Listen up party people. Zucchini is about to be blowing up your gardens and therefore I plan on blowing your mind with my very famous annual #AKZUCCHINIWEEK starting sometime this August. We’ll celebrate all things zucchini with breakfast, sweets, savory meals and maybe even an epic cake.
Let me just say that if you’re thinking that you would never put zucchini in a baked good, it’s time to get out of your comfort zone because these muffins are MIND-BLOWING and full of chocolate love with zero zucchini taste.
I love when vegetables can taste like chocolate, don’t you?
Remember my skinny banana chocolate chip zucchini muffins from a few summers ago? Or how about these chunky monkey zucchini muffins? Probably one of my favorite muffins on my blog.
I say that about every muffin I put on this blog though, so think what you will.
Chocolate zucchini muffin ingredients
You would think that the average zucchini bread or muffin would be healthy, but most recipes call for more than a cup of sugar and at least a 1/2 cup of oil. Healthy fats are absolutely wonderful but I’d rather put them on top of my muffin (like a big scoop of peanut butter). So I thought I’d try my best to make healthy chocolate zucchini muffins with nutritious, good-for-you ingredients, yet still keep them tasting amazing and moist. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Zucchini: of course, this veggie adds an insanely amount of moisture to the muffins. Shred it up, squeeze it of all excess moisture with a paper towel, then use it in this recipe.
- Banana or applesauce instead of lots of oil: leeps the muffins moist and adds natural sweetness. I prefer to use mashed ripe banana, but applesauce will also work well.
- Honey or pure maple syrup instead of sugar: I love using all natural sweeteners in baking and honey or pure maple syrup will work in this recipe.
- Coconut oil: you’ll just need a bit of coconut oil to add moisture to the muffins.
- Almond milk: delicious and dairy free. I’m cool with that. Feel free to use any milk you’d like.
- Egg: I like to use an egg for a boost of protein, but I think a flax egg would work if you are trying to keep these vegan.
- Whole wheat pastry flour: probably the best wheat flour out there. You can’t even tell these muffins are whole-grain. You can also use a gluten free all purpose flour or oat flour if you prefer.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: cocoa powder is my favorite way to boost chocolate flavor in recipes. I like using this brand. If you want a more nutritious alternative, you can try cacao powder (I use it all the time!)
- Chocolate chips: feel free to use regular or mini chocolate chips, dairy free if desired.
How to make healthy chocolate zucchini muffins
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners and generously spray inside of liners with nonstick cooking spray.
- Squeeze shredded zucchini of excess water with a paper towel. This is important, so don’t forget!
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add coconut oil, honey/maple syrup, vanilla, egg; mix on medium-low until smooth and well combined. Add in zucchini, banana (or applesauce) and almond milk; mix again. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
- Evenly divide batter into prepared liners. Bake 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean. After 5 minutes, remove muffins and transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.
Tips for making healthy chocolate zucchini muffins
- Squeeze out ALL of the extra moisture from your zucchini. This will ensure that they bake up well and aren’t too moist.
- Use an extra ripe banana for the perfect amount of sweetness. The more brown spots the better!
- Be careful not to overmix the batter. Mix the flour into your wet ingredients until it’s just combined. If you overmix the batter your muffins may turn out dense and almost rubbery, which we don’t want.
Freezer-friendly chocolate zucchini muffins
These healthy chocolate zucchini muffins are freezer-friendly! Wrap muffins individually in freezer-safe bags or store them in a large freezer bag. When you’re ready to enjoy them, reheat for 30-45 seconds in the microwave or simply thaw them at room temperature.
These chocolate zucchini muffins would be perfect for breakfast, an afternoon treat, or even dessert. You can even bake these as bars or as a bread, but of course you’ll need to adjust baking times. Dollop these with a big tablespoon of peanut butter and prepare to fall in love!
See how to make these chocolate zucchini muffins:
I hope you love these healthy chocolate zucchini muffins! If you make them I’d love for you to leave a comment and rating letting me know how you liked them. Enjoy xo!
Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Healthy chocolate zucchini muffins made with whole wheat flour and no butter or refined sugars (besides chocolate chips). They're naturally sweetened with banana and honey or maple syrup for an insanely delicious, perfectly moist double chocolate zucchini muffin!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled (or sub olive oil)
- 1/3 cup honey, agave nectar or pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (from about 1 medium zucchini)
- 1 ripe mashed banana (or you can use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/2 cup regular or mini chocolate chips, dairy free if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners and generously spray inside of liners with nonstick cooking spray.
- Squeeze shredded zucchini of excess water with a paper towel. This is important, so don’t forget!
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add coconut oil, honey/maple syrup, vanilla, egg; mix on medium-low until smooth and well combined. Add in zucchini, banana (or applesauce) and almondmilk; mix again. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
- Evenly divide batter into prepared liners. Bake 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean. After 5 minutes, remove muffins and transfer to wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
To keep muffins dairy free: use dairy free chocolate chips.
To make gluten free: use gluten free all purpose flour or gluten free oat flour.
I love adding a few extra chocolate chips (2-3) on top of each muffin before baking to make them look pretty, but it's up to you.
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Avocado Chocolate Frosting
Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Glaze
Grain Free Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Zucchini Bread (2 different ways!)
284 comments
Yeah, these look good! I made brownies this morning and thought about adding zucchini into the batter…I ended up staying traditional #nexttime
Definitely next time!
