Chocolate for breakfast? Absolutely! These healthy, vegan, and gluten-free Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are so delicious, you'll feel like you're eating dessert. Top them with Vegan Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting for the tastiest muffin you've ever tried!
I am SO excited to share these Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins with you. Not only are they filling and nutritious, they have the perfect texture without using butter, oil, or any specialty ingredients! My kids are obsessed with these muffins, especially when I top them with Vegan Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.
Health Benefits of Zucchini
I love that zucchini is in season in the summertime when we need extra hydration, because it's 90% water! This means it's also low in calories and adds really delicious moisture to baked goods. Since we started a home garden we've been eating zucchini we grew, which is SO exciting! You can see all of my favorite zucchini recipes right here.
How to Make Gluten-Free Oat Flour
This recipe has one cup of oat flour in it, which you can buy, but it's also easy and inexpensive to make. Just put your oats into a blender and pulse it until a fine flour forms! I love baking with oatmeal because it’s full of soluble fiber, and they’re higher in protein and healthful fats than most other whole grains. I love getting an energy boost and feeling full a little longer after eating oats!
Nut-Free Vegan Chocolate Muffins
To make a nut-free version of these Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, you can substitute sunflower seed butter or pumpkin seed butter in place of the almond butter. The recipe calls for almond milk, but coconut, rice, oat, flaxseed, or hemp milk would all work as well.
Vegan Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing
The vegan cream cheese icing is optional but takes it into dream territory! I love the Kite Hill brand for a plant-based cream cheese that whips into a totally smooth, creamy topping. A little bit of maple syrup, unsweetened cocoa powder, and vanilla extract are all you need to make the just-right topping.
What to Pair with Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Our favorite way enjoy these is with a cold glass of homemade oat milk or almond milk. You could even do Chocolate Hemp Seed Milk if you want to go all in on the chocolate! This makes for such a satisfying snack that's VERY kid-friendly. My kids gobbled up three muffins each before I made them stop!
These Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are refined sugar-free, soy-free, oil-free, butter-free, gluten-free, and can even be made nut-free! They're vegan, which means I made them without eggs or dairy as well. I love snacks that everyone can enjoy, especially when they contain chocolate! I hope you'll tag me on Instagram if you make these, and be sure to drop a review below!
More Vegan + Gluten-Free Muffin Recipes (all refined sugar-free as well!)
Blueberry Muffins
Blender Sweet Potato Muffins
Dye-Free Green Muffins
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Blender Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel Topping
Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Muffins
Vegan & Gluten-Free Baking with Chocolate (all refined sugar-free as well!)
Vegan Chocolate Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Chocolate Granola
Sweet Potato Brownies
Baked Chocolate Chia Seed Donuts
Easy Two-Tier Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake
No-Bake Flourless Brownie Energy Bites
More Zucchini Recipes
Easy Paleo Zucchini "Hummus"
Mediterranean Zoodle (Zucchini Noodle) Salad
Easy Vegan Zucchini Pizza Bites
Creamy Broccoli & Zucchini Pasta Salad
The Best Vegan and Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These healthy, vegan, and gluten-free Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are so delicious, you'll feel like you're eating dessert.
Ingredients
For the double chocolate zucchini muffins
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (from about 1 medium zucchini) - packed in measuring cup
- ½ cup raw almond butter
- ½ cup unsweetened plain almond milk (or plant-based milk of choice)
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup vegan mini chocolate chips
Optional Vegan Chocolate Cream Cheese "Icing"
- 4 ounces plain vegan cream cheese (I love Kite Hill brand)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with avocado oil (or line with paper or silicone baking cups and spray the inside of those cups with avocado oil). Set aside.
- Place shredded zucchini in a paper towel or kitchen towel and squeeze out all the moisture. Place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add all wet ingredients to the shredded zucchini (almond butter, almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla). Whisk until well combined.
- Add oat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt to the mixing bowl and whisk until well combined and no clumps remain.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Fill the muffin cups until ⅞ths full. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to fully cool to room temperature before touching them.
- While the muffins cool, make the vegan chocolate cream cheese icing. Add vegan cream cheese, maple syrup, cocoa powder and vanilla to a small mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to combine until smooth and no clumps remain. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Once the muffins have fully cooled, remove them from the muffin tin. Add the cream cheese icing with a knife and enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Equipment
Buy Now →
nesting lidded glass mixing bowls
Buy Now →
Measuring Spoons [use code ELAINE-10 for 10% off]
Buy Now →
Buy Now →
non-stick, non-toxic muffin tin
Buy Now →
Buy Now →
refined sugar-free, vegan dark chocolate (use code ELAINE for 10% off)
Buy Now →
Buy Now →
Notes
For a nut-free version use sunflower seed butter or pumpkin butter in place of the almond butter. Also use oat milk, rice milk, flaxseed milk, coconut milk or hemp seed milk in place of almond milk.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Breakfast or Snack
- Method: Oven
Keywords: vegan chocolate zucchini muffins
Brandilyn Haynes says
HOLY MOLY....these are SO GOOD! I cannot believe how moist they are. They're delicious on their own, but the cream cheese frosting takes them over the top. My picky-eater kiddos loved them and they were gone so fast I should have made a double batch. Huge bonus: it's mostly pantry ingredients that I already had on hand. I love when that happens!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Brandilyn! I'm SO happy to hear how much you and your people enjoyed these muffins! I agree they can stand alone without the cream cheese frosting but I also never regret adding it! 🙂 And very true that this is a total pantry ingredient recipe minus the zucchini! Best, Elaine
Twinkle says
Loved it, healthy and delicious is a hard combo to find. I’ve tried your apple muffins and they are equally tasty, muffins are moist and soft. Batter seemed to lack bit of sweetness for our taste so I added some brown sugar but they are perfect overall!
Elaine Gordon says
Thanks! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this one! And the apple muffins too! 🙂 Both delicious this time of year! Best, Elaine
Jennifer Perkins says
Young or old, everyone loves these!!! They're rich and fudgy and they don't taste like they should be as healthy as they are! I have even served them as dessert to some of our non-vegan, non-GF friends and they loved them and asked to take some home!!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Jennifer! So happy this recipe has been a success all around with you and everyone you serve them to! Makes me so happy to hear that! Thank you for the five star rating! Best, Elaine
Lisandra Tabares-Perez says
Another great recipe to get my toddler to eat a veggie! I’ve made these twice already
Yael says
Elaine these are so good!! We have been struggling for healthy breakfast ideas and my kids love these! They also have no idea they are healthy 🙂 I did use 50/50 oat/white flour, otherwise followed exactly. Thanks!!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Yael! Great to hear from you 🙂 I'm so happy to hear these have been helpful for you and enjoyed by your kids! Thanks for the fie star review! Best, Elaine
Lily Richards says
Utterly delicious!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Lily! So happy you enjoyed these 🙂
Amy says
These turned out sooo good!! My kids loved them too and didn’t even notice there was zucchini in them! A new favorite muffin for sure!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Amy! I'm so happy to hear your kids loved them so much! Best, Elaine
libi Yeheskeli says
Everyone loves it!
Elaine Gordon says
Aw thank you so much, Libi! I'm so happy to hear your crew enjoyed it so much! XO, Elaine