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Chocolate Zucchini Muffins with Chocolate Chips

August 26, 2015

Moist and flavorful chocolate zucchini muffins with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Simple to whip up, and they taste like a healthy brownie! 

chocolate zucchini muffins 2

Today I have a special guest. My big brother! He’s become somewhat of a foodie himself in recent years. You know the vegetable garden I mention that I want to plant, but never do? He actually does it. When he cooks, he incorporates what he’s homegrown, farm-to-table style, making us all feel very unaccomplished. Oh, just me then?

I approached him about writing a guest post because, like me, he’s also an attorney, who also enjoys writing for fun, and who also pursues a lot of creative outlets outside of his day job. We did come from the same family. Allegedly. He’s a little more into cooking, but he and his wife like to bake together too.

chocolate zucchini muffins 3

Anyhoo, without further ado… my brother Jeff:

In the timeless poem, “Monday’s  Child,” it is said that children born on a Saturday “work hard for a living.”  What the poem does not reveal, however, is that some Saturday children – including my sister, the GLG – can also be incredibly sneaky… sneaky enough to start and maintain a blog for over a year without her family knowing a thing about it!

chocolate zucchini muffins 7

It’s true! While GLG’s love of food, baking, and finding the gold lining in life are well known to all of us, her blog, until a few months ago, was not.  In fact, many members of our family have yet to hear of her blogging endeavors. At this rate, she may have already become the next Martha Stewart by the time she’s willing to admit to her blogging notoriety! [I wish!!!!!]

Of course, this isn’t the first time the GLG has sought fame and fortune through her love of baking. To the contrary, as a precocious six-year old, she once sought baking glory on the grandest stage of all: the 1989 Copley (Ohio) Heritage Days Festival Baking Competition. Our mother actually entered us both into this esteemed competition. For my entry, I delved deep into our family’s baking history and decided to enter an all-time favorite recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Bread.

chocolate zucchini muffins 8

Now, you’re undoubtedly asking yourself what recipe the proprietress of this blog produced for her entry. Something complex and sophisticated, like this Coconut Pavlova with Mango-Kiwi Compote? Perhaps a closely guarded secret recipe from the family archives, a la Cracked Top Ginger Cookies?

Nope.  She made… no-bakes!  You know, the simple, albeit delicious confection mass-produced in school cafeterias and grocery stores across America?  Granted, she was only six, but still, hardly a sign of greatness, right?  Of course, like any typical older brother, I offered my firm and unwavering support by declaring that no one would ever win a baking competition with no-bakes.  “Ha!”, I said.  “You’ll never win a prize with those.  Never!!!”

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She won, of course.  FIRST PLACE in the ‘candy’ category. Meanwhile, my perfect zucchini bread garnered no better than SECOND in ‘breads’. But in true gold-lining fashion, my mother has always pointed out that mine was the first to sell out once the competition was over.

Now, although I failed to take home the cherished first place ribbon that day, you’ll still love this recipe. It’s a tasty and delicious bread for any occasion. This version has been portioned into muffins for portability and on-the-go snacking!

chocolate zucchini muffins 11

This Chocolate Zucchini Muffin recipe is also a little ‘healthified’ from our original family version. A little less sugar, substitute out some of the oil for protein-packed Greek yogurt. But you’ll never notice a difference – of course, mini chocolate chips help that cause. These really taste a lot like brownies. So indulgent that you think you should feel guilty, but you can enjoy these guilt-free!



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Filed Under: Breads & Muffins, Breakfast, Healthy Baking, Recipes 54 Comments

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Lovely comments

  1. Jeff says

    August 26, 2015 at 10:42 am

    Now you just need to post your no bake recipe and let your readers decide who REALLY should have won that blue ribbon. 😉

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      August 26, 2015 at 11:29 am

      Yeah, because when I made those no-bakes, they didn’t even set up properly! And I still won! Mwahahahaha!!! I will post it at some point, and let the viewers decide once and for all! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Medha @ Whisk & Shout says

    August 26, 2015 at 4:33 pm

    Yum! These look so moist and totally delicious 🙂

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      August 28, 2015 at 6:13 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Blair @ The Seasoned Mom says

    August 26, 2015 at 9:21 pm

    Yes, I’m curious about the no-bake recipe now! 🙂

    I loved this guest post. It’s so fun to get family members and friends involved in the blog. How in the world did you keep your blog a secret for so long?! That’s funny!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      August 28, 2015 at 6:12 pm

      I think I still have some friends and family who don’t know about it! Lol. I am still not comfortable shouting it from the rooftops! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Barb says

    August 26, 2015 at 11:33 pm

    The no bakes didn’t set up because it was 90 degrees that day! They still tasted great, though!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      August 28, 2015 at 6:13 pm

      I don’t remember them myself, but I would think that melty no-bakes would be pretty delicious! Haha!

