My and desserts have had a love/hate relationship for a long time now. I love to eat them, but I knew they were not good for me. My suspicions were confirmed when I was diagnosed with prediabetes. I am sure you can understand that my diet changed. I am limiting my sugar in my diet, which includes carbs and other “hidden” sugars. It is shocking how many foods have sugar in them! Some of them are salad dressing, ketchup, BBQ sauce, and fruit juices
I am also trying to find alternatives to adding more veggies, like zucchini, into my diet. I am not averse to eating vegetables, I just get lazy in preparing them. Also, I still have a sweet tooth, so a lot of the recipes I am used to making are high in sugar. I decided to tweak some of our family recipes. One of my favorites when I was growing up were my moms Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Making Favorite Recipes Healthier
