How about baking some of your extra garden zucchini into tasty low-carb and gluten-free chocolate zucchini muffins? They make a nice portable snack. And, who doesn't love a chocolate muffin? So good!
Whenever you are craving keto chocolate muffins, this recipe is going to become your new best friend. It has the same rich flavor as a cupcake but a lot more fiber and fewer carbs!
They are the best muffins to make during zucchini season if you like chocolate flavor. I always make a double batch to I can save some for later.
I've had really good chocolate zucchini breads but wanted something that I could quickly grab to snack on at work, so I opted to bake muffins. These gluten-free chocolate zucchini muffins came out better than expected.
These muffins are delicious, filling, and effortlessly portable. They are perfect for busy mornings, snacks, parties, and road trips.
Plus, they are so delicious that you can share them with people that aren't on a keto diet. They won't even be able to tell they are eating something low in carbs.
Ingredients
I think what makes these taste so incredible is all the whole ingredients I used. These are completely from scratch - but they are still super easy to make.
Eggs
You'll need about 5 eggs for this entire recipe. They will bind everything together. The size of the eggs isn't important. Medium or large will both work just fine.
Sweetener
Use your favorite low-carb sugar substitute. For these muffins, I used a combination of Pyure and Stevia extract powder.
Tip: Check out this helpful guide with all sorts of low-carb sugar-free sweeteners and find one that works best for you!
Butter
You need some sort of healthy fat for this recipe. If you don't want to use butter, you can use coconut oil or ghee instead.
Cocoa Powder
Use unsweetened cocoa powder in your muffins! Alternatively, you could use dark chocolate powder as a replacement.
Baking Spices
These baking ingredients all give the muffins their amazing taste and texture. I used vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
If you are using unsalted butter, you can use a dash of salt.
Zucchini
Shred the zucchini before adding it to the batter. The finer you shred it, the better it will mix in with the other ingredients.
I like to use a food processor for this step. It really speeds everything up.
There's no need to squeeze out the excess moisture, it's what makes the muffins moist.
Keto Flour Mixture
For these muffins, I used a combination of almond flour and coconut flour. Whenever you bake, always use almond flour, not almond meal. Almond meal contains bits of the nut's skin, and it will make your muffins taste grainy or gritty.
Please note: Check out the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients used to make this low-carb recipe.
Quick tips
- This recipe makes 12 regular-sized muffins. If you are using a different-sized tin, adjust the baking times and monitor them closely.
- Mix in some nuts or sugar-free chocolate chips for a little extra taste and texture.
- Store leftover muffins covered and in the refrigerator. They will last about a week in the refrigerator.
Instructions
The process for making this chocolate zucchini muffins recipe is really simple. In fact, this is a wonderful recipe for beginning bakers. Here's a quick overview describing how to make them!
Prepare The Muffin Pan
First, grease the muffin cups. You could also just use a non-stick spray. I wouldn't trust "non-stick pans" because this is a very sticky batter.
For really easy clean-up, you could also use muffin liners!
Combine Sweetener And Oil
Mix the sweetener and oil (or butter) in your large bowl. This will be the mixing you are going to use to make the entire batter in.
Beat Eggs
In that same bowl, beat the eggs. Use an electric mixer for this step; it will go so much faster.
Add Zucchini
Then, add the shredded zucchini, cocoa, and vanilla. Your batter should be very thin at this point.
Mix Together Dry Ingredients
Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a smaller mixing bowl. This way, they will be well combined before you add them to the rest of the batter.
Add Dry Ingredients To The Rest Of The Batter
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the rest of the batter in the large mixing bowl. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure they all mix well.
Bake The Muffins
Finally, pour the muffin batter into your prepared muffin pan. Bake them until you insert a toothpick into the middle, and it comes out clean.
️ Serving suggestions
These zucchini muffins are incredibly versatile! You can enjoy them as a dessert, part of a healthy breakfast, or even with your lunch. Here are a few ideas for each part of the day.