      Reply
  5. Rachel says

    September 2, 2015 at 11:59 am

    Now that you know her secret alter-ego, you must stop by more often to share stories like these. Family competition is such fun and these look mouthwatering. I love the swap for greek yogurt. Genius!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 2, 2015 at 5:25 pm

      Yes, I’m thinking of suckering him into writing for me more often. It’s so hard to keep up, right? Yep, my cover is blown and the word got out about the blog. Haha!

      Reply
  6. Manali @ CookWithManali says

    September 2, 2015 at 12:29 pm

    Hi Jeff! So nice to meet you! 🙂 That was a wonderful story that you shared, now I am curious to know what did Sarah make which made her win the 1st prize?? These muffins looks absolutely perfect, so moist that I want to sink my teeth into them right away!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 2, 2015 at 5:26 pm

      Lol! What’s funny is that the no-bakes I made didn’t even set up well. It was such a hot and humid day that they didn’t even set! Maybe that’s what made them so good. Gooey and melty no-bakes. Haha! Thanks so much, Manali! So glad you liked his contribution! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Alison says

    September 2, 2015 at 12:30 pm

    I was a secret blogger for a year as well! Good cooking runs in the family, these muffins look awesome. Perfect for sneaking veggies to my six year old!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 2, 2015 at 5:27 pm

      How funny! I hear that from a lot of other bloggers too… that they kept their blogs under wraps for a while. Wonder why we do that! Lol. So glad you like the recipe!

      Reply
  8. Sandra @ The Foodie Affair says

    September 2, 2015 at 12:37 pm

    Second place isn’t a bad place to be! Love the healthier ingredients in this recipe! Foodies and lawyers?! The family holiday gatherings have to be a blast 🙂

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 2, 2015 at 5:29 pm

      LOL!!! Yep, our family get-togethers are pretty wild and crazy, as you’d probably guess! Haha. We do get a lot of excellent food involved. Second place isn’t bad, but it’s not first!!! Mwahahaha! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Lindsay says

    September 2, 2015 at 1:39 pm

    Hilarious sibling rivalry, all in good fun! I cannot wait to try this recipe, especially because of the Greek yogurt sub. And, I love all things chocolate and always have way too much zucchini to handle. I need to know the answer to the question as to whether or not Jeff has his secret blog as well? Or, better yet, will you two be joining forces and end up on Food Network any time soon?

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 2, 2015 at 5:30 pm

      Ooooh, the Food Network. We should definitely be in talks for a brother/sister cooking show. That could be epic. I am wondering the same thing… whether he has a secret blog that he just hasn’t revealed yet. I have my suspicions, indeed!

      Reply
  10. Nancy [email protected] says

    September 2, 2015 at 1:48 pm

    Welcome Jeff! So great to hear some stories about Sarah! We need that no bake recipe! Great job on the muffins, they look delicious!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 2, 2015 at 5:31 pm

      I mean, that no-bake recipe is 1st prize winning. I don’t know if I can share such a treasured recipe. Ha!!! So glad you liked the guest post and the recipe!! Thank you!

      Reply
  11. Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says

    September 2, 2015 at 2:24 pm

    Nice to meet you Jeff! What a great guest post! Loved hearing more stories about Sarah! Awesome job on these muffins! They look amazing!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 2, 2015 at 5:32 pm

      Don’t they look great? I love the addition of mini chocolate chips! Thanks, Kelly!

      Reply
  12. Zainab says

    September 2, 2015 at 3:17 pm

    Thanks for this great recipe Jeff!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 2, 2015 at 5:32 pm

      You won’t believe it’s a second place recipe when you try it! Thanks, Zainab!

      Reply
  13. Nichi - The Mandatory Mooch says

    September 2, 2015 at 3:41 pm

    These look delicious!!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 2, 2015 at 5:31 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  14. Jen | Baked by an Introvert says

    September 2, 2015 at 6:03 pm

    You had me at chocolate zucchini muffins! They look perfect. Thanks for sharing, Jeff!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 2, 2015 at 10:41 pm

      Thanks, Jen! 🙂

      Reply
  15. Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze says

    September 2, 2015 at 7:40 pm

    Hi Jeff! Nice to meet you. What a great guest post and funny too. Loved hearing about Sarah. Sarah I can’t believe you blogged for a year and didn’t say anything. You are so good. I complain to much to my family for them not to know, hehe. These muffins look so moist and delicious for an afternoon snack. Yum.

