Chocolate Chip Zucchini Strawberry Muffins with California Avocado Oil
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line it with paper muffin liners.
- Place the shredded zucchini in the center of a clean dish towel or paper towels. Wrap and press firmly to remove as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, avocado oil, vanilla, Greek yogurt, and unsweetened applesauce until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain. The batter will be thick.
- Gently fold the diced strawberries, squeezed zucchini, and mini chocolate chips into the batter. Be careful not to overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each to the top. If you like, sprinkle a few extra mini chocolate chips over the tops.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 22 minutes.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before eating. They will continue to firm up as they cool. For best results, allow them to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Best Chocolate Chip Zucchini Strawberry Muffins
Tomorrow is Labor Day. The last long weekend of summer. And somewhere in your kitchen, or maybe your neighbor’s garden, there’s a zucchini the size of a small canoe. Maybe a pint of strawberries past their prime too. These chocolate chip zucchini strawberry muffins were born from exactly that end of summer panic.
I know what you’re thinking. Zucchini and strawberries? Together? With chocolate? Trust me, I was skeptical too. But the zucchini melts right into the batter, adding moisture without any flavor. The strawberries create sweet, jammy pockets. And these chocolate chip zucchini strawberry muffins feel like a treat, not a health food lecture.
My husband grows zucchini every year in our Asheville garden. By September, I’m desperate for new summer squash recipes before the vines give up. Strawberries though, those are precious. The final local berries of the year are extra sweet and deserve a proper send-off before pumpkin everything takes over.
This recipe uses white whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt, and unsweetened applesauce to keep things honest. But honestly? You’d never know. The crumb is impossibly tender, the way a great breakfast muffin should be. My kids demolished an entire batch without a single question about green flecks. That’s the goal when you’re hiding vegetables in baked goods.
Let me tell you, the first time I attempted these, I skipped squeezing the zucchini dry. Big mistake. The muffins collapsed into sweet soup. So learn from me: moisture control is everything with moist zucchini muffins. You’ll nail it on the first try because I’ve already made the mistakes for you.
These are perfect for a Labor Day brunch, school lunchboxes, or a quiet Saturday morning with coffee. They freeze well too. Honestly, they rarely last that long around here.
Tips for Baking with Zucchini
Here’s where most zucchini muffin recipes go off the rails. You either over-squeeze or under-squeeze, and the texture suffers. Let me walk you through what actually works.
Shred It Fine
My aunt Caroline ran an organic bakery in Vermont, and she taught me this: shred zucchini fine enough that it disappears into the batter. Large shreds create stringy, wet pockets. Use the fine holes of a box grater and watch the zucchini practically vanish while still adding all that moisture.
Squeeze Out the Extra Water
For these chocolate chip zucchini strawberry muffins, you need to squeeze the shredded zucchini very well. Wrap it in a clean dish towel and press firmly. You want it wrung out like a sponge, not dripping like a faucet. Summer zucchini can be 95 percent water, and extra moisture will weigh down the muffin batter and make things gummy.
❌ Skipping the squeeze → ✅ Soggy, collapsed muffin centers
❌ Wringing the zucchini bone dry → ✅ Tough, dry crumb
❌ Dicing strawberries too large → ✅ Heavy berries sinking to the bottom
Don’t Peel the Zucchini
The skin is tender and softens during baking. Just rinse the zucchini, trim the ends, and shred away. No peeling needed. The green flecks look pretty against the golden crumb anyway.
Toss the Strawberries in Flour
Fresh strawberries are juicy, which means they can sink and leave soggy spots. Dice them small, about blueberry size. Then toss them with a spoonful of flour before folding them in. Flour-coated berries stay suspended in the thick batter, so you get strawberry in every single bite.
Use Mini Chocolate Chips
Mini chips distribute evenly throughout the muffin batter. Regular chips tend to sink to the bottom. Sprinkle a few extra on top before baking for those beautiful domed muffin tops. That’s the bakery trick.
How to Make These Muffins
This recipe is simple, but the order matters. Here are the four stages that make chocolate chip zucchini strawberry muffins turn out right every time.
Stage 1: Prep Your Produce
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line your muffin tin with paper muffin liners. Shred the zucchini and squeeze out that excess moisture. Dice the strawberries and toss them with flour. Having everything ready before you mix makes the whole process smooth and fast.
Stage 2: Whisk the Dry and Wet Ingredients
Whisk the flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in one bowl until combined. In another bowl, whisk the egg, avocado oil, vanilla extract, Greek yogurt, and applesauce until smooth. Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until no dry streaks remain. The batter will be thick. That’s exactly what you want.
The Greek yogurt and applesauce do double duty here. They add moisture and tenderness without needing a ton of oil. The avocado oil is subtle, which lets the cinnamon and vanilla shine through.
Stage 3: Fold Gently
Fold in the strawberries, squeezed zucchini, and mini chocolate chips with a light hand. Overmixing develops the gluten, which means tough, dense muffins instead of tender ones. The batter should look berry-speckled and green-flecked, with chocolate chips peeking through. Be careful not to overmix.
Stage 4: Fill, Bake, and Cool
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each one to the top. This helps create tall, bakery style muffin tops. Sprinkle extra mini chocolate chips over the tops if you want a little more indulgence. Bake for about 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before eating. They continue to firm up as they cool. The hardest part is waiting, I know. But it’s worth it.
Variations and Substitutions
One of the things I love about these chocolate chip zucchini strawberry muffins is how easy they are to adapt. Here are some swaps that work well:
- Swap the coconut sugar for an equal amount of light brown sugar or cane sugar. Brown sugar gives a deeper, richer flavor.
- No avocado oil? Any neutral oil works fine. Vegetable or canola are both good stand-ins.
- Try blueberries instead of strawberries. They hold up just as well and create a gorgeous purple swirl.
- Going gluten-free? Use a cup for cup gluten-free flour blend. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
- Dairy-free? Choose dairy-free chocolate chips and your favorite dairy-free yogurt alternative.
The zucchini stays. That’s non-negotiable. It’s where all the moisture comes from, and it’s one of the best garden zucchini recipes I’ve developed. Don’t skip it.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
These chocolate chip zucchini strawberry muffins are ideal for busy mornings. Make a batch over the weekend, and breakfast is handled all week.
In the fridge: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring them to room temperature or warm them briefly before serving.
In the freezer: These freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave for 15 to 20 seconds. They taste freshly baked, I promise.
Make ahead: You can shred the zucchini and dice the strawberries the night before. Keep them separate in the fridge, then assemble the batter in the morning. It takes about 30 minutes from start to warm muffins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Thoughts
When you pull these chocolate chip zucchini strawberry muffins from the oven, the kitchen will smell like cinnamon and vanilla and summer’s last berries. The tops will be golden, the chocolate melted, and somewhere in between, a whole zucchini will have disappeared without a trace. That’s the magic of end of summer baking.
I’d love to see your muffin tops. Tag me on Pinterest when you make a batch, I want to celebrate with you. And whatever you do, don’t tell the kids there’s a vegetable in here. This can be our secret.
Follow along with me on Pinterest for more seasonal baking ideas: find me here.
Source: Learn More About This Dish
Do you squeeze the water out of the grated zucchini for these muffins?
Yes. This recipe calls for squeezing the excess moisture out of the shredded zucchini using a clean dish towel. Press firmly until it’s wrung out like a sponge. Too much liquid makes the muffins dense and gummy, so don’t skip this step.
How do you keep the chocolate chips from sinking in zucchini muffins?
Use mini chocolate chips and a thick batter. This batter is thicker than most, which helps hold the chips suspended. Tossing the diced strawberries in a little flour before folding them in also keeps everything evenly distributed.
Should you peel zucchini for zucchini muffins?
No. The skin is tender and softens during baking. Just rinse the zucchini, trim the ends, and shred it on the fine holes of your grater. You’ll get pretty green flecks without any change in texture or flavor.
How do you store chocolate chip zucchini strawberry muffins?
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They also freeze well for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds and they’ll taste fresh from the oven.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
You can, but thaw them first and pat them dry with paper towels. Frozen berries release more liquid than fresh ones, which can make the muffin batter too wet. Drying them well is the key to success.
What makes zucchini muffins so moist?
Shredded zucchini adds natural moisture as it bakes, while Greek yogurt and unsweetened applesauce keep the crumb tender without lots of oil. Together they create a beautifully moist muffin that stays soft for days.
What does zucchini replace in muffins?
Zucchini adds moisture, which means you can use less oil than a typical muffin recipe. Think of it as swapping some of the fat for vegetable goodness. The zucchini basically disappears into the batter while keeping things tender.
Can I use frozen grated zucchini?
Yes. Thaw it completely and squeeze out the excess water just like you would with fresh. Frozen zucchini is actually more watery when thawed, so be extra thorough with the squeezing and you’ll get great results.
