These Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are a delicious and high-protein breakfast made with a secret ingredient: avocado.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Flour – use wheat flour or spelt flour to make these muffins even healthier.
- Cocoa powder – Dutch-process cocoa may also work.
- Baking powder – unfortunately, there’s no good substitute for baking powder in baking.
- Baking soda – there’s no good substitute for baking soda.
- Avocado – swap out for a butter substitute of your choice like margarine. Keep in mind that it may alter the consistency of the batter.
- Olive oil – you can use another neutral cooking oil such as avocado oil.
- Egg – if you’re allergic to eggs, substitute for a flax egg.
- Honey – agave or maple syrup would also help sweeten these muffins.
- Almond milk – or any milk of your choice like coconut milk or skim milk.
- Dark chocolate chips – you can use regular milk chocolate chips, but the muffins won’t be as healthy.
- Vanilla – a bit of almond extract can be used but will have a different flavour.
- Zucchini – grated carrot would also work.
- Pumpkin seeds – swap out for any kind of nut like walnuts, almonds or pecans.
- Hemp hearts – you can use nuts here too, but they won’t blend as well into the batter.
How to make chocolate zucchini muffins
Step 1: Mix together the dry ingredients.
Mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder.
Step 2: Mix together the wet ingredients.
Mash the avocado in a large bowl, then mix in the olive oil, egg, honey, almond milk, melted chocolate and vanilla.
Step 3: Fold the dry mix into the wet mix.
Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture, then stir in the grated zucchini, pumpkin seeds and hemp hearts.
Step 4: Add to muffin tray.
Add the mix to muffin trays lined with cupcake liners.
Step 5: Bake in the oven.
Bake the muffins until fully baked.
Step 6: Serve and enjoy!
Enjoy your muffins fresh or store them in the fridge for later.
Tips for chocolate zucchini muffins
Ensure your chocolate zucchini muffins turn out perfectly every time:
- You don't need to peel the zucchini first – just grate it up, peel and all.
- Use a food processor to easily grate the zucchini.
- Don't overmix the batter, or the muffins might turn out too thick and rubbery.
- Once you've mixed the dry and wet ingredients together, quickly bake them in the oven, or the muffins won't rise as much as they bake.
- Add more protein to this recipe by mixing in some chia seeds, extra hemp hearts or nuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make these muffins vegan, swap out the egg for a flax egg. If you want to make them gluten-free, just substitute the flour for your favourite gluten-free alternative like almond flour.
No, you don't need to peel the zucchini before grating it. You can if you'd like, but it's honestly a matter of preference.
I haven't tested it, but you can try using this recipe to make chocolate zucchini loaf instead of muffins. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes at 375°F.
If you want to increase the protein content of these muffins, feel free to add in some chia seeds, extra hemp hearts or nuts. You could even swap out a bit of the flour for protein powder or whole wheat flour.
These chocolate avocado muffins are definitely freezer-friendly. They'll last in the freezer for up to 3 months, then can be defrosted in the fridge or on the counter at room temperature.
Storing and reheating
Because of the avocado and zucchini in these chocolate zucchinimuffins, you need to keep them refrigerated after they have cooled. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
The muffins make a quick breakfast or indulgently healthy snack. If your whole family loves them, it’s easy to double this recipe so you have breakfast prepped and ready for everyone for the rest of the week!
Freezing this recipe
These muffins freeze well, so feel free to make a big batch and freeze some for later! They’ll last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Flash-freeze the muffins on a tray in the freezer for about an hour to keep them from sticking together, then transfer them to an airtight Ziploc bag. Using cupcake liners will also help to prevent them from sticking to each other in the freezer. You could also wrap each muffin individually to make single servings.
You can stick a muffin right into your lunch bag from the freezer in the morning. It will be thawed by the time you are ready to eat lunch. You could also leave them in the refrigerator or at room temperature to thaw the whole batch.
More meal prep breakfast recipes
Meal Prep Tools
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning these into your weekly breakfasts.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
- **Get my full list of tools here**
Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 avocado
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/3 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips melted
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 zucchini grated
- 1/2 cup pepitas inner part of pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup hemp hearts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder and set aside.
- Mash avocado in a large bowl, then mix in olive oil, egg, honey, almond milk, melted chocolate and vanilla.
- Fold flour mixture into wet ingredients, adding just a bit of it at a time, stirring well with a spatula. Add grated zucchini, pumpkin seeds and hemp hearts to batter, stirring well to combine.
- Add muffins to muffin trays lined with cupcake liners, then bake muffins for 20 minutes in the oven, until tops are cracked and batter barely sticks to a toothpick (there will be a tiny amount of residue but not much).
- IMPORTANT: Store muffins in a sealed container in the fridge after they have been left to cool for at least an hour. Muffins will last up to 7 days. Enjoy!
Video
Comments & Reviews
Audrey O. says
Hi! I wonder if you’d consider making a note in your recipe about the pumpkin seeds. We are making these muffins as I type and I was soo confused about putting pumpkin seeds in these muffins as where I am from, pumpkin seeds are very big. They are basically white and shelled. After I thought about it, I came here hoping to see a video or note on the pumpkin seeds, and did notice a picture of all your ingredients. Thanks for posting that. When I zoomed into it, I noticed that you are using what we call pepitas. If I’m not mistaken, they are what is INSIDE the hard white pumpkin seed (picture cracking the shell of a sunflower seed to get what’s inside). I considered doing that in order to get to the pepitas inside, so I could add them to the recipe, but as you can imagine, it would have been time consuming and a bit of a pain to do 1/2 cup worth, so we decided to go without. Maybe we’ll take your suggestion and add nuts instead. We are having them for breakfast tomorrow, and we’re looking forward to it. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
Taylor Stinson says
Thanks so much for the feedback! I have changed it to pepitas, I believe we use that word and pumpkin seeds interchangeably in Toronto but I’m going to take a more purposeful look at the store next time I’m there. I’m happy you still made the recipe and hope you enjoy!
Jen says
These are amazing. I put the batter through the blender to hide all evidence of anything green from my kids, and they gobbled them up! Taste just like a brownie!
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed 🙂
Jennifer says
These sound good. I was wondering what I could replace the honey with? Maple Syrup maybe?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Jennifer – maple syrup would probably be a good substitute, yes!
M says
WOW
LOOKS AMAZING 😊😍😉
Would u happen to know the nutritional content of these?
Curious about the calories
fat and protein content
THANKS !!!!!!!
Taylor Stinson says
Thanks so much Mary! Unfortunately I can’t provide nutritional info for my older recipes, I just have too many recipes I would have to go back and update. You can fill in the info on an app like Myfitnesspal and that should give you the nutrition info. Hope that helps 🙂
Katie Gwozdecky says
I made this into a loaf and baked it for another 15-20 minutes and it is delicious. Really not too sweet and perfect for breakfast with a handful of strawberries. And if you want it for dessert, it’s delicious with a swipe of maple butter!