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Home » Recipes » Breakfast » Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

By Taesha Butler June 18, 2019 (Updated August 30, 2022) 40 Comments

Servings12 muffins
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Jump to Recipe
5 from 18 votes

These Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins are silly easy to make in your blender and beyond delicious. Loaded with veggies and leveled up with chocolate chips, they are made with oatmeal, naturally sweetened, and are perfect for a feel-good breakfast or snack.

These Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins are silly easy to make in your blender and beyond delicious. Loaded with veggies and studded with chocolate. So, basically they are pretty much the best thing ever! Oh! And they are naturally gluten free, dairy-free and can be easily made nut-free.

If there is one thing I know about you guys, it is that you *love* a good veggie-loaded muffin recipe from your girl here. My Oatmeal Green Smoothie Muffins send many of you (especially those of you with kiddos protesting all thing green) into giddy tale spin. And I have joked with my husband that one day, my tombstone will read “Here lies Taesha. Wife, Mother, Friend, and Green Smoothie Muffin Maker.”

All joking aside, a good veggie-loaded, healthy muffin recipe can be a total game changer for someone. Why? Because muffins are easy to make, are perfectly portioned out and are kind of the best thing ever for breakfasts or easy snacks. And the fact that they can be a vessel for getting more veggies into your life and body is just frosting on the muffin!

And now I am adding a new veggie-loaded muffin recipe to the mix with these *amazing* Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins.

These Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins are mixed up in minutes in your handy dandy blender. Super easy, super fast! Made extra hearty with oats, these muffins are naturally sweetened with applesauce or bananas and honey or maple syrup. Making a nice big batch of 12 muffins, they are perfect for adding to your meal prep line-up so that breakfasts and snacks are grab-and-go. And they freeze like a dream! Naturally nut-free and gluten free when you use certified gluten free oats, these muffins can also easily be made dairy-free with your favorite plant based milk.

How can I substitute applesauce in baking, like in these muffins?

Applesauce offers a lot to a baking recipe, such as natural sweetness and moisture. When swapping out applesauce in baking, my first go-to is mashed banana. I find that I can swap them out one-for-one in a sweet baking recipe with consistent success. And I often do it when making these Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins!

How should I store these zucchini muffins?

Like with any baked good, be sure to let these muffins cool on your counter completely before storing.

After they are cool, transfer the muffins to an air-tight container. You can leave them at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, I suggest storing them in the fridge or freezer to prevent molding and to keep them as fresh as possible for days to come. They also freeze beautifully and make for a great breakfast or snack to stock up on!

These Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins are silly easy to make in your blender and beyond delicious. Loaded with veggies and studded with chocolate. So, basically they are pretty much the best thing ever! Oh! And they are naturally gluten free, dairy-free and can be easily made nut-free.

Suggested Adaptations

  • Make them with carrot instead of zucchini. No zucchini in the garden or fridge? Just swap it out for shredded carrot…or even summer squash!
  • Use summer squash instead of zucchini. Many people don’t know you can swap zucchini and yellow summer squash in most recipes!
  • Reduce the sugar and skip the chocolate chips. Everyone prefers a different level of sweetness. If you are looking to minimize the sugar in these zucchini muffins, simply omit the chocolate chips.
  • Replace the chocolate chips with raisins. It is all a matter of preference.
  • Replace the applesauce with 2 medium ripe mashed bananas. No applesauce on hand or just love bananas? Go ahead and make the switch!

Tips and tricks

  • Let them cool completely. If you want to dive right in and enjoy a Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffin warm (because that is kinda the best thing ever), go for it. But don’t freak out if they stick to the papers a little or are slightly soft in the middle. Both are normal and as the muffins cool, both issues will resolve.
  • Blend the oats into oat flour first. If you are not using a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, consider blending the oats into a flour first. Why? Because this will help you to break down the oats easier and give your muffins a better texture.
  • Don’t skip on squeezing out the zucchini. Zucchini naturally has a lot of water. Squeezing out some of the zucchini’s natural moisture is essential so that these muffins come out perfectly moist instead of mushy.
  • If making these for a child under 1, use maple syrup instead of honey. I remember hearing that recommendation since my daughter was a baby, but never knew why exactly. The reason is because something called Clostridium bacteria can be present in honey and is no good for those developing little infant guts. It is usually not an issue for children over age 1 thought. Check out this article for more info.

Other veggie-loaded muffin recipes you’ll love…

  • Healthy Chocolate Muffins (with veggies!)
  • Healthy Zucchini Lemon Muffins
  • Oatmeal Green Smoothie Muffins
  • Cinnamon Zucchini Banana Muffins
  • Savory Vegetable Muffins
  • Butternut Squash Banana Blender Muffins
  • Mini Butternut Squash Blueberry Muffins

Did you try these zucchini muffins and now you’re hungry for more? 

