Chocolate Chip Zucchini Mini Muffins

 
My childhood church hosted a potluck brunch after their Sunday services during the summer months, and each week, a few different members of the congregation signed up to bring a dish. Those same people would slip out just after the sermon to set up the two long folding tables in the courtyard, arrange all of the food onto huge serving platters in the kitchen, and brew enough fresh coffee to serve an army.  

Some members brought homemade recipes to share, whereas others stopped by the grocery store on their way. On our week, Mom tried to throw together a fruit salad as our offering, but with two young kids and their very busy sports and play-date schedules, we occasionally stopped by the best donut store in town to pick up a few dozen donut holes instead.
 

 
Each Sunday, my brother and I tried to dash out of the sanctuary as soon as the postlude duet with the piano and organ began to head straight for the buffet tables. Because Mom and Dad preferred to sit in the first two rows, we were never first in line to grab a plate—we had to {not so} patiently wait for the other members to greet the pastor and walk out of the building first!

Once we finally reached the brunch table, we usually skipped past the first half of the platters. As picky eaters, those options of deviled eggs, potato salad, coleslaw, mini spinach quiches, and macaroni salad rarely looked appealing… We much preferred the fresh watermelon wedges, sliced baguettes, glazed donut holes, and big bakery muffins instead!
 

 
Because certain members preferred to pick up a dozen or two of Costco’s jumbo muffins in assorted flavors, the ladies in charge of brunch cut those oversized treats into eighths to ensure they could serve the majority of the congregation. My brother and I always tried to sneak an extra piece or two onto our plates, especially the double chocolate ones!

When my family and I recently reminisced about those summer church brunches, I started craving chocolaty muffins, but knowing I still couldn’t be trusted around Costco’s jumbo sized ones…
 

 
I baked these Chocolate Chip Zucchini Mini Muffins! They’re full of rich chips, which completely satisfy my chocoholic sweet tooth, and with their small size, they’re already perfectly portioned, just like those jumbo muffins sliced into eighths. Even better, they contain absolutely no butter, refined flour or sugar—and they’re just 43 calories!
 

 
These healthy muffins begin with whole wheat flour. That’s right, just regular ol’ whole wheat flour! Gold Medal is my favorite brand for regular whole wheat flour because it’s inexpensive and ground more finely than other brands, so my baked goods turn out more tender and with a less “wheat-y” flavor.

Unlike traditional muffin recipes that include ½ cup of oil or more (yikes!!), these little gems only require 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Yes, that’s right! The rest of their tender texture comes from… Can you guess?… Greek yogurt! Greek yogurt is one of my favorite ingredients in healthier baking because it adds the same moisture as extra butter or oil for a fraction of the calories, and it gives your mini muffins a protein boost too!
 

 
For the sweetener, you’ll use a combination of pure maple syrup and vanilla crème stevia. When it comes to the former, make sure you buy the good stuff! Avoid pancake syrups or sugar-free syrups; those contain corn syrup or artificial ingredients, which we’re avoiding in this clean eating recipe. The only ingredient on the label should be “pure maple syrup,” and it generally comes in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs. (I’ve also bought it online!)

As for the other, stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that’s clean eating friendly as well, and it’s very concentrated. A little goes a long way—you only need ¾ teaspoon for these muffins! This is the kind that I buy because I love its warm vanilla flavor and don’t notice any strange aftertaste like with some other stevia products. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, as well as online. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too!)
 

 
Now for the best parts… The mix-ins! Use freshly grated zucchini, but before you stir it into the batter, pat the zucchini dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. That excess moisture would cause your muffins to collapse while cooling, rather than hold their tall domed shape, so don’t skip this step!

My favorite trick is to mix in mini chocolate chips because their smaller size ensures that every bite contains a morsel of chocolate. That’s exceptionally important for a chocoholic like me! (I use that trick in many of the recipes in my Healthier Chocolate Treats cookbook too!) I absolutely love Ghirardelli’s mini chips because they taste so rich and they melt really well. Little pockets of chocolaty bliss!
 

 
Don’t those look amazing?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees that I’ll see the notification from you! ?) I’d love to see your mini muffins and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!

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You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♥   Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
♥   Chocolate Chip Banana Mini Muffins
♥   Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
♥   Dark Chocolate Drizzled Grilled Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
♥   Zucchini Bread Protein Muffins
♥   Clean Zucchini Bread Scones
♥   Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread Oatmeal Cookies