These easy chocolate courgette muffins are moist, rich and chocolatey, with finely grated courgette hidden inside. I squeeze the grated courgette firmly before folding it into the batter, which keeps the muffins moist without making them wet or heavy. You might also like my carrot cake muffins.
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Quick Summary - Chocolate Courgette Muffins
Once baked, you can't see or taste the courgette at all. They taste just like indulgent chocolate-chip muffins-which makes the hidden vegetable a welcome bonus! Beth (Effortless Foodie)
🕒 Ready In: Prep Time - 12 minutes , Cook Time - 18 minutes
👪 Serves: 12
🍽 Calories: 190
🥣 Main Ingredients: Plain flour, caster sugar, butter, yogurt, cocoa, courgette (zucchini)
👩🍳 Difficulty: Easy
👌 Why this recipe? Courgette keeps these chocolate muffins beautifully moist without adding any noticeable vegetable flavour. Combined with cocoa powder and chocolate chips, they're rich, chocolatey and ready in just 30 minutes-perfect for using up a garden glut or making an easy after-school treat.
Summarise & Save This Content On
A touch of magic happens when courgettes make their way into baked treats (see my fudgy courgette brownies for proof!). They keep these chocolate muffins unbelievably moist, rich, and utterly moreish - one bite and I promise you won't stop at just one.
You can't see or taste the courgette once the muffins are baked, making them perfect for using up a garden or allotment glut.
Chocolate muffin fan? You're in luck! Find more delicious variations on the blog, including chocolate orange, chocolate Nutella, and chocolate banana muffins.
Jump to:
- Quick Summary - Chocolate Courgette Muffins
- 5* Reader reviews
- Why you'll love this chocolate and courgette muffin recipe
- Ingredient notes
- Need to substitute an ingredient?
- Variations
- Make it even better
- How to make chocolate courgette muffins
- Top Tips
- Serving suggestions
- Storage
- Troubleshooting guide
- Chocolate courgette muffins FAQs
- More muffin recipes
- More courgette recipes
- Recipe
- 💬 Comments
5* Reader reviews
Amazing recipe, my husband just said 'the lightest sponge he's ever had' didn't have any chocolate chips so just added some chopped squares of chocolate. Easiest recipe and hardly any washing up. 10/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Ellie
Why you'll love this chocolate and courgette muffin recipe
- Rich and chocolatey: Cocoa powder and milk chocolate chips give the muffins a delicious double-chocolate flavour.
- Moist texture: Grated courgette keeps the crumb soft and moist.
- No courgette flavour: You can't see or taste the courgette once the muffins are baked.
- Quick to make: They are ready in around 30 minutes.
- No mixer needed: The simple muffin mixture is prepared by hand in two bowls.
- Use up a glut: A delicious way to use surplus courgettes from your garden or allotment.
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze a batch for lunchboxes, after-school snacks or chocolate emergencies.
Ingredient notes
A full ingredients list along with Metric and US Customary measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Caster Sugar -you can also use light brown sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup (reduce other liquids slightly).
Plain Flour - swap for gluten-free flour, or wholemeal.
Cocoa Powder - adds a chocolate flavour and colour.
Bicarbonate of Soda - helps muffins rise. Can replace with baking powder.
Natural Yogurt - adds moisture and slight tang. Swap for Greek yogurt, kefir, plant-based yogurt, or buttermilk.
Eggs - large eggs at room temperature.
Butter, melted - Adds richness. Swap for a light olive oil or coconut oil.
Courgette (Zucchini) - Keeps muffins moist and adds hidden veg. You could also try grated carrot, or apple.
Milk Chocolate Chips - or swap for dark, white chocolate, or raisins.
Need to substitute an ingredient?
Have an allergy or dietary preference? Let AI customise the recipe for you.
Variations
- Add citrus or extracts: orange zest or vanilla to enhance the chocolate.
- Try different chocolate: milk, white, or dark chocolate chips.
- Include dried fruit: cranberries, raisins, or sultanas for a fruity note.
- Add warm spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom for depth of flavour.
- Experiment with hidden veg and fruit combos: grated carrot or apple adds moisture and nutrients.
Make it even better
Add More Fibre
Replace up to one-quarter of the plain flour with wholemeal flour. This may produce a slightly denser muffin, so I wouldn't replace all the flour unless you have tested the result.