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These Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins are silly easy to make in your blender and beyond delicious. Loaded with veggies and studded with chocolate. So, basically they are pretty much the best thing ever! Oh! And they are naturally gluten free, dairy-free and can be easily made nut-free.
Print Recipe
5 from 18 votes

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

These Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins are silly easy to make in your blender and beyond delicious. Loaded with veggies and leveled up with chocolate chips, they are made with oatmeal, naturally sweetened, and are perfect for a feel-good breakfast or snack.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dairy-free, gluten free, hidden veggies, nut-free option
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 180kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Equipment

  • Muffin tin
  • Blender

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup grated zucchini
  • 2 ½ cups rolled oats if gluten free is important, make sure the oats are certified gluten free
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce sub very ripe banana
  • ¼ cup milk of choice
  • ⅓ cup honey* or maple syrup
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil
  • ½ Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup high quality chocolate chips +extra for topping

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a 12-hole muffin tin with liners.
  • Take the grated zucchini and place it in the middle of a clean dish towel or large paper towel. Wrap the zucchini in the towel and squeeze out as much of the moisture as you can. Set aside. 
  • Pour oats into your blender. Pulse until very finely ground and the oats resemble flour.
  • Add remaining ingredients except zucchini and chocolate chips to the blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides and continuing to blend as needed.
  • Add drained zucchini and chocolate chips to the batter. Fold them in.
    You can pour the batter into a bowl before adding chocolate chips and zucchini if you want. However, I try to make as few dishes as possible, so I just pour them into the blender with the batter and stir them in.
  • Portion the batter out between the 12 lined muffin tin holes. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top of the muffins if desired.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  • Cool for 15-20 minutes before enjoying. Allow the muffins to cool completely before transferring to an air-tight container. Store in fridge for 4-5 days or in freezer for up to a month.

Notes

*If making muffins for a child under age 1, use maple syrup instead of honey. 

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

These Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins are silly easy to make in your blender and beyond delicious. Loaded with veggies and studded with chocolate. #glutenfree #dairyfree #nutfree #healthymuffin #veggieloaded #hiddenveggies

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Muffins Tagged With: zucchini

Previous Post: « No-Bake Peanut Butter Carrot Balls
Next Post: Creamy 10-Minute Beetroot Hummus »

Reader Interactions

    Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Bonnie

    July 21, 2019 at 1:21 am

    5 stars
    Wonderful! We make these weekly and they get devoured by the whole family. I do use cow milk instead but that’s my only substitution!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      July 21, 2019 at 5:24 pm

      Yay!

      Reply
  2. Amy

    July 30, 2019 at 11:39 pm

    5 stars
    These are absolutely delicious!!! Awesome recipe! I added raisins and chocolate chips to satisfy all the taste buds in my house and they loved them!! Page is definitely bookmarked for future use – thanks!!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      July 31, 2019 at 1:53 am

      Yay! I am so glad y’all enjoyed them!

      Reply
  3. Darlene T Prescott

    September 5, 2019 at 2:25 pm

    Any idea on baking time for mini muffins ?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      September 9, 2019 at 1:12 am

      I would say about 10ish minutes

      Reply
  4. Vicky

    September 10, 2019 at 3:39 am

    Can you do half oat flour half coconut flour? Or just coconut flour? Also, are quick oats ok to use?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      September 10, 2019 at 3:26 pm

      Unfortunately no. Coconut flour behaves very differently then oat flour does in a recipe

      Reply
  5. Lapoof.com

    September 10, 2019 at 1:38 pm

    Light and fluffy pumpkin zucchini muffins made with gluten-free flours, zucchini and pumpkin! A healthy gluten-free muffin and great way to get veggies in the morning!

    Reply
  6. Anu

    October 21, 2019 at 1:20 am

    Just made these using a 24-count mini muffin tin (10 min bake time) and whole cow’s milk – and they are delicious! Was wanting something different to feed my 2 year old for breakfast, but my husband and I are currently devouring them one by one – ha! Hope there’ll be some left for the little guy!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      October 21, 2019 at 2:32 am

      Yay! I am so glad they are a hit with the whole family!

      Reply
  7. Katie

    November 16, 2019 at 3:36 pm

    Can you add the zucchini in the blender? I don’t know if my picky eater will like the texture…

    Reply
    • Taesha

      November 16, 2019 at 4:43 pm

      You can. Just be sure to squeeze out the water first or the muffins will be mushy!

      Reply
  8. Alisha Ross

    January 20, 2020 at 10:42 am

    5 stars
    I have some wheat berries in the cupboard that would love to be in homemade bread. I also would like to try to make chickpea flour.

