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These Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are rich, moist, and loaded with chocolate flavor!

Made with freshly grated zucchini, cocoa powder, and plenty of chocolate chips, these bakery-style muffins are the perfect way to use up extra zucchini from your garden. They are easy to make, incredibly soft, and taste more like a decadent chocolate cupcake than a muffin.

If you have picky eaters in your house who turn their noses up at vegetables, this recipe is a great way to sneak a little extra goodness into their day. The zucchini practically disappears into the chocolate batter, leaving behind a wonderfully tender muffin that everyone will love.

Whether you enjoy these muffins for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee, pack them in lunchboxes, or serve them as an afternoon snack, they are sure to become a family favorite.

Why You Will Love These Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

There is something special about baking with zucchini. It adds moisture to baked goods without overpowering the flavor, making it perfect for everything from quick breads to cakes and muffins.

Here are a few reasons why these muffins deserve a spot in your recipe collection.

• Incredibly moist: Fresh zucchini helps keep the muffins soft and tender without making them taste like vegetables.
• Double the chocolate: Cocoa powder and chocolate chips give these muffins a rich, chocolatey flavor in every bite.
• Easy to make: You don't need a stand mixer or any fancy equipment. Just a couple of mixing bowls and a muffin tin.
• Great for meal prep: Make a batch over the weekend and enjoy them throughout the week.
• Freezer-friendly: These muffins freeze beautifully, making them perfect for quick breakfasts and after-school snacks.

Ingredients for Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

This recipe uses simple pantry staples, along with fresh zucchini and plenty of chocolate.

Here is everything you will need to make 12 delicious muffins.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups finely grated zucchini, lightly packed
• ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for topping

A Few Notes About the Ingredients

Zucchini: You will need about 1½ cups of freshly grated zucchini. Depending on the size, this is approximately one medium-to-large zucchini. There is no need to peel it before grating unless you prefer to hide the green flecks.

Cocoa powder: Unsweetened natural cocoa powder gives these muffins their deep chocolate flavor. Dutch-process cocoa may not produce the same rise in this recipe because it reacts differently with baking soda.

Brown sugar: Using both granulated sugar and brown sugar adds sweetness while helping keep the muffins moist.

Oil: Vegetable oil works wonderfully in this recipe because it keeps the muffins tender, even after they have cooled.

Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips are my favorite, but you can also use dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips.

How to Make Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

These muffins come together in just a few simple steps. The most important thing is to avoid overmixing the batter so your muffins stay soft and fluffy.

Step 1: Prepare the zucchini

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease each muffin cup.

Wash the zucchini and trim off the ends. Using a box grater, finely grate the zucchini until you have 1½ cups.

If the zucchini is especially watery, gently blot it with a paper towel to remove excess surface moisture. Do not squeeze it completely dry because the moisture helps keep the muffins tender.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, if using.

Set the bowl aside while you prepare the wet ingredients.

Step 3: Combine the wet ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.

Stir in the grated zucchini until evenly distributed.

Step 4: Make the chocolate muffin batter

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold everything together using a rubber spatula.

Mix just until the flour disappears. A few small lumps are perfectly fine.

Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving a small handful for the tops of the muffins.

Step 5: Fill the muffin pan

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each approximately ¾ full.

Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips over the top of each muffin.

This gives the finished muffins that beautiful bakery-style appearance with melty chocolate chips on top.

Step 6: Bake the muffins

Bake for 20–24 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out without wet batter.

You may see a little melted chocolate on the toothpick from the chocolate chips, and that is perfectly fine.

Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

After making muffins with zucchini, you will quickly discover that a few simple techniques make a big difference in the final texture.

Don't squeeze all the moisture out of the zucchini. The natural moisture in zucchini is what makes these muffins so incredibly soft. If your zucchini is very watery, lightly blot it, but avoid squeezing it completely dry.

Use finely grated zucchini. The smaller the pieces, the better they blend into the chocolate batter. This is especially helpful if you are making these muffins for children who are suspicious of vegetables.

Avoid overmixing. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together just until combined. Overmixing can develop too much gluten, resulting in dense or rubbery muffins.

Use room-temperature eggs. Room-temperature ingredients combine more easily, helping create a smooth, evenly mixed batter.

Don't overbake. Chocolate muffins can dry out if they stay in the oven too long. Begin checking for doneness around the 20-minute mark.

How to Store Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

These muffins are wonderful when they are freshly baked, but they also store beautifully for enjoying later.

At room temperature: Once the muffins have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container lined with a paper towel. They will stay fresh for about 2 days at room temperature in a cool kitchen.

In the refrigerator: Store the muffins in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving, or warm them briefly in the microwave.

In the freezer: Wrap each cooled muffin individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality.

When you are ready to enjoy one, thaw it at room temperature or microwave it in short intervals until warmed through.

I love keeping a few muffins in the freezer for those mornings when I need something quick to go with my coffee.

More Delicious Muffin and Quick Bread Recipes to Try

If you love homemade baked goods as much as I do, here are a few more recipes to add to your baking list.

• Fresh Milled Banana Bread
• Mini Strawberry Scones
• Coffee Cinnamon Scones
• Honey Wheat Bread
• Sourdough Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Danish

These recipes are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or enjoying with your afternoon coffee.

If your garden is overflowing with zucchini this summer, these Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are a delicious way to put some of that extra produce to good use.

They are soft, rich, full of chocolate flavor, and incredibly easy to make. Plus, they are a great way to use zucchini in a recipe that even the pickiest eaters can enjoy.

Make a batch for breakfast, pack a few in lunchboxes, or freeze some for a quick snack later in the week.

Once you try these homemade chocolate zucchini muffins, you may find yourself buying extra zucchini just so you can make them again!

Have you ever baked with zucchini before? Let me know in the comments if you prefer zucchini bread, muffins, or chocolate zucchini cake. I would love to hear your favorite way to use up fresh zucchini!