the tops. They’ll melt a bit and stick.
STEP

8

Add the molten chocolate lava center

Stick a butter knife into the center of each warm muffin almost all the way to the bottom. Snip a small hole in the tip of the piping bag, insert it in a muffin slit and squeeze in the warm filling until it comes out the top. Repeat with the remaining filling and muffins.

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Two stacked keto lava cake muffins on a plate, with the top muffin bitten to reveal its gooey chocolate center.

How to Get the Perfect Molten Center in Keto Lava Cake Muffins

Fill the muffins with the warm chocolate mixture right after baking while they’re still hot. The heat from the muffin helps melt the filling just enough so it blends into the center without soaking through the crumb. Then, when you take that first bite, you get the best of both worlds…a fluffy, rich chocolate muffin with a molten, fudgy middle that oozes out like magic.

Baking tips to prevent dry lava cake muffins

Don’t overbake. Pull the muffins out when the tops look set and slightly crackly, and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. If it’s clean, they’re overdone.
Remember carryover cooking. The muffins keep baking in the pan as they cool, so it’s better to take them out a little early to keep that gooey center.
Check your oven temperature. Most ovens run hotter than the setting, so use an oven thermometer to make sure you’re actually baking at 400°F.
Use enough fat. Those ten tablespoons of butter aren’t just for flavor. They keep the muffins soft, rich, and fudgy.
Adjust for your climate. If you live somewhere dry (like I do), shave a minute or two off the bake time to prevent them from drying out.
Aim for balance. You want that perfect combo: a slightly crisp top, fluffy crumb, and a molten center that melts right into the muffin.

Storage information

Room temperature storage: Keep your muffins in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days. They’ll stay soft, but the molten center will firm up a bit as they sit.
Refrigerate for longer storage: If you want them to last the week, store them in the fridge for up to 7 days. Just warm them before serving to bring back that gooey texture.
How to reheat: Pop one in the microwave for about 10–15 seconds, just enough to melt the center without drying out the cake. If you’re reheating more than one, use the oven at 325°F for about 5 minutes.
Freezing instructions: These freeze really well! Let them cool completely, then wrap each muffin tightly in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. When you’re ready for dessert, thaw at room temp and reheat as above.
Meal prep tip: Make a batch on the weekend and keep them in the fridge for quick, portion-controlled treats. They taste just as indulgent warmed up as they do fresh out of the oven….and no one will guess they’re sugar-free.

Keto Lava Cake Muffins: FAQS

How do I make sure the center stays molten?

The molten chocolate center shouldn't harden as it cools. If it does, it's still delicious either way.

Can I skip the coffee?

You can, but I recommend keeping it! Coffee doesn’t make the muffins taste like coffee, it just deepens the chocolate flavor and makes it taste richer.

Can I use a different protein powder instead of egg white protein?

You can, but the texture will change. Egg white protein helps the muffins puff up and stay light. Whey or casein will make them denser, so stick with egg white protein for that fluffy, bakery-style crumb in these muffins.

Nutritional information & Macros

Amount Per Serving
Calories	213
Fat	18.7g
Protein	5.4g
Total Carbs	7.8g
Net Carbs	2g

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