Tender, soft chocolate zucchini muffins. These beauties are not just tasty, they are insanely healthy. And I promise if you don’t tell your kids/spouse/office mates that these zucchini muffins are healthy, they will never know! They will happily gobble them up, veggies and all! The zucchini goes undercover in these muffins, hidden by all glorious chocolate flavor. These muffins pack an added punch though, in the form of filling protein. Greek yogurt adds to the tenderness of these muffins while also providing additional protein.
Dave and I have been focusing on getting our veggies in at every meal. I challenged him to even get his veggies in his snacks as I handed him a chocolate zucchini muffin. He grinned at me and said if this counts as a veggie, he was happy to make that commitment. Needless to say, we are flying through zucchini around here and I couldn’t be happier about it. I just adore these zucchini muffins, and once you try this recipe, I’m convinced you will too.
If you have a picky eater on your hands, I implore you to try this recipe on them :) I can’t remember a time when I didn’t flock to every kind of vegetable available. I mean I start most days with a cup of frozen spinach, but you better believe I never would have turned down anything chocolate. Never, not once. Chocolate is perfection if you ask me :)
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These muffins would be a great addition to a lunch box, an after school snack or an afternoon adult pick me up. These are sweet enough to dessert but are the perfect pick you up in the afternoon, especially Mondays! They are filled with fiber (from the zucchini, chia seeds, and coconut flour), packed with protein (from the greek yogurt, egg whites, and chocolate protein powder) and can be mixed by hand in a bowl in less than 5 minutes! From start to finish they only take about 40 minutes, and will feed the family all week. If I were smart, I would double the recipe and froze half for later in the week, these went fast! I think I will go do that now!
Although these are absolute perfection as they are, slathering them with homemade chocolate peanut butter or cashew walnut coconut butter is out of this world. I’m just sayin…
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Recipe Tips
These muffins will be very wet and not very yummy if you don’t remove the excess water from the zucchini. To do this I just ring them out by hand. You don’t have to be perfect about this, but remove the 1-2 tbs. of excess water for the perfect tender, fluffy muffin.
I used Fage 2% Greek Yogurt for baking (and eating non-stop). It’s a bit thicker than the fat free greek yogurt, and I’m convinced it gives the muffin it’s perfect texture. You can use the fat free Greek yogurt, just reduce it by a tablespoon or add an additional teaspoon of coconut flour. I’m not sure why you aren’t eating the 2% thought, it’s really the best.
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup zucchini - grated and squeezed to remove excess water
- 4 egg whites
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt - I used Fage 2%
- 2 tbs. coconut flour
- 2 tbs. chia seeds
- 2 scoop chocolate protein powder - I used SunWarrior
- 2 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbs. Hershey special dark cocoa powder - or another scoop unsweetened regular
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tbs. cacao nibs - optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Grate 1-2 medium zucchini in a bowl. Squeeze the zucchini out to remove excess water. Drain the water. Place to the side.
- In a large bowl combine the egg whites, the egg and greek yogurt. Beat for 1 minute by hand with a fork.
- Add coconut flour, chia seeds, protein powder and cocoa powder. Mix to combine.
- Add zucchini, vanilla, cinnamon and cacao nibs(optional). Stir to combine all ingredients.
- Add baking powder and combine. Let sit until oven is preheated.
- Line muffin tins with silicone liners or parchment paper liners. This recipe will yield about 10 muffins (depending on how big you make them)
- Divide the batter equally between muffin liners and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
Nutrition Information
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What about you?
- Zucchini muffins? Chocolate, cinnamon – what’s your favorite flavor?
- Do you eat Greek yogurt, if so 2% or fat free?
- What is your favorite way to use zucchini?
Dyson
Then top the muffins with chocolate chips or streusel and you are in chocolate-zucchini-muffin heaven.
Deborah Davis
We adore chocolate so these muffins would be a hit at our house! Thanks for your sharing Chocolate Zucchini Muffins with us on the Healthy Happy Green and Natural Party Blog Hop Blog Hop. I’m pinning and sharing.
Jazmin | Daily Opulence
I am a chocolate addict. It’s probably one of the only things where I loose self control. However, I hate vegetables! I’ve read through some of the comments and it seems like this is going to be a good choice! I may give these a try this week.
Sue @ This Mama Runs for Cupcakes
I just happen to have a few zucchini in my fridge that I need to use! My boys would love these and my Mini’s 1st day of school is tomorrow! Perfect!
Heather@hungryforbalance
These look delicious! I love using zucchini in everything from breakfast to desserts! Do youth ink coconut milk yogurt would work as a Greek yogurt substitution? Dairy and I are not friends unfortunately.
Sam
I think that coconut yogurt would work great in this. You might want to add an extra teaspoon of coconut flour! Let me know if you try them. Zucchini in everything if you ask me!
Jess @hellotofit
I looove zucchini muffins. Esp if there’s chocolate involved. Any kind of Greek yogurt is delicious to me!
Sam
Yes if I remember correctly you made chocolate chip muffins recently, I need to try those, anything chocolate though :)
Catherine Holt
Chocolate and zucchini are not two ingredients that I would ever have thought of putting together, but it looks really interesting so I’m game to give it a go. And it’s healthier for the veg right? :-)
Thanks for linking up to Marvelous Monday on Smart Party Planning.
Sam
Oh you won’t even taste the zucchini! It adds so much moisture and extra veggies into your day! I love this combo, hope you do too!!
Dani @ DaniCaliforniaCooks
I love putting zucchini in baked goods! Adds so much good moisture!
Cassie Tran
I HAVE to try zucchini pastries ASAP! You should make a carrot cake flavor :D I only eat zoodles, which are a great meal, but I want to switch things up a bit!
Susie @ SuzLyfe
Gonna have to make these babies and see how they stack up to my triple chocolate zucchini muffins. MUFFIN SHOWDOWN
Jen
Oh yum!! I got 2 giant zucchini’s from the farmer’s market this weekend and turned both into zoodles yesterday! I might need to do a little chopping and use some for these muffins! Do you think coconut cream would be a good greek yogurt sub? I’ve been doing pretty well with dairy lately, so I could probably handle – just curious.
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner
Those look super yummy! I need to get on the chia seeds!
Kelli
I have based chocolate zucchini bread before and it was great! However, it was a recipe from the Penzeys spices catalog so not necessarily that health conscious. This version sounds fantastic!