Add Healthy Fats
Fold a handful of chopped walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts into the batter. Nuts add texture as well as unsaturated fats.
Reduce the Sugar
You could experiment with reducing the caster sugar slightly, although this may affect the muffins' sweetness, moisture and texture. I recommend making the original recipe first before adjusting the quantity.
How to make chocolate courgette muffins
Prep: Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan / 375°F / Gas 5) and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
One: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, natural yogurt, and melted butter until smooth.
Two: In a separate bowl, combine the plain flour, cocoa powder, caster sugar, and bicarbonate of soda. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
Two: Fold in the grated courgette (make sure any excess water has been squeezed out) and the milk chocolate chips, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
Three: Mix gently - overmixing can develop the flour's gluten, making the muffins dense rather than light and tender.
Four: Spoon the batter evenly into the lined muffin tin. Bake in the preheated oven for around 18 minutes, or until the muffins have risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool slightly in the tin before transferring to a wire rack.
Top Tips
- Squeeze the courgette firmly: Courgettes contain a lot of water. Removing as much excess liquid as possible prevents wet or underbaked muffins.
- Grate it finely: Finely grated courgette blends into the crumb so you can't see or taste it.
- Weigh before grating: The recipe uses 250g of whole courgette before it is grated and squeezed.
- Cool the butter slightly: Very hot melted butter could begin cooking the eggs.
- Don't overmix: Fold the wet and dry ingredients together only until no large pockets of flour remain.
- Use a metal muffin tin: Metal conducts heat more efficiently than silicone and helps the muffins bake evenly.
- Check from 18 minutes: Mine are baked after 18 minutes, but ovens, muffin tins and the moisture content of courgettes can vary.
- Allow extra time if necessary: If the centres are still wet after 18 minutes, continue baking for 2-3 minutes before checking again.
Serving suggestions
These delicious sweet courgette muffins make a great after-school snack for kids.
You can also serve the muffins as a quick and easy dessert straight from the oven with a scoop of honeycomb ice cream.
Storage
Store - Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freeze - Freeze fully cooled muffins for up to 3 months and defrost (thaw) before serving.
Troubleshooting guide
Why are my courgette muffins wet in the middle?
The grated courgette may have retained too much water, or the muffins may need longer in your oven. Squeeze the courgette firmly before adding it and use a metal muffin tin if possible.
Mine are baked after 18 minutes, but some ovens will require longer. If the centres are still wet, bake the muffins for another 2-3 minutes before checking again.
Why are the bottoms underbaked?
This can happen if the courgette contains too much moisture, the muffin tin does not conduct heat efficiently or the oven is running cooler than its setting.
Firmly squeeze the courgette, fully preheat the oven and bake the muffins on the middle shelf. Silicone muffin trays can require a longer baking time than metal tins.
Why are my muffins dense or tough?
The batter was probably overmixed. Fold the wet and dry ingredients together gently and stop as soon as they are combined.
Why didn't my muffins rise?
Check that your bicarbonate of soda is fresh and that the oven was fully preheated before the muffins went in. The yogurt reacts with the bicarbonate of soda, so bake the muffins promptly after mixing the batter.
Why are the muffins dry?
They may have been baked for too long or too much liquid may have been squeezed from the courgette. Squeeze firmly to remove the free-flowing moisture, but do not try to make the grated courgette completely dry.
Chocolate courgette muffins FAQs
Typically, the taste of courgette is very subtle and is usually not distinguishable, especially with the dominant flavour of chocolate in these muffins.
Yes, yellow courgettes can be used in place of green ones. The taste and texture are similar, so it won't affect your muffins significantly.
Peeling is not necessary. The skin of courgettes is soft and adds extra fibre to your muffins.
Absolutely - "zucchini" is just the US name for courgette, and it works the same way in this recipe.
