Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
I originally shared my chocolate zucchini recipe in 2012. Since then, I’ve updated my recipe a few times, improving the texture and flavor of these muffins. They are more soft and moist now as well as have a deeper chocolate flavor.
The very first time that I tried chocolate zucchini muffins was about 15 years ago at a farmer’s market. It was love at first sight and not just with the taste, but with the texture as well.
Ever since my first time trying zucchini muffins, I started making them at home for my family and over the years, my recipe got better and better. It may have been a few little tweaks but even a small step in a better direction is a win!
It’s not hard to get me to eat vegetable because I love them but my husband and my kids are a whole other story. They avoid veggies at all cost.
A good way to add some veggies into their diet is to disguise it. So I hide it in soups and stews, mix it with cheese or sauce, and now, I hide them in muffins with chocolate. These chocolate muffins might be packed with zucchini but they are still CHOCOLATE and you can’t pass that up. It’s gotten to the point that I just call these “chocolate muffins” and none of them even question me.
Ingredient Notes Before You Start
Zucchini – this is a no fuss recipe! Just buy good looking zucchini, wash it, dry it, and grate it.
Oil – I usually recommend vegetable or avocado oil in baking because of the mild flavor but still good amount of fats needed for the baking process. (Good for texture, baby!)
Chocolate chips – choose dark chocolate or milk chocolate, it’s up to you! This is also (not)coincidentally the only ingredient that contains dairy so you can substitute dairy free chocolate chips if you need to keep the recipe dairy-free.
Flour – AP flour will work perfectly in this recipe but for my gluten free friends, I have to day that I have tried it with a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour successfully!
Why using both brown sugar and white sugar?
White sugar in baked goods creates a lighter, sweeter, and crispier texture, while brown sugar results in a deeper, more caramelized, and chewier texture. So using both will create a more complex and balanced texture and flavor as opposed to using just one or the other.
How To Make Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
These are truly easy-peasy zucchini muffins that you will mix together in a few minutes and bake. This recipe hasn’t failed me yet after making it countless times, and there is no special tricks to it. Just carefully curated combination of ingredients that go perfectly together:
- First, clean zucchini and grate it on a box grater. It takes 5 minutes, really no need to pull out and assemble the food processor.
- Then, whisk in the sugars and wet ingredients until combined, followed by the dry ingredients. Whisk until it’s just combined, don’t’ overmix.
- Divide the batter among the lined cups of the muffin tin and I highly recommend using an ice cream scoop with release to get an even amount each time.
- Top off with more chocolate chips, because “why not!”
- Bake for about 20 minutes and give it time to cool before you bite in!
Some Variations and Additional Flavors
There are a few fun ingredients you can add into the batter mix or on top to make the muffins more fun:
- Nuts – you can add chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds.
- Dried berries
- Sweetened coconut flakes
- Chopped apple (pat it dry to remove excess moisture)
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Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini, about 1 lb.)
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup 100% cocoa powder
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and grease a muffin pan. Line the muffin baking pan with cupcake liners.
- Wash zucchini and pat it dry. No need to peel it! Grate zucchini on the larger grate of the box grater and add it to a large mixing bowl. HOT TIP: if you have a picky kid and you think they would notice the little green specs, you can peel the zucchini. Otherwise, keep it unpeeled. (Mince still haven't noticed! Shhh.)
- Add eggs, oil, vanilla, and both sugars. Whisk until all evenly mixed and incorporated.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk well, until just combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips into the batter until evenly mixed throughout.
- Use an ice cream scoop with release to scoop out even amounts of batter into each muffin cup, filling it no more than 3/4 of the way.
- Divide the batter between the muffin cups and bake for about 20 minutes.Expert Tip: to tell if you muffins are done you can either gently touch the top to feel if it's firm or still a little squishy. If you want a more definite way, use an instant read thermometer. Quick breads and muffins should have internal temperature of 200-205℉ when baked through.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Can I Freeze Baked Zucchini Muffins?
This is a good recipe to freeze. Make sure that your baked zucchini muffins are cooled completely. You can even refrigerate them for a little bit to cool down more. Then, wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil and then place them on a cutting board. Place the cutting board into the freezer for about 2-3 hours.
Place the wrapped frozen muffins in a large air-tight freezer container, label, and keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To thaw, simply pull one out of the freezer and let it thaw on the counter.
Can I Make This Recipe Into A Bread Loaf?
Yes, you can definitely make a loaf out of this recipe, just adjust the bake time. Use a 9×5 loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes.
HERE ARE SOME MORE EASY RECIPE YOU MIGHT ENJOY:
For another great zucchini baking recipes, my zucchini bread is a huge hit with family, friends and readers. It features a cinnamon crumb topping and icing over the top.
If you have more zucchini but you don’t want to bake with it, incorporate it into your menu with my zucchini fritters that are so cheesy, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. And roasted zucchini is a super easy side dish featuring parmesan cheese and Italian flavors.
If you want to make some more muffins, some of my most popular ones are easy blueberry muffins with a great addition if vanilla bean.
Great for holidays, my white chocolate cranberry muffins and so soft and have the best sweet and tart flavor balance.
And chocolate banana muffins is another easy muffin perfect for any time of the year.