I love baking with Almond milk too! Love this recipe – simple and real food ingredients!
Thanks! 🙂
Oh I have got to try these! Do you think the timing for a loaf pan would be about 35-40 minutes approx to begin testing for doneness?
I think probably around 40 minutes, I would test. 🙂
These were awesome! Probably the best muffins I’ve ever made! My picky kids who never eat zucchini loved them. Thanks!
I am so happy that you made them and your kids liked them, too!
I made the banana zucchini muffins last week, so I had to make these too! I used regular all purpose flour and olive oil bc that is what I have on hand. They are moist, delicious and delightful!! Don’t think I could pick a favorite btwn the two. Thanks for another wonderful recipe 🙂
Aren’t they delightful?! Thanks for making them Mandy!
Could I substitute 100% pure maple syrup instead on honey? Can’t wait to try!
I think you could but I’m not certain they’d be as sweet!
Now I’m confused. The recipe says to use honey or pure maple syrup. Are you saying they won’t be as good if you use the syrup?
Hi Cheryl! We’ve re-tested the recipe since then, and they’ll be fine with either.
Hi Monique, so glad I came across your blog! I was just wondering how much oil to use in these muffins if I wasn’t using applesauce?
Hi! I think you could use about 1/3 cup and it would be fine. Enjoy!
I do not see applesauce in the recipe list or the video, but see many posts asking what to substitute for it. Is that for diff recipe or has recipe changed?
You can use applesauce instead of a banana if you prefer!
Can these be made gluten free by just substituting the flour?
I think you could use an all purpose gluten free flour if you’d like, but I haven’t tried it myself so I’m not certain how it will turn out. Let me know if you try it!
I made these using bobs 1 to 1 gluten free flour and added an extra egg and 2 tb almost milk in adition to what the recipe calls for. (Because gluten free flour requires more liquid) I also subbed the honey for coconut palm sugar. They turned out great! Super moist and fluffy!
Sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing. I’m going to follow your subs right now.
Hi Monique,
I just stumbled on your blog today and I’m so glad I did! Lots of great content. Quick question, is it best to melt the coconut oil before mixing it in with the honey, vanilla, and egg?
Yes, but I think either way it will work just fine. You can also use olive oil! 🙂
Hi Monique,
I made this recipe yesterday and the muffins were marvellous ! You’re such a genius ! I was wondering, though, what would happen if I omited the zuchinni ? Thank you. Can’t wait to make more of your recipes ! 🙂
I’m not quite sure – they might become dry! Perhaps you could add a little more oil to ensure there is enough moisture?
Thank you : 🙂
Love this recipe! I subbed out the zucchini for steamed/mashed pumpkin and added some orange sprinkles to the top to make “Scary Healthy Halloween Muffins.”
The most yummiest, amazing, oozingly good muffins i have ever had! Has to be eaten warm!!! Yum yum thankyou:)
Can I freeze them after baking, or do you think i should freeze the batter in the baking cup instead? Also do you think I could make mini muffins with this recipe? If so, how long should i bake them for?
You should freeze after baking them. I haven’t made them into mini muffins but I’m guessing 10-15 minutes.
Just made these with zucchini puree and granulated sugar in lieu of honey (too lazy to deal with post-honey cleanup), and they are phenomenal! Whole wheat pastry flour had already become one of my favorite pantry staples, so it’s nice to have another recipe that uses it so well.
These look great. How would you adjust baking time to make “mini muffins”?
Hi my hubby is allergic to nuts. What is a good low cal alternative to the almond milk? Low fat milk or does the alone milk do something else? Protein?
You can use any kind of milk you’d like.
Can’t wait to bake these. Do I peel the zucchinis?
Nope!
Hola Monique. Do I really need the applesauce? I’m trying to make these for tonight but I don’t have the applesauce 🙁
You could use oil instead – I’m sorry for the late reply!
Yum!!!
Can I replace or leave out the 1 egg white? How would it change the muffins?
Hi there! I recommend just adding an entire extra egg. 🙂
I use only 1 egg and no egg white and they always turn out good.
I made these yesterday (only changes: 2 whole eggs and regular milk) and they are amazing. I can’t believe they are not sinfully bad for me. Thanks for the recipe!
These look awesome! I’m definitely going to try them as is for myself, but I thought I’d try another batch without the chocolate for my husband who doesn’t like it (I know, what’s wrong with him?). If I omit the cocoa powder should I add more flour or anything?
Hi Court! These are meant to be chocolate zucchini muffins so if you make them without the cocoa it really wouldn’t turn out the same. I haven’t tested them any other way then as the recipe lists. You may want to try looking for a regular zucchini muffin recipe. Or you can try my banana version: http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2013/08/skinny-zucchini-banana-chocolate-chip-muffins-healthy-low-fat/
Any chance I could use extra coconut oil in place of applesauce (since applesauce is the substitute for vegetable oil) ???
Thanks! 🙂
Yes, just use 1/4 cup total and the muffins should turn out lovely! Let me know how it goes.
Hi Monique – think I could sub greek plain yogurt for the applesauce?
These came out delicious. I used unsweetened cashew milk instead of almond… only 25 calories per serving!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I made these this morning, and they were SO GOOD! After 6 weeks of a very productive zucchini plant, I am running out of idea of what to do with zucchini, so I was thrilled to find this recipe. Thank you!!!
