Keto Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

by KetoFocus.com
5 Stars (2 Reviews) 3 Comments

Low carb chocolate zucchini muffins are made with select special ingredients to give that insanely delicious bakery style muffin that is perfectly moist.

Got lots of zucchini?! Make keto zucchini muffins. Using my favor secret ingredients to make fluffy muffin tops you can easily enjoy a double chocolate keto muffin and stick to your goals. Similar to my keto pumpkin muffins and lemon blueberry muffins, these zucchini muffins will be a hit with the whole family.

three zucchini muffins in front of a muffin pan

It’s easier than you think to get fluffy, bakery style muffins without using any all-purpose flour, or sugar. With just a few special ingredients, we can get the perfect muffin texture with a unique chocolatey flavor.  

Since we aren’t using flour, we have to keep our muffins from falling flat. To achieve that muffin top, we use a combination of eggs, protein powder and baking powder to help these keto muffins rise. 

To get that unique chocolate flavor, I partnered with Earth Echo for this recipe. Using their Cacao Bliss in this keto muffin recipe gives them an amplified chocolate flavor with a hint of cinnamon. Cacao Bliss is a raw cacao powder blend that contains superfoods like turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, lucuma and Himalayan salt. I like to use Cacao Bliss in my recipes as a substitute or in addition to cocoa powder. It adds a special flavor to my chocolate baked goods and I get the healthy benefits from the superfoods. 

Get 15% off your order of Cacao Bliss when you use my code KETOFOCUS.

bakery style muffins in a muffin tin with shredded zucchini near and a bag of cacao bliss

 

How to make keto chocolate zucchini muffins

  1. Grate zucchini and set aside.
  2. Combine dry ingredients. Almond flour, protein powder, cocoa powder, sugar free sweetener, baking powder and salt.
  3. Add wet ingredients. Eggs, melted butter, sour cream.
  4. Stir in chocolate chips.
  5. Scoop into a muffin tin lined with muffin liners.
  6. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

six chocolate muffins in a muffin tin with one cut in half on facing up

Key ingredients & substitutions

  • Zucchini – Helps to add moisture to our keto muffins. Low carb breads and baked goods tend to get dry easily as they don’t contain sugar with normally would help to absorb moisture. Zucchini is hydrating and will provide plenty of moisture to keep these muffins spongy and moist.
  • Almond flour – The low carb flour used in this recipe for keto chocolate muffins, almond flour is light and airy and will help to keep these texture of our muffin cake airy. For nut allergies, use sunflower seed flour which measures cup for cup with almond flour. Coconut flour can probably be used; however, I haven’t tested this yet. If I were to try, I would use 3/4 cup coconut flour.
  • Sugar free sweetener – Use your favorite, as long as it measures cup for cup with sugar. Erythritol and monkfruit blends are my favorite.
  • Protein powder – Forms a protein matrix to help retain air bubbles from the leavening agent (baking powder). In other words, it helps to get our muffins fluffy and form that iconic muffin top. If you don’t have protein powder or refuse to buy it, substitute with egg white powder or coconut flour..
  • Cocoa powder – Can either use unsweetened cocoa powder or Cacao Bliss.
  • Baking powder – The leavening agent
  • Salt – To enhance the sweetness and balance the recipe.
  • Eggs – For structure and support.
  • Sour cream – Works as an acid to active the leavening agent (baking powder) and helps to neutralize the egg flavor from the eggs.
  • Melted butter – Fat for moisture.
  • Chocolate chips – Look for sugar free.  ChocZero is my favorite brand of chocolate chip. Save 10% off your order with my affiliate code KETOFOCUS.

Keto Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Recipe Video

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Keto Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Ingredients

Keto Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Directions

  • Keto Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
  • two muffins stacked on each other with the top one unpeeled from the wrapper and a bite taken out of it

    Secret to fluffy muffin tops

    To achieve that puffy, fluffy muffin top on a keto muffin, you need to maximize your leavening agents and build a protein matrix to help trap those air bubbles that form when baking.

    The leavening agent used is baking powder, which is already activated once baked; however, the sour cream provides a little bit of acid to further activate it. This will release air bubbles as the keto chocolate muffins bake.

    The protein matrix build by adding eggs and protein powder provide the elastic structural support to help trap those bubbles instead of deflating them. The result is fluffy, bakery style keto muffins.

    a muffin with a big bite taken out of it and a measuring cup filled with zucchini behind it

    Benefits of zucchini

    Zucchini is a preferred low carb fruit as it has minimal carb content and is so versatile. From zucchini noodles to lasagna, zucchini plays a starring role in the keto diet.

    The benefits of zucchini include hydration (has a higher water content), vitamin B6, lutein and zeaxanthin (which help with eyesight).

    two muffins stacked on each other with a muffins in a muffin tin in the background

    Storage information

    Keto muffins can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for 3-5 days in an air tight container or ziploc bag.

    You can freeze muffins in an airtight bag for up to 1 month. To unthaw, leave at room temperature or the refrigerator for a few hours.

    Keto Chocolate Zucchini Muffins: FAQS

    Should I peel the zucchini for zucchini bread or muffins?

    This is a personal preference but zucchini skin is full of nutrition so I suggest leaving it on. It has carotenoids and minerals which will help with free radical disposal.

    How many carbs are in one zucchini?

    A medium zucchini has 6.1 g total carbs and 4 g net carbs.

    Can these zucchini muffins be turned into chocolate zucchini bread?

    I haven't experimented with this yet, but I suspect so. You will have to bake them longer.

    Nutritional information & Macros

    Nutrition Information

    Keto Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

    Servings: 18

    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 141
    Fat 11g
    Protein 6.7g
    Total Carbs 7.6g
    Net Carbs 2.9g

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    3 Comments

    1. I am new to Keto and I am getting used to the texture of Almond flour. These taste very good. I may have filled my muffins cups a bit more than I should have as there were 16. It took 21 minutes to bake. Is it normal for a lot to stick in the muffin paper?

    2. I’m about to make these for the second time. My kids (7 and 12) both loved these along with me and my husband. They were moist and the texture and taste is fantastic!

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