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These double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are made with no flour or added oil, but they taste like a brownie! They are a delicious way to sneak more veggies into your life.
This muffin recipe requires no added oil or butter, thanks to the sneaky vegetables hidden inside. The zucchini adds all the moisture you need!
These muffins are dairy-free and gluten-free, without using a specialty gluten-free flour blend, so they are perfect if you are serving guests or family members with special dietary needs.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Almond butter and eggs work together to give these treats a magical structure, without any flour required. (Similar to Banana Snack Cake.)
You can use cocoa powder or cacao powder with similar results, and I love adding in some mini chocolate chips for a double chocolate zucchini muffin, but that’s optional. Either way, you’ll enjoy a delicious chocolate flavor.
Coconut sugar adds sweetness but also helps with the structure of this recipe, so don’t swap it for pure maple syrup or honey without expecting different results.
How to Make Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
1. Prepare the zucchini.
Shred the zucchini using the largest holes of your box grater. (No need to peel them first!) Then place the zucchini in the center of a thin dishtowel, or cheesecloth, and gather the towel so you can squeeze-out the excess moisture.
Zucchini are very hydrating, so there should be quite a bit of liquid released!
Measure out 1 cup of the strained zucchini for this recipe. You can use any leftovers in a bowl of zucchini oatmeal or a zucchini smoothie later this week.
2. Mix the batter.
In a large bowl, combine the almond butter, eggs, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir well, until the batter looks thick and glossy.
Fold in the squeezed zucchini and mini chocolate chips, if using.
3. Bake.
Line a standard muffin tin with 12 parchment muffin liners. (Nonstick spray might not be enough to ensure they release later.)
Then use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top of each muffin, if you’d like.
Bake the muffins in an oven preheated to 350ºF for 25 minutes, or until the tops feel dry to the touch.
Your kitchen should smell like brownies when they are done cooking!
4. Enjoy!
Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes, and then the chocolate chip zucchini muffins are ready to serve. (They should firm up as they cool.)
Enjoy them lightly warm from the oven, or at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.
Storage Tip: Leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve only tested this recipe with granulated sugar, so using something like brown or white sugar should work just as well. (They will just be slightly sweeter, FYI.) If you want to experiment with using honey or pure maple syrup, I’d start with just a 1/4 cup, since liquid sweeteners tend to be more concentrated in flavor.
Flourless baking does not do well with egg substitutes, like a flax egg. Start with an egg-free recipe that has already been tested, such as my vegan carrot cake muffins, as a jumping-off point.
You can use any other nut or seed butter that you have on hand, such as peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter. For the best results, it should be an all-natural nut butter that has a drippy consistency.
Looking for more zucchini recipes to try? Try it in my Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake, Zucchini Lasagna, or Zucchini Pesto for more ideas.
Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
- 1 cup raw almond butter
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a standard muffin tin with 12 parchment cupcake liners. Place the shredded zucchini into the center of a thin dish towel, and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
- Transfer the squeezed zucchini into a large bowl, and add in the almond butter, coconut sugar, cacao powder, eggs, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Stir well until the batter looks thick and glossy.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, if using, and then use a 1/4 cup to scoop the batter into the 12 baking cups. Top with a few extra chocolate chips, if desired.
- Bake at 350ºF until the muffins have risen and feel firm to a light touch in the center, about 25 minutes. (Your kitchen should smell like brownies when they are done!)
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the muffins cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. You can serve them warm or cold, but I think they have the best flavor when they are at room temperature. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Nutrition
If you try these gluten-free chocolate zucchini muffins, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
I made these muffins with my grandkids today because I had a zucchini that needed to be cooked. I didn’t have almond butter so I used peanut butter. They are delicious!! My grandson said this is so good.
Absolutely loved these! I tried the Megan-approved variation using peanut butter instead of almond butter, and they turned out fantastic.
My daughters and I love these muffins. I make them several times when zucchini is in season. They really do taste like brownies!
Oh. My. Gawd, these are SO decadently delicious! The only sub I made was cocoa instead of cacao. I immediately sent the link to the recipe to my own email newsletter list! And then made another batch, of course. Yum.
I desperately need your advice. I love these flourless chocolate zucchini muffins. However, I can not figure out how keep them from
sinking in the middle. They rise beautifully while cooking until they have about 7 minutes left, then they just sink. Because of this,
they do not cook completely in the middle. And if I leave them longer, they burn. Please help me!! I don’t know why they are doing this. Thank you!
Sorry to hear that! I would first check to make sure your baking soda is fresh. You could also swap that for 2 teaspoons of baking powder instead, as it sometimes helps things rise better. Sinking is usually a sign of too much moisture or not baking long enough, so you could also make sure you’re getting a ton of liquid out of the zucchini before adding it to the batter. Hope you have better luck next time!!
I made these today and they were delicious! I can’t belive they don’t have any flour. I did sub coconut sugar for brown sugar. Thank you.
I have made these muffins 3 or 4 times now. We All Love them. However, every time I have made them, they do not stay risen in the middle, however they are done. What am I doing wrong. I even tried using a little more baking soda and it did not help.
These are AMAZING!!! Made them today and they are so fluffy and delicious.
I have never left a review on a recipe before, but these were SO good, I had to make sure other people are encouraged to try them. They are so easy to make and are SERIOUSLY delicious! You can’t believe there’s no flour in them – the texture is amazing. Thanks for this recipe!