More muffin recipes
More courgette recipes
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Recipe
Easy Chocolate Courgette Muffins
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 140 g Caster Sugar
- 180 g Plain Flour (All-purpose Flour)
- 20 g Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
- 100 ml Natural Yogurt
- 2 Eggs
- 140 g Butter melted and cooled
- 250 g Courgette grated and excess water squeezed out (ungrated weight)
- 100 g Milk Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan / 375°F / Gas 5) and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, natural yogurt, and melted butter until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the plain flour, cocoa powder, caster sugar, and bicarbonate of soda. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.140 g Caster Sugar, 180 g Plain Flour (All-purpose Flour), 20 g Cocoa Powder, 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda, 100 ml Natural Yogurt, 2 Eggs, 140 g Butter
- Fold in the grated courgette (make sure any excess water has been squeezed out) and the milk chocolate chips, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.250 g Courgette, 100 g Milk Chocolate Chips
- Spoon the mixture evenly into 12 muffin cases.
- Bake in the preheated oven for around 18 minutes, or until the muffins have risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool slightly in the tin before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- The 250g courgette weight is measured before grating and squeezing. It is approximately two medium courgettes.
- Finely grate the courgette, then squeeze it firmly in a clean tea towel to remove excess water.
- There is no need to peel young courgettes.
- Allow the melted butter to cool slightly before mixing it with the eggs.
- Fold the batter gently and stop mixing as soon as the ingredients are combined.
- Mine bake in 18 minutes, but ovens, muffin tins and courgettes vary. If the centres are still wet, bake for another 2-3 minutes before checking again.
- Cool the muffins completely before storing them in an airtight container.
- Store for up to three days at room temperature or freeze for up to three months.
- I have not tested significant substitutions for the flour, sugar, yogurt or raising agent, so changes may affect the texture and baking time.
Paula says
Sorry if this seems a silly question or has already been clarified but is the courgette weight before or after grating?
Thanks
Beth Sachs says
Hi Paula. Not a silly question. This is the weight before they are grated.
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
I love using courgettes in baking. These muffins look delicious!
Midge @ Peachicks' Bakery says
Oooh these look like a fab way to use up courgettes! Definitely pinning it to make a peachick safe version! Thanks for sharing with #CookBlogShare 🙂
Tracy says
They came out of the oven looking lovely with domed tops, but after cooling down they really sank in the middle. Any idea what I did wrong? I have a circotherm oven so it's definitely hot enough.
They still taste delicious though and my kids loved them!
Beth Sachs says
Hi Tracy. Was it a really hot day when you baked them? It might pay you to chill the batter for 20 minutes on really warm days. Also check you used the correct amount of bicarb. Did you measure it using measuring spoons and not just a teaspoon. It has to be really accurate. Hope that helps.
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
What tasty looking muffins!
Emily Liao says
These chocolate muffins were so fluffy and delicious! Not to mention, pretty easy to make - so will definitely come to this for when I have a chocolate craving.
Mindy Fewless says
These turned out beautifully!! Thank you!
Becky says
I have tried baking these buns and they are amazing. I used 200g of choc chips instead of 100g but everything else I kept the same. Xx
Beth Sachs says
So glad you enjoyed them Becky! The extra choc chips sound like a good idea.
Jessica Formicola says
Chocolate for breakfast sounds like a great idea to me, so I can't wait to try these muffins!
Jill says
Great way to use up the abundance of zucchini from my garden. These muffins look scrumptious.
Julie says
Such a good way to get that green veggie in there. The muffins look delish too.
Carrie Robinson says
I so wish that I had a couple of these for breakfast this morning! They look perfect. 🙂
Alisa Infanti says
I have never heard a zucchini called that before so was intrigued. They are delish!
Sue says
These muffins look delicious and a truly great way to sneak some veggies into the family!
Beth Sachs says
I didn't tell my kids there were courgettes in them...until after they had eaten them and proclaimed them the BEST chocolate muffins ever!
Steph Tombs says
Made these today with some courgettes from a friend's garden 😊 Easy to make and delicious 🙂
Beth Sachs says
Glad you enjoyed them Steph!
Janelle says
I am a massive fan of zucchini in cake. Thanks for a great recipe
Gina says
These look so lovely! I wish I had a glut this year but my zucchini plants are male flower dominated and so far I've only gotten one!
Beth Sachs says
Oh no! I always seem to end up with way too many.
Susan Lowe says
Is it just me? I can’t find how much courgette is used or how much plain flour is substituted with cocoa powder. I’ve got everything ready, just can’t find the quantities needed. Sue x
Beth Sachs says
Hi Susan. The recipe card is at the bottom of the post.
Susan says
😊 Thank you. Didn’t read it properly☺️ All made now, look and taste lovely! Sue x