Recipe
Servings
Servings 1×
Total 12 min
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature if possible
- ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral oil, such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil
- ⅓ cup (80 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups finely shredded zucchini, lightly squeezed, about 180 g after squeezing
- 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Method
- Prepare the oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper cases.
- Prepare the zucchini. Shred the zucchini using the fine or medium holes of a box grater. Place it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly once or twice over the sink. Remove the excess liquid, but do not press until the zucchini is dry. Measure 1 ½ cups after squeezing.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Break up any compacted areas of flour or brown sugar if necessary.
- Combine the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, Greek yogurt, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the prepared zucchini.
- Make the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold with a spatula until only a few streaks of flour remain. Add the chocolate chips and fold just until evenly distributed. Do not beat or vigorously stir the batter.
- Fill the cases. Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cases. The cases should be nearly full. An ice cream scoop or large spoon helps distribute the batter evenly.
- Bake. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 6 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 12–14 minutes. The muffins are ready when the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out with a few moist crumbs. Melted chocolate on the toothpick is not an indication of underbaking.
- Cool. Leave the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins (Moist)
These zucchini chocolate chip muffins are soft, tender, and designed to stay moist without becoming soggy. Finely shredded zucchini adds natural moisture, while neutral oil and Greek yogurt create a soft crumb that remains pleasant after cooling.
The batter is lightly spiced with cinnamon and filled with semisweet chocolate chips. A short bake at high heat helps the muffins rise, followed by a lower temperature to finish the centres without drying the edges.
Serve them for breakfast, pack them for a lunchbox, or freeze a batch for later.
INTRO
Zucchini is useful in sweet baking because it contributes moisture without adding a strong vegetable flavour. The important step is to remove excess water before mixing. The zucchini should remain damp, but it should not release a large amount of liquid into the batter.
For the best texture, use a box grater and measure the zucchini after shredding and lightly squeezing. Do not wring it completely dry. A small amount of retained moisture is necessary for a soft muffin.
This recipe follows standard muffin preparation: combine the dry ingredients separately, combine the wet ingredients separately, then fold everything together briefly. Overmixing develops gluten and can make the muffins dense.
RECIPE
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
| Servings | Prep time | Cook time | Total time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 muffins | 20 minutes | 20 minutes | 40 minutes |
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature if possible
- ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral oil, such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil
- ⅓ cup (80 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups finely shredded zucchini, lightly squeezed, about 180 g after squeezing
- 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Method
Prepare the oven and pan.
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper cases.Prepare the zucchini.
Shred the zucchini using the fine or medium holes of a box grater. Place it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly once or twice over the sink. Remove the excess liquid, but do not press until the zucchini is dry. Measure 1 ½ cups after squeezing.Combine the dry ingredients.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Break up any compacted areas of flour or brown sugar if necessary.Combine the wet ingredients.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, Greek yogurt, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the prepared zucchini.Make the batter.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold with a spatula until only a few streaks of flour remain. Add the chocolate chips and fold just until evenly distributed. Do not beat or vigorously stir the batter.Fill the cases.
Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cases. The cases should be nearly full. An ice cream scoop or large spoon helps distribute the batter evenly.Bake.
Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 6 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 12–14 minutes. The muffins are ready when the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out with a few moist crumbs. Melted chocolate on the toothpick is not an indication of underbaking.Cool.
Leave the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
TIPS
- Squeeze carefully. Zucchini varies in water content. Remove excess liquid, but do not dry the shreds completely. Completely dry zucchini can produce a less tender muffin.
- Use a light hand. Stop folding as soon as the flour disappears. A few small lumps are acceptable.
- Fill the cases generously. Nearly full cases produce a rounded top and a more substantial muffin.
- Use room-temperature ingredients when available. Eggs and yogurt blend more evenly when they are not cold.
- Measure flour correctly. Spoon flour into a measuring cup and level the top, or use a kitchen scale. Packing flour into a cup can make the muffins dry.
- Check early. Oven temperatures vary. Begin checking after 18 minutes of total baking time.
- Store correctly. Keep cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place a paper towel beneath and above the muffins if condensation is an issue.
- Freeze for longer storage. Wrap individual muffins and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm for 20–30 seconds in a microwave.
The hot-start baking technique used here is also common in tested muffin methods, including the approach described by Sally’s Baking Addiction. For a version without eggs or dairy, compare the ingredient structure in this vegan zucchini muffin recipe.
VARIATIONS
- Dark chocolate zucchini muffins: Use dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate in place of semisweet chips.
- Walnut muffins: Replace ½ cup of the chocolate chips with ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Orange zucchini muffins: Add 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest with the wet ingredients.
- Whole-wheat version: Replace up to ½ cup of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour. The muffins will have a slightly firmer texture.
- Dairy-free version: Use dairy-free yogurt instead of Greek yogurt and confirm that the chocolate chips contain no milk ingredients.
- Less sweet muffins: Reduce the granulated sugar to 2 tablespoons. The muffins will still contain sweetness from the brown sugar and chocolate.
- Mini muffins: Divide the batter among 24 mini cases and begin checking after 10–12 minutes at 350°F (175°C). Do not use the high-temperature stage for mini muffins unless your pan instructions specify it.
FAQ
Do I need to peel the zucchini?
No. The peel is thin, softens during baking, and provides small green flecks. Wash and dry the zucchini before shredding.
Should zucchini be squeezed dry for muffins?
No. It should be lightly squeezed to remove excess water, not completely dried. The retained moisture helps produce a soft crumb.
Can I use frozen zucchini?
Yes, but thaw it completely and squeeze out more liquid than you would with fresh zucchini. Frozen zucchini usually releases additional water as it thaws.
Why are my muffins soggy in the centre?
The most common causes are excess zucchini liquid, underbaking, or oversized muffin cases. Continue baking until the cake portion tests with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter. If the tops brown too quickly, loosely cover the pan with foil for the final minutes.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
Yes. Replace the oil with ½ cup (113 g) melted and cooled unsalted butter. The muffins will have a more pronounced buttery flavour, but oil generally produces a softer texture after cooling.
Can I make these muffins without Greek yogurt?
Use an equal amount of sour cream, plain full-fat yogurt, or buttermilk. If using buttermilk, add it gradually because its consistency is thinner.
How do I stop chocolate chips from sinking?
Use a thick batter, avoid adding excess zucchini liquid, and fold the chips in at the very end. Mini chocolate chips also distribute more evenly than large chips.
Are these muffins suitable for freezing?
Yes. Cool them completely, wrap them individually, and store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