    Reply
  9. Rose Martine

    January 27, 2020 at 7:22 am

    I so enjoy your site and your recipes. Would you please consider adding a print option so we can enjoy your recipes a little more easily. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 27, 2020 at 4:55 pm

      Hi Rose! There is a print option on most of my recipes! You can find it under the image in the recipe card itself

      Reply
  10. Shaina

    March 13, 2020 at 6:17 pm

    5 stars
    My family LOVES this recipe! I used the banana substitute and used 1 cup of zuc and 1 cup of grated carrots for one batch — it was amazing! I know these are usually for kids to help try more veggies, but I made these for my parents and they keep asking for more! They’re very picky when it comes to texture and things that taste a little too “healthy” or different, so this was a big win! I made a double batch and froze them in my dorm to keep for easy breakfasts or snacks. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
  11. Colette

    April 27, 2020 at 6:58 pm

    Can I use regular flour instead of the oats? If so, how much?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      April 28, 2020 at 3:59 pm

      I haven’t tried in this particular recipe but I find that whole wheat flour and oat flour usually swap out pretty well! I’d say 2 1/4 cup would be my guess

      Reply
  12. Gabrielle

    May 20, 2020 at 1:22 am

    5 stars
    This is by far my favorite muffin recipe!! I make them every week and eat them every single morning for breakfast. So delicious. I just substitute coconut oil for olive oil and no chocolate chips. I also usually end up adding a bit of extra zucchini and reduce the honey to about 1 tbsp. These are amazing thank you for the great recipe!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 20, 2020 at 1:25 am

      I love hearing that and I am so glad! They are a house favorite here too!

      Reply
  13. ปั้มไลค์

    July 2, 2020 at 3:05 am

    5 stars
    Really good. thank you!

    Reply
  14. Adriane

    July 17, 2020 at 10:33 pm

    5 stars
    This is our favorite TNN recipe, made weekly during zucchini season. It is so forgiving.
    —We also tried it with carrots and with yellow summer squash.
    —We’ve tried all sorts of milks.
    —we’ve subbed the egg and the applesauce In different circumstances.
    —We’ve used avocado oil when out of coconut (or when too lazy to warm it up). —we’ve used fresh and frozen veggies. You can grate and freeze the veggies in 1 (heaping) cup increments for easy muffin making as well (squeeze them out after they defrost.)

    I’ve also been known to buzz an extra serving or two of oats into flour to store and use the next time to make without a blender when kids are asleep.

    Pro tip: reduce the maple syrup to 1/4 so you only need to dirty one measuring cup.

    Reply
    • Taesha

      July 17, 2020 at 10:38 pm

      Oh pro tips there! I love them!

      Reply
  15. Jacki Schranck

    January 16, 2021 at 3:16 pm

    5 stars
    These are delicious!!! I had to use cows milk and canola oil because that’s what I had, and they were wonderful!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 16, 2021 at 5:05 pm

      I am so glad you enjoyed them, Jacki!

      Reply
  16. Teresa

    May 31, 2021 at 12:17 am

    5 stars
    What everyone else said x 10! Hands down THE best and easiest muffin recipe ever! I reduced maple syrup to 1/4 cup following the 1/4 cup coconut oil, added raisins and walnuts reserving fewer chocolate chips for top only. Friends loved them; they’ve already requested a repeat for our next gathering! Mom of a 3 y.o. with food allergies was delighted with the ingredients and asked for the recipe. Thank you for this fabulous treat
    !

    Reply
    • Taesha

      June 8, 2021 at 1:02 pm

      I am so glad you loved them, Teresa!

      Reply
  17. Morgan

    August 16, 2021 at 9:49 pm

    5 stars
    I made these mini with blueberries and they are amazing!!!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      August 17, 2021 at 11:07 am

      Yay! I am so glad you enjoyed them so much! And I love the swap!

      Reply
  18. Miranda

    August 17, 2021 at 4:49 pm

    5 stars
    My husband and our 1-year-old daughter (and I) could not get enough of these. So good! Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      August 17, 2021 at 4:50 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed! I’m glad it was a hit with the whole family 💚

      Reply
  19. Jackie

    August 8, 2022 at 3:27 pm

    Cant wait to make these! Is there a good egg substitute you would recommend? Currently experiencing a new egg allergy. 🙁

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      August 8, 2022 at 3:57 pm

      I bet a flax eggs would work great! Are you familiar with how to make those?

      Reply
  20. Amanda

    September 5, 2022 at 7:19 pm

    5 stars
    These muffins came out awesome! I added 1/4 cup cocoa powder as my son wanted chocolate muffins! I added rainbow sprinkles on top too. Mini muffins baked well for about 12-13 mins. Thanks for the awesome recipe!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      September 6, 2022 at 8:58 am

      Super fun additions! I need to try that with my next batch!

      Reply
  21. Randi

    October 6, 2022 at 10:34 pm

    5 stars
    Just baked this recipe. So, so delicious!!!! Love that it’s made with maple syrup and oats. Would love a pumpkin recipe too. 😁

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      October 7, 2022 at 7:27 am

      I’m so glad you enjoyed them! While I have many pumpkin recipes on my site, you’re right…I don’t have one similar to this. However, I do have this butternut squash muffin recipe and you could absolutely replace the squash with pumpkin puree!
      https://thenaturalnurturer.com/butternut-squash-banana-blender-blender-muffins/

      Reply
  22. Nancy

    October 13, 2022 at 8:28 pm

    5 stars
    Tripled the recipe and came out great. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      October 14, 2022 at 9:52 am

      So glad, Nancy! Thank you for taking the time to share.

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

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