Chocolate zucchini muffins are extremely moist with a rich chocolate flavor and studded with chocolate chips — a perfect way to use fresh garden zucchini. 
Fresh, finely grated zucchini adds gentle moisture and keeps these muffins tender without imparting a zucchini taste. The muffins rise to domed tops and deliver plenty of chocolate flavor without being overly sweet, so they work well for breakfast or as an indulgent snack.
Baking with Zucchini
Grated zucchini contributes moisture and a tender crumb. Because its flavor is subtle, you won’t taste “zucchini” in the finished muffin. Use a fine grater so the zucchini breaks down during baking. After grating, gently squeeze out any excess liquid with a paper towel — the zucchini should be moist but not dripping. There’s no need to peel the zucchini; the skin blends fine in the batter.
Making Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
This is an easy two-bowl recipe that you can mix by hand. The method is straightforward and yields soft, chocolatey muffins with pockets of melted chocolate from the chips. The batter is slightly glossy and somewhat thin compared to typical muffin batters — that’s normal for this recipe.
- Finely grate the zucchini and squeeze out excess liquid until it’s no longer dripping.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients to remove lumps and evenly distribute the rising agents.
- In a large bowl whisk the wet ingredients and sugars: oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and milk. Mix until the eggs are fully incorporated.
- Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet until smooth; the batter will be glossy and slightly sticky.
- Gently fold in the grated zucchini and chocolate chips so the zucchini is evenly distributed.
- Spoon the batter into a 12-cavity muffin pan lined with paper liners, filling each about 3/4 to 7/8 full.
- Bake until the tops are rounded and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, then cool briefly in the pan before transferring to a wire rack.
These chocolate zucchini muffins are moist, tender, and satisfy a chocolate craving while still being light enough for breakfast. If you have extra zucchini, consider other zucchini-baked goods as well.
- Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting — a carrot-cake-style loaf.
- Lemon Zucchini Loaf — bright and very moist.
- Zucchini Chocolate Chip Loaf — another chocolate-forward option.
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Moist chocolate muffins with a tender crumb and chocolate chips — perfect for using fresh zucchini.
Prep: 20 mins • Cook: 22 mins • Total: 42 mins • Servings: 12 muffins
Equipment
- 12-cavity muffin pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely grated zucchini (about 1 small to medium zucchini)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (187.5 g)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (40 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (120 ml), or canola
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (100 g), light or dark
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk (60 ml)
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips (120 g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cavity muffin pan with paper liners.
- Use a paper towel to squeeze out any excess liquid from the grated zucchini; it should be moist but not dripping.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and milk until smooth and well combined.
- Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet until the batter is smooth and glossy.
- Fold in the grated zucchini and chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each liner about 3/4 to nearly full.
- Bake 20–25 minutes, until the tops are rounded and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Zucchini: No need to peel. A fine grater helps the zucchini dissolve in the batter; larger shreds will be visible after baking but are fine to use.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Freeze cooled muffins for up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Nutrition: Nutrition values are estimates per muffin, assuming 12 equal muffins.
Nutrition (per muffin, estimate)
Calories: 287 kcal • Carbohydrates: 40 g • Protein: 4 g • Fat: 13 g • Fiber: 2 g • Sugar: 25 g
