Healthier Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

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Number of Servings 15

The addition of lots of zucchini and some whole wheat flour make these Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins a little healthier than standard bakery muffins.

This summer was my first real "summer break" with kids. One that I had a kid who was just so done with actual full time school for the year and couldn't wait for 3 months of doing nothing. As I suspect they do in many households over the summer, thing got a little relaxed around here. The kids weren't eating (or sleeping, or doing anything) on their regular routines, and treats became a more regular occurrence. "Sure you can have another popsicle, because summer!" The treats also started to sneak in at breakfast time.

I let the kids make a few decisions in the grocery store, and things like Pop-Tarts would find their way into my cart. Then on one trip to Costco, I regaled my kids with the fond memories I had of the giant muffins they sell in their bakery. I agreed to buy some. If you've never had a Costco muffin, you should at least look at the things next time you're there. They are massive! And they come in huge packs of 12, which you can at least split between 2 different flavors. I dealt with the massive size and quantity by cutting them in half, then wrapping and freezing them all, and pulling them out as needed.

The kids chose chocolate and blueberry for their two flavors. The chocolate ones disappeared shockingly quickly, because who wouldn't want to eat chocolate cake for breakfast? Anyway, instead of getting sucked into buying those muffins on a regular basis, I decided to make my own, healthier version. I introduce the Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffin.

Even though I haven't actually looked at the nutrition info of those Costco muffins to compare, I have no doubt that these ones are at least a little healthier. That means I don't feel quite as guilty for feeding my children cake for breakfast (let's be honest...they're still pretty much cake). They're re filled with with a large amount of zucchini (3 whole cups!), some whole wheat flour, and probably less sugar and fat than not only the Costco ones, but any that you'd buy in a bakery.

But they still disappear just as quickly. I can't seem to make them fast enough. I guess I should be glad that my kids latched on to chocolate muffins (that I can stuff full of veggies and they'll still devour) instead of those Pop-Tarts!

5 from 2 votes

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Healthier Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Carissa Serink

The addition of lots of zucchini and some whole wheat flour make these Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins a little healthier than standard bakery muffins.

Servings: 15

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Ingredients

• 3 cups shredded zucchini, from one large or two medium zucchinis
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup canola oil
• ½ cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (plus 2 Tablespoons to sprinkle on top, optional)

Instructions

• Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease the cups and top of a muffin pan. (See note)
• Toss shredded zucchini with 1 teaspoon of the salt in a large colander. Set in the sink to drain for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Place the zucchini in a clean dish towel and squeeze out all the remaining moisture.
• Whisk together the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt in a large bowl.
• Whisk together the sugar, canola oil, yogurt, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Gently fold in the drained zucchini and chocolate chips until incorporated.
• Distribute the batter evenly into the muffin pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove the muffins and cool completely on a wire rack. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze in a zipper bag.

Notes

Unless your muffin pans are meant to make very large muffins, you will probably have enough batter to make 15 muffins. If you have a second muffin pan, use it to make the extra muffins, otherwise refrigerate the leftover batter and make the remaining muffins as soon as you remove your first batch of muffins from the pan.

Nutrition Disclaimer: I try my best to make sure the nutrition information I provide is accurate to provide you with the best information possible. However, due to ingredient discrepancies and other factors, the above nutrition information should be considered an estimation only.

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Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Nutrition Notes:

The above nutrition information is calculated using plain yogurt. Using vanilla flavored yogurt will increase the sugar (and calorie) content. While these muffins are significantly healthier than a muffin you would buy at most bakeries, it is still high in calories, fat, and sugar. Eat in moderation.