Anytime Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Recipe

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Muffins have a lot going for them — they're grab-and-go friendly, just the right size, and usually hearty enough to ward of hunger for a while. These chocolate zucchini muffins are soft and chocolatey. They're also extra moist thanks to zucchini, which also adds incredible texture without you even knowing it's there. This recipe is as simple as it gets. The batter comes together in a few minutes with pantry staples, and they bake up perfectly every time. Without a doubt, they will leave your house smelling like the corner bakery in no time.

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "If you're like me and end up with extra zucchini in your garden, this recipe is great to have in your back pocket to put them to good use. If you want to simplify the recipe, you can easily skip the last step of adding the chocolate drizzle and enjoy them as is." Keep reading to learn how to make the ultimate chocolate zucchini muffins that are good for anytime the mood strikes you.

To make this recipe, grab a zucchini from the store or your garden; you'll just need a small one. From the baking aisle or your pantry, look for all-purpose flour, cacao powder, coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, vanilla, and chocolate chips. Then, hit up the dairy aisle for your milk of choice.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Line a muffin tin with parchment liners.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cacao powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, combine the zucchini, milk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Fold in ½ cup of the chocolate chips.

Distribute the batter into the muffin tin and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While they are baking, add the chocolate chips to a small pot and melt, or melt in the microwave.

When the muffins come out, let them cool for 5 minutes in the pan, and then transfer to a wire rack for 15 minutes.

Drizzle on the melted chocolate and add flaky salt, if desired, before serving.

Since zucchini are loaded with water, it's important to extract as much as possible. We have some helpful tips to make this task easy. First off, there is no need to peel the zucchini. The skin is very thin and full of nutrients, so just wash it well and trim off the ends. If you're using a box grater, use the largest holes that should be on one side of the grater. This will give plenty of texture without turning the batter mushy. You can also use a food processor with the grating blade to grate the zucchini in a snap.

Once the zucchini has been grated, place it in a colander in the sink and sprinkle on a little salt. Let the zucchini sit for about 30 minutes, then place it onto a clean tea towel and gently squeeze it over the sink to release as much liquid as possible. Another way to extract the water is to use a sturdy wooden spoon and bring the grated zucchini up to the sides of the strainer, and then press firmly against the mesh to press out the water.

There are several modifications that you can make to the recipe if you would prefer to use ingredients you have on hand or if you have dietary preferences. Instead of all-purpose flour, you can swap that with whole wheat pastry flour, which will make the muffins slightly denser. If you are looking for a gluten-free option, a 1:1 gluten free flour will work fine. We have used cacao powder in the recipe, but an unsweetened cocoa powder can be used instead. In terms of sugar, instead of coconut sugar, feel free to use brown sugar or cane sugar if that's what you have.

If you want to make the recipe vegan, swap out cow's milk with any type of plant-based milk, such as almond, soy, oat, flax, or cashew milk. You can even make your own vanilla almond milk for a homemade touch. Dairy-free chocolate chips are available and a good substitute to keep the recipe vegan.

In place of the coconut oil, any neutral oil — such as avocado or olive — will work. Melted butter will do the trick, too. We're using apple cider vinegar here to activate the baking soda and aid in the muffins' rise, but lemon juice can step in to achieve this.