Vegan Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins (One Bowl!)

These are the ultimate vegan chocolate chip zucchini muffins! With a fluffy inside and golden domed crust, it’s love at first bite.

Is your garden currently overflowing with zucchini? Or maybe you want you just want to get into some summer baking? These Vegan Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins are the perfect summer treat – they’re packed with zucchini flavor and warming spices and have the perfect texture!

These are easily my favorite vegan muffin recipe, but honestly they’re so delicious that you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy them! They’re wholesome enough to enjoy for breakfast, but they’re a perfect afternoon or evening snack, too.

THE ANATOMY OF A PERFECT ZUCCHINI MUFFIN

I have high standards when it comes to vegan baking, but especially with zucchini bread! In my opinion, the perfect zucchini muffin needs to:

• Be packed with zucchini flavor, but strike the perfect balance between moist and fluffy
• Have only a subtle amount of spice and sweetness, to truly let the zucchini flavor shine
• Have both nuts and chocolate chips for a buttery crunch and boost of sweet 😉 If this isn’t your thing, you can leave them out though!
• Have a bakery-style texture, with crispy edges, a fluffy inside, and a domed top!

Luckily for you, these Vegan Zucchini Muffins check all the boxes – and they’re made in only one bowl!

INGREDIENTS FOR ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

These muffins have a simple ingredient list, and they’re pretty customizable too! Most of the ingredients are pantry staples, and it’s the perfect way to use the overflowing abundance of zucchini (in your garden or the grocery store) during the summer months:

Zucchini naturally has a lot of liquid it it, so we only need a little non-dairy milk to give these muffins the perfect texture. Fun fact: Most of the nutrients of the zucchini is in the skin, so keep it on for an extra fiber and vitamin boost!

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

This recipe easily comes together in only one bowl – simply whisk the dry ingredients together, add in the wet, and divide into a muffin pan! The one key trick in this recipe is to start the oven at a higher temperature, then reduce it to 350F after the muffins have baked for a few minutes. This helps the muffins to get a higher initial rise and creates the classic bakery-style muffin shape.

1. Mix the ground flaxseeds with water to create a flax egg and grease a muffin tin with vegan butter.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients together, then form a well in the center of the bowl.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl, then mix in with the zucchini, walnuts, and chocolate chips
4. Bake at 425F for 7 minutes, then reduce the oven temp to 350F and bake for an additional 18 to 20 minutes
5. Let the muffins set before removing from the pan, then let cool on a wire rack.

You can wait for the muffins to cool, but I always grab one when it’s still warm and the chocolate is nice and melty…for quality testing, you know 😉 These zucchini muffins have a crispy exterior, fluffy and soft inside, with bits of nuts and chocolate perfectly spaced inside – it’s seriously heaven in a bite!

COOKING TIPS + FAQ:

• Finely grate your zucchini: Use the finer-sized hole of your box grater to finely grate your zucchini – this allows the liquid from it to distribute more evenly and gives the muffins a better texture. If your food processor has a finer grating section you can use that, though generally the grating setting seems to only be larger, so I would avoid it.
• Nuts: I prefer to use walnuts for this recipe, but you could also use chopped pecans or even almonds. If you have a nut allergy, omit the nuts or use pumpkin seeds!
• Storage: ​​​​Keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, or store these muffins in the freezer for up to 2 months and reheat when the craving strikes!

If you’re looking for more vegan zucchini recipes, you’ll also love this Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread and this Creamy Zucchini Oatmeal! Or for more savory inspiration, try these Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups, this Zucchini Noodle Salad, and this Vegetable-Stuffed Zucchini.

Or maybe you want more muffin recipes? Try my Lemon Poppyseed Muffins or these Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins.

Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂

Vegan Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 7 reviews

These are the ultimate chocolate chip zucchini muffins! With a fluffy inside, golden domed crust, and lots of nuts and chocolate, it’s love at first bite.

• Author: Caitlin Shoemaker
• Prep Time: 15 Minutes
• Cook Time: 25 Minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 12 Muffins 1x
• Category: Breakfast, Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax + 5 tablespoons water) 
• 2 3/4 cups (345 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled* 
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional) 
• 1/2 cup (100 g) cane sugar
• 1/4 packed cup (53 g) light brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) non-dairy milk 
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) vegan butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 2 cups (360 g) finely grated* zucchini (about 2 medium)
• 1/2 cup (68 g) dairy-free chocolate chips or chunks (optional)
• 1/2–2/3 cup (52-80g) chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 425F and generously grease a 12-muffin pan with vegan butter or oil. Prepare the flax eggs and let sit for at least 5 minutes, to thicken.
2. Dry Ingredients: Add the flour to a large mixing bowl, then add in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. Whisk until combined, then form a well in the center of the bowl.
3. Wet Ingredients: Add the cane sugar, brown sugar, flax egg, milk, melted butter, vanilla, and vinegar to the center of the bowl. Use a spatula to mix these ingredients together first in the center of the bowl, then slowly work outwards to incorporate more flour. The batter will be thick; once the majority of it is combined, add in the grated zucchini and continue to mix until a thick batter forms with no dry clumps. Finally, fold in the chocolate and walnuts, if using.
4. Divide the Batter: Use a large scoop or spoon to evenly divide the batter among the muffin tins, filling each tin level to the top. I like to sprinkle each muffin with a few extra chocolate chips, but that’s totally optional!
5. Bake: Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 7 minutes, then, without opening the oven, reduce the oven temperature for 350F. Bake for an additional 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops of the muffins are slightly golden.
6. Let Cool: Remove from the oven and set the muffin tin on a cooling rack; let the muffins rest for 5 minutes before using a knife to remove them from the muffin tin. Enjoy warm, or let cool completely on the wire rack before storing.
7. Storage: Muffins will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze these zucchini muffins or up to two months, and defrost/reheat as necessary in a toaster oven. I do not recommend storing your muffins in the fridge as it makes their texture chewy.

Notes

• Measuring Flour: Make sure to fluff your flour with a spoon or fork, then carefully spoon it into a measuring cup and level off the top (or go by weight, which is the most accurate method). Do not scoop your flour with your measuring cup as this compresses the flour too much and will result in dry muffins. 
• Vegan Butter: if you don’t wish to use vegan butter you can use vegetable oil or melted coconut oil instead. Olive oil would also be tasty here and add a nice herbal note.
• Grating Zucchini: when grating your zucchini I recommend using the second-largest hole (not the largest/standard one) of your box grater, so the zucchini has more of a fine, angel hair pasta-like texture. I have found that this allows the zucchini to distribute moisture more evenly into the muffins
• Refined Sugar Free: Replace both the brown sugar and cane sugar with equal parts (3/4 cup) coconut sugar. The muffins will be less moist and darker in color
• Flour Substitutions: I have not (yet) tested this recipe with any gluten-free flour substitutions, but if you make this gluten-free with success, leave a comment below!

Keywords: vegan zucchini muffins, dairy free zucchini muffins