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    Home » Recipes » Muffins and Quick Breads

    Published: Aug 18, 2021 · Last update: Aug 18, 2021 by Paula Montenegro
    Income from ads and affiliate links2 Comments

    Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

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    Jump to Recipe
    A stack of three muffins with chocolate chips in paper cups, white background, brown text overlay
    Zucchini chocolate chip muffin in paper liner and white background; green text overlay

    Studded with semisweet chocolate chips, these zucchini muffins are super easy to make, moist and flavorful, keep well and bake to a golden brown with a crunchy top. Laced with cinnamon, they're a great breakfast or snack for sudden cravings.

    Table of Contents Open
    About this recipe
    Ingredients
    How to make them
    Baking zucchini muffins
    Top tips
    Related recipes you might like:
    Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
    Ingredients
    Top view of stacked chocolate chip muffins on paper liners, white background

    For some reason Summer zucchini overflow is a thing every season. And, truth be told, I like to bake with them way more than I like to cook with them. Sweet recipes with fresh zucchini are a treat (and a great way to take care of the extra produce), especially muffins for breakfast, which is the meal I suck at the most.

    About this recipe

    • Easy: they are super easy to make, as most muffins should be. And studded with semisweet chocolate chips, who can argue with that.
    • Moist: I use oil which makes them very moist, and alternate between different ones - sunflower, coconut oil and even olive oil sometimes - but they're also amazing with melted butter. So choose your favorite fat ingredient and go for it.
    • Make ahead: are you in the habit of freezing muffins? Well, let me tell you that a batch of these fluffy zucchini ones in the freezer can save your mornings. And they're also amazing for a last minute brunch on the weekends.
    Close up of single bitten muffins with chocolate chips on white background

    Ingredients

    They are easily available and you probably have most of them in your kitchen right now.

    • Zucchini: use fresh ones that are firm without bruised skins.
    • Chocolate chips: semisweet chips are the best for this recipe, but milk chocolate chips can also work if you like a much sweeter muffin.
    • Sugars: both white and brown sugar are used.
    • Cinnamon: we use ground Vietnamese cinnamon or roasted cinnamon. But any type you normally use and like works.
    • Vanilla: pure vanilla extract or paste usually has the best flavor.
    • Oil: a neutral one like sunflower oil is our first choice. But coconut oil and even olive oil work well also, and we do use them sometimes.
    • Flour: all-purpose flour or cake flour, both work.
    • Baking powder and baking soda: they are the leaveners in this recipe and will make the muffins grown during baking.
    • Salt: a little bit brings out the rest of the flavors. I use kosher salt.
    • Eggs: make sure they are fresh.
    White surface with ingredients for zucchini chocolate chip muffins in bowls including oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla

    How to make them

    It's very easy and you only need a large bowl and a whisk or spatula to make the muffin batter.

    1. Whisk together eggs and sugars.
    2. Add oil in thin stream as you continue whisking. Incorporate it well but there's no need to beat much.
    3. Add sifted dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda) and mix a little, it doesn't need to be fully incorporated before you add the rest of the ingredients.
    4. Add the grated or shredded zucchini and the chocolate chips.
    5. Mix with a spatula just until it's all incorporated. It's important that you don't over mix or beat the dough after adding the flour so keep them as soft and fluffy as possible.
    6. Scoop portions into the paper liners dividing as evenly as possible.
    Collage showing eggs, sugar and oil being whisked in glass bowl on white surface
    Whisking flour into muffin mixture and adding grated zucchini and chocolate chips, a collage
    Glass bowl with zucchini muffin batter on white surface and spooning batter into muffin tin

    Baking zucchini muffins

    Preparing the muffin pan: you can butter or spray (use baking spray) the pan or you can line them with paper cups (also called paper or cupcake liners that are available online). With the second option there is less mess removing the muffins from the pan and less washing up. But you don't get a crust around the bottom.

    When are they done? Zucchini adds moisture to these, so insert a tester and take into account that. But you should not have any wet dough clinging to it. If you divide the batter as evenly as possible, then they will bake more evenly also.

