These Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are truly one of the best zucchini recipes you'll try! They are incredibly soft, fluffy, and decadently filled with dark chocolate chips. Plus, it’s a breeze to make—just mix everything in one bowl!
You’ll also love this chocolate chocolate chip zucchini bread — it has the same rich, chocolatey flavor as these muffins, just baked up in an easy, quick bread form.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
🕒 Ready In: ~40 minutes
👪 Serves: 12 muffins
🧑🍳 Main Ingredients: zucchini, eggs, oil sour cream or yogurt, flour, leavening agents, cocoa powder and chocolate chips
📌 Difficulty: Easy one bowl muffin recipe
Why you’ll love these chocolate zucchini muffins?
Zucchini’s mild flavor pairs perfectly with rich chocolate, adding moisture and a tender crumb without overpowering the taste. For these double chocolate zucchini muffins, I use my go-to method for folding grated fruits or vegetables into the batter — the same technique I use in my apple cinnamon muffins
Like my zucchini blueberry muffins, this recipe comes together easily in one bowl. The difference? Rich cocoa and melty chocolate chips take the place of lemon and blueberries for a more decadent twist.
- maria doss
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Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Zucchini - You’ll need 1 and ½ cups shredded from about 1 large zucchini.
- Cocoa powder - As in all my cocoa powder recipes, I like to Hersheys 100% cocoa.
- Chocolate chips - You’ll need ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips for these chocolate zucchini muffins. I like to sprinkle a few additional chocolate chips on top of the batter before baking. This not only enhances the muffins’ visual appeal but also adds a luxurious burst of chocolate in every bite. Have more chocolate chips? Find creative ways to use them in the round up post of recipes using chocolate chips.
- Flour - Regular unbleached all purpose flour, an in all muffin recipes.
- Sour cream - I prefer using sour cream for its exceptional texture, but plain yogurt is also a great alternative.
- Leavening - Both baking powder and baking soda is used for maximum lift.
- Oil – A neutral tasting oil like vegetable oil, keeps the chocolate zucchini muffins moist.
- Egg - You’ll need two eggs to help with binding.
- Sugar - I use a blend of brown sugar and white sugar in this recipe. The brown sugar adds delightful caramel notes that complement the chocolate and enhances moisture, while the white sugar maintains a balanced sweetness without altering the overall flavor.
Tips for Success
- Don’t squeeze out the moisture from the zucchini. It contributes to the incredible softness of the chocolate zucchini muffins.
- Grate your zucchini using the coarse side of your box grater.
- Use Hersheys 100% cocoa and not unsweetened.
- Storage. These are especially amazing when served warm, with the chocolate chips partially melted and ooey-gooey for the ultimate indulgence. However, they can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
More Zucchini Recipes
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Additional ingredients
- 1 ½ cups grated zucchini about 1 large or 2 medium
- ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips plus more for topping
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a standard muffin pan with 12 paper liners.
- Combine wet ingredients. Add all wet ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.2 eggs, ½ cup packed light brown sugar, ½ cup white sugar, ½ cup oil, ½ cup sour cream and 1 teaspon vanilla
- Mix in the dry ingredients. Place a sieve over the bowl. Pour all the dry ingredients into the sieve, then softly tap or shake it until all the dry ingredients are sifted into the bowl. Use the back of a spoon to break up any lumps of cocoa powder as you go.1 ½ cup flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt
- Finish batter. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the batter until half of the flour mixture is incorporated. Add the grated zucchini and chocolate chips. Continue folding until the batter is uniformly mixed. Be careful not to overmix.1 ½ cups grated zucchini and ½ cup chocolate chips
- Bake. Divide the batter into the prepared muffin pan, add more chocolate chips on top. Bake for about 24 to 27 minutes or a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes clean. Place pan on a wire rack to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
How to make?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
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Step 9 - Divide the batter into a paper lined muffin pan and top with more chocolate chips. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes.
👉 Love decadent chocolatey muffins? Try my chocolate avocado muffins with chocolate chips or the almond flour chocolate muffins next!
Frequently Asked Questions
No — the zucchini’s flavor is very mild and neutral, so it’s barely noticeable. Its main role is to add moisture, creating a soft, tender crumb. The cocoa powder delivers rich chocolate flavor, while the zucchini keeps the muffins super moist and tender.
Some recipes suggest squeezing out the moisture, but I don’t for this chocolate zucchini muffin recipe. Zucchini is about 95% water, and that natural moisture is key to creating soft, tender muffins. Plus, the cocoa powder absorbs some of the extra liquid, perfectly balancing the batter so your muffins stay moist without being soggy.
Use the coarse side of a box grater to grate the zucchini — no need to peel it. Scoop the shredded zucchini into a measuring cup and measure 1½ cups for the recipe. Don’t pack it down — just loosely fill the cup. Packing it adds extra moisture, which can make the muffins too wet and result in a gummy texture.
MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💚 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love to hear your feedback! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Facebook.
Hi, I’m Maria! I share easy, flavor-packed dinners, high-protein meals, and irresistible baking ideas. If you’ve ever asked, “Don’t know what to cook tonight?” you’re in the right place. And yes—there’s plenty here for breakfast, snacks, and dessert too. More about maria ->
Rachel
These muffins were amazing, it's a keeper!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