Name: Moist Vegan Chocolate-Zucchini Muffins with Oat Flour
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 cup shredded zucchini (from about 1 medium zucchini) - packed in measuring cup; 1/2 cup raw almond butter (or nut or seed butter of choice); 1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (or plant-based milk of choice); 1/2 cup maple syrup; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup gluten-free oat flour; 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon fine salt; 1/2 cup vegan mini chocolate chips; 4 ounces plain vegan cream cheese (I love Kite Hill brand); 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Jump to Recipe

Does it get any better than eating chocolate for breakfast? I don’t think so! These
soft and moist vegan chocolate zucchini muffins are baked with grated
zucchini, cocoa powder, almond butter, almond milk and oat flour. Ready to
enjoy in 30 minutes! Yields 12 muffins.

Vegan double chocolate zucchini muffins with oat flour next to a bowl of chocolate chips on a white background.

I am SO excited to share these plant-based 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!

While there are so many great plant-based breakfast ideas to choose from, I love muffins because they are easy to incorporate vegetables into without compromising the flavor or texture. In this moist vegan muffin recipe I used zucchini, but you can also feature veggies in other muffin recipes such as pumpkins in my vegan chocolate and pumpkin muffins and sweet potatoes in my easy vegan sweet potato muffins!

A stack of three vegan chocolate zucchini muffins with a white background.

Muffins of course don't need to have vegetables, as vegan blueberry muffins are definitely the gold standard of them all. But why not use them when given the chance?

My kids are obsessed with these gluten free zucchini muffins, especially when I top them with vegan chocolate cream cheese frosting. You'll seriously feel like you are eating dessert!

Ingredients

This recipe comes together using just 10 ingredients (or 11 if adding the icing):

Zucchini
Almond butter (or any other nut or seed butter)
Unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
Maple syrup
Vanilla extract
Oat flour
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Baking soda
Fine salt
Vegan mini chocolate chips
Vegan cream cheese (optional for icing)

Ingredients of vegan chocolate zucchini muffins separated into bowls with a white background.

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 grow which is SO exciting! You can see all of my favorite zucchini recipes here.

How to Grate Zucchini for Muffins

Zucchini can be grated using a handheld box greater or a food processor. Either method is fine (and are both quick). The food processor is easier but it creates an extra thing to clean so I usually just opt for the grater.

If using a box grater, cut off both ends of the zucchini and slide it up and down the grater on the side with the larger holes until fully grated.

If using a food processor, use the grating attachment and feed the zucchini into the food processor.

When you've finished, squeeze the grated zucchini dry using a fine mesh strainer or a clean towel. It is important to squeeze out as much moisture as possible to get that perfect texture!

Hands squeezing grated zucchini in a white towel over a white bowl.

How to Make Gluten-Free Oat Flour

This recipe has one cup of oat flour in it. You can buy oat flour but it is really easy and inexpensive to make. Just put your oats into a blender and pulse it until a fine flour forms!

I love baking with oats because they are full of soluble fiber which helps you feel fuller longer. Oats are also higher in protein and healthful fats than most other whole grains, in addition to being lower in carbohydrates.

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, plant-based cream cheese and vanilla extract are all you need.

Vegan chocolate zucchini muffins next to a jar of homemade milk with a white background.

Six vegan chocolate zucchini muffins on a white background.

Putting It All Together - Making the Muffins

Once you've grated and squeezed the zucchini dry, the rest is super easy!

First, add zucchini and the wet ingredients (almond butter, almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla) to a mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.

Then add in the dry ingredients (oat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt) and whisk again until no clumps remain. Stir in some chocolate chips and your muffin mixture is done!

Wet ingredients of chocolate zucchini muffins in a glass bowl.

Vegan chocolate zucchini muffins batter in a glass bowl.

Vegan chocolate zucchini muffins batter and chocolate chips in a glass bowl.

Pour the mixture into muffin cups until they are almost full, but not to the very top. You want to leave some space for it to rise without spilling over.

Bake the zucchini muffins for 20 minutes. To ensure they are fully done once you remove them from the oven, insert a toothpick into the middle of one of the muffins. If it comes out clean, you are all set!

Muffin wrappers in a muffin tin filled with vegan chocolate zucchini muffin mixture.

While the muffins cool, use a hand mixer to quickly combine the chocolate icing ingredients (dairy-free cream cheese, maple syrup, cocoa powder and vanilla) in a small mixing bowl and pop it in the fridge until you are ready to use.

Once the muffins have fully cooled, remove them from the muffin tin, top them with the cream cheese icing and enjoy!

Vegan chocolate zucchini muffins topped with vegan cream cheese icing and chocolate chips on a wire rack with a white background.

Nut-Free Option for Zucchini Muffins

To make a nut-free version of these vegan 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 using the same measurements.

Can you Freeze Zucchini Muffins?

Yes, zucchini muffins are freezer-friendly! You can freeze them for up to three months. When re-serving, let them thaw at room temperature or in the microwave.

These muffins can be enjoyed without freezing for up to 5 days by placing them in an airtight container and storing in the refrigerator.

Vegan chocolate zucchini muffins in white muffin wrappers with a white background.

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 had to make them stop!

A half-eaten vegan chocolate zucchini muffin made with oat flour stacked on top of two whole chocolate zucchini muffins.

These moist vegan 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