Never before have I commented on a recipe but these muffins are freakin delicious!! My new favorites! Love the agave instead of sugar. Cannot. Stop. Eating.
Delicious recipe, indulgent tasting and not a hint of zucchini BUT my muffins rose and then sunk, I followed the instructions exactly except for using white plain flour instead of wholewheat pastry. What causes muffins to sink? What can I do? Thanks
Can I substitute ww all purpose flour for the ww pastry flour?
I’ve never heard of whole wheat all purpose flour. I’m assuming you mean whole wheat flour? If so, yes, but they will be much more dense.
These are SO INCREDIBLY GOOD!!! love a recipe that is lightened up and full of healthy ingredients!! THank you!!
Not sure why but these were seriously lacking a sweet factor and I followed the recipe exactly. I’d have to use something along w/the honey next time. Maybe Truvia.
Just made these for my son— he LOVES them. I made them vegan by substituting the eggs for flax eggs and I didn’t have any applesauce handy so I mashed a banana and that worked great! Thanks! 🙂
So wonderful to hear that, Cheryl!
Forgot to add that I also had to sub brown sugar for the honey to make it vegan.
Excited to try! Could I sub and use coconut flour instead? If so, how much?
These look amazing but my son had a tree nut allergy. Would coconut milk work as a substitute? We aren’t dairy adverse so I might use regular milk.
Let me know what you think!
That sounds like it would work!
These are really yummy! How would you adjust baking time to make “mini muffins?”
Also, I’ve made these with cow’s milk for friends with nut allergies and it’s still yummy.
Was very sceptical and unsure of my own abilities ….. BUT I can now say it’s a breakthrough and they are so Delicious!!! Worth making and I’m going to keep them for my journeys to work as my breakfast on the go 3 days a week
Amazing !! I made quick apple sauce as I had none and they turned out so chocolately c
I just made these using gluten free flour (pillsbury, if it matters) and it turned out delicious. I had to use a loaf pan because I realized too late I didn’t have muffin liners but it was really moist. Great recipe!
I can’t do eggs either! What suggestions would you have to replace the eggs in this recipe?
If you read the comments, someone said they used flax egg substitute…that should work. 🙂
I am making these right now and have been using zucchini in baked goods for years. I love them, i was just curious why you had to squeeze excess moisture from them? None of my other recipes ever said to do that.
Baked these last night and they turned out awesome ! So moist and my 10 year old daughter loved the taste. Only thing that I changed was to add coconut sugar instead of honey. Will be making again soon!!
I’ve made those and they are amazing! Used Maple syrup as a sweetener. Thank you so much for opening my eyes, never though I can use zucchini in a dessert .
Just shredded three zucchini from the garden and going to make these. Someone asked about replacing with regular flour but I didn’t see a response. Can I use regular baking flour?
I’ve made these several times for my kids and they love them. A variation that I do is use beets instead of zucchini, I strain pureed beets in a paper towel and use a little less apple sauce, makes a cake like red velvet :). Kids think they are eating chocolate lava cake
I just made these for the first time, and my daughters can’t get enough of them! Thank you for this recipe. I was looking for a healthier zucchini muffin/bread recipe, as most traditional recipes call for way too much sugar and oil.
Costco stopped selling the frozen Garden Lites chocolate muffins that my kids and I eat when we need a quick breakfast, so I searched for a recipe that sounded similar and found this one. When I made the first batch, I tasted the batter and was a little worried because it was kind of bland. But the muffins turned out great! The chocolate chips give it just enough sweetness. Thank you! I just made it again this week and doubled the recipe so we have lots to freeze. I didn’t have muffin liners or nonstick spray, so just greased my pans generously with coconut oil.
could i use oat flour instead?
Hi, first time I visited your site. This recipe is what brought me to it. I was trying to recreate the Garden Lite’s brand version of their chocolate muffins made with fresh zucchini and carrots. I followed your recipe exactly except I substituted the applesauce for greek yogurt as you suggested. They didn’t have much flavor or natural sweetness. I read several reviews but not all of them. I’d like to try again though. Any suggestions for next time?
Love these muffins. I have made them twice this week. My kids take them to school and they love them. Thank you.
This is the second recipe I’ve tried and let’s say I’m hooked on ur stuff. I didn’t hv enough zuchinni so I added some carrots… Texture was unaffected and the kids devoured it. My first recipe which was also a winner was the coconut flour chocolate chip banana bread…..itsppo
I have made these before and love them! I wanted to make more but didn’t have any zucchini. I did have 4 overripe bananas though. Wow, they were good too! I used Greek yogurt and a combo of wheat/ white flour this time because that is what I had. They always turn out great.
To clarify, i always double the recipe and 4 bananas were perfect. It always makes 12 regular size muffins for the kids and 6 large muffins I wrap up individually for my breakfast at work.
The kids love them! Thanks for the recipe. We are slowly switching over to the no-refined sugar way of life for everyone’s health. It’s wonderful to find recipes online where people have already done the hard work coming up with a recipe, so thank you. I used maple syrup(as I ran out of honey), used Grapeseed oil instead of coconut oil, didn’t have any plain Almond Breeze, but did have Unsweetened Chocolate Almond Breeze and I figure, it was just adding to the chocolate flavour anyway. My kids love mini muffins and this made 18 mini muffins. I baked them in a 425 degree oven for 8 minutes and they came out perfect.
Incredible! Delicious! Somehow healthy while still satisfying my craving for chocolate??
