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These easy double chocolate veggie muffins are rich, so fudgy and perfectly moist. They are so insanely good that you won’t believe there’s not one, not two, but three cups of veggies in them.
Your New Favorite Way To Eat Veggies
Do you or your family have a hard time eating enough veggies? Let me introduce you to these incredible healthy chocolate muffins- perfect for picky eaters and chocolate lovers alike. Here’s why you’ll love them:
- Loaded with nutrition: Each muffin has 5 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber and is packed with vitamins from veggies.
- Veggie-packed: These muffins have a full 3 cups of veggies in them from spinach, zucchini and carrots. That means each muffin has an impressive quarter cup of veggies! The best part? You cannot taste them!
- Ultra-moist and fudgey texture: These muffins have the perfect soft and moist muffin texture.
- Perfect anytime: You can enjoy these as an easy breakfast, a healthy snack or even dessert!
As a dietitian, I love finding ways to boost nutrition without making recipes feel “healthy” in a boring way—and these muffins do just that.
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- White whole wheat flour: I love using white whole wheat flour or “golden wheat” (this is my favorite) because it has all the nutrition of whole wheat with a softer texture. All purpose flour, regular whole wheat, or even half and half.
- Dutch process cocoa powder: Dutch-process cocoa powder gives these muffins their deep chocolate flavor.
- Baking powder + baking soda: Baking powder and soda work together to give these muffins the perfect rise and texture.
- Salt: Salt brings out the sweetness of these indulgent-tasting muffins.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Chocolate chips give these double chocolate muffins even more chocolate flavor. I like using mini chocolate chips so you can get more chocolate in every bite.
Wet ingredients
- Carrots: A cup of grated carrots adds natural sweetness, moisture and a boost of beta-carotene!
- Zucchini: Grated zucchini sneaks in some extra fiber and moisture, and the flavor is easily masked by the chocolate flavor.
- Spinach: Baby spinach works great because it has a mild flavor. It’ also gives these muffins vitamin C and vitamin K blended right in.
- Greek yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt helps to keep these muffins moist and adds some protein too!
- Honey: Honey provides natural sweetness; you can also use maple syrup.
- Avocado oil: I love avocado oil for baking because of it’s neutral flavor, high smoke point and healthy fats. Any neutral oil will work as well like canola oil.
- Eggs: Eggs offer structure, protein and richness to these chocolate muffins.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla is a must to round out the flavor and sweetness.
How To Make Chocolate Veggie Muffins
1. Add wet ingredients to blender: Add grated carrots, zucchini, baby spinach, Greek yogurt, honey, oil, eggs and vanilla extract to a high-speed blender.
2. Blend: Blend wet ingredients on high until completely smooth. Scrape the sides down as needed.
3. Mix dry ingredients: Add all dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt) to a large bowl except for the chocolate chips. Whisk to combine.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Do not over mix.
5. Add chocolate chips: Fold in mini chocolate chips until just combined.
6. Scoop into muffin pan: Divide batter evenly into muffin pan lined with liners, or a silicone muffin pan.
7. Top with extra chocolate! Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top of the muffin batter before baking.
8. Bake + cool: Bake at 350 degrees for 18-24 minutes. Note: Exact bake time will depend on moisture of zucchini and carrots, so start checking around 18-20 minutes and add 1-2 minutes at a time until a fork or toothpick comes out with no batter sticking.
How To Store
Fridge: Cool muffins to room temperature on a wire rack and then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezer: Cool muffins to room temperature on a wire rack and then transfer to a freezer safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or microwave in 20-30 second increments wrapped in a paper towel.
Variations
- Peanut butter chocolate muffins: Drop 1-2 tsp dollops of peanut butter on top of the scooped batter in the muffin tin and swirl gently before baking.
- Chocolate nut veggie muffins: For a boost of healthy fats and some crunch, stir in 1/2 cup of walnuts or pecans into the batter.
- Swap the veggies: Instead of zucchini you can try pumpkin puree, butternut squash or sweet potato mash- just do a cup for cup swap. Instead of baby spinach, try baby kale or swiss chard.
- Chocolate banana veggie muffins: Instead of zucchini, swap in 1 cup of mashed ripe banana.
- Make them mini: Use a mini muffin pan with liners or silicone mini muffin pan for mini chocolate veggie muffins!
More Healthy Muffins
Chocolate Veggie Muffins
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour, or regular whole wheat
- 1/3 cup dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2-2/3 cup mini chocolate chips, more for topping
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup carrots, grated
- 1 cup zucchini, grated
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12-tin muffin pan with liners. (Or use a silicone muffin pan)
- Add all dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt) to a large bowl except for the chocolate chips. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- Next, add all wet ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor. Run on high until batter is completely smooth, stopping to scrape sides as needed.
- Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Do not over mix. Fold in mini chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
- Divide batter evenly into muffin tin. Top with extra chocolate chips. Bake for 18-24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center muffin comes out clean. Note: Bake time will depend on your oven and moisture in your zucchini + carrots. Start checking for doneness around 18-20 minutes and add 1-2 minutes until toothpick or fork comes out with no batter sticking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
Food photography by Marie-Catherine Dubé
Do you have a version of this that is cinnamon versus chocolate?
I don’t but that’s a great idea, I’ll add it to my list 🙂
Just tried these and want to make more but do you have any recommendations to mimic this receipt but with lower total sugar per muffin? I’d love to give some to my father-in-law and grandma who have diabetes.
I haven’t tried an alternative sweetener yet, but one of the other reviews said that they used monk fruit sweetener instead and it was still delicious!
Made these this morning, and they are so good! You’d have no idea all the veggies in there. Great way to get more into your diet!
Yay! So glad you loved them 🙂
Made this yesterday and my 9 year old daughter and 15 month old granddaughter loved it. Can out very moist and delicious.
So happy you loved them! Thank you so much for leaving a review 🙂
Really loved these. Wasn’t sure how they would turn out with all the veggies. My husband had 3 before we told him the veggies were in there. My 13th yr old daughter loved them and asked for the recipe so she could make them. I did use unbleached flour and vegetable oil.
Basically my exact experience with my husband 😆 so glad everyone loved them!
Would adding protein powder change the texture or moistness?
Yes it would. Protein powder absorbs quite a bit of moisture and liquid. You can always experiment though!
Really tasty healthier muffin recipe
So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for leaving a review!
What can I use as an egg replacement ?
Mix 2 tbsp of ground flax with 6 tbsp of water, let sit for 3-5 minutes and then mix into the batter.
Just made these and they turned out great! Follow the instructions and you’ll be pleased! Definitely wait for them to cool before enjoying.
Thanks for leaving a review! Happy you enjoyed them 🙂
We made them into mini muffins! We also used monk fruit instead of honey and they were delicious!!! Seriously, you can not taste the veggies and they are so good!! My pickers eaters loved them and I don’t feel guilty giving them to them.
Mini muffins we kept temp the same and cooked for 14 minutes. Perfect!!
So happy you enjoyed them! I need to make them into minis myself 🙂