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 2, 2015 at 10:42 pm

      I kept this gig pretty under wraps for a long time. There’s a lot of people that still aren’t aware actually. Lol! I probably ought to complain more because WOW is there always a lot to do!! So I hear you on that. Thanks, Cyndi!

      Reply
  16. Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat. says

    September 2, 2015 at 8:08 pm

    I blogged in secret for a year too – totally understand Sarah! These muffins do look pretty amazing, love chocolate and zucchini!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 2, 2015 at 10:41 pm

      I remember that! I knew I was not alone in hiding it. Lol! Thanks, Stacey!

      Reply
  17. Sheena @ Hot Eats and Cool Reads says

    September 2, 2015 at 9:30 pm

    What a great guest post!! These muffins looks wonderful! Such a great way to use zucchini!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 2, 2015 at 10:40 pm

      I agree. Zucchini is far more tolerable when it’s combined with chocolate. Haha! Thank you so much. So glad you liked the post!

      Reply
  18. [email protected] says

    September 3, 2015 at 12:22 pm

    What a fun story with great memories! Sarah really should post her winning recipe. It would be fun to compare the two 🙂 Your muffins look absolutely delicious Jeff! I love that you made them a bit healthier.

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 9, 2015 at 8:27 pm

      Yep, I have to post the no-bakes now so we can compare. Lol! Thank you so much, Marion!

      Reply
  19. Jacqueline {Go Go Go Gourmet} says

    September 3, 2015 at 3:13 pm

    Love this. I was totally cracking up. The muffins look amazing too!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 9, 2015 at 8:32 pm

      Thanks, girl!!

      Reply
  20. Carrie @Frugal Foodie Mama says

    September 4, 2015 at 3:17 pm

    How fun is this?? And I can’t believe you have been hiding your food blogging career from your family, Sarah! Sneaky girl. 😉 And these muffins look amazing! I am all about baking with zucchini- makes everything super moist and bonus hidden veggies.

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 9, 2015 at 8:34 pm

      Yes, it was a well-guarded secret for a very long time. Still is a bit of a secret to some people! Lol. I agree – hidden veggies are really the only kind of veggies I like! HAHA!!

      Reply
  21. Erica (@Erica's Recipes) says

    September 5, 2015 at 9:22 am

    awwww what a great post. Enjoyed reading and what DELICIOUS looking muffins!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 9, 2015 at 8:34 pm

      Thank you! 🙂 So glad you liked reading it. I know he enjoyed writing it. Lol!

      Reply
  22. Shelby says

    September 5, 2015 at 11:43 am

    Oh, I really love no bake cookies! 🙂 However, I would gladly eat one of these Chocolate Zucchini Muffins also! I also cannot believe she kept her blog from her family for so long! 🙂

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 9, 2015 at 8:35 pm

      Lol! I know. I just couldn’t bring myself to put it out there! The cat is mostly out of the bag now. 🙂

      Reply
  23. Heather says

    September 5, 2015 at 3:12 pm

    Yes! Just the recipe I needed!!! Thanks for sharing this awesomeness, and your big brother’s hilarity 😉
    -Heather

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 9, 2015 at 8:35 pm

      Thank you, Heather!

      Reply
  24. Creatively Homespun says

    September 8, 2015 at 4:37 pm

    YUUM!! Thank you for linking up at the Creative K Kids’ Tasty Tuesdays! It’s great to party with you! I have pinned your post to our Tasty Tuesdays Pinterest Board! I hope to see you again next week! xo

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 9, 2015 at 8:38 pm

      Thanks for the party!

      Reply
  25. Alix @A Hedgehog in the Kitchen says

    November 2, 2016 at 2:15 pm

    We absolutely LOVE zucchini bread in our home but have never tried chocolate zucchini muffins with chocolate chips! What a great idea! Oh, and I’m a Saturday child too! (The best – obv.) 🙂

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      November 2, 2016 at 8:37 pm

      LOL! Totally the best!! You must try with chocolate chips – it’s especially great with mini chips because they just melt throughout and get you little bites of chocolate here and there!

      Reply

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Hello, It’s Nice to Meet you!

I'm Sarah! A baker and dessert maker, craft addict, beauty product hoarder, and fitness enthusiast. I have a special affinity for shiny gold objects. I get distracted by glitter and sequins. If it's gleaming and lustrous, I need it. Welcome! Please stay awhile! Read More…

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