I made this recipe exactly using mini-chocolate chips. They were amazing! I ate them for breakfast, and as a snack. They’re long gone now, but I intend to make more when zucchini is in season. A lot more.
Thanks for the amazing recipe!
can I use coconut flour?
I made these last night. The moment they came out of the oven I couldn’t keep my hands off of them. They were yummy. My picky older son tried them this morning and he loved them. Even brought 1 to school for snack. Thank you.
These were amazing. So moist. Perfect recipe as is. My 2.5 loved by them and gave me a thumb so up!
Yay so glad to hear!
Very surprised with this recipe, which looks like it has spectacular, without more, a very good job on your part and thanks for sharing it, thank you, greetings and continue so you are well, strong support
Can you freeze these? I am looking for things that I can make in big batches now before we go back to school!
You bet! I usually end up freezing some of the muffins I bake 🙂 Just be sure to cool them completely before freezing!
Hi, made this as a loaf and was amazing. Husband now wants it for his bday cake this week but as a typical 2 layer cake. Will the recipe be to for this? Any tips would be great.
Amazing! There will actually be a new recipe coming out on Wednesday that will be perfect for this. Stay tuned for it!
Would almond flour work for these instead of the whole wheat flour? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Jen! I wouldn’t suggest almond flour because it would create different liquid ratios in this recipe. I haven’t tested a different flour yet!
This looks great and I can’t wait to try it! I just had a question for my friend who was recently put on a no fat diet for surgery (even if it’s healthy fat). Point is I’m trying to find ways to make this transition a little more interesting and easier on her. is there anyway at all she can substitute or omit the oil? (she cannot have any oil or any other form of fat at all). Recipe calls for one 1 egg. Can she use egg whites only? if so, does she make it 2 egg whites?
Hi Kathy! She could try using another half of a banana, and then 2 egg whites 🙂
I have made this recipe at least three times now and these muffins are fantastic. I love the tip about spraying the muffin liners and I find that the foil liners work the best (as opposed to the paper liners). Also, I live at high altitude and I find that the recipe works great with two whole eggs instead of just one whole egg and one egg white. All the recipes I’ve made from your site have been amazing. Thank you!
The extra spray on the liners is key! And noted on the high altitude adjustments – thanks for sharing those!
So, I just stumbled on this last night, and in my haste and excitement, I started before making sure I had all the ingredients! 😀
I wound up substituting 1/4 cup banana for the egg and using Silk Coconut milk instead of almond. I also added 1/2 tsp of espresso powder, as I do in anything I bake with cocoa, as it really enhances the chocolate flavour. I didn’t have chips so I skipped those. And these are really good! Very moist and fudgy!
They maybe aren’t QUITE as sweet as I would like, but perhaps next time if I remember to buy chocolate chips, they will be! I also considered adding a small amount of shredded coconut next time – they’ll really have that ‘macaroon’ flavour! But the important thing is… low/no sugar, and my kids love them. Thanks!
I’m glad you found some subs that worked for you! The chocolate chips do help add some bites of sweetness, but shredded coconut sounds delicious here, too. Glad the kids enjoyed!
These were not bad. I made these for my husband and he remarked the actual muffin lacked sweetness if not for the chips. I’m a health freak and he isn’t, so I think his palate is used to loads of refined sugar. I do think however that this does taste more like a loaf or a bread versus muffins. Also, don’t recommend grating the zucchini. I did it because I was hiding the health factor from my husband but shredded would probably be better!
Noted on the sweetness! I would be sure that the banana you use is super ripe, too, if you’d like them a bit sweeter. The shredded zucchini should stay pretty hidden in here!
I made these and they were delicious. I made a few changes. I doubled the recipe and added shredded carrot. I used half coconut flour, half whole wheat flour, and 2 TBSP ground flax. I ended up adding an extra egg and a lot more almond milk because my batter was very thick. I think it’s because I got a little carried away with the shredded veggies. I ended up with 32 delicious muffins that I am going to put in the freezer if I can stop eating them
I’m so glad you enjoyed these, Erin! Yes – using coconut flour in this recipe will make it much more absorbent (which is probably why you needed some more almond milk). These are perfect for freezing for later! 🙂
Hi Monique,
I want to try this for my 5 year old! Could I substitute pumpkin for the banana or applesauce?
Thank you!
Hi! Amazing! I think pumpkin should work – let me know if you try it 🙂
Thanks for this wonderful recipe. They just cooled enough to eat and are totally yummy. I have to confess though that I didn’t have Whole Wheat Pastry Flour so had to go with All Purpose. I’ve tried substituting regular Whole Wheat Flour and it just ends up being too heavy so knew not to make that mistake.
Also with no applesauce I had to go with olive oil so thank you for the measurement of it which ended up being spot on. Will make sure I have some in before I make the recipe again. It’s awesome to have another recipe that I can use thawed frozen zucchini in before the growing season starts again. I think the bags of it are multiplying in the dark in the chest freezer. lol
I’m glad those swaps worked out! And YES so ready for zucchini season 🙂 if you search “zucchini” on my site here you’ll find some more amazing ones for using up what you have!
Do you refrigerate these after baking?? Love the recipe!
If you’re keeping them for more than a couple of days I’d refrigerate them!
I just made these and they were pretty easy to make. My banana was just yellow, no brown spots and I didn’t add chocolate chips and consequently the muffins needed a little more sweetener. Next time, I’ll know. Otherwise they are delicious. Thanks!
