Healthy chocolate zucchini muffinsare so yummy and make a perfect snack or lunchtime dessert, made with whole wheat flour, maple syrup, applesauce, grated zucchini, and mini chocolate chips!

chocolate muffins on a copper colored round wire rack on a white marble table.

I love a sneaky, healthy recipe! These muffins look indulgent, smell indulgent, and taste indulgent! But they’re made with whole wheat flour, no sugar, and zucchini for a littlebonus health punch. The recipe is sweetened with maple syrup, and applesauce adds a little kick of sweet flavor and a lot of moisture.

I know it sounds likezucchini and chocolateshould be the LAST ingredients paired together, especially in a baked goodie, but you can’t even taste the green veggie in these tasty muffins.You will love these muffins for snacks, lunch boxes, and everything in between!

chocolate zucchini muffins in a small muffin tin.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Healthy chocolate zucchini muffins are ahearty and delicious snackthat the whole family will love, and they’re packed with nourishing ingredients!
These muffins keep well, somake them on the weekendto use in lunches or as snacks throughout the week.
Sneaking healthier ingredients, such as vegetables and fruits, into baked goods will give your family’s meals a littleextra nutrition boost.

Recipe Ingredients

Whole wheat flour
Cocoa powder
Baking powder & baking soda– to help keep the muffins lighter
Egg
Maple syrup –for the sweetener instead of using sugar
Applesauce –use unsweetened to keep sugar lower
Vanilla extract
Zucchini –grate a fresh zucchini or thaw zucchini from the freezer you saved from last year’s garden!
Chocolate chips –I like to use the mini-sized chocolate chips

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

chocolate zucchini muffins on a cooling rack.

How to Make Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing until combined.
Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips just until mixed in.
Bake until done in the center and cool on a wire rack.

Recipe FAQs

How long do chocolate zucchini muffins last?

These last for up to a week if kept in the fridge! If you want to prep a double batch or more, you can also store them in the freezer for up to 3 to 4 months.

How many zucchini are in a cup?

In general, a medium-sized zucchini is about 8 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Sliced, it accounts for about 1 cup to 1 1/4 cup. This recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups, so I’d recommend using 2 small, 1 1/2 medium, or 1 large zucchini.

How do you shred zucchini by hand?

You can use a cheese grater to shred zucchini. A food processor will also work—just make sure you don’t blend it into a liquid or have too large of chunks remaining. (Nobody likes a huge bite of zucchini in their chocolate muffin!)

Expert Tips

This chocolate zucchini muffin recipe can be made in larger batches, and they willkeep well in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
For more nutritious muffin recipes that still taste scrumptious, be sure to try theseHealthy Carrot Cake Muffins,Easy & Healthy Banana Muffins, andHealthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins!
Afresh zucchinican be shredded or if you haveshredded zucchini saved in the freezer from the last gardening season, it can be thawed out and drained for using in this recipe.

top view close up of chocolate zucchini muffins on a cooling rack.

How to Store Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

After baking, let your muffins cool for 5 minutes in the tin before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store extras in an airtight container in the fridge.

Muffins will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and in the freezer for 2-3 months.