If baking with vegetables has you intrigued, be sure to try my beetroot brownies and lemon zucchini bread next!
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🧾 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make vegan double chocolate zucchini muffins. Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Ingredient Notes
Fresh Grated Zucchini/Courgette: Grate the zucchini super fine so that it melts into the muffin batter during baking.
Dutch Process Cocoa Powder: Like with my beetroot chocolate cake and zucchini chocolate cake, I recommend this cocoa as it has been alkalized and gives the muffins a deep, rich chocolate flavor.
Dairy-Free Milk: This is mixed with apple cider vinegar to create a vegan buttermilk substitute. I prefer using soy milk here due to its high protein content, but oat milk or almond milk are also options.
Coconut Sugar: Feel free to swap in panela or light brown sugar if that's what you've got on hand - they'll work just as well.
Vegan Greek Yogurt: This adds a slightly tangy flavor and brings more moisture to the muffins. Opt for a thick Greek-style yogurt if you can. You can also use vegan sour cream, thick coconut yogurt, or soft silken tofu.
Dark Chocolate: I prefer using chopped 70% dark chocolate for big chocolate chunks, but you can use vegan chocolate chips instead (or as well!).
🔪 Instructions
Here's a visual overview showing how to make zucchini chocolate muffins. Please refer to the detailed recipe card at the end of this page for full measurements and written instructions. You can also hit the jump to recipe button at the very top of this page to skip to the printable recipe card.
Grate your zucchini with the medium side of a box grater. This will give super fine shreds (see the ingredients shot above for a visual). I tested them with larger shreds of zucchini first, and they were visible in the finished bake, which is not what we're going for here!
By the way, there's no need to squeeze out the moisture from the shredded zucchini. The recipe has been designed to absorb the excess water, so we want it for super moist muffins!
Mix all the wet ingredients (including the sugar) in a large bowl until combined. Whisking in the sugar at this stage helps it to dissolve more easily and distribute evenly into the batter.
We're adding the dry ingredients in 2 parts. Whisk in the first half, then switch to a rubber spatula for the second half, along with the grated zucchini and chocolate chunks.
Using a spatula helps scrape down the sides of the bowl and gently fold everything together without overmixing.
When ready to bake, add more chocolate chunks to the tops of the muffins. Bake on high heat for 5 minutes (helps to activate the raising agents) and then reduce the temperature for the remaining baking time.
Rest the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, and then carefully lift them onto a cooling rack.
💭 Tips for tall bakery-style muffin tops
Let the batter rest: Letting the batter rest for as little as 30 minutes before baking leads to a better rise. Resting lets the flour hydrate and gives the leavening agents time to activate.
Use tall liners and fill generously: Opt for large tulip-style muffin liners and fill them right up to the rim of the muffin tin. This gives your muffins the structure and volume needed to rise high without spilling over.
Space them out: Skip every other well in your muffin tray. Leaving empty spaces between muffins allows hot air to circulate more evenly, encouraging a higher, more even rise across each muffin.
💬 FAQs
Yes, you can! Once the muffins have cooled completely, transfer them to a ziplock bag or freezer-safe container. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months, then defrost in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours.
I haven't tested this, so I can't say for sure. However, if you do decide to give it a go, make sure you opt for all-purpose gluten-free flour blends, not single flours. King Arthur Measure for Measure is one that readers often have success with my other recipes. Just note, GF flour will likely give you slightly more dense muffins.
🧁 More Vegan Muffin Recipes
📖 Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 250 g (1 large) zucchini/courgette finely grated weight *note 1
- 180 g (1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
- 60 g (¾ cup) Dutch-process cocoa powder *note 2
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 180 ml (¾ cup) non-dairy milk *note 3
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 115 g (⅔ cup) coconut sugar *note 4
- 120 g (½ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt *note 5
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil *note 6
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150 g (1.75 oz) dark chocolate roughly chopped
Instructions
- Prep courgette: Wash and tail the courgette, and use a medium-hole box grater to shred it. Place it on top of a clean tea towel or sheet of kitchen roll in a bowl until ready to use.
- Mix dry ingredients: Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt into a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Make vegan buttermilk: In a jug, mix the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the vegan buttermilk, coconut sugar, yogurt, olive oil, and vanilla.
- Make the batter: Add half the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until combined. Then switch to a rubber spatula, and gently fold in the other half of the dry ingredients, grated courgette, and ⅔ of the chocolate chunks.
- Rest the batter (optional): Let the batter sit at room temperature for 30 minutes - this promotes high muffin tops.
- Prepare the oven/pan: Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) fan-forced or 210°C (410°F) conventional. Lightly grease two muffin trays and line 10 liners, spacing them out by filling every second cavity to encourage tall muffin tops. This recipe makes 10 large muffins (if you only have one tray, bake in two batches).
- Assemble: Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, distribute the batter amongst the muffin liners, filling them to the top of the pan. Top with the remaining chocolate chunks.
- Bake at fan-forced 190°C/375°F or conventional 210°C/410°F for the first 5 mins. Then turn down the temperature to 170°C/340°F or conventional 190°C/375°F and continue to bake for another 20 minutes.Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes, then carefully lift them out of the tray and transfer them to a cooling rack to cool further for 30 minutes.
Notes
- Zucchini/Courgette: Weigh after grating. Use the medium grating side of a box grater for finely grated shreds.
- Cocoa Powder: I recommend Dutch-processed, which is alkalized for a more intense flavor. In a pinch, you can use natural cocoa powder.
- Non-Dairy Milk: Soy, oat, or almond milk.
- Coconut Sugar: Swap for brown sugar or raw cane sugar.
- Vegan Yogurt: I use soy Greek style. You can also use vegan skyr, vegan sour cream, or very thick coconut yogurt.
- Olive Oil: Swap for canola oil, sunflower oil, or light olive oil.
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