Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

If you’ve ever wondered what to do with all that extra zucchini in your garden, this recipe is it! These double chocolate zucchini muffins are soft, moist and so decadent, they’re more like dessert than breakfast. Full of better for you ingredients than traditional and store bought muffins, you’ll feel great about feeding these to your family.

So what is in double chocolate zucchini muffins?

• All purpose flour (or gluten free 1:1 flour)
• Cocoa powder
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Coconut oil (or butter)
• Yogurt
• Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• Sugar
• Honey
• Zucchini (of course!)
• Chocolate chips

Substitutions

This recipe can be made with regular all-purpose flour, or you can substitute with gluten free 1:1 flour. King Arthur’s gluten free flour works well for this recipe. It’s what I used and my kiddos can’t tell the difference.

These double chocolate zucchini muffins can also be made with either butter or coconut oil. I used coconut oil because I love the flavor of coconut with chocolate, but feel free to use butter instead. The coconut flavor is toned down a lot after baking, but you can still taste a hint of it. You could swap the yogurt for sour cream and the eggs for flax eggs.

This recipe is fairly flexible. You can even try lessening some of the sugar if you don’t want them so sweet.

Can I make these with all honey and no cane sugar?

Yes, but I would add maybe a 1/4 cup more of flour to make up for the extra liquid. Maple syrup would also work, but honey has a milder flavor for this recipe in my opinion. But if you like maple and chocolate together, go for it!

You can also remove the chocolate chips or swap for dark chocolate or cacao nibs.

Should I measure my zucchini before or after squeezing the liquid from it?

I measure before. Two cups of freshly grated zucchini is what I use in this recipe. Squeezing the liquid out of the zucchini will condense it a bit, but not so much that you need to add more.

These double chocolate zucchini muffins are great for making ahead!

I like to make a big batch of these during the summer to freeze. They make a great indulgent snack or dessert that is a little less heavy on the sugar. I might also pull them out on mornings when momma just ain’t up to cooking breakfast.

They will last about 5 days at room temperature or a week in the fridge (if you can resist eating them all before then). They freeze well as long as you use them within 3-4 months after baking. I also freeze them individually sometimes for when I’m craving chocolate but don’t have time to bake anything.

Can I make these dairy free?

Yes! Just use coconut oil instead of butter and use a coconut yogurt instead of dairy yogurt. And of course, dairy free chocolate chips.

Do I really need the zucchini in this recipe?

Yes! The shredded zucchini adds moistness to the muffins that otherwise wouldn’t be there. I use any zucchini from my garden that have gotten away from me. They’re too big to saute fresh, so I shred it for recipes such as this. The shredded zucchini can also be frozen for later use. Just be sure that you still get all the extra liquid out after it is thawed.

Tips for making this recipe:

• Be sure not to over mix the batter. This can make the muffins a little tough. No vigorous stirring needed! Just gently fold all of the ingredients together.
• Sprinkling a few chocolate chips on top, once the batter is poured into the muffin tins, makes them look extra yummy!
• You can use all sugar in this recipe of you would like. I swap out some of the sugar for honey, but it will do perfectly well otherwise.
• Check your muffins with a tooth pick or butter knife to see if it comes out clean. Chocolate muffins can be a little harder to judge coming out of the oven.
• After shredding the zucchini, squeeze some of the moisture out with a thin kitchen towel or by pressing it in a colander or mesh sieve.
• These muffins will last 4-5 days at room temp. in an airtight container or a week in the fridge. I prefer to keep them in the fridge and dish them out as treats so they last longer and my kids don’t get used to having chocolate for breakfast. Although I might slip a couple for myself in the a.m. as a momma treat!

Recipe:

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Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour OR 1:1 gluten free flour

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/2 cup coconut oil OR butter, melted

• 1/4 cup yogurt

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup honey

• 2 cups shredded zucchini

• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

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Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start by shredding your zucchini using a cheese grater or a food processor. Strain zucchini through cheese cloth or a thin cotton kitchen towel to remove excess moisture.
• Next, sift together your dry ingredients. (Flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder & salt)
• In a separate bowl, melt coconut oil. Mix in sugar and honey. Next, whisk in eggs and vanilla. Fold in the yogurt.
• Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Fold in zucchini and then the chocolate chips.
• Fill muffin tins with liners. Add about 1/4 cup of batter to each liner. Bake for 15-20 minutes until muffin tops bounce back and a butter knife comes out clean.
• Let muffins sit for about five minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

For another sweet treat, check out my recipe for gluten free banana bread here!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does. Let me know what you think if you try it in your own kitchen!