    Top view of hand holding metal tin with a dozen baked muffins with kitchen towel
    White background with stack of muffins with chocolate chips in paper liners

    Top tips

    • Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!
    • Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes are as accurate as I they can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust. 
    • Storing: they keep well for 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container, in plastic wrap or a cake dome. After that, refrigerate or freeze them. You can use a freezer container or wrap in plastic and then in foil. Bring to room temperature before eating, and I highly recommend warming them slightly in a medium oven for a few minutes.
    • Variations: use some superfine whole wheat flour or almond flour and coconut oil if you want to make healthy muffins. Substitute between half and ¾ cup of the all purpose flour. And make sure you break up the clumps that might form (especially with the almond flour) when you incorporate it to the batter. The muffins will be denser and may not rise as much. Make zucchini carrot muffins using 1 cup of each (shredded zucchini and grated carrot).
    Bitten chocolate chip muffin on paper cup and white background

    Related recipes you might like:

    • Old Fashioned Zucchini Bundt Cake
    • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (Quick & Easy)
    • Best Zucchini Bread with Pineapple
    • Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

    Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it, and if you had issues, so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here, it's much appreciated.
    You might also consider subscribing to our FREE email series to Boost your Home Baking Skills! And our regular newsletter.
    And let's connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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    Close up of single bitten muffins with chocolate chips on white background

    Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

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    Studded with chocolate chips, these muffins are super easy to make (no electric mixer needed), moist and flavorful, keep well and bake to a golden brown. 

    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 12 regular muffins 1x

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 2 cups grated zucchini
    • 1 cup oil (sunflower, coconut or olive oil)
    • 2 eggs, at room temperature
    • ½ cup white sugar
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour (cake flour also works)
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven at 350°F/180°C.
    2. Have ready a 12 muffin tin lined with paper cups (paper liners) or buttered. Using liners is very convenient because you hardly have to wash the muffin tin and the muffins are easier to transport if you need to.
    3. Grate or shred the zucchini with a large-holed grater at the last moment, when you have the rest of the ingredients ready, so they don't release extra liquid. 
    4. Whisk together eggs and sugars in a large bowl. You can use an electric hand-held mixer if you want to. 
    5. Add the oil in a thin stream as you continue whisking. Incorporate it well but there's no need to beat much. 
    6. Add the sifted dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda) and mix a little, it doesn't need to be fully incorporated before you add the rest of the ingredients. At this point you should change to a spatula if using an electric mixer. You can have the ingredients measured and sift them directly over the oil batter (like I do) or sift them in a medium bowl first and then add to the muffin batter. 
    7. Add the grated zucchini and chocolate chips. You will see that the moisture in the zucchini loosens the batter up. 
    8. Mix with a spatula just until it's all incorporated. It's important that you don't over mix or beat the dough after adding the flour to keep the muffins as soft and fluffy as possible.
    9. Scoop portions into the paper liners dividing as evenly as possible.
    10. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown, domed and a tester inserted comes out clean. 
    11. Let cool on a wire rack (cooling rack). 
    12. Store at room temperature for 2 days and then refrigerate or freeze, always well wrapped. 

    Notes

    Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!

    Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes are as accurate as I they can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.

    Storing: they keep well for 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container, in plastic wrap or a cake dome. After that, refrigerate or freeze them. You can use a freezer container or wrap in plastic and then in foil. Bring to room temperature before eating, and I highly recommend warming them slightly in a medium oven for a few minutes.

    Butter: you could use half oil and half melted butter. It will give it a buttery flavor that is great, but will make them heavier. 

    • Author: Paula Montenegro
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 25 minutes
    • Category: Muffins
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: zucchini chocolate chip muffins

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    Comments

    1. angiesrecipes says

      August 18, 2021 at 7:43 am

      Love the classic combination of chocolate and zucchini in these beautiful muffins. You are truly an excellent and inspiring baker, Paula.

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        August 19, 2021 at 7:03 am

        Oh, thanks Angie!

        Reply

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