October 4, 2022
updated
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These chocolate zucchini muffins with half-melted chocolate chips is the type of healthy muffin recipe that’s worth making.
I don’t know who thought it would be a good idea to add shredded zucchini to baked goods, but we have a lot to thank them for. This sneaky veggie creates a soft texture without anyone noticing and keeps them super moist!
Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
While this chocolate zucchini muffin tastes like a treat, it’s made with healthy ingredients and no oils or added sugars. All the moisture comes from shredded zucchini and the sweetness from the mashed banana.
Even with all the chocolate going on, each muffin clocks in around 200 calories and only 12 grams of sugar. Compare that to a traditional 400-calorie muffin with 36 grams of sugar!
Ingredients
Here’s everything you need to make these yummy zucchini muffins happen:
- All-purpose flour: for a light texture or oat flour for a gluten-free muffin.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: how we achieve that delicious chocolatey flavor.
- Baking powder: helps the muffin batter rise.
- Baking soda: another leavening agent that makes fluffy muffins.
- Banana: adds moisture and sweetness.
- Eggs: binds the batter ingredients.
- Vanilla extract: enhances the cocoa flavor.
- Zucchini: adds incredible moisture and makes these healthy chocolate muffins possible.
- Chocolate chips: for a double dose of chocolate.
How to Make Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Now that you’ve got those ingredients in hand let’s turn these into warm chocolate muffins!
- Prep
Wash the zucchini under warm water, then shred it using a cheese grater or food processor. Ring out or pat dry the zucchini with a paper towel or clean kitchen cloth. - Get the oven ready
Preheat the oven to 350F, line a 12-count muffin pan with paper liners, and lightly coat them with cooking spray. - Combine the dry ingredients
Mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. - Mix the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, mash the banana, and mix it with the eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly combine the wet and dry ingredients until smooth. - Fold in the good stuff
Add the zucchini and chocolate chips to the bowl and fold to incorporate them into the batter. Fill each muffin cup ¾th of the way. - Bake
Bake the muffins for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before enjoying.
Watch the magic happen in this quick recipe video:
Loving this yummy treat made with good-for-you ingredients? I’ve got plenty more ideas for you to try right here:
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Healthy and wholesome dessert recipes you’ll want to eat made with clean ingredients you already have on hand.
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Can You Make Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Gluten-Free?
You can certainly make these muffins gluten-free by swapping regular flour for equal parts oat flour or a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Oat flour is easy to make at home and will give these muffins a heartier texture while keeping the chocolatey goodness intact.
Do Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Need to be Refrigerated
If you want these chocolate zucchini muffins to last 5 days, refrigerate them in an airtight container once baked and cooled. However, they can also be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.
My kitchen hack to keep room temperature muffins looking lovely is to place a paper towel on top of the muffins, then seal the container. The towel will blot up condensation and keep those babies fresh.
More Zucchini Baked Goods
Want more of this zucchini dessert phenomenon? You could also make these Lemon Poppyseed Zucchini Muffins, which have bright-sweet flavor, or my favorite Carrot & Zucchini Cake Bars. Those remind me of a carrot cake, and it’s chocked full of cinnamon spice and golden raisins. Lots to love!
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini, finely grated
- 2 cups flour, all-purpose or oat flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 medium ripe banana, ½ cup mashed
- 2 eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 12-count muffin pan with paper liners. For easy release, lightly spray each cupcake liner or use foil liners.
- Shred the zucchini with a cheese grater or in a food processor and ring out the excess moisture with a paper towel or clean kitchen cloth. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In a separate large bowl, mash the banana with a fork. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk to combine.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and stir until you achieve a smooth chocolate batter. Add in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips, folding to combine.
- Fill each muffin cup ¾th full, and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the muffins to cool down for 5 minutes before serving.
Chris
Thanks for this great recipe, love that a veggie is incorporated. Question.
What can be subbed for banana that would not alter taste? Were not big fans of banana.
Thank you!
MOMables-Laura
You could try this recipe with pumpkin, but keep in mind you won’t really taste the banana.
Natasha Greer
My daughter is diabetic and I plan to make these for her birthday tomorrow. Do you know the carb count?
MOMables - Laura
Hi Natasha, the nutritional information has been updated in the recipe. Enjoy!
Loni
Can I leave out the cocoa powder? It’s the only thing I don’t have and would prefer not too much chocolate anyway.
MOMables
These muffins are rather bland without the cocoa.
Elizabeth
Just made my first batch and they taste great! However, my batter was super thick, and I was surprised no one mentioned this. I will just press them into the pan better to form them more next time but I’m sure they will be gobbled up before I know it.
Lane
So excited to try these – they look great! Do you measure the oats and then grind into flour, or do you have to grind more than 2c oats to get 2c flour?
Thanks!
MOMables
I make oat flour first, then measure oat flour. Check out this post.
T
can you sub regular flour for the ground oats?
MOMables
I’ve never tried it but I don’t see why you couldn’t.
Matt Robinson
I love these, and what a great way to sneak in some veggies!
MOMables
Thanks Matt! I need all the help I can get.
Erin M
I used pureed banana instead of apple sauce and YUM. They do take a bit longer to bake however, ~30 min.
erin
I thought these were great! My 5 year old did as well.
I strongly dislike cleaning mini-muffin pans so I used paper muffin cup liners. Bad idea! I lost about half the muffin when I peeled off the paper.
MOMables
Next time, get the parchment line muffin cups (a little more expensive but wort it!)
Susan
Thank you so much for this recipe! I recently had to go gluten-free, and so much of the pre-packaged food is flavorless and disappointing. These have a wonderful cinnamon “zing” to them, and I find the sweetness to be just right, not overwhelming the flavor of the zucchini.
FYI- I made the recipe exactly as directed, only as a full sized muffin. Yield was 12 muffins and bake time approx 25 mins.
Thanks! :)
wendy
just made these as well. very disappointed. i used half the amount of chocolate chips as that’s all i had, but they have no flavour. some sort of sweetener like dates or coconut sugar would of helped.
MOMables
with half the amount of chocolate chips I can’t imagine them tasting very good. the chocolate chips is what sweetens them. they aren’t optional unless you add honey or something else.
Marifer Vergara
Hola Laura:
I wanted to ask you if I could use the recipe above and put the mix in a mini donut pan and bake them that way. Do you think they will stay as a mini donut or they will crumble???
Gracias :)
Marifer
MOMables
I don’t see why you shouldn’t be able to use a mini donut pan! You are going to have to take a look at the baking temperature and times on your pan though.
Jennifer
Made these today for the first time. Almost taste like a no-bake cookie!
Sarah W
Just pulled these out of the oven and had to eat one before they cooled…yummy! I did not add extra sugar like the commenter above, and I think they taste great! The chocolate chips give just enough sweetness. I have always made my muffins with little to no added sugar, so my kids don’t need them loaded up with sweetness! Great recipe, thanks!
MOMables
thanks sarah! the commenter above omitted the chocolate chips (we talked via email). the chocolate chips is what gives them their sweetness. so glad your kids liked them! :)
Linnea
Is this recipe really supposed to have NO sugar in it at all? I tried the batter and realized that it tasted terrible and very not-sweet, and then realized that there was no sugar or any type of sweetener in the ingredient list. I added just under three-quarters of a cup of white sugar and hopefully that improved the muffins! They smell good out of the oven (mine cooked in 12 minutes, and I left the eggs out, replacing the eggs with applesauce and a tiny bit of oil).
Laura
Linnea- the recipe does not have any sugar but sweetened by applesauce and the chocolate chips. If you do add sugar, it’s fine. the eggs (that you left out) make it fluffier. I hope it rises well. Usually, we replace the eggs with flax eggs (ground flax seed and warm water made into a paste) because they generate that ‘binding” effect.
Keeley McGuire
Hi Linnea, no I did not add any sugar. Since they’re mini muffins they chocolate chips are what give them the sweetness in each bite after they are baked. They a muffin rather than a cupcake. My daughter and I love them, and the kiddos at the school I shared them with, without added sugar, but that’s the great part about recipes ~ you can adapt to your preferences and tastes. :)
Brooke
Hi
Just wanted to let you know that I made these muffins last night, did not try them yet, but you didn’t mention when to add the vanilla in in your directions. I added it at the end after I realized I never put it in, but just wanted to let you know that it is in the ingredient list and not in the directions. Thank you!
Laura
Thank you!!
Keeley McGuire
Ooo just saw your comment, and my apologies!!
The vanilla does go in right towards the end – I add it and stir just before adding the chocolate chips. THANK YOU for letting me know!