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Categories:
Breakfast Recipes, Brunch Recipes, Chocolate Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Fall Recipes, Muffin Recipes,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
These chocolate muffins came out so good 🤤 You’d never guess they’re made with zucchini-can’t even taste it, just super moist and chocolatey! They disappeared the second Mr. Jason saw them 😂
Yay!! I’m so glad you loved them 🤗 Isn’t it wild how the zucchini just melts right in for that extra moist texture? 😂 Love that Mr. Jason couldn’t resist themI take that , I take that as the ultimate compliment!
Absolutely Delicious! My family loved them! I’ll definitely be making a double batch next time because they disappeared way too fast!
Thank you, Jessica! I am so glad you and your family enjoyed them!
These were a fantastic hit, didn’t last long at all once I put them out. Everyone was surprised when they found out there was zuccini in them, they couldn’t tell!
That makes me so happy to hear! I love when a recipe disappears quickly, that’s always the best compliment 😊 And I agree, the zucchini is such a sneaky addition, you’d never guess it’s in there. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Mmmm… and now I want some zucchini muffins.
Thank you! Hope you’ll like them 🙂
Thanks for the recipe. These came out perfectly and they taste amazing! I love dark chocolate 🙂
Those muffins look delicious! I have tried chocolate zucchini bread, but never muffins 🙂
YUM! I pinned this for use this summer 🙂 (Found you via Flamingo Toes)
So glad you liked them! Thank you!
I was looking for a chocolate zucchini muffin recipe and came across yours. Just made a batch (with a few adaptations☺) and they are delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Oh yay! Thank you so much 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe over at the link party. I featured you today!
Спасибо и пожалуйста!!
Thank you 🙂
Thank you so much 🙂
Thank you, as always, Mix Helen!
No, thank you 🙂
Glad to help 🙂 Thank you!
So true…unsuspecting husbands too. I didn’t tell them there were zucchini in it until they tried and loved it 🙂
Thank you so much! So sweet!
I hope you try it! Its really good 🙂
You must try! Thank you 🙂
Thank you so much 🙂
Aww, thank you 🙂
Hope you put the zucchini to good use 🙂 Thank you!
Thanks! I loved that too 🙂
Glad you found me 🙂
Thank you , Claire
Awww, thank you!!
Sounds great! Thank you 🙂
I hope you get a change to try them! Thank you 🙂
These look delicious! I can’t wait to make them!
These look so good! What a yummy way to eat my veggies!
I would love it if you would share this at my new Smart
Solutions linky party. You can link up here:
http://theprudentpantryblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/prudent-projects-smart-solutions-linky_13.html
Have a great day!
Hi Lyuba, Your recipe looks awesome! Hope you have a great week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.Come Back Soon!Miz Helen
Thanks so much for sharing with us one Someday Crafts .We will be featuring your project tonight on our blog. Please stop back in and grab a Featured on Someday Crafts Button for your blog. Thanks for the inspiration!
I just pinned this recipe! They look amazing and are a nice twist to the typical zucchini bread. I can’t wait to make them. Thank you!
http://smallorganizedhome.blogspot.com/
Sounds wonderful! I am always looking for ways to use up our overabundance of zucchini in the summer. Thanks for posting, pinned the recipe.
These look really good. You are an awesome food photographer! 🙂
Beautiful!! I love how zucchini just melts into baked products and unsuspecting children eat them right up! And your random vegetable-a-phobic adult. My kids know I do this but guests, we don’t always tell guests until they “love them”.
That is the most beautiful muffin, with the big crown and all chocolaty! I have never made a muffin with zucchini, but they look wonderful!
i’ve never tried chocolate with zucchini- it sounds absolutely scrumptious.
Those look like the best zucchini muffins I’ve evr seen. Pinning!
Oh my those look delicious and the fact that they are dark chocolate is even better! I’m definitely going to have to pin this for later!
I will have to try these. I have two HUGE zucchini’s i need to use.
Those are gorg! Those tops are amazing, I love how high they are!
These look so delicious, and I have been hunting for new muffin recipes today. I’m definitely making these soon.
Wow these sound great thanks for linking up to Creative Mondays 🙂
Okay, I’ve ended up on your blog many times from link parties. Maybe this means I should become a follower? Thanks for sharing all these yummy recipes!
MMMM! I love this flavor combo…and I love muffins. And I love how these look like a ‘mountain’. =) With zucchini in season, you can be sure I’ll be making these soon. Thanks so much for sharing.
My kids had zucchini “cupcakes” at a party once, and loved them. I really want to try these. Thanks for sharing at Must Try Monday.
Oh course…there is green it in 🙂
Thank you!
Thank you! Have a great week!
Thank you so much!
Hope you give it a try! Thank you!
Aww, thank you!! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Holy cow, I’m going to the store RIGHT NOW. These look SUPER!
That looks absolutely delicious! I love zucchini bread, so I can’t imagine how good that is.
Drooling…
These look divine!
Thanks for sharing 🙂 I found you through Sweets for a Saturday!
Great! I was looking for big muffins like these, and they look delightful, thanks. Have a lovely weekend!
You are speaking my language now! Chocolate and zucchini…they are healthy because of that zucchini, right! Must try these!
My goodness do those ever look delicious! Wow!! Now I just need to get some zucchini!
These look delicious! I have a similar recipe