Tall, moist, and loaded with chocolate chips, these double chocolate Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are always a hit with kids and adults. You’ll never even guess there’s fresh zucchini hidden inside!

Want to bake more vegan muffins? Try my Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, my Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins, or my Vegan Strawberry Muffins next!

side view of 3 vegan chocolate zucchini muffins on a bamboo board.

It’s a problem I have every summer: my kitchen counters are, out of nowhere, taken over by fresh zucchini. Whether they came from our neighbors garden or the farmer’s market, I suddenly have more squash than I know what to do with! No problem—I can easily turn them into something delicious, like these Vegan Zucchini Fritters, a platter of Roasted Squash and Zucchini, or these Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins.

Can you think of a better way to eat vegetables than by baking them into a chocolate dessert? I can’t! With a full cup of grated zucchini folded into the chocolate batter, each muffin comes out of the oven almost impossibly moist and tender. And even better, you can’t even taste the zucchini. It’s a win-win!

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“SO good. I’m not a fan of zucchini and you can’t taste it at all. I followed the recipe to a T and they came out perfect.” – Sierra

Why you’ll love these double chocolate and zucchini muffins

  • Double the chocolate – Think of these muffins as the double chocolate version of my classic Vegan Zucchini Muffins. Just as moist and fluffy, but twice as decadent!
  • Best way to use zucchini – Move over, salad and zoodles! Baking fresh summer zucchini into a batch of fluffy double chocolate muffins is clearly the best way to use it all up.
  • Kids love them! Reader Kat shared, “I made this for toddlers so I used 1/4 cup sugar and sugar-free baking chocolate. They loved it and it was a great way to get them to eat more veggies.”

How to make vegan chocolate zucchini muffins

Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.

Whisk the wet ingredients together in a large bowl. Blot the grated zucchini with paper towels to remove the excess water, then add it to the bowl. Stir to combine.

overhead view of a hand using a white spatula to stir grated zucchini into vegan chocolate zucchini muffin batter in a large bowl.
overhead view of vegan chocolate zucchini muffin batter in a large bowl.

Gently stir the dry ingredients in with the wet mixture until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Transfer the batter to a lined muffin tin. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top, then bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

overhead view of vegan chocolate zucchini muffin batter in a muffin tin.
overhead view of baked vegan chocolate zucchini muffins in a muffin tin.

Let the muffins cool for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy!

side view of baked vegan chocolate zucchini muffins in a muffin tin.

Frequently asked questions

Can they be made gluten-free?

Yes, you can swap the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend instead.

Do I have to use chocolate chips?

You can easily replace the dairy-free chocolate chips with an equal amount of chopped walnuts, peanuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, or raisins if you’d like. Or, if you’re out of chocolate chips, a chopped dark chocolate bar is a great substitute.

Can I reduce the sugar in the muffins?

You can try reducing the sugar to 1/2 cup if you prefer less sweet muffins.

Can I bake the muffin batter in a loaf pan instead?

I haven’t tried this, but it should work as well as my Vegan Zucchini Bread. Pour the batter into a lightly greased and lined standard loaf pan and bake at 350ºF for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Wait for the chocolate bread to cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.

What can I swap the oil with?

An equal amount of unsweetened applesauce works really well. Some of my readers have also used 1/3 cup of mashed banana as a substitute for the oil and had good results.

How long do zucchini muffins last?

The baked and cooled muffins will stay fluffy and moist for 2 days at room temperature, 5 days in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer. Just store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.

side view of a vegan chocolate zucchini muffin with a bite taken out of it.
side view of a vegan chocolate zucchini muffin on a bamboo board.
5 stars (15 ratings)

Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Tall, moist, and loaded with chocolate chips, these double chocolate Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are always a hit with kids and adults. You’ll never even guess there’s fresh zucchini hidden inside!
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients 
 

  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup grated zucchini
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips plus more for sprinkling on top

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a standard muffin pan with paper liners. Spray them lightly with oil to prevent any sticking.
  • In a large bowl, add the vegetable oil, soy milk, ground flaxseeds, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
  • Lightly blot the grated zucchini with paper towels to remove excess liquid, and add to the bowl. Stir into the wet mixture.
  • Add the flour and cocoa powder to the wet ingredients, then sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, and salt on top of the flour. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until just combined, being careful not to over mix the batter, or your muffins will be dense instead of fluffy. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Fill the liners 3/4 of the way full, then sprinkle some more chocolate chips on top, if desired.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Gluten-Free: May substitute a gluten free flour mix (I like King Arthur Cup for Cup) or whole wheat pastry flour. 
  2. Oil-Free: Substitute the oil with applesauce.
  3. Consider adding 1/2 cup chopped walnuts for extra crunch.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 12 muffins | Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Author: Nora Taylor
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!

