These whole wheat triple chocolate zucchini muffins are decadent enough to eat for dessert and healthy enough to eat for breakfast. They are made with 100% whole wheat flour and are naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup and applesauce. This small-batch recipe makes just 6 muffins!
I am a big fan of chocolate zucchini bread. Or chocolate zucchini cake. Or chocolate zucchini brownies. Or chocolate zucchini anything really.
I mean zucchini is a great vegetable and all, but what’s better than sneaking some vegetables into something chocolate and not even being able to tell that they’re there!
My little three-year-old guy has become the pickiest eater lately. He was never even the slightest bit picky before. The battle is just getting him to try things, because he usually likes things once he tries them. Last night I made a healthier homemade sesame chicken for dinner and he would’t touch it. He only ate the rice. When he wanted more rice I told him he had to eat the chicken first. He fought me for like thirty minutes, likely because of the veggies in the dish (broccoli and red bell pepper). But then once he took his first forced bite he ended up loving it and ate it all up.
These muffins are a different story.
He loves them. I don’t think he’ll ever guess that there’s a green veggie mixed in OR that they are 100% whole wheat OR that they aren’t loaded with refined sugar.
They are oh-so-chocolatey and super-moist, and they remind me a lot of chocolate cupcakes.
Granted, it took me about 100 tries to get this recipe the way I wanted it. I have never cooked with dutch process cocoa powder before. I’ve also never baked with natural sweeteners. NEW territory. Luckily I have made muffins before, many times, so I at least had that going for me. You really would never be able to tell that these are any different than your run-of-the-mill chocolate chocolate chip muffins.
Take that Costco. Just kidding. I love you, annnnnnd your muffins.
- 1/8 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp milk chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 Tbsp dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, room temperature*
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 3 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup finely grated zucchini, loosely packed
- Measure chocolate chips into a small bowl and place in freezer until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a standard muffin tin with six cupcake liners.
- Measure the flour into a medium mixing bowl. Sift the cocoa powder through a fine mesh sieve into the same bowl. Add the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk until combined. Set aside.
- In a liquid measuring cup, combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, applesauce, egg white, vanilla, and zucchini. Set aside.
- Stir the frozen chocolate chips into the flour mixture. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well, and stir with a wooden spoon just until all ingredients are mixed together.
- Divide batter evenly between the six prepared muffin tins (they’ll be pretty full, but don’t worry they won’t overflow). Sprinkle with additional mini chocolate chips if desired.
- Bake for 17-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in muffin comes out clean.
- Let cool in muffin tin for 3-5 minutes. Remove to cooling rack, and cool for 30 additional minutes before serving. Store any leftover muffins in an airtight container, but note that they are best eaten on the day they are made.
Baking Yum 
I actually love using zucchini in baking (especially with chocolate) as it makes everything so moist and gives a yummy texture too. Great muffin recipes and I definitely want to make them!
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