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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
Is there any way this recipe would work as cookies instead of muffins? In the case that we don’t have any muffin tins?
I don’t think they’d bake up like cookies unfortunately!
I used a loaf pan because I also don’t have a muffin tin and baked for 55 mins and it worked great! Also had some leftover batter that didn’t fit in the loaf pan and actually made them into pancakes which surprisingly worked well too
These are surprisingly delicious! You can’t taste the veggies at all! This is the first time my daughter has had veggies in months. I will definitely make these a staple in my house.
Yay I’m so glad everyone loved them! 🙂
These were absolutely delicious! Me, my husband and kids all loved them as well as my mom & niece… My husband said “I like your cupcakes!” little did he know he was eating a multi-vegetable muffin🤣 everyone was shocked the were veggies in them (the ones I told, lol). I mostly try to stay gluten-free due to a health condition so I use my 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. At times the baked goods I use with it can come out a little on the dry or crumbly side but not these! These were super moist, I believe due to the veggie content. 10/10 for flavor and easy to make!!
So glad to hear they worked perfectly with the 1:1 gluten-free baking flour 🙂
Thank you for sharing that this recipe works well with gluten free flour. I can’t have gluten and don’t have any wheat flour in my kitchen to avoid contaminating my food. I’m going to try these
Wow! These are easy and taste incredible. Will be making on repeat! Curious about how much can be subbed with the veggies-I only used about a 1/2 cup carrot and then 1-1/2 cups zucchini because that’s what I had.
I love how you do the heavy mental lifting for us. Don’t want to buy the flour I recommend? Use AP, it’s fine. No honey? Try maple syrup. Avocado oil too expensive? Canola works.
I’ll be trying the recipe this week. I think I’ll try the golden flour while I’m at it.
Thanks for sharing this way to get more veg in my stubborn father’s diet.
I haven’t even taken them out of the oven yet but I couldn’t stop licking the spoon! lol. Batter is great 🙂
Enjoy!! 🙂
Wondering if you think the flour could be subbed for gf flour and still have the same texture?
Several people have used 1:1 gluten free baking flour and have reported that it works great!
Hello. Thank you for the healthy recipe. Could you share the cocoa powder brand used for it?
I used the Guittard brand but any dutch processed cocoa or even regular cocoa powder will work!
Absolutely delicious! Will definitely be in the rotation now considering we always buy a ton of spinach, zucchini, and carrots. Thank you for the recipe!
We love these muffins and have made them twice now. I am gluten free so I substituted 1/2 cup g-free rolled oats and 1 cup bobs 1:1 gf flour mix in place of the whear flour. We also use dairy free full fat coconut milk. Next time I am thinking I might add a little peanut butter. My 1.5 year old loves them and I only add chocolate chips to the muffins for adults. They are delicious with and without the extra chocolate chips. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed!! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing your swaps too, that’s always helpful to know!