Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
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These healthy Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins are one of the best ways to use up zucchini and eat some sneaky veggies. They turn out moist and decadent but are filled with all real food ingredients you can feel good about. Kids and adults love these for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Ingredients
Here are the stars of this Zucchini Muffin show…
- White whole wheat flour – Regular whole wheat flour works but the cake will be a little denser than with white whole wheat flour. The best substitution would be half whole wheat and half all purpose flour.
- Avocado oil – We love the neutral flavor and high smoke point of avocado oil, but melted, cooled coconut oil would work, too.
- Honey – I haven’t tested this with pure maple syrup but that would be my go-to for a honey replacement. Note: It will alter the flavor some and be a little sweeter than honey. Leave a comment and let me know if you try this.
- Plain Greek yogurt – Nonfat is fine. Use vanilla Greek yogurt if you want to make these even sweeter.
- Finely shredded zucchini – Make sure to squeeze most of the excess moisture out by wringing it in a hand towel or pressing on it in a colander over the sink. This is an important step.
Tip: How to Freeze Shredded Zucchini
If you have extra zucchini that you can’t use up, go ahead and shred it and freeze it! Here’s how…
How to Make Zucchini Muffins
Find the detailed, printable recipe at the bottom, but here’s an overview of how this recipe goes…
Prep
Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. (You can also use paper liners or silicone liners if you’d like, but they will be very full!)
Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Wet Ingredients
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla.
Combine
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and stir just until it starts to come together (do not stir a lot here). Sprinkle the shredded zucchini and mini chocolate chips over the top. Stir until fully combined, being careful not to overmix. The batter will be thick.
Bake
Spoon at least 2 heaping tablespoons of batter into each hole, until each one is filled evenly (they will almost be filled to the top). Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of one comes out mostly clean. Place on a cooling rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
Can You Freeze Zucchini Muffins?
Sure thing! Zucchini Muffins freeze well using this method:
Freeze For Later: Bake muffins as directed in recipe. Let cool completely. Then place in a gallon-sized freezer bag or container, seal tightly, and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw muffins in the refrigerator or warm in the microwave.
Variations and Substitutions
This muffin recipe is fairly forgiving, so feel free to make some of these tweaks if you’d like.
- Dairy-Free Version: Use plain dairy-free milk (like almond milk) and dairy-free chocolate chips like Enjoy Life brand from the health food section.
- Gluten-Free Version: Use gluten-free 1:1 baking flour like Bob’s Red Mill brand in place of the wheat flour.
- Substitute for Honey: I haven’t tested this with pure maple syrup but that would be my go-to for a honey replacement. Note: It will alter the flavor some and be a little sweeter than honey. Leave a comment and let me know if you try this.
FAQs
You can store these at room temperature, in the fridge, or freeze them. Use an airtight container and line them with paper towels to absorb moisture. We’ve written a whole post on freezing and storing muffins.
You can use half whole wheat and half unbleached all-purpose flour.
Try mashed ripe bananas in place of the applesauce. I have also substituted oil and/or butter in place of the apple sauce and the recipe works fine.
Yes! In fact, I usually double the recipe and make on batch regular sized and one batch mini muffins. They will cook much faster (10-15 minutes) so keep an eye on them!
Why Is White Whole Wheat Flour So Important?
If you spend much time browsing through our baked goods, you’ll find that we almost always use white whole wheat flour (instead of just “whole wheat flour”). We’ve found that white whole wheat flour yields much fluffier/lighter-tasting results. It works in most recipes as a replacement for whole wheat flour. Here is a bit more about the difference between the two.
Here are some of our favorite recipes that use white whole wheat flour:
More Zucchini Recipes You’ll Love
If you’re a fan of these Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins, be sure to try some of these other popular recipes. Yum!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
These healthier zucchini chocolate chip muffins turn out moist and decadent but are filled with all real food ingredients you can feel good about. Kids and adults love these for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup avocado oil (sub: melted, cooled coconut oil)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (nonfat is fine)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups finely shredded zucchini (that’s had all the excess moisture squeezed out; about 1 medium zucchini)
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
*Regular whole wheat flour works but the cake will be a little denser than with white whole wheat flour.
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. (You can also use paper liners or silicone liners if you’d like, but they will be very full!)
- Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Wet Ingredients: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla.
- Combine: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and stir just until it starts to come together (do not stir a lot here). Sprinkle the shredded zucchini and mini chocolate chips over the top. Stir until fully combined, being careful not to overmix. The batter will be thick.
- Bake: Spoon at least 2 heaping tablespoons of batter into each hole, until each one is filled evenly (they will almost be filled to the top). Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of one comes out mostly clean. Place on a cooling rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
Freeze For Later: Bake muffins as directed in recipe. Let cool completely. Then place in a gallon-sized freezer bag or container, seal tightly, and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw muffins in the refrigerator or warm in the microwave.
Notes/Tips
- Dairy-Free Version: Use dairy-free plain Greek-style yogurt and dairy-free chocolate chips like Enjoy Life brand from the health food section.
- Gluten-Free Version: Use gluten-free 1:1 baking flour like Bob’s Red Mill brand in place of the wheat flour.
- Substitute for Honey: I haven’t tested this with pure maple syrup but that would be my go-to for a honey replacement. Note: It will alter the flavor some and be a little sweeter than honey. Leave a comment and let me know if you try this.
Very easy to make and trying to sneak vegetables in to my picky 3-year-old I did zucchini and carrots shredded
Hi Mary Lee. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review. Glad you found it easy. We love sneaking veggies into everything!
I made a batch of these to freeze for an easy breakfast before school option. My boys wanted nothing else after the first day. Now I am back to make more!
Love to hear this Amanda! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
So delicious and moist! A new family favorite.
Hi Melanie. Thank you for leaving a review… so glad you’ve got a new favorite for your family!