Chocolate Zucchini Muffins – The Healthy Expert

Rich and delicious Chocolate Zucchini Muffins with a healthy twist and a full helping of fresh zucchini for extra nutrition! Made with whole wheat flour, unrefined sugar and applesauce for an extra juicy texture.

The Best Chocolate Zucchini Muffins!

Hello zucchini season! That is, when the zucchini explode from my garden and I try to pawn them to everyone.

The truth is, I love growing zucchini every year because I can grate them and add them to all my baked goods. I also grate and freeze zucchini to add to snacks year-round.

What I like best about these Chocolate Zucchini Muffins is that they’re healthy…sort of! I love having a completely healthy muffin recipe (if so, maybe I could tempt you with these grain-free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins), but lately I’ve kind of wished for the real deal with a healthy twist.

These muffins are moist and delicious, but also flavored with applesauce and no refined sugar. I saved a bit of melted butter… but other than that, these zucchini muffins are damn healthy and I promise your whole family will love them!

Ingredients for Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

• Wholemeal Flour – You can use regular whole wheat flour or whole wheat bread flour. I like to use this to add whole grains. If you don’t have whole wheat flour, you can use regular white flour instead.
• Regular white flour – I break up some of the whole wheat flour to preserve the moisture in these muffins. You can use plain white flour if you prefer, but I wouldn’t recommend using plain whole wheat flour.
• cocoa powder Regular cacao powder works great, but you can use raw cacao for the chocolate flavor.
• baking powder + salt – to help the muffins rise and enhance their flavor. If you pay attention to the sodium level, you can safely avoid salt.
• butter – I reduced the butter to just 3 tablespoons. I’ve tried fewer and find that they are not as moist. If you want to keep them dairy-free, you can substitute coconut oil.
• honey or maple syrup – Any liquid sweetener will work here, but I find that honey or plain maple syrup are the easiest to obtain and taste the best.
• applesauce – Since we’re only using 3 Tbsp butter, I add applesauce to keep these Chocolate Zucchini Muffins extra moist. It’s a great hack for any muffin recipe!
• Almond milk – You can use any type of milk (dairy or non-dairy) but I usually have unsweetened almond milk on hand.
• egg – Necessary for binding. I haven’t tried making them vegan yet, but if you want to give it a try I’d recommend using a flaxseed egg and using coconut oil in place of the butter.
• vanilla extract – There is no chocolate without a little vanilla!
• zucchini – You should grate 1 medium/large zucchini, which is about 1 cup. Then squeeze out the excess water with a paper towel or tea towel. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!
• chocolate chips – Semi-sweet or dark chocolate tastes best, but use whatever you have!

The BEST Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

STEP 1: MIX DRY INGREDIENTS

In a large bowl, mix white flour, whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

STEP 2: COMBINE WET INGREDIENTS

In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, honey or maple syrup, applesauce, egg, almond milk, and vanilla.

STEP 3: MIX TOGETHER

Slowly mix the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Stir in the grated zucchini and chocolate chips.

STEP 4: BAKE

Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the tops spring back and no wet dough remains when picked out with a toothpick. Let cool for 20 minutes before transferring to room temperature on a wire rack.

Storage Instructions

If you plan on eating these muffins in the next few days, you can store them in an airtight container on the countertop for up to 3 days. If you want to freeze them, wrap each zucchini muffin individually in aluminum foil. Place muffins in a freezer-safe bag and seal tightly. They have a shelf life of up to 3 months, but can last up to 6 months if stored properly.

Just take out your muffins the night before to thaw them on the countertop.

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