If you are going to eat them for breakfast, serving them with a high-protein recipe like this crustless quiche is a great way to complete the meal.
Or, add them to your lunch with this Mexican zucchini ground beef skillet. Together, this meal helps you use up lots of zucchini.
When I just want a quick snack, I will grab one of these muffins and some crunchy radish chips. They make a sweet and salty snack!
Make them into mini muffins and top them with frosting for a dessert. You can even add some mini chocolate chips. It's the perfect treat for chocolate lovers!
If you're looking for more of a chocolate cake, you could try my keto chocolate cake recipe. It's the best low-carb cake ever!
FAQs
Before we get to the printable recipe card for these zucchini muffins, here are some questions people often have about how to make gluten-free keto muffins.
You don't have to make these into gluten-free chocolate zucchini muffins - the batter can easily be poured into a bread loaf pan instead. If you prefer to warm up your sweetbreads in a toaster, it's best to make these low-carb muffins into bread instead.
I like to heat my muffins up by grilling them in butter in a cast-iron pan. No need to butter them after, but extra butter is always welcome!
Yes, you can definitely add dark chocolate chips to these chocolate muffins. Just make sure you track the carbs and only use sugar-free chocolate chips.
If you can't eat them all, you can freeze the rest for later. They can be frozen for up to 6 months. Just thaw them in the refrigerator before serving.
If you want a cupcake, you can certainly add vanilla or low-carb chocolate buttercream frosting to the top. I also have a delicious gluten-free zucchini spice cupcake recipe with cream cheese frosting that's also very popular!
Related recipes
If you enjoy these gluten-free chocolate zucchini muffins, then I have more muffin recipes you should try next! They are some of my favorites.
- Coconut Flour Turmeric Muffins only have four ingredients and have a bold and different flavor that breaks you out of the ordinary.
- Peanut Butter Keto Chocolate Chip Muffins taste like a fun childhood dessert and are perfect for parties.
- Keto Ham And Cheese Frittata Muffins are a savory breakfast recipe you can take with you on the go.
- Low-Carb Carrot Cake Muffins have a scrumptious cream cheese filling.
- Healthy Banana Muffins are high in fiber, low in carbs, and big on taste!
Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!
Recipe
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Video
Ingredients
- 5 eggs
- ¾ cup low carb sugar substitute I used ¼ cup Pyure & ¼ teaspoon stevia extract powder
- ½ cup butter or coconut oil, melted
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup zucchini shredded
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt omit if using salted butter
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Lightly grease or use non-stick spray in a 12 cup muffin baking mold.
- In large mixing bowl combine sweetener and butter/oil.
- Beat in eggs.
- Stir in the cocoa, vanilla, and zucchini.
- In separate bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients.
- Add dry mix into wet mix until moist.
- Evenly distribute batter between the 12 muffin molds.
- Bake at 325°F for 25-30 minutes. Remove from molds and let cool on wire rack. Store covered in refrigerator.
Notes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
First published on August 24, 2012. Post updated on August 17, 2021, with new images and additional recipe information.
Cara
This is an excellent recipe! Great flavor and texture. I only had Swerve on hand so used that and I was still happy with the muffins. I will definitely make these muffins again.
Jean
These were absolutely delicious! No bitter aftertaste like some chocolate muffins or "mug cakes" and the texture was light and fluffy, but substantial. No egg or zucchini flavor at all. I had to resist eating two when they were warm out of the oven. I used mini zucchini because they have no seeds. I did NOT squeeze out the moisture in a cheesecloth because the recipient indicate to do so, and the moisture was perfect in the finished product. I used a mixture of 1/2 cup Stevia, 1/4 cup Xylitol. Just sweet enough! I added a handful of sugar free chocolate chips too. Easy recipe, all pantry ingredients on hand, you just need the zucchini! Thank you for another fabulous recipe!
