Published on 09/13/22

Whether you’re looking for a quick breakfast as you dash out the door or a loving treat to sneak into your kiddos lunch box, these Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins will do the trick. The zucchini adds the perfect amount of texture and moisture while the chocolate chips add the right touch of sweetness.

Close up shot of a few muffin tops on a white countertop.

The Best Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

We fully believe that you can’t go wrong with a quality muffin and these zucchini chocolate chip muffins are just that! They’re just the right size for on-the-go snacking, filling without being too sweet, and, with the right ingredients, they can even qualify as healthy. And while it might be an unexpected ingredient, the summer zucchini levels up the texture without taking away from the all the best flavor. Follow along as we put together one of our favorite baked goods. And if you loved these, add zucchini chocolate chip cookies to your baking list. They’ll be a huge hit. We promise.

Looking for Muffin Recipes?

If you love muffins as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Raspberry Muffins!

What You Will Need

whole wheat flour – highly recommend this option, as it provides a nuttier flavor and higher nutritional content than all-purpose flour.
rolled oats – this small addition brings a nice texture to every bite.
baking powder, baking soda, and salt – just a little bit of each to ensure that your muffins come out nice and fluffy.
ground cinnamon – a little bit goes a long way to bring out warming flavors throughout.
brown sugar – the rich caramel flavor lends the right amount of sweetness.
applesauce & banana – the perfect combination to add a touch of natural sweetness, plus keep the muffins so moist!
fresh zucchini – fiber, texture, and moisture all come from this simple vegetable.
chocolate chips – nothing is better! Option to swap with dairy free chocolate, dark chocolate, mini chocolate chips, any of your favorites.
vanilla extract – just a splash for some great flavor added.
unsweetened almond milk – any type of milk will work here, regular milk or another plant-based milk.
eggs – perfect to help with that structure inside each muffin.
butter – option to sub with plant-based butter, if that’s more your thing.

How To Make Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

The first steps to making this perfect recipe are to combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir to combine with a fork or whisk to ensure there are no lumps. Set aside.

Flour, rolled oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

In a separate, large bowl, add vanilla extract, applesauce, mashed banana and almond milk. Stir to combine. Next, add whisked eggs to this applesauce mixture. Option to use the bowl of a standing mixer here, if you prefer.

Almond milk, eggs, applesauce, mashed banana, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl.

How Do I Grate A Zucchini

So glad you asked, because we have a whole tutorial on how to grate zucchini! In short, you can use a box grater, cheese grater, or food processor. Each method will do the trick. Just make sure that you drain the shredded zucchini with a cheese cloth after grating to remove excess moisture & ensure the muffins turn out with the right consistency and not mushy.

Fold in the grated zucchini and chocolate chips to the applesauce mixture. Combine the dry ingredients to the wet, add the melted butter, and mix.

Shredded zucchini and chocolate chips in the applesauce mixture.

Divide the muffin batter between 12 greased muffin tins.

Bake on the middle rack of a preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then transfer warm muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling at room temperature.

Substitutions

Chocolate Chips: if chocolate isn’t your thing, feel free to use chopped walnuts, raisins, craisins, or any other favorite add-in.
Flour: option to substitute the whole wheat flour with a 1-to-1 gluten free flour or try our Healthy Zucchini Muffins that happen to be gluten-free.
Muffin Tin: we used a standard size muffin tin, but you can certainly make them into mini muffins. Just be sure to lower the cook time.

A baked muffin on the counter top with a bite taken out of the side.

Can I Use Frozen Grated Zucchini

Absolutely. We learned this trick after spending too many summers desperately looking up ways to use up giant zucchini while they slowly piled up on our counters. Check out our blog post on how to freeze zucchini. A great way to enjoy them throughout the year, not just in zucchini season.

Storage & Freezer

These muffins usually don’t stick around long enough to have to worry about storage, but if you want to save some for the next day, we’ve got you covered. Once cooled, store the muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Or keep them in a freezer bag with a paper towel on the top and bottom of the muffins for up to three months.

Pinterest image for zucchini chocolate chip muffins.

Made this delicious recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!

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