Moist Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Recipe (Print Version)

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Recipe: Bake moist, tender muffins with hidden zucchini. A simple, delicious chocolatey treat your family will love!

# Recipe Info:

Prep Time: 15 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings
Difficulty: Beginner
Cuisine: American
Dietary: Vegetarian

# Ingredients:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
02 - ½ cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
04 - ¼ cup (50g) packed light brown sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
06 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
07 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - ½ cup (120ml) milk (whole milk preferred)
10 - ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Fresh & Flavorful

12 - 1 ½ cups (about 1 medium) shredded zucchini (not squeezed)

→ Chocolatey Goodness

13 - 1 cup (170g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

# Instructions:

01 - First things first, get that oven preheating to 400°F (200°C), because once you start, things move quickly! Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners; trust me, cleaning muffin tins is not my idea of a good time. Now for the zucchini: wash it, trim the ends, and shred it. I use the large holes on a box grater. Don't squeeze out the moisture; that's what keeps these Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Recipe so tender! I once squeezed it dry, thinking I was being smart, and ended up with drier muffins. Oops!
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Give it a good whisk, making sure there are no lumps of brown sugar and everything is evenly distributed. This is where you want to make sure your leavening agents are mixed in well, or you might get a weird rise on some muffins, like I did one time. It's not a race, so take your time and make sure it's all happy together.
03 - In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together your eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. You're looking for a smooth, well-combined mixture here. This step is pretty straightforward, but don't over-whisk it like I did once trying to get it "extra fluffy"—it doesn't really help here, just combine it until it’s uniform. You’ll start to smell that lovely vanilla mingling with the other wet ingredients.
04 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Now, this is important: mix until *just* combined. Overmixing is the enemy of a tender muffin! A few lumps are totally fine, even desirable. I swear, the first few times I made Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Recipe, I mixed until it was perfectly smooth, and they always came out a bit tough. Learn from my mistakes, a gentle hand is key.
05 - Gently fold in your shredded zucchini and chocolate chips. Again, be gentle! You want to distribute them evenly without overmixing the batter. This is where the magic happens, seeing all that green disappear into the rich chocolate base. Sometimes I add a few extra chocolate chips on top of each muffin before baking; a little extra chocolate never hurt anyone, right?
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Fill them about two-thirds full. Pop them into your preheated oven. Bake for 5 minutes at 400°F (200°C), then, without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. The initial high heat helps them rise beautifully, giving them that lovely domed top. Let them cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. They'll smell incredible, a warm, chocolatey aroma!

# Notes:

01 - Don't overmix the batter; a few lumps are fine and will give you a tender muffin, I learned this the hard way!
02 - Resist the urge to squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini; it's crucial for super moist muffins.
03 - Baking at a higher temperature initially helps create those beautiful domed tops, a trick I picked up from a very old cookbook.
04 - For an extra chocolatey kick, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top before baking.

# Equipment Needed:

01 - Muffin tin
02 - paper liners
03 - mixing bowls
04 - whisk
05 - grater

# Nutrition (Per Serving):

Calories: 250 kcal
Total Fat: 12g
Total Carbohydrate: 32g
Protein: 4g

Back