Nicole
Not sure if anyone will respond. I want to make these today but I only have almond flour, stevia blend and Splenda in the house. How much would I use of these ingredients? Would they turn out ok?
Lisa MarcAurele
In this recipe, using almond flour for the coconut flour should be okay. It's best to use a little xanthan gum if you do that. However, the texture will be denser with all almond flour. Also, you can use any sugar substitute you have on hand for the sweetener.
Cynthia Kerr
This recipe looks awesome! I have Pyure but no Stevia extract powder, can you tell me how much Pyure I should use without the Stevia? Thank you!!
Lisa MarcAurele
It would be a little more than 1/3 cup (0.375 cup).
Twila S.
My muffins are in the oven and I look forward to the testing! You indicated butter in the recipe but didn't state if it's to be melted or soft. I melted it this time but could you clarify?
Lisa MarcAurele
Melted works best. I added that to the recipe.
Sherry
Absolutely perfect! Doubled but followed the recipe exactly, but maybe had a bit more zucchini (because sometimes a zucchini is more than 2 cups when grated). Baked them for an additional 5-10 minutes. I will be making these again... soon!
Tiffany
I know this is an older recipe, but these muffins were absolutely delicious--yummy, moist and not too sweet. (Related: I didn't figure out until seeing your photos and reading your notes that I was supposed to put the foil portion of the muffin pan liners on the inside! It makes a huge difference!)
Lisa
Yes! Using the foil liners is so much better than paper. The muffins don't stick at all!
Rebecca Mills
I have a question regarding the nutritional facts. If the net carb is 2.8 g but you mentioned the Erythritol was 2 g so does that not mean it would be added as a sugar alcohol and the net carb would become 0.8 g? Sorry I am just wondering
Lisa
If it's net carbs, the erythritol has already been subtracted.
Rene
These are wonderful with the sugar free chocolate chips! We are needing to up our protein a little. Do you think it would be possible to add some whey protein to the recipe? What adjustments would be needed?
Thanks!
Rene
Lisa
I typically replace some of the almond flour for whey protein to lighten things up.
Marissa Tabak
These muffins turned out delicious! Super moist, and hard to tell there's no 'real' sugar in them. How long do they stay fresh in the fridge? Will they keep in the freezer?
Lisa
They keep for a few months in the freezer and about a week in the refrigerator.
Carole Hodgkiss
Could honey, sugar, or maple syrup be used for sweeteners and in what measurements?
Lisa
Yes. You can use a high carb sweetener instead in the same amount.
Erica
For the sweetener, I was thinking half swerve granular and half stevia... any idea on how much of each I’d use in that case?
Lisa
You can use 1/2 cup of Swerve and 1/4 teaspoon of stevia concentrated powder. (for liquid stevia, you'll likely need about 1/2 teaspoon)
DawBee
Just baked these tonight and they are super delicious! Love them 🙂 Super moist and full of flavour. Only thing that I did differently was that I added pecans which went fantastically with the chocolatey goodness. Thanks for posting this tasty recipe!
Lisa
You're welcome!
Moira
Hi!
Are the nutrition facts based on the use of butter or coconut oil? Thanks!
Lisa
Butter
Christina Anaya
These muffins were absolutely amazing! I did not have any almond flour so I used all coconut flour, used unsalted butter instead of coconut oil and I even threw some toasted chopped pecans and threw some sugar free chocolate chips on the top. I also used Truvia instead of Swerve. This was my first time making the kind of muffin and I will definitely be making them again. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Lisa
Good to know coconut flour worked. Usually, you need to use less and up the eggs and liquid if switching.
Christina Anaya
Do you know if o would be able to use one cup of coconut flour and omit the 1/2 cup of Almond flour since I don't have any? Thank you!
Lisa
I do know that replacing almond flour with coconut flour will require a lot less and you need to add more liquid and about double the eggs.
