Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins – Eat Lean

These Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins are moist, fluffy, and made healthier with whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt, shredded zucchini, and zero butter or refined sugar. Loaded with warm flavors and chunks of chocolate in every bite!

I’ve been on a cupcake kick lately and let me tell you, these Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cupcakes always hit the spot! Fluffy, moist and healthier with 100% whole grains, shredded zucchini and zero butter or refined sugar. You’ll love baking with zucchini because not only does it make these muffins so moist and flavorful, but it’s a great way to sneak in veggies for picky eaters because I promise you won’t be able to taste the zucchini! Feel free to swap out the chocolate chips for chopped nuts, shredded coconut, fresh berries, or dried fruit.

Enjoy these delicious Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins for breakfast with your morning coffee or serve them to your kids as a great after school snack! So much chocolate flavor in every bite!

Ingredients you will need

• Wholemeal pastry flour – I love baking with wholemeal pastry flour as it has all the nutritional benefits of wholemeal while giving these muffins a light and fluffy texture. I recommend using this, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can use white wholemeal or regular all-purpose flour.
• Bicarbonate of sodium – acts as a leavening agent to help these muffins rise, you can also use yeast
• Courgette – adds nutritional benefits and makes these muffins nice and moist, just make sure to really squeeze the water out of the zucchini after grating
• eggs – adds protein and gives these muffins their structure and height
• maple syrup – sweeten these muffins without using refined sugar, but you can also use honey, regular sugar or even brown sugar
• coconut oil – for extra moisture and fluffiness! Feel free to replace it with vegetable oil, canola oil, or even butter if you prefer
• greek yogurt – This helps reduce the amount of oil we have to use and helps keep the muffins moist. You can also use unsweetened applesauce, banana puree or pumpkin puree
• milk – I used almond milk, but any kind of milk will work in this recipe
• Cinnamon + vanilla extract – Warm flavor boost!
• Chocolate chips – I used Lily’s chocolate chips, which are gluten free, vegan, and sweetened with stevia, making the sugar content very low, while still having that delicious chocolate flavor! You can also use regular or even dark chocolate chips, but the sugar content will be much higher.

How to make Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

This particular recipe makes 12 regular sized muffins or 24 mini muffins. You will make the batter exactly the same way, just adjust the baking time for smaller muffins. Here’s how to make them!

1. Grate the zucchini. Using a box grater, mash the zucchini and remove all moisture with a cheesecloth or paper towel, squeezing out all the liquid in the sink.
2. Mix the ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the wholemeal pastry flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, then set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, Greek yogurt, milk, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and shredded zucchini until combined.
3. Make the dough. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until just combined, being careful not to over mix the batter, then add the chocolate chips. Generously grease a muffin tin (or use muffin liners) and divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups, making sure to fill each cup almost completely.
4. BAKE! Bake the muffins in a 350 degree F oven for 18 to 22 minutes (mine came out perfect at 20 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Tips, tricks and substitutions

• Make sure NOT to over mix the batter. This results in super dense muffins that we don’t want. Go for fluffy and soft!
• It is important to squeeze as much water as you can from the shredded zucchini. No need to peel the zucchini.
• Feel free to dip the whole wheat pastry flour with 1:1 gluten-free baking flour or even all-purpose flour. I do not recommend using almond flour or coconut flour in this recipe.
• You can easily swap out the Greek yogurt for pumpkin puree, banana puree, or unsweetened applesauce.
• Mix in other fun additions like chopped nuts, coconut flakes, dried fruit or fresh berries!
• For Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, simply add 1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder and use only 1 1/4 cups of whole wheat flour.

Other cooking methods

• You can easily make this recipe into a healthy zucchini bread! Simply pour the batter into a 9×5-inch pan sprayed with nonstick spray and bake at 350 degrees F for 50 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• You can also make three mini loaves that are perfect for giving as gifts. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. When I make for friends and family, I like to double this recipe and make 6 mini loaves!
• This recipe also makes 24 mini muffins. Divide batter into 24 muffin cups sprayed with nonstick cooking spray (or muffin liners) and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 17 minutes. A perfect treat for little hands!

Preparation and storage

To save: You can keep these muffins stored in a closed, airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil at room temperature on the counter for up to 3 days, but be sure to refrigerate after that to keep them longer. These muffins will last up to a week in the fridge in a sealed container.

To freeze: These cupcakes also freeze great! Be sure to let them cool completely, then wrap the muffins individually in plastic wrap or store them all together in freezer-safe bags. When ready to eat, simply microwave them for 30-40 seconds or simply thaw them at room temperature. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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