1-Bowl Zucchini Chocolate Chunk Muffins

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Perfect for breakfast on the go, these 1-bowl Zucchini Chocolate Chunk Muffins are full of goodness: toasted walnuts, nutty hemp seeds, and hefty chunks of dark chocolate. Sweetened lightly with coconut sugar and your choice of honey or maple syrup, you can make these zucchini muffins vegan or vegetarian.

Ingredients

Here’s what goes into these moist and delicious Zucchini Chocolate Chunk Muffins.

• zucchini. We didn’t peel the zucchini and grated it using the largest size shredder on our box grater.
• dark chocolate. We used a 70% dark chocolate bar, chopped into chunks. You can substitute with dark chocolate chips, or really any type of chocolate that you like. If you are vegan or plant-based, be sure to read the label on the package.
• walnuts. We used walnut pieces. If you don’t care for walnuts, we think pecans would be delicious here too.
• hemp seeds. Hemp seeds have a mild, nutty flavour that complements the toasted walnuts.
• coconut sugar. Coconut sugar has a subtle caramel undertone. You can find it in most well-stocked grocery stores, sometimes named coconut palm sugar. Coconut sugar is a light brown granulated sugar that’s not quite as sweet as white sugar. If you can’t find it, you can replace with white sugar, although the end result will be a bit sweeter.
• honey or maple syrup. We have tested the recipe with both of these liquid sweeteners and both work well.
• milk. We tested with cow’s milk and also with cashew milk. Any unsweetened plant-milk should work.
• whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour has more protein than all-purpose flour, as well as more fiber. We have not tested this recipe with all-purpose (white) flour.
• eggs or aquafaba. We have tested this recipe using both eggs and aquafaba. Aquafaba is the liquid from canned or cooked chickpeas, and it has similar properties to egg whites. Read our detailed post, Aquafaba: An Easy Vegan Egg Replacer.
• baking powder. This is a leavening agent.
• salt. This enhances all of the flavours and helps with the leavening.

Making the Muffins

These muffins come together really quickly. Get the walnuts toasting while you grate the zucchini. We used the largest size shredder on our box grater.

Once your zucchini is grated add it to a large mixing bowl and then stir in the remaining wet ingredients. Next, add the dry ingredients, stirring well after each addition. End with the chocolate chunks. (If you like, reserve about 1/3 of the chocolate chunks and put them on top of the muffins after you put the batter in the muffin tins.)

Spoon the batter into prepared muffin tins. Optionally, for extra goodness, sprinkle the extra toasted walnuts and the reserved chocolate chunks on top.

Bake for about 20 minutes at 350F until a fork comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for an hour or so before removing.

Other ways to use up some zucchini:

• Pear and Zucchini Bread (vegan or vegetarian)
• Baked Zucchini Fritters (vegan)
• Green Lasagna (vegan or vegetarian)
• Zucchini and Green Pea Fritters (vegan)

Printable Recipe Card

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5 from 3 votes

1-Bowl Zucchini Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Prep Time15 mins

Active Time20 mins

Course: Breakfast, brunch, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 1-bowl muffins, healthy zucchini muffins, vegan zucchini muffins, zucchini choclate muffins, zucchini muffins, zucchini walnut muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

Calories: 404kcal

Author: sylvia

Equipment

• muffin tins for 12 muffins,

Materials

• 2 cups zucchini, grated (Measure grated)
• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (Or substitute other liquid sweetener)
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 2 eggs (or 6 tablespoons aquafaba – see recipe notes)
• 1/2 cup plant or animal milk
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dark chocolate bar, in chunks (or substitute chocolate chips)

Optionally for Topping

• 2/3 cup walnuts
• 2 teaspoons turbinado sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Lightly oil the muffin tins.
• Place the walnuts in a layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 6-8 minutes until lightly toasted.
• Grate the zucchini.
• In a large bowl, add the zucchini, liquid sweetener (honey or maple syrup), olive oil, eggs or aquafaba, and milk, stirring well after each addition.
• Add the dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, hemp seeds, walnuts, baking powder, and salt, stirring well after each addition and ending with the chocolate chips/chunks.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Optionally, sprinkle about a tablespoon of walnuts on top of each muffin, along with little turbinado sugar.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a fork comes out clean.

Notes

About Aquafaba

Aquafaba is the liquid from canned or cooked chickpeas or other beans. It has properties similar to an egg white and is used as an egg replacer to make the vegan (plant-based) version of this recipe. See our detailed post, Aquafaba: An Easy Vegan Egg Replacer.

Choosing Milk

We tested this recipe with both cow’s milk and unsweetened cashew milk. Other types of plant-based milk substitute should work as well, but have not been tested. Use an unsweetened kind. 

Storage and Freezing

Store muffins in a tightly sealed container and eat within 2-3 days. We have not yet tested freezing the muffins, but they should freeze well if tightly wrapped and placed in an airtight container. 

Nutritional Information

Nutritional information is an estimate only and does not include optional walnut and sugar topping. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 314mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 4mg

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