These vegan chocolate chip zucchini muffins make a yummy treat anytime of day and are easy to make in 30 minutes with just a few simple ingredients.

Stack of four chocolate chip zucchini muffins. Muffin on top is cut in half to show inside texture.
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Features
Ingredients & Substitutions
Step-by-Step Instructions
Notes & Tips
Storing
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Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Features

  • Dietary Needs: Vegan.
  • Nutrition Features: Low in fat, added protein, roughly 100 calories per serving.
  • Lightly sweetened with bites of zucchini and chocolate chips throughout.
  • Sneaky zucchini adds nutrition and makes the muffins moist and tender.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Visual ingredient list for making chocolate chip zucchini protein muffins.

A complete list of ingredients with amounts and full instructions is located in the printable recipe card below. This section covers ingredient and substitution considerations.

  • Zucchini: Use fresh, raw zucchini, finely grated.
  • Flour: All-purpose, spelt or whole wheat flour works. I used whole wheat flour.
  • Protein: Use vegan protein powder that’s made from primarily pea protein (most are). I used Vega but NuZest, North Coast Naturals, Orgain, Bob’s Red Mill or Aloha all work.
  • Chocolate Chips: For vegan muffins, use dairy-free chocolate chips like Enjoy Life. For less sugar, you can use sugar-free chocolate chips like Lily’s or substituted finely chopped dark chocolate.
  • Sugar: Recipe calls for cane sugar but any granulated sugar works. For a low-carb option, you can use xylitol, erythritol or monk fruit sweeteener.
  • Applesauce: Any store-bought or homemade unsweetened applesauce works. If you only have sweetened, you can use it but keep in mind the muffins will be much sweeter and have added sugar.
  • Oil: Olive oil, avocado oil, canola oil or melted coconut oil are suitable. If using coconut oil, make sure the applesauce is at room temperature otherwise it will cause the coconut oil to solidify.
  • Vinegar: Helps add a little rise and fluff to the muffins. You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Grate the zucchini and squeeze the clump in your fist over a bowl or strainer to remove excess moisture.

It doesn’t have to be completely dry but try to get the majority of the liquid out. It should squeeze out quite easily. You can also wrap the zucchini up in a dish cloth and squeeze if that works better for you.

While you’re at it, why not grate some extra and use it in these carrot zucchini muffins and healthy zucchini brownies!

Grated zucchini in a strainer sitting in a bowl.
Hand squeezing grated zucchini over a strainer to remove excess water.

Step 2: Add the dry ingredients (flour, protein, baking soda, salt, sugar) to a mixing bowl and mix well to combine. Stir in the grated zucchini until it’s all coated with flour.

Flour and protein mixed together in a glass mixing bowl.
Grated zucchini mixed into flour in a glass mixing bowl.

Step 3: Mix the applesauce, oil and vinegar together in a bowl until completely combined.

Note that if you’re using melted coconut oil, to make sure the applesauce is at room temperature so the oil doesn’t solidify.

Applesauce and olive oil mixed together in a small dish.

Step 4: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chocolate chip zucchini muffin batter mixed in a glass mixing bowl.

Step 5: Scoop the batter into 10 muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Raw muffing batter scooped into a muffin pan.
Zucchini chocolate chip muffins on a plate.

Notes & Tips

  • Original recipe was made with xylitol for a low-carb option. You can use monk fruit, xylitor or erythriol in place of sugar to make this recipe lower in sugar/carbohydrates.
  • Be sure not to over work the batter. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined, then stop mixing.
  • Whole wheat flour can be substituted with all-purpose flour or spelt flour. This recipe has not been tested with gluten-free flour.
Chocolate chip zucchini muffins on a plate with one cut open to show the inside texture.

Storing

  • Let cool completely before storing.
  • Store in a sealed container at room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze in a container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
  • If frozen, thaw at room temperature, in the microwave or in the fridge.

For more recipes that uses protein powder, try these vegan protein brownies or chocolate peanut butter protein balls.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a review.

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Stack of four chocolate chip zucchini muffins. Muffin on top is cut in half to show inside texture.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 23 mins
  • Total Time: 33 minutes
  • Yield: 10
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

Enjoy these soft and sweet vegan chocolate chip zucchini muffins for a yummy mid-morning or afternoon snack!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup packed, finely grated zucchini (125 g) 
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (120 g)
  • 1 scoop vegan vanilla protein powder (30 g) 
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup cane sugar (70 g)
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (180 g) 
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, avocado oil or melted coconut oil (30 mL)
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar (5 mL)
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (85 g) 

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Grate the zucchini then squeeze the clump with your hands over a strainer or bowl to remove the excess moisture.
  3. Add the flour, protein, baking soda, salt and sugar to a mixing bowl and stir well to combine.
  4. Add the drained zucchini and mix with a spatula until the zucchini is distributed and coated in flour.
  5. In a small bowl mix the applesauce, oil and vinegar together until well combined. Note that if you’re using coconut oil to make sure the applesauce is at room temperature otherwise it will cause the coconut oil to solidify.
  6. Add the applesauce mixture to the dry ingredients and fold together until all of the flour has been wetted. Add the chocolate chips and fold a few times to distribute.. 
  7. Spray a muffin pan with a light coating of non-stick cooking spray or lightly grease with oil or butter.
  8. Divide the dough between 10 of the muffin cups.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes then remove and let cool in the pan for about 20 minutes.
  10. Lift them out of the pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients.

Zucchini can be substituted with finely grated carrot. Whole wheat flour can be substituted with all-purpose flour or spelt flour.

Storing: Let cool completely before storing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for 1 week or freeze in a container or freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.

Original recipe called for xylitol instead of sugar. For a lower-carb option, you can use granulated xylitol, erythritol or monk fruit sweetener instead of cane sugar.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 106
  • Sugar: 8 g
  • Sodium: 121 mg
  • Fat: 3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 17 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 4 g

Keywords: vegan chocolate chip zucchini muffins, vegan protein muffins

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Originally published April 29, 2016.