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Comments

  1. Nora these look amazing, I made you regular zuccihini muffins and they were awesome! I am going to make these as well but want to know what brand of chocolate chips do you use or reccomend? I am always unsure of what brand to get so I haven’t yet? Thank you.

    1. Thanks Karla, I hope you love these muffins as well! Most often, I purchase Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips and Enjoy Life brand. Sometimes I find store brands that are less expensive and happen to be vegan. If they’re vegan-friendly, I use them!

  2. I love that Nora’s recipes are so flexible. I made this for toddlers so I used 1/4 cup sugar and sugar-free baking chocolate. They loved it and it was a great way to get them to eat more veggies.

  3. Had extra zucchini from our very first veggie garden and this recipe put them to good use! Our whole family love these muffins – especially my dairy and egg allergic kiddo. The recipe was easy to follow and the muffin consistency is great. Thank you for another great vegan recipe from Nora Cooks

  4. Another amazing recipe from Nora Cooks! Gosh these are delicious! Your recipes have made our family’s transition to food allergies so simple and delicious! Thank you for helping this mama be less overwhelmed because I’ve got great egg free/dairy free recipes I can trust.

  5. These were excellent!  I followed the recipe, no changes or substitutions and they came out perfectly.  Will definitely make again.  Thanks!

  6. SO good. I’m not a fan of zucchini and you can’t taste it at all. I followed the recipe to a T and they came out perfect.

  7. I just made these chocolate zucchini muffins. They turned out great and are delicious. I used banana instead of oil. I will be making these again for sure.

  8. Do you think anything else could be substituted for the flax seeds? Sorry to be one of those people who wants to make changes to a recipe ?‍♀️ We can’t use them due to an allergy. 

  9. I have had a 100% success rate with your recipes! I made this recipe, as is, and the muffins are delicious!

    1. Hi Dara. I’m thrilled to hear my recipes are working great for you! Thank you for using them, and for taking your time to share your review and comments! Happy cooking!

  10. So gonna make these this weekend, and I have faith they will be amazing. Just have to say how out of touch is the YouTube AI for posting ads of ? bacon in the middle of your videos. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Anyway, thanks for all these great recipes. 

        1. To make them oil free? You probably could, but I’m not sure you would use a whole banana. I would mash it and use 1/4 cup mashed banana in place of the oil.

  11. OMG – These are amazing! Just made them this afternoon and they are the perfect balance of not too sweet and chocolate yumminess!

  12. So delicious!! Yummy recipe incorporating veggies into something sweet! Just made these and they came out perfectly!

  13. I am excited to try this recipe! And thank you for including the “notes” section where you give us substitution options??? I really appreciate it

  14. Oh my word…these are to die for!!! Next time I will double this recipe because the batch I just made will not last long!!! Thanks for a fabulous recipe Nora! 

  15. I couldn’t resist the recipe knowing I had a zucchini in the refrigerator.  I made these last night…SO GOOD.  I did use applesauce instead of oil and they came out great.  My whole family loves them.  Thank you! 

  16. These sound delicious!! I’ve printed the recipe!!!
    I wanted to thank you, Nora, for always adding the nutritional values to your recipes. It is most helpful to those of us watching sugar, fat and carbs!!! Happy cooking!!!

  17. Made these just a few hours after Nora posted the recipe!
    Best zucchini muffins I’ve ever had! These r a dupe for the double chocolate Costco muffins . No one would ever know they are vegan! 
    No need to look further, this is the best recipe out there!

    1. I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins; thanks for trying them so quickly and leaving a review! I totally agree, they remind me of one of those chocolate bakery style muffins, so good.

    1. I haven’t tried it, but it likely would work fine, yes! It might take a bit longer than that, but just check with a toothpick after 55 minutes.

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