The riper the better for the bananas in these! Glad you liked them 🙂
I made these today using the applesauce as I didn’t have any bananas on hand. I used 1/2 bead flour (it’s what I had) and 1/2 oat flour. The batter was thin (just an FYI) but these turned out incredibly delicious! I highly recommend this to anyone – very rich and yummy!
Swapping flours can change the consistency a bit, but I’m glad those swaps worked out for you! Love these ones for a healthy snack or treat 🙂
These were fabulous! I used a flax egg and goat’s milk and they were simply divine.
Perfect – I’m glad you loved them!
yes im making these tonight! I have made the double chocolate zucchini bread so many times. Im sure that they will be perfect. Would i be able to use oat flour on these or not? i have an extra packet of oat flour.
Yuck! This were so bad I threw them out. I understand trying to make them healthy but they tasted horrible. I’m sad.
Hi Joy! I’m very surprised that you felt these tasted horrible – they’re one of the most popular muffin recipes on my site. I would double check your ingredient ratios and be sure that the banana you used was nice a ripe.
Hi! Great muffins but I would like to do the recipe in a cake for 20 people, just wondering about adjusting the quantities?
Hi! I would suggest this recipe for the perfect cake version 🙂
Merci!
Probably the best chocolate zucchini muffins I have ever made. They were moist, not too sweet and absolutely delicious!
So happy to hear that Ami!
My choco-holic 13 year old daughter loves these!! Her old favorite recipe was mostly oil and sugar, and not very healthy at all. She wasn’t too pleased when she heard the ingredient list of these, though! 😉 But, she asked me to stock up on zucchini and spend this rainy day filling the freezer full of these for the bus ride to school.
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂 The sneaky zucchini is the best part.
Wow, these are amazing! My daughter needs dairy and egg free so I used Life brand chocolate chips and flax eggs. I also used coconut milk to keep it nut free for school. I am so glad I doubled the recipe the first time! My kids also love them. Thank you!
Perfect! I’m glad you guys love them. Such a great treat for school!
Yaaaaaasssss! So glad I was smart enough to double the recipe right off the bat. Best chocolate zucchini muffins I’ve had (sorry Mom!)
Always double! Glad you found this one Gina 🙂
Hi! Super excited to try these muffins, looking for a healthy snack for my son to take to school… I’m just curious, why is there no baking soda? Is it because of the pastry flour? If I use regular white all purpose flour, should I add baking soda?
Hi Yasmeen! There is 1 tsp of baking soda in the recipe 🙂
Made these yesterday they are awesome, I did use 1 cup almond flour and 1/4 cup spelt flour worked perfectly very tasty. 😊👍
Great! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
The texture of these muffins were SPOT ON! I am planning to top mine with some maple almond butter and that will be perrrrrrfect. I may add a tiny bit more maple syrup to the muffins on my next go round because I like them a bit sweeter. Thank you so much for sharing!
These were great! Used cashew milk and a flax egg, came out perfect.
Glad those swaps worked out!
What can I substitute for coconut oil? Sorry if it’s been asked before- was trying to scroll through all the comments but there are a lot!
Feel free to use melted butter or vegan butter!
These are so good! I made them with my 3-year old daughter, and she sprinkled them with unsweetened shredded coconut (she’s obsessed with it!). It’s was my first time baking with zucchini, and they turned out the best muffins I ever made! Thanks for making so many delicious cookies and muffins recipes with healthy and quality ingredients! You are the best!
Hi Laurie! So glad to hear you enjoyed the muffins. 🙂 this is definitely one of my favorite muffin recipes!
Absolutely delish!!! Not vegan or dairy free so I used cows milk, but still used coconut oil. Did add about 1/2tsp of cinnamon to boost the “warmth” of the batter (you don’t taste it, it’s more of a feeling – if that makes sense). Have already shared it with some friends, Thank You!
Due to having high cholesterol, is there a substitute for coconut oil?
You could try olive oil or another healthy oil.
Wow, this is such a delicious-looking recipe! Anything DOUBLEY CHOCOLATEY sounds amazing to me. Would you recommend I use a flax egg for this recipe, or would the batter hold together without any egg replacement? Thank you for your insight!
They’re so delicious! You can definitely use a flax egg! 🙂
Can I reduce the milk instead of squeezing out the zucchini?
I haven’t tried it, I would just recommend squeezing out the zucchini to ensure the recipe comes out as intended.
Made these last night. Used the unsweetened applesauce sub and took the honey down to 1/4 cup (because I was too lazy to clean the 1/3 measuring cup, ha). DELICIOUS! My 2yo son helped make it and was raving about how “TASTY!” they were this morning. Husband also devoured them. Seems we have found a hit here! I mean…you can’t go wrong with chocolate 🙂
So glad those swaps worked out! And that they’re kiddo + husband approved 🙂 Perfect healthy snack.
These are delicious and perfectly dense! I love they arent too sweet so they are perfect for the morning – I topped with almond butter which was oh so nice!
I forgot my stand mixer was busted so I used my blender instead and it worked just as good!
Thank you so much for another amazing recipe! Will definitely be making again!
This is such a great recipe! I made them yesterday and I love that they arent too sweet, making them the perfect snack/accompaniment to my morning shake! Topped with almond butter they are especially nice!
I forgot my stand mixer was busted mid way through combining my ingredients – I used my blender instead and they turned out great!