Debbie Dunn
These muffins are some of the best thing I have ever tasted. I added 1 teaspoon of SteviaLeaf chocolate flavoring to mine. Thanks for a great recipe!
Lisa
The extra chocolate flavor is a great add!
Erica Middleton
I made this in a loaf pan and increased the baking time to 45 minutes. Simply delicious! I really enjoy your recipes Lisa. Thank you so much for taking the time to share them. Your site has been my go to site since I began my keto journey.
Lisa
You're welcome. I really need to try this as a loaf!
Pippa
We found them really salty . The colour and texture was nice but the flavour was overpowered by the salt.
Lisa
Added a note to omit the salt if using salted butter. Coconut oil is not salted and would likely need the extra salt, but regular butter wouldn't. I make them with coconut oil.
Fleda McCoy
I want to try this recipe but I don't want "salty". I'm wondering, did you add the measure of salt or omit it? Salted butter or regular? I'm Trying to adjust so I'm not dissatisfied!
Lisa
I used coconut oil and added in the salt.
Kathy M
Hi - I'm about to make these (sound delicious) but I'm confused about the calorie count. On the nutrition label it says: CALORIES: 79 and CALORIES FROM FAT: 143. So, what is the actual amount of calories and is it this based on the whole recipe or one muffin? Thanks!
Lisa
There was a typo for the calories. It's fixed now.
Nancy Zrake
The total calories is 179, not 79!!! ?
Lisa
Thanks for catching that!
Cindy anderson
Do you have a cookbook I could buy?
Lisa
I have thought of putting together a hardcover book of some of the best recipes on the site along with a few more. I just don't have the time for developing additional recipes for a book right now.
Kimberly
These look very yummy!! I hope to try them soon!
Lisa
Hope you enjoy them as much as I do if you do give them a try.
Kat
These are sooooooooooooooo Good! I have been on low carb for 1 week and was really missing baking (Cooking and baking are one of my favorite hobbies).
These came out PErFeCT!
I made them just as directed. Used 1/2 cup of Swerve to sweeten.
Thank you so much!
Lisa
Thanks Kat! Zucchini makes low carb baked goods super moist.
Nancy
Lisa just made these! They are delicious! I think I will add more cocoa powder cuz I can't use the sugarfree chocolate chips. I might even try chopping 100% dark chocolate. Finally something that doesn't spike my blood sugar! Thanks for your blog!
Lisa
Thanks Nancy! This one is on my list to remake and update the post/photos. May just have to do that this weekend!
Sharon
Lisa, I love your recipes! I have the ingredients all ready to make these Chocolate Zucchini Muffins but I am confused --- the list of ingredients says 1/2 cup butter but the instructions say to beat eggs in a large bowl with sweetener and oil. I don't see oil listed anywhere so are we just melting the butter and using that as the"oil" or is the butter just softened and is there an addition of coconut oil or other oil?
Thanks so much for all the enjoyment you bring!
Lisa
It should say butter, but you could use oil in place of the butter.
Mary Lynch
No oil listed?
Lisa
Fixed. Butter was listed, but oil is an option.
Stacie
Lisa, I love your blog. So many great recipes! I just made these this morning and they are great. I used Monkfruit In The Raw (1 Cup) and threw in a handful of s/f chocolate chips.
Thanks again and keep up the good work. Hopefully the day is coming when you can make this your full -time fun.
Lisa
Thanks so much Stacie! I think the day may come soon when I can say good-bye to my 9 to 5 (or in my case 5 to 2)!
Sarah C
Looks fabulous, and I just happen to have a pile of zucchini around. Quick question though, am I supposed to melt the butter?
Joan
These are wonderful! I threw in a few tablespoons full of sugar free chocolate chips! My husband has been eating them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. No one believes they are flour and sugar free! Great recipe, and zero blood sugar effect!
Lisa
I will have to try them with the chocolate chips. So glad your husband enjoyed them.