Moist Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins with Espresso Chips
These moist double chocolate zucchini muffins with espresso chips are a delicious and sneaky way to enjoy a chocolate treat with a vegetable twist. They offer a tender texture, rich chocolate flavor, and a subtle coffee kick, perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (35g) unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (80ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (approx. 180g) grated zucchini, finely shredded and squeezed to remove excess moisture
- ¾ cup (130g) espresso chips (or semi-sweet chocolate chips as substitute)
- Optional: ½ cup (60g) chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare your muffin tin by greasing it or lining with paper liners.
- Grate the zucchini finely using a box grater or food processor. Gently squeeze the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- In another bowl, whisk the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly fluffy.
- Fold the squeezed zucchini into the wet ingredients gently.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding carefully with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the espresso chips and optional chopped nuts.
- Spoon the batter evenly into 12 muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Squeeze excess moisture from zucchini to avoid soggy muffins. Use room temperature eggs for better mixing and rise. Tent muffins with foil if they brown too quickly. Fresh espresso chips provide the best coffee flavor. For gluten-free, substitute flour with a 1:1 gluten-free blend. Nuts are optional for added crunch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Protein: 3
Keywords: double chocolate, zucchini muffins, espresso chips, chocolate muffins, healthy chocolate treat, vegetable in dessert, moist muffins, easy baking