Thank you so much for another delicious, healthy recipe!
Love these for snacks with almond butter – yum! Glad they worked out mixed in your blender 🙂
I doubled the recipe and made these Gluten Free with 1 3/4 cup oat flour that I made myself from grinding outs in my blender and 1 3/4 cup almond flour and the consistency came out perfect. Delicious!
Amazing! So happy to hear that.
Best. Muffins.Ever. SUPER moist and delicious. I doubled the recipe using bananas, honey, olive oil instead of coconut oil, and a mixture of skim milk and FF sour cream for the almond milk. I will be making them again and again, and again….
Perfect!! Glad you enjoyed!
I made these with a gluten free flour mix and they turned out great. Love them both ways.
Perfect! So happy to hear that.
Another great recipe from AK. My husband and I loved these muffins so much. They are especially amazing as a mid morning snack with coffee!
A perfectly healthy treat! Super yummy and chocolaty. Not to mention, these muffins were a perfect pairing with my mid-morning cappuccino. Excited to make them again ASAP!
Hadn’t even read the previous comment before posting mine! Great minds think a like I guess;)! Also, wanted to add that I reduced the maple syrup to 1/4 cup and used a flax egg instead for a plant-based version.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
These muffins are delish, but taste more like a cupcake to me. Sooooo moist and chocolatey!
Thank you for yet another fabulous recipe!
They’re almost like a dessert, but healthier! Glad you love them 🙂
Wow! These were amazing and so easy to make. My whole family loved them. I didn’t have whole wheat pastry flour on hand or coconut oil so I just used my regular unbleached white flour and 2 tblsp of melted unsalted butter instead. These muffins were just bursting with chocolate flavour. Next time I make these I’ll make sure that I have some whole wheat flour on hand. This recipe is a keeper.
So happy to hear that! I’m glad the little swaps worked out 🙂
I just finished making these and 4 mini’s are gone already. My kids (1.5 and 3) love them! I used the applesauce and omitted the chocolate chips because I made them to take on the go and didn’t want to have a mess and they still can’t get enough! Thanks.
Such a great snack! I’m glad everyone loves them 🙂
These are the best muffins ever!! They are so easy to make, fluffy, moist and delicious. I forgot to add the oil the first time I made these and they were still great so I just omit it everytime now. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
So happy you love them! One of my favs, too 🙂
Delicious and moist! Thank you for a great whole grain sugar free recipe. I subbed a flax vegan egg for the egg as well
Absolutely! Glad the flax egg worked out well 🙂
Do these freeze well?
Yes they will!
Yum! These are SO delicious and easy! I seem to always mess up zucchini recipes but these turned out great. Thank you!
I’m so glad you loved them!
So good!! I made these as a treat while on quarantine after I found a ton of frozen shredded zucchini from our garden that I forgot about. Doubled the recipe and added some shredded coconut with the chocolate chips! Did a curbside drop off for a friend who agrees they’re a 10/10!
Perfect! Love that idea!
These are delicious! Kid approved!
I’m so glad!
These were delicious! Made them mini muffins size and reduced the baking time to 18 minutes. I also used olive oil instead of coconut oil (allergy) with no issues!
Perfect! Love that idea 🙂
These are absolutely delicious! I used maple syrup for the sweetener and apple sauce instead of the banana. They turned out perfect! They’re almost gone and I only made them this afternoon
AMAZING. Used the pure maple syrup, banana, and dark chocolate chips. Thank you for this recipe!! It is going to be a new staple at my house!!
Absolutely! Glad you love them!
Made these with my 2-year-old and they were delicious! Followed the recipe using honey, banana and dark chocolate chips. So good and my toddler loved them too!
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
Made them this morning for breakfast and they were a success. Whole family loved it. Thank you for the recipe.
So happy to hear that!
Delicious! I substituted full fat coconut milk for the almond milk and they came out perfectly.
Thanks for the fantastic recipe.
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great snack 🙂
These are delicious and not too sweet. I didn’t have banana or applesauce so I substituted a 1/4 cup of mashed avocado and they came out great!
Perfect! Glad you loved them!
Just made these for my picky 6 year old who normally only eats white flour bakery style muffins… and she loved these!! I’m so relieved to finally have a healthy baked good to give her in the morning. I’ve tried dozens of recipes— chocolate ones included— but none have come out this moist and sweet! She hates bananas so I grated up some apple to serve as the applesauce and it worked great. Will be making these regularly, thank you!!!!
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂 such a great, healthy snack!
I gave these muffins a try this week, and they turned out great! This recipe is not only easy, but it also is healthy, so you don’t feel guilty eating these delicious muffins. Thank you for sharing!
Absolutely! Glad you loved them!
So moist and delicious! I subbed an extra 1/4 cup olive oil as I didn’t have any banana/applesauce on hand. They were the perfect amount of sweetness! I’m very grateful for this recipe as I am starting on a journey to reduce my sugar/refined sugar intake, and I look forward to using more of your recipes. My husband usually isn’t crazy about vegetables where they “aren’t supposed to be,” and he said they were delicious without knowing the “secret” ingredient 🙂 That’s a winner in my book!
Perfect! I’m glad they were a hit with your husband, too 🙂 hope you fine more recipes here that you love!
I made these GF by mixing a GF flour blend by King Arthur, homemade oat flour, and almond flour. These came out perfect both times I made them. Once I had to bake them a lot longer than the recipe called for (not sure if it was my oven or because I made them GF). Highly recommend!!!
