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Honey Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Double chocolate, with both cocoa powder and chocolate chips, they hold their own in the chocolate department. The zucchini, you wouldn’t guess it’s even in the recipe, yet it’s the zucchini that makes them moist. Naturally sweetened with honey and nutrition-bumped with whole wheat flour, these chocolate zucchini muffins are rich enough to qualify as cupcakes!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins on plate with white doily

Click here to PIN Chocolate Zucchini Muffins!

Without the swirl of creamy frosting, they’re muffins, and if they’re frosted, they’re cupcakes, right? There is no need to frost these babies anyway. I have a girlfriend who serves them for dessert. Her kids love them! They’re fun for lunch boxes and after-school snacks too. The next time you have a leisurely brunch, you’ll be adding chocolate zucchini muffins to your menu!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins ingredients

This recipe is adapted from the chocolate zucchini bread in my Chocolate Snowball cookbook. (Affiliate link.) Here, instead of spreading the batter in a loaf pan, I divided it into muffins. In place of white sugar and flour in the original recipe, these muffins are made with honey and whole wheat pastry flour.

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins in muffin tins, baked

Time saving tip for making muffins:

  • To release muffin batter into the tins, use a multi-purpose ice cream scoop with a rotating metal bar. Ice cream scoops are super handy tools for uniform clean portions of both muffin and cookie dough.
  • The scoops come in different sizes. Look for a number engraved on the metal bar that moves inside the scoop, which tells approximately how many scoops to a quart. My go-to muffin scoop is a (#16), which holds a little less than 1/3 cup, like this, or this. (Affiliate links.)

You might also want to make these Double Chocolate Maple Pear Muffins!

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21 comments

  • Hi! I recently bought your cook/baking book — thank you for making a high-altitude one! I love zucchini muffins and would like to make some w/o chocolate and am at 6800 ft. Could you recommend a recipe? Also, I desperately need a yellow cake (super moist) recipe and would love to have a red velvet. (obviously a high altitude one). Could you help me? Big thanks!!! sharon@sharonbice.com New Mexico Reply · 15 September, 2011

    • Hi Sharon,
      Thanks for your comments and questions. For zucchini muffins without chocolate, why don’t you try substituting zucchini for both the grated carrots and apples in the Sunshine Muffins from Chocolate Snowball. Use a different nut or keep the sunflower seeds and be sure to make the high altitude adjustments of reducing the sugar and baking soda.
      Can your yellow cake have almond paste in it? Try the cake I use for Stein’s Favorite Marzipan cke in Chocolate Snowball. If you don’t want that almond flavor–start with a chiffon cake and make altitude adjustments.
      Re: Red Velvet cake for high altitudes: We took a standard velvet recipe and “altituded” it. I like a bit more cocoa, so we doubled that in the recipe. I also know it is unnecessary to have all that food coloring and we cut that amount in half–cake still bleeds red. We also reduced the leavenings and sugar and we are pleased with the recipe we use at Deer Valley.
      Have fun experimenting!
      Letty Reply · 25 September, 2011

  • I LOVE your chocolate zucchini bread… one of my favorite recipes in your cookbook… and I’m pretty crazy about you, too. Just catching up on your blog and you have so many new, wonderful sounding (and healthy!) recipes. The only thing better would be if I was perched on your stool in your kitchen, watching you cook. xo Reply · 2 October, 2011

  • I am excited to make these! My neighbor is bringing me some zuccini and these will definitely fit the bill 🙂 Reply · 25 August, 2014

    • Letty

      Thanks Karen. I wish they used more zucchini than 1 1/2 cups. I made a 48 batch over the weekend and that helped! Reply · 25 August, 2014

  • Love these muffins! They look so delicious…thanks for sharing! Reply · 25 August, 2014

    • Letty

      Thanks Jodee. I have eaten way too many of them with all the testing! Reply · 25 August, 2014

  • Dennis Halloran

    Doing the Rhine and Alsace region after the Wedding of Erika.
    Any chocolate must see in Eastern France.
    We are lunching at Auberge de ills as our splurge in Colmar Reply · 25 August, 2014

    • Letty

      Have fun in Germany, Switzerland and France. I haven’t heard to any must-see’s in Eastern France–have a search around. Hugs to all. Reply · 25 August, 2014

  • I’ve been waiting for these, Letty, since you posted a pic on Instagram. They’re gorgeous. I don’t have any honey on hand…could I use maple syrup or is that too thin? I need to get some honey at the market this week. These are SO happening this week! Reply · 25 August, 2014

    • Letty

      Kelley,
      If I were you I’d go out on a limb and use maple syrup if that’s all I had. They’ll come out differently of course, but I think it could work because ms and honey both very sweet. Let me know what happens…. Reply · 25 August, 2014

  • Hi Letty.

    This recipe looks amazing. I hate to mess with the original recipe, but I typically don’t cook honey. Is there a substitution that would work? I have raw agave, coconut sugar, Medjool dates, and more….Thanks! Reply · 26 August, 2014

    • Letty

      Thanks Sam! I would go for the raw agave. Though I have been using the coconut sugar as well and it works great. Just haven’t tried it w these muffins.
      Another person didn’t have honey on hand but she does have maple syrup–which I think she is going to try. Reply · 26 August, 2014

  • is whole wheat pastry flour different than whole wheat flour? Reply · 26 August, 2014

  • Letty

    ww pastry flour is different–softer spring wheat–better for pastries. Reply · 26 August, 2014

  • felicia

    With the choco/zucchini muffins what can I substitute for cream cheese. We are non-dairy Reply · 3 December, 2014

    • Letty

      Felicia,
      Are you comfortable with substituting dairy-free “cream cheese?” That’s where I would start. There are several varieties out there–Daiya, Go Veggies and Tofutti. Reply · 3 December, 2014

  • “This was great! Really enjoyed it – thanks for sharing. I do agree with another commenter who said it was a bit sweet – I will definitely reduce the sugar next time (I used regular granulated sugar).

    Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow! :)” Reply · 12 June, 2020

    • Thank you Hannah. I’m so glad you enjoy these. I’m sure you can reduce the sugar and they will still be good. (The original recipe with sugar calls for 1 1/3 cups sugar! Reply · 12 June, 2020

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