Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

These Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are the perfect way to celebrate zucchini season. These rich, dense, and chocolaty muffins are so delicious that you’ll want to make a double batch!

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Loaded with flavor and chocolaty goodness, these muffins make great snacks, decadent desserts, or even breakfast—a sweet and delicious breakfast, that is.

As the summer sun warms and my zucchini plants begin to grow, I’m planning many zucchini recipes, from a Classic French Ratatouille to Tian Provencal. Quiche is especially delicious for afternoon tea, and zucchini wedges make healthy snacks.

Zucchini Breads and muffins, or even a fudgy zucchini brownie recipe, are often baked in my summer kitchen.

But there is something incredibly wonderful about the pairing of chocolate and zucchini. It’s rich and moist and a little bit addictive. 

What I Love About Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

• Everyone loves chocolate zucchini muffins, even if they aren’t zucchini fans. The delicate flavor perfectly blends with the chocolate, making it almost indistinguishable.
• Zucchini brings beautiful moisture and softness to baked goods.
• Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate. Rich, tender, and delicious.
• Easy to make and bake and perfect to freeze.
• An excellent use for those big zucchini lurking in your garden undetected.
• It’s another way to sneak in added veggies for veggie-adverse people.

Ingredients for Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

These chocolate zucchini muffins are packed with chocolate, from chocolate chips to unsweetened cocoa powder. And if that isn’t delicious enough, you will top the muffins with more chocolate chips. Utterly divine! Here’s what you need:

• Grated zucchini, slightly squeezed and drained
• All-purpose flour
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Cooking oil
• Milk: Dairy or non-dairy
• Large eggs
• Leavening: Baking soda and baking powder
• Sweetenings: Granulated sugar and brown sugar
• Flavorings: Instant espresso powder (optional), ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt
• Chocolate chips: Semisweet, dark, or milk

A note on espresso: I love to pair chocolate and espresso powder, but it’s completely optional in the recipe. The addition enhances the chocolate flavor without tasting like “espresso.” 

How to Make Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners or nonstick cooking spray. 

Step 1: Combine the ingredients

Combine the brown and granulated sugar, oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer or a stand mixer. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and instant espresso powder, if using. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until just combined. Then, fold in the squeezed and drained zucchini and chocolate chips.

Step 2: Bake the muffins

Divide the batter evenly in the 12 muffin cups, sprinkle with chocolate chips, and bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until cooked through.

Muffin Storage

You can store these muffins at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight freezer container.

To reheat, microwave the frozen muffin for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Yum!

How do you shred the Zucchini?

Shredding the zucchini in a food processor is quick and easy, but a box grater works great, too. Use the larger holes.

Once the zucchini is shredded, I place it in a fine-mesh strainer to allow most of the liquid to drain. You can also squeeze the zucchini in a paper or linen towel. Drier zucchini shreds work best in the recipe.