Easy Zucchini Muffins with Chocolate Chips

These small batch easy zucchini muffins with chocolate chips use fresh grated zucchini, olive oil, Greek yogurt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to make six soft, spiced muffins. No need to drain the zucchini – it provides the moisture! A sprinkle of sugar before baking gives these chocolate chip zucchini muffins a bakery-style muffin top. No mixer required for this 30 minute, one bowl recipe!

If you like these zucchini chocolate chip muffins, check out my other zucchini recipes: chocolate zucchini bundt cake, zucchini cream cheese cake, and (a closely related cousin), my single layer carrot cake.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Let me start by saying, there is no need to drain or squeeze the moisture out of the grated zucchini in this recipe! The zucchini actually provides the necessary moisture for these muffins, so we’re already starting with a win. No peeling either. Just grate it and go!

Beyond that, this is basically zucchini bread in muffin form – so simple and so cozy, flavored with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to mark the transition from summer into fall. Like my ultra popular one banana muffins, and lemon blueberry muffins, they come together quickly and easily in just one bowl with no mixer required. Plus, who doesn’t love mini chocolate chips in every bite?

Recipe Development

I actually used my banana muffin recipe as the base when I created this zucchini muffin recipe, and in the first test I simply swapped greek yogurt in 1:1 for the banana (1/2 cup). Generally in recipes, you can replace mashed banana 1:1 with greek yogurt, pumpkin puree, or applesauce. With the added moisture of the shredded zucchini, however, the muffins were far too wet. Therefore, in subsequent testing I reduced the yogurt to only 1/4 cup, which gave the muffins the moisture, fluffiness, and slight tang I was looking for without weighing them down.

I also happily discovered that with the yogurt appropriately reduced, you do NOT need to drain the zucchini or squeeze the moisture out of it. You just need to use the medium or large holes on a box grater so the zucchini doesn’t get too watery when you’re shredding it. I also found that I liked the texture of the muffins best when I used olive oil and oat flour (they were almost fudgy in texture), but I tested it so many ways that I have several variations and substitution options for you in this recipe!

These are the best zucchini muffins because:

• They’re super quick and easy to make (30 minutes, one bowl, no mixer — and did I mention, NO NEED to peel or drain the zucchini?)
• Great way to use up garden zucchini (if you’re so lucky to have one, or nice friends!) and get some veggies in with your treats
• Super soft and cozy, fragrant with spices, and taste decadent from the chocolate chips. I eat these for dessert!
• Less sugar than the average muffin – only 1/3 cup for 6 muffins! OR, use 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup for a refined sugar free version. I love the flavor honey adds to the muffins!
• Adaptable – many ingredient substitutions are possible depending on what you have, and can easily be made dairy-free, gluten-free, or vegan
• Just 6 standard size muffins or 14-16 mini muffins – the perfect amount for a quick batch on a weekend morning

Ingredients

Only a few simple ingredients needed for these small batch zucchini bread muffins, and you can substitute or customize as noted below to make these your own! See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredient list and measurements.

• Half of one medium zucchini (a medium zucchini weighs about 9 ounces / 255 grams – we’ll use half or 4.5 ounces / 125 grams of it), grated on the large or medium holes of a box grater. For the recipe we’ll use 125 grams, about 1 cup of shredded zucchini if using a measuring cup.
• Olive oil or melted butter (can substitute avocado oil, vegetable oil or melted coconut oil if you prefer; or greek yogurt for oil-free)
• Maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar (or granulated sugar or coconut sugar)
• 1 large egg (can substitute a flax egg: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water)
• Plain Greek yogurt (full fat or 2% recommended; plant-based greek-style yogurt will also work)
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour (oat flour, white whole wheat flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour all work too!)
• Baking powder and baking soda as the leaveners
• Salt
• Mini chocolate chips (my preference), dark chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate chips, or chopped nuts (use what you like!)
• A bit of extra granulated sugar or turbinado sugar, for bakery-style sparkle and crunch on your muffin tops

Equipment Needed

• ONE mixing bowl – this is a one bowl recipe!
• Whisk (or fork) and rubber spatula
• Kitchen scale – I highly recommend weighing your ingredients for most accurate results, especially the flour! This is the primary way I bake these days as it is much more precise than using measuring cups (and there are fewer dishes to clean).
• 12-cup standard muffin pan or 24-cup mini muffin pan
• Optional: parchment paper muffin liners (I swear these are the best – they don’t stick to the muffins or muffin cups!)
• Optional but highly effective: 1/4 cup muffin scoop or ice cream scoop

How to Make Easy Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins: Step by Step

Like many of my recipes, the method here is streamlined and simple. No mixer needed! See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions.

1. Grate the zucchini using the large or medium holes of a box grater. You will have more than you need – the recipe only requires 125 grams of shredded zucchini (approximately 1 cup). You do NOT need to peel the zucchini for baking, and you do NOT need to drain it or squeeze the excess moisture out. Set aside.
2. Whisk the wet ingredients together in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in the leaveners and spices. Add the dry ingredients (flour) to the bowl, and fold and stir with a spatula or fork just until a batter is formed; this prevents gummy muffins. Fold in the shredded zucchini and mini chocolate chips (or nuts), if using.
3. Optional step, for tallest muffins: let the batter sit for 15-20 minutes at room temperature while you preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius). A rest to allow the baking powder to work and a high oven temperature at the beginning of the bake are both very important for tall, fluffy muffins!
4. Spoon zucchini muffin batter into every other muffin cup in a 12-cup muffin tin (greased or in muffin/cupcake liners), sprinkle a bit of granulated sugar and extra chocolate chips on top of the muffins if desired.
5. Bake as directed below until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean or with just a couple moist crumbs attached. Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes and enjoy!

Storage

These easy zucchini muffins can be stored as follows…

• Room temperature: baked muffins will keep for 2-3 days in a tall airtight container that doesn’t touch the sugared tops, or individually wrap them in plastic wrap for a quick afternoon snack or breakfast on the go. These are great the next day!
• Fridge: up to a week in an airtight container; microwave each muffin for 15-20 seconds to reheat
• Freezer: up to 3 months, well-wrapped individually in plastic and stored in a freezer bag. Microwave for 30 seconds to reheat or allow to come to room temperature for 1-2 hours.

Additions and Substitutions

Here are some options to customize the recipe and make it your own:

• Gluten-free: substitute an equal weight (125g) of gluten-free oat flour (I LOVED the fudgy texture of these muffins with oat flour!!) or a gluten-free flour mix that contains xanthan gum. I tested and like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour.
• Vegan: use a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 2.5 tbsp water) and make sure to use vegan chocolate chips
• Chocolate chips: I prefer to use mini chocolate chips in this recipe for best distribution throughout the muffin, but you can sub in 1/2 cup of full size chocolate chips, chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans would be great), or skip the add-ins entirely! Recipe works either way.
• Double the recipe for 12 muffins instead of 6!
• Mini zucchini muffins: this recipe will make 14-16 mini muffins. Bake for 5 minutes at 425F and 5-7 more minutes at 350F (check often for doneness) — or 10-12 minutes at 375F the whole time. The mini muffins are great for kids lunchboxes – I’d recommend using mini chocolate chips here!

More Easy Muffin Recipes:

• Easy Lemon Blueberry Muffins with Greek Yogurt
• Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
• Small Batch Banana Bread Muffins
• Apple Cider Muffins
• Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Like this chocolate chip zucchini muffin recipe? Please RATE it and LEAVE A COMMENT below.  Your feedback means so much and helps other bakers too!

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