I’m glad that worked out well! Swapping the flours is likely what changed the baking time 🙂
I made the chocolate zucchini muffins using the recipe that calls for honey, banana, almond milk, coconut oil and whole wheat flour. They were amazing! Kids loved them! I don’t normally use sugar substitutes or coconut oil but I bought everything to try this and I’m glad I did! So yummy! Thanks for sharing. I doubled the recipe and still baked for only 25mins.
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great snack 🙂
So delicious and satisfying. I loved them along with my husband and picky 2 year old. You have no idea zucchini is included. I’ll be making these again!
Love the sneaky veggies! Glad everyone loved them 🙂
How essential is an electric mixer for the recipe? Will mixing by hand or using a vitamix work? Thanks!
It should be fine to mix by hand!
I am allergic to fruit and therefore cannot use bananas or applesauce in this recipe. Will nonfat yogurt work?
How about pumpkin? I haven’t tried yogurt but that could also be a good option!
These are outstanding, moist, chocolatey , delicious. I used agave syrup, dark chocolate almond milk, one for one gluten free flour, coconut oil, and mini chocolate chips. I will be sharing and putting in my freezer. These will make a great. Breakfast, snack or dessert. Next time I may add a scoop of pea protein powder. I will try other recipes too! So glad I found ambitious kitchen!
I’m glad those swaps worked out well! Such a great snack or treat 🙂
I loved it!
I’m so glad!
I was very excited to make this recipe. The muffins looked great in the recipe video. They tasted great, very chocolaty, but had a unpleasant gummy texture.
Sorry to hear you didn’t like the texture! Next time you can feel free to add a little more oil to prevent that.
I’ve got to try this – it looks so rich. Already on my Pinterest board!
Absolutely! Hope you get a chance to try it!
These muffins came out very moist and fluffy and were plenty sweet. My husband is not a fan of zucchini so I didn’t tell him what was in them. He thought they tasted like lava cake. The only thing I did differently was substituting apple juice for the vanilla milk (I didn’t have any), I plan to make these again.
Amazing! I’m glad the juice worked out well, too 🙂
These are the best healthy muffins I have ever made! I didn’t have applesauce or banana on hand but did have buttermilk that needed to be used so I subbed the milk + banana for buttermilk and they turned out perfectly.
These are my new staple chocolate zucchini muffins!
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great snack or breakfast 🙂
These are the best chocolate muffins in the world and freezer friendly too> I always make a double batch!
Absolutely! Love that idea 🙂
Made recipe as is (minus liners) and they’re pretty good for a healthy recipe. 5 stars for something without a ton of oil and no refined sugar. 4 stars compared to normal oily sugar bombs. Just a little on the dry side, but only solution to that would be more oil. I was looking for something super chocolatey that I could present to a toddler without guilt and this definitely fits the bill.
I’m glad you found these! They are meant to be a bit healthier than traditional chocolate muffins but happy to hear you still enjoyed 🙂
I have been looking for a recipe for healthy zucchini chocolate chip muffins for a while and have had some misses along the way. So I am delighted to have found this recipe. The muffins taste wonderful. Super moist, just sweet and chocolatey enough. My young kids and their friends loved them. I’ve already had two mums ask me for the recipe!
I followed the recipe/ measurements/ instructions exactly but did the following swaps:
– used all purpose flour instead of whole wheat
– used semi-skimmed cow‘s milk instead of almond milk
– used honey instead of the nectar/ maple syrup
Mine took 25 minutes to bake.
Definitely recommend this recipe for yummy, healthy muffins that everyone will love.
I’m glad those swaps worked out well! Such a great snack or brunch 🙂
Hi there, planning to make this for my husband’s birthday! Looks absolutely delish! Wondering, can I use almond flour instead?
Hi! I wouldn’t recommend swapping the flours in here. Try this zucchini muffin recipe that uses almond flour or this chocolate muffin recipe that also does 🙂
These are really good! I used honey, applesauce, olive oil and buttermilk (instead of almond milk.) Sprinkled the chocolate chips just on top and baked the muffins directly in the pan without liners for 22 min. Perfect!
I’m glad that worked out well! Perfect snack 🙂
I am wondering if I could make a 4 x8 loaf out of this recipe instead of muffins?
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not. Although I might recommend a slightly bigger loaf pan — 9×5.
Yup, I made another chocolate zucchini recipe for my kids that was totally paleo and they rejected it. This they ate up. I didn’t have whole wheat pastry flour so used 1 C AP flour and 1/4 C almond flour and added 1/2 tsp flax meal to try to make sure the consistency was still good. Also used half regular milk and half soy creamer because I didn’t have almond milk. It was great. I’m going to try to integrate more almond flour next time, but overall I’m happy to have a recipe that is low sugar (I mean there’s some in the chocolate chips so not no sugar) that is easy and the kids and I all like.
Amazing! I’m glad those swaps worked out well (and that the kiddos liked them!)
OMG!!! The best chocolate zuchinni muffins ever. I followed recipe exactly with the addition of a small egg because I’m at 7000 ft.
Perfect! So glad you loved them!
I have made these a handful of times now. They are delicious! Everyone comments on them when they have them and can’t believe how good they are considering there is no sugar or butter. I use regular milk, honey and an extra banana. However today I will be trying them with apple sauce. I do use the whole wheat flour most of the time but have used regular, unbleached flour when I didn’t have whole wheat on hand and it worked just the same. I freehand the chocolate chips, and I think I put more than the suggested amount but how can you go wrong with that? I HIGHLY SUGGEST making these!
