Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins are light, fluffy, and moist. Shredded zucchini and chocolate chips are packed into a delicious muffin the entire family will love!
I love hiding zucchini in baked goods! Our favorites are chocolate zucchini muffins and healthy zucchini muffins.
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Zucchini chocolate chip muffins are super quick, simple, and perfect for summer! Healthier than store bought, and made in one bowl, you’ll be making them for breakfast, on-the-go snacks, or a healthy dessert.
I love creating healthy muffin recipes! There seems to be an endless stream of flavor combinations. Today’s recipe is a combination of healthy chocolate zucchini bread and healthy chocolate chip muffins.
Ingredients for Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
This zucchini chocolate chip muffins recipe is made with basic baking ingredients and hidden veggies.
- Egg: For binding, you’ll just need 1 large egg.
- Applesauce: Keeps the muffins soft. Use unsweetened applesauce to avoid extra added sugar.
- Honey or maple syrup: These natural sweeteners are the perfect sugar substitute. You can also use any liquid sweetener such as agave nectar.
- Milk: I used whole milk but you can use any milk of choice as the amount is quite small.
- Mild oil: To avoid gummy muffins. I used avocado oil but because amount is so small, any oil will taste good.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract adds warm flavor.
- Baking essentials: Baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Zucchini: Shredded zucchini that has not been squeezed, see tips below!
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour but these chocolate chip zucchini muffins can be made healthier with whole wheat flour.
- Chocolate chips: I usually go with dark chocolate chips, but semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips work too.
How to Make Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
Here is how to make zucchini chocolate chip muffins in one bowl and 30 minutes! There is also full recipe card below.
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375 F, spray a non-stick muffin tin with cooking spray or line with parchment paper liners. Then grate zucchini and set aside.
- Mix: In a large bowl, mix egg, applesauce, maple syrup, milk, oil, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until combined.
- Make batter: Add zucchini to the same bowl and stir. Gently mix in flour just enough to combine, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Bake: Evenly distribute batter between 12 muffin openings, I like to use a regular ice cream scoop. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let chocolate chip zucchini muffins cool in the muffin pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Tips for Best Results
Make this zucchini chocolate chip muffins recipe perfect with these top tips.
- Don’t squeeze zucchini: Zucchini is the perfect addition to any baked good because it adds moisture. Don’t squeeze the zucchini after it’s shredded.
- Don’t overmix the batter: In order to achieve light and fluffy muffins, mix the batter until just combined.
- Don’t over bake muffins: Muffins will be dry if they are overbaked. Watch them closely and remove from oven as soon as your toothpick comes out clean.
- Ovens vary: You might have to bake them longer or shorter, check doneness with a toothpick.
- Make them pretty: Add a few extra chocolate chips on top before baking and enjoy an indulgent treat!
How to Shred Zucchini for Muffins?
Zucchini skin is thin, light, and edible so you can save time and skip peeling first. The taste will be the same and the dark green flecks add a nice pop of color!
My preferred method is to shred the zucchini using a box grater. It’s easier to hide the zucchini when it’s small, so the key tip is to shred the zucchini on the grater side with the smaller sized holes, not the largest holes. And not the smallest – medium sized.
You could use a food processor but be careful not to over shred your zucchini, or it will be too watery. Use the pulse function and a shredding disk to avoid this happening.
Substitutions and Additions
We love zucchini muffins with chocolate chips but there are many ways to change flavor and texture.
- Use yogurt: It’s OK in this recipe because muffins are already quite sweet. Swap applesauce with regular yogurt or Greek yogurt.
- Add nuts: Slivered almonds, chopped pecans or walnuts add flavor and crunch.
- Swap applesauce for mashed bananas: Make banana zucchini muffins! Using the same amount of mashed bananas replaces the oil and provides moisture, but gives these zucchini chocolate chip muffins a different flavor.
- Mini muffins: Great for a little treat. Cut baking time in half, check doneness with a toothpick and either remove or add 1 -2 minutes extra time.
- Making muffins gluten free: Try cup for cup all purpose gluten-free flour.
- Egg free: Use 1 flax egg or chia egg.
- Add extracts and seasonings: Almond extract adds a nice nutty flavor, but it is stronger than vanilla so don’t add too much. You can also add warmth with 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Or add fresh lemon juice for a bright summer-y flavor.
How to Store
Store: Zucchini chocolate chip muffins are very moist, store on a counter with a towel over them for the first 2 days. After that, place them in an airtight container and store in the fridge for an additional 2-3 days.
Freeze: Once the muffins are completely cool, add them to a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Storage Tip
For even more storage tips, check out my detailed post how to store muffins and how to freeze muffins.
FAQs
No, you don’t have to squeeze shredded zucchini for this recipe. The excess water from the zucchini helps muffins stay moist.
No, you don’t have to peel zucchini for baking. Zucchini skin is light, thin, and edible. You can peel if you like. I like to keep prep time down and I also love the pop of color the dark green skin adds.
Yes, you can use frozen shredded zucchini. Just make sure to thaw first on a counter or in the fridge overnight. And use all the liquid from thawing.
You can use all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour to make chocolate chip zucchini muffins. You can also use white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour, use whole wheat flour measurements.
More Zucchini Recipes to Try
- Healthy zucchini bread
- Zucchini brownies
- Healthy banana zucchini muffins
- Healthy lemon zucchini muffins
- Carrot zucchini muffins
- Healthy zucchini banana bread
- Healthy lemon zucchini bread
- Almond flour zucchini bread
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup any milk
- 2 tablespoons any mild tasting oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups finely shredded zucchini not squeezed and packed
- 1 1/2 cups + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- Cooking spray I use Misto
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray non-stick 12 muffin tin with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add egg, applesauce, maple syrup, milk, oil, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk well to combine.
- Add zucchini and stir. Add flour and gently mix just until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Distribute batter evenly between 12 openings of a tin (I used regular ice cream scoop) and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let muffins cool for a few minutes and transfer to a cooling rack to cool off completely.
Notes
- Store: Day 1-2 covered with a towel on a counter. After refrigerate in a glass airtight container for 2-3 more days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Swap the applesauce: For the same amount of mashed bananas for a slightly different flavor. Or replace with yogurt but muffins will be less sweet.
- No need to peel zucchini first. The skin is thin, light, and edible.
- Mini muffins: Cut baking time in half, check for doneness and either remove or add 1 -2 minutes extra time.
