Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Double chocolate zucchini muffins are rich, moist and loaded with flavour. Made with healthier ingredients, these muffins are free from butter and refined sugars, making them a perfect lunchbox snack or quick breakfast. This healthy chocolate zucchini muffins recipe is also a great way to use up garden zucchinis (and sneak in some hidden veggies!).

Do you want to choose a healthier snack, but still satisfy your sweet tooth? Then these delicious and rich hidden veggie muffins are for you! While healthier ingredients are used, the result still tastes like decadent chocolate cake.

I made these double chocolate zucchini muffins a few months ago and I’ve been impatiently holding them back waiting for the launch of my new freezer friendly lunchbox snack E-BOOK which has just been released! These muffins, along with 49 other nut and refined sugar free recipes, feature in the book.

If you have never added zucchini to a sweet cake before, you may be thinking; GAG, no thanks! I get it! But trust me. You can’t taste the hidden zucchini. The addition of this versatile green vegetable is a great way to provide extra nutrition. And the addition of zucchini keeps these healthy chocolate muffins extra soft and moist!

What ingredients are used in double chocolate zucchini muffins?

Zucchini: aside from making these muffins deliciously moist due to their high water content, zucchinis also contain high levels of vitamins like B6, folate, C and K. They also contain minerals like potassium, zinc and magnesium. If you want to really hide the zucchini, make sure it is very finely grated. You won’t taste the zucchini in the end result.

Eggs: For added protein and to hold the muffins together. If you require egg free muffins, you can substitute the egg for 1/4 cup apple puree, extra olive oil or mashed banana.

Flour: This recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of plain flour. You can either use white, or swap for a more nutritious option, like wholemeal/wholewheat flour.

Unsweetened cocoa: Use a good quality cocoa powder, or cacao for a more nutritious option.

Maple Syrup: A lot of chocolate muffin recipes use a tonne of refined sugars. For these muffins, use a natural sweetener of choice and use less if you want to cut the sugar content. Maple syrup, brown rice syrup or honey are great options.

Greek Yoghurt: A great source of calcium, protein and probiotics.

Milk: Use whole milk, or substitute for your preferred milk like almond, rice or oat.

Olive oil is used instead of butter in this recipe. It provides extra moisture and flavour. You can also cut the oil entirely and add apple puree or mashed banana.

Chocolate chips! Choose a sugar free chocolate if required, or dark chocolate with low sugar content. You can skip the chocolate chips altogether if you prefer, but… CHOCOLATE!!!

How to make healthy muffins without refined sugar;

This healthy chocolate zucchini muffins recipe is made in just one bowl and is a great recipe to cook with kids. Follow these simple steps;

• Grate the zucchinis and set aside
• Mix the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa or cacao, baking powder and cinnamon) together in a bowl
• Add the wet ingredients (zucchini, maple syrup, egg, olive oil, yoghurt, milk and vanilla) together and stir until combined
• Spoon into paper cupcake cases and bake in muffin trays.

These choc zucchini muffins are a great way to add extra vegetables to your kids (or your!) diet. They will store for 3-4 days and actually taste better the day after baking.

For healthy chocolate zucchini bread instead, simply add the batter to a loaf tin and bake for around 30 minutes, or until cooked through!

Can I freeze chocolate zucchini muffins? 

Absolutely! To freeze any type of muffin, simply allow them to cool and store them in an airtight container in the freezer. They can be individually wrapped in baking paper or separated by a layer of paper.

To thaw, simply leave the muffins at room temperature, or de-frost in the microwave on low heat. They can also be placed straight from the freezer into lunchboxes and will thaw before snack time. This makes chocolate zucchini muffins a quick and convenient grab-and-go snack on busy mornings.

If you love these double chocolate zucchini muffins (refined sugar free), try these other delicious hidden vegetable recipes;

• Veggie packed nuggets
• sweet potato chocolate brownies
• healthier sausage rolls
• healthier carrot cupcakes

Or find more healthy and freezer friendly lunchbox snack ideas in my e-book here.

Thanks for reading! If you try these double chocolate zucchini muffins, I’d love to hear about it! Feel free to leave a comment or review below, or send me a message. For more food inspiration, tips and to share your own recipes and creations, head over to my Facebook Recipe Group. 

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Double chocolate zucchini muffins are rich, moist and loaded with flavour. Made with healthier ingredients, these muffins are free from butter and refined sugars, making them a perfect lunchbox snack or quick breakfast. This healthy chocolate zucchini muffins recipe is also a great way to use up garden zucchinis!

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: healthy, lunchbox, Snack

Cuisine: Australian

Keyword: cheese and vegemite scrolls, double chocolate zucchini muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 12 muffins

Calories: 194kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups plain flour use white or wholemeal (wholewheat) flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2-3/4 cup maple syrup or honey, brown rice syrup or other sweetener of choice
• 2 cups grated zucchini finely grated
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 200 °C (390 F). Line a 12 hole muffin tray with paper cases.
• Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cocoa, cinnamon and choc chips) together with a pinch of salt.
• Add the wet ingredients (maple syrup, zucchini, egg, oil, yoghurt, milk and vanilla) and mix until all ingredients are combined.
• Spoon the mixture evenly among the 12 paper cupcake cases.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the muffins are firm to touch and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

The muffins will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days or can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To thaw, simply leave the muffins at room temperature, or de-frost in the microwave on low heat. They can also be placed straight from the freezer into lunchboxes and will thaw before snack time. This makes chocolate zucchini muffins a quick and convenient grab-and-go snack on busy mornings.

There is no need to drain the excess moisture from the grated zucchini before baking. This recipe takes the water content into account.

To keep this recipe egg free, the egg can be substituted for 1/4 cup apple puree or a little extra olive oil. 

To keep this recipe completely free from refined sugars, select a sugar free chocolate or a dark chocolate with low sugar content. 

Wholewheat or white flours can be used in this recipe.

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Nutrition

Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 18mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 1mg

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