I forgot to mention that I DO NOT squeeze the water out of the zucchini anymore. I did the first time but they were quite dry. I haven’t since then and they are perfect and moist.
Perfect! I’m all about adding more chocolate chips 🙂 so glad everyone loves these!
These were easy and simple. My kids loved it, but I could definitely taste the banana (I’m not a huge fan of banana flavored desserts and that’s the first thing I tasted). I wonder if I can sub extra honey for the banana? I know applesauce is listed as an alternative but I’m looking for a legit only chocolate taste with no other hints of flavor lol. They also came out a little dry, I’m thinking I squeezed too much liquid from the zucchini? Otherwise very simple recipe and will make again.
I think you could get away with using 1/4 cup more sweetener and perhaps a few more tablespoons of oil!
I made those muffins few times already. Delicious.
So happy to hear that!
Made the recipe as is ( except i always a little flax and chia to everything 🙂 and it was GREAT! You don’t miss the sugar!
thanks, your recipes are very well tested and user friendly–much appreciated.
Just made these today for my family. They’re dense and chocolatey. My kids are young, so I checked for zucchini shreds in the final cooked muffin. Without super bright light, the zucchini isn’t noticeable at all. With a camera flash or bright fluorescent kitchen light, I could see a couple of light spots on the top of the muffins, and 1-2 partial shreds inside the muffin. It’s totally not noticeable in regular house lighting, and my kids were too focused on the chocolate to look for anything else. And they were thrilled to be allowed seconds.. I’ve never sprayed the muffin liners before, and although it makes them easy to remove, it also made the muffin shell a bit smooth and tough where it touched the spray/liner. I think I’d try without that step next time. I made the recipe as stated, using agave, a banana, bobs red mill GF 1-to-1 flour, and regular cow’s milk because it’s what I had. Delicious recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Perfect! So glad they were a hit and that the swaps worked well 🙂
These turned out beautifully! Wonderful flavour and texture, I didnt have whole wheat pastry flour so I added 2 tsp of baking powder. Perfect. Not too sweet, not too moist or dry… amazing!!!
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great snack 🙂
Really enjoyed this recipe!! Only changes I made were used 1/2 cup oats (ground into flour) and 3/4 cup all purpose flour, and did half chocolate chips/half chopped walnuts. Turned out fantastic, and will definitely make this again!
Perfect! I’m glad that worked out well!
This is my second time making these muffins. They are delicious. Everyone in my family loves them. I use oat flour instead of wheat flour. I also substituted a flax egg for the egg.
I’m glad those swaps work out well! Perfect snack.
Used apple sauce as recommended and avocado oil instead of coconut. Added in some Lily’s chocolate chips – DELICIOUS!
Perfect! I’m glad that worked out well!
These were the best tasting and best textured muffins I have had in a very long time!! They are perfect for a guilt free taste of chocolate!
I used gluten free 1:1 flour and they turned out perfect!
Perfect! So happy to hear that!
These are incredible – I make them for family birthdays (including today!) and everyone wants more than one. One of my favorite recipes! Thank you!!!
Love it! So happy to hear that!
Delicious!
Glad you enjoyed!
These are the best chocolate zucchini muffins! I only had 2% milk on hand and they still turned out great. They’re light and fluffy and you’d never know that there’s zucchini in them. My husband and two-year-old are obsessed (and so am I)! Thanks for the recipe. =)
These muffins are FIIIIRREEEE!!! I ate all 12 within a week and that was with me trying to save some. Do yourself a favor and add a dollop of peanut butter when eating like she suggests. You’d think you were eating a bakery shop cupcake but its a zucchini muffin. Could not recommend this recipe more.
I agree I’ll try that!
I made two loaves-one gluten free/dairy free, and the other exactly as written (with the applesauce and olive oil options). Both are superb! AK has the best recipes for all things
Perfect! So happy to hear that 🙂
These were great. I’m a pro baker and since I got 17 instead of 12 muffins I adjusted the time to 15 minutes and they were perfect. Hubby has already devoured 2.
Perfect! Glad you both enjoyed!
I tried this recipe and my mom and the whole family loved it! I love that it’s so healthy and dairy free; a perfect treat for out healthy family! It’s amazing that you can’t really taste the zucchini, because the chocolate overpowers it. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! God bless you.
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So happy to hear that! Perfect snack or treat 🙂
This is the first time trying a recipe from Ambitious Kitchen. It won’t be my last. I’ve been searching for the perfect chocolate zucchini muffin recipe and this is it.
I made a few modifications. Since we are gluten free I used King Arthur measure for measure. Cut honey back to 1/4 cup and used rice bran oil. It was terrific. Light and fluffy. I only got 10 full sized muffins which was fine.
I’m glad that worked out well! Perfect snack or breakfast 🙂
These muffins were SO DELICIOUS! I used olive oil instead of coconut oil and besides that followed all other instructions. They tasted just like a chocolate cupcake and were really good heated up in the microwave so that the chocolate chips melted and the muffin was nice and warm. Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
I made these tonight. I followed the recipe exactly.
They were good but i wish they were a bit sweeter.
Glad you liked them! Be sure to use an extra ripe banana to give these sweetness 🙂