These Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins are studded with bright green zucchini and semisweet chocolate chunks, lightly spiced with cinnamon for a warm, comforting flavor.
They’re a quick, easy muffin — great for a wholesome breakfast, a grab-and-go snack, or a lightly sweet dessert best enjoyed warm from the oven.
Fresh seasonal muffins are hard to beat. These zucchini muffins are my summer riff on banana bread and an excellent way to use up the summer zucchini glut. They’re close enough to a treat to satisfy a sweet tooth, yet simple enough to serve for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up.
I make these throughout zucchini season. The texture is tender, the chocolate melts into gooey pockets, and the zucchini keeps the crumb moist without making the muffins heavy.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients grouped for convenience. This recipe yields about 12 muffins.
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup milk
Mix-Ins
- 1 cup finely shredded zucchini, squeezed and drained
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- 1 cup chocolate chips or chunks, plus extra for topping
Notes on key ingredients: One medium zucchini yields roughly 1 cup shredded before squeezing. Use semisweet or bittersweet chocolate — chocolate chunks, morsels, or chopped chocolate bars all work. No need to peel the zucchini; the skin adds color and nutrients.
How to shred zucchini
Shredding and draining the zucchini is crucial so the muffins aren’t soggy. Steps I follow:
- Wash the zucchini and trim the ends.
- Shred using the fine side of a box grater or a food processor grater blade.
- Wrap the shredded zucchini in a clean dish towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
How to make zucchini chocolate chip muffins
The method is straightforward: combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients, fold in the zucchini and mix-ins, then bake.
- Preheat: Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease the cups.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the granulated and brown sugars with canola oil, egg, and milk until smooth.
- Add zucchini: Stir the squeezed shredded zucchini into the wet mixture.
- Make the batter: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined — do not overmix.
- Fold in mix-ins: Gently fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.
- Fill the pan: Scoop batter into the prepared muffin tin about three-quarters full and press a few extra chocolate chips on top.
- Bake: Bake 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
Variations
- Replace 1/4 cup of the flour with almond flour for a nuttier texture.
- Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make the recipe gluten-free.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the wet ingredients for extra aroma.
- Swap chocolates — white, milk, semisweet, or dark all work.
- Substitute pecans for walnuts if preferred.
Serve warm or make-ahead
These muffins are best warm, right from the oven, when the chocolate is soft. They also store well and are convenient to make ahead.
- Room temperature: store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: keep up to 1 week.
- Freezer: cool completely, then freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter or rewarm in a 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes or in the microwave for 20–30 seconds.
Recipe tips
- No need to peel the zucchini — the skin is fine and adds color.
- Be thorough when squeezing out zucchini moisture so the muffins don’t become soggy.
- Press a few chocolate chips on top before baking for an attractive finish.
- Cool muffins on a wire rack to prevent soggy bottoms.
Recipe details
Servings: 12 muffins | Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 25 mins | Total: 35 mins
Nutrition (per muffin)
Calories: 325 kcal | Carbohydrates: 40 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 18 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Sugar: 26 g | Fiber: 1 g
Other estimated values: Cholesterol 15 mg, Sodium 117 mg, Potassium 138 mg. These nutrition numbers are estimates provided for guidance only.
If you make these Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins, leave a review — I love seeing how they turn out. Tag your photos on social media to share your results with other bakers.
