These double chocolate zucchini muffins are the BEST, most delicious use for zucchini! Moist and tasty, they vanish quickly.
Why This Recipe Works
My only contribution to this year’s Mother’s Day menu were these Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, which everyone LOVED. My boys love zucchini and they don’t even know it, ha!
I caught my oldest cutie totally Mmmmm-ing over one of these muffins and thought he spied a chunk of green. I distracted him with something funny our dog was doing. He shrugged his shoulders and kept right on eating.
The reason kids adore these babies is because there is sugar and chocolate galore involved and the vegetables are well hidden!
Recipe Ingredients
- Zucchini – The most important ingredient! Whether you grate or shred the zucchini is a personal preference. Do what works best for you!
- Flour – Make this recipe gluten free by replacing all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour.
- Vegetable oil – Replace with canola oil or coconut oil, if desired.
- Chocolate chips – Replace semi-sweet with dark or even white chocolate, if desired.
How To Make Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two muffin tins with cupcake paper liners (or spray the cups generously with cooking spray). Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), combine the oil, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy.
Step 2
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix well. Gradually add to the butter mixture and beat on medium-low speed until just combined. Fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips.
Step 3
Divide the batter between the prepared muffins cups. The batter will be thick and the cups should be 3/4 of the way full. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Place them on a wire rack to cool slightly but feel free to serve warm!
Recipe Notes
- For a healthier version, replace a portion of the sugar with honey and reduce the amount of chocolate chips by half.
- The batter will be thick and this is 100% normal!
- Fill muffin liners three-quarters of the way full for best results.
- Top with extra chocolate chips before baking for an extra burst of chocolate.
What is the Difference Between Muffins and Cupcakes
Both cupcakes and muffins are delicious and one is traditionally known as a dessert and not a breakfast item. The difference really lies in the batter. To make cupcakes, you must cream the butter and sugar really well so it becomes smooth and fluffy. This additional creaming of the batter helps the air bubbles really be uniform throughout the batter.
Also, they tend to be sweeter. Conversely, muffins are mixed together enough to combine the ingredients and remains a little lumpy. They are a little dryer, more dense in their end result. They generally have fruit in them and less sugar overall.
FAQ About Zucchini
If you have an abundance of zucchini on hand, it can be frozen for 3-4 months. Freeze whole or sliced (raw or cooked) in freezer bags.
Zucchini, much like it’s cucumber cousin, is a heavy veggie due to its high water content which means limited calories! It is a flavorful vegetable and can be enjoyed both raw and cooked. Raw zucchini is firm and slightly crunchy. Cooked zucchini is softer, but still delicious.
Filled with potassium that is heart healthy, it’s also high in antioxidants like Vitamin B6 and C. It’s also great because it has zero fat and has needed fiber for your diet.
When using zucchini is baked into foods such as bread or muffins, it can be as big as a house. If you intend to use it for cooking fritters or zucchini chips or if you want to saute it or use it in any other way, 6 inches is a good size for optimal flavor. The seeds inside the zucchini will be a perfect size when it is on the smaller side, too, and it won’t be as watery. Large zucchini hold a LOT of water, which isn’t ideal for many savory recipes.
When ripe, a zucchini should feel mostly firm but give a little when pressed with your fingers. The skin should appear dark green and glossy. The flesh of the zucchini should not be mushy or tough and should have a yellowish-white color.
What To Serve For Brunch At Home
Brunch is one of my favorite things in the world. I mean, we’re talking meat, pancakes, eggs, all the savory breakfast foods AND all the sugar-laden treats, as well. We have veggies and sandwiches and wraps and quiche and pot roast and soup and the list goes on and on.
Brunch contains the best collection of foods on the planet, which is why it is so popular among the masses. And we can’t forget that alcohol is totally acceptable at brunches, too! Woo!
Favorite Brunch Fare
- You have just met your new go-to Blueberry Muffins! These muffins turn out great every time, they are moist and totally packed with blueberries. These are the PERFECT treat to adorn your brunch spread!
- Breakfast Pizza – Like brunch itself, this recipe is a combo of two types of meals, making it the perfect brunch fare. Pizza combined with eggs, spinach, bacon and goat cheese? Yes, please!
- BEST Breakfast Casserole – I have been making (and perfecting) this breakfast casserole for YEARS and it is one of my all-time favorite breakfast foods. This is perhaps my favorite thing ever to make for brunches.
- Transform French Toast into this Mixed Berry Croissant Breakfast Bake! The croissants add such a delicious buttery texture. Let it sit in the fridge overnight so it is ready to bake the next day!
- Lemon Drops – This is my favorite drink to enjoy for any occasion. It is the perfect brunch cocktail because it is light, lemony and delicious! It is sure to impress guests. Use honey simple syrup for a less sweet version.
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Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups zucchini grated
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two muffin tins with cupcake liners (or spray the cups generously with cooking spray). Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), combine the oil, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix well. Gradually add to the butter mixture and beat on medium-low speed until just combined. Fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips.
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffins cups. The batter will be thick and the cups should be 3/4 of the way full. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Serve warm!
Notes
- For a healthier version, replace a portion of the sugar with honey and reduce the amount of chocolate chips by half.
- The batter will be thick and this is 100% normal!
- Fill muffin liners three-quarters of the way full for best results.
- Top with extra chocolate chips before baking for an extra burst of chocolate.
Absolutely loving the fan of these! I’ve been trying to find some good recipes that allow me to sneak some veg into school snacks and I think this one will be worth a try! My kids are forever complaining about their school snacks (which are healthy in comparison to their friends’ snacks). Wish me luck 🙂
I’m so glad you like them! I also find that it’s a great way to help balance out what my boys are eating with what they like. They never need to know some of the "secret" ingredients!