As we approach fall here in Southeast Ohio, farms and gardens are overflowing with produce. We’ve got way more fresh veggies than can be eaten at a time but we hate to see them go to waste. Maybe you can relate! It’s the season of preservation, where a gardener may spend as much time in the kitchen as they do in the field, canning, dehydrating and baking. Lately, I’ve been taking some overripe and misfit zucchinis and making them into a delicious treat. I thought I would share the recipe with you all. Behold, double chocolate zucchini muffins!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa
- 1 tsp of baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract (I used homemade)
- 2 large eggs (I used a couple bananas instead, since I had them laying around)
- 1 cup of canola, vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (I used cane sugar instead)
- 1 1/2 cups packed shredded zucchini
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
This recipe should make 8-10 muffins. Add icing if you want them to be cupcakes!!
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a muffin pan with oil of your choice and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, sea salt) and set aside.
- In a larger bowl, mix the wet ingredients (eggs, or egg substitute), melted butter, oil, vanilla extract, sugar) until smooth as possible.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Then stir in the shredded zucchini until combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into the pan you prepared. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean (may be some melted chocolate, that’s okay, just don’t want to see batter).
- Let the muffins cool in pan for 15 minutes or so.
These muffins will keep for 4 to 5 days wrapped in plastic at room temperature, maybe a few days longer if you keep them in the fridge. They also freeze well.
I hope this recipe reaches you in time to make use of any surplus zucchinis you may have laying around! If you or someone you know is a lover of chocolate, these will certainly make their day. Thanks for reading, and happy baking!
Emily Elam is a Hocking College graduate and the current Community Development AmeriCorps Member with Rural Action’s Sustainable Agriculture Program.
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