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Moist Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

These zucchini chocolate chip muffins are very moist and tender, flavored with warm spices and studded with plenty of chocolate chips. The recipe is straightforward and a great way to use garden zucchini. They taste like a warm slice of zucchini bread and are especially delicious straight from the oven! Half of a zucchini chocolate chip muffin

If you enjoy zucchini bread, these zucchini chocolate chip muffins are an ideal alternative. They’re incredibly moist thanks to grated zucchini, oil, eggs and milk, and have a subtle touch of brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. The zucchini breaks down as the muffins bake, leaving no noticeable pieces—just tender, moist muffins. They also bake much faster than a loaf of zucchini bread: about 22–25 minutes instead of an hour or more.

Making Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

The method is simple and requires no electric mixer. The oil keeps the muffins moist and lets you mix the batter entirely by hand without sacrificing texture. The warm spices and vanilla mask any overt zucchini flavor while enhancing the overall taste.

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cavity muffin tin with paper liners. I prefer liners because the chocolate chips can stick to an unlined pan.
  2. Lightly blot the grated zucchini with a paper towel to remove some excess moisture. You don’t need to squeeze it completely dry—just press out a bit if the zucchini is very fresh. Finely grated zucchini on wooden chopping board
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark), 1/3 cup granulated sugar (use up to 1/2 cup for sweeter muffins), 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1/4 cup milk until smooth and free of lumps. Bowl of whisked dry ingredients and bowl of wet ingredients whisked together
  5. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture into the well.
  6. Gently stir the batter by hand to avoid overmixing. Stop when the mixture is about 80% combined—you’ll still see small streaks of flour.
  7. Fold in the grated zucchini; as you do, any remaining lumps will incorporate into the batter. Bowl of dry ingredients with wet ingredients poured in and bowl of muffin batter with shredded zucchini
  8. Fold in 3/4 cup chocolate chips (use dark, semisweet or your preferred variety).
  9. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each liner about 3/4 full. The batter is a bit thinner than some muffin batters, so avoid overfilling. You should get about 12–14 muffins. Bowl of zucchini chocolate chip muffin batter, and muffin tin with unbaked zucchini chocolate chip muffins
  10. Bake in the middle of the oven for 22–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs. If the toothpick has wet batter on it, bake a few minutes longer. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.

Pro tip: There’s no need to peel the zucchini; just trim the ends and grate with a fine box grater so the zucchini fully dissolves into the batter. For about 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini you’ll need 2 small or 1 medium zucchini. Zucchini muffin with chocolate chips broken in half

These muffins are tender, chocolatey and perfect as a snack or part of breakfast. The grated zucchini is essential for their moist texture, while cinnamon and nutmeg add a cozy warmth.

If you have extra zucchini, consider other zucchini baked goods like chocolate zucchini bread, zucchini banana bread, chocolate zucchini cupcakes or a moist zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting.

Zucchini muffin with chocolate chips broken in half

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

By: Fiona Dowling
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 22 mins
Total: 37 mins
Servings: 12 muffins

Equipment

  • 12-cavity muffin pan

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups grated zucchini
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil (120 ml)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (105 g), light or dark
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 g), or 1/2 cup for sweeter muffins
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup milk (60 ml)
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips (135 g)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. Lightly blot the grated zucchini with a paper towel to remove excess moisture; do not squeeze dry.
  3. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
  4. In another bowl, whisk oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla and milk until smooth.
  5. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Gently fold together by hand until about 80% combined.
  6. Stir in the grated zucchini until incorporated, then fold in the chocolate chips.
  7. Spoon batter into liners about 3/4 full. Bake in the center of the oven for 22–25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
  8. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Notes

  1. Zucchini: No need to peel—just trim the ends and grate with a fine grater.
  2. Storage: Muffins stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge.
  3. Nutrition: Values are estimates per muffin assuming 12 muffins total.

Nutrition

Calories: 291 kcal, Carbohydrates: 40 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 13 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Sugar: 23 g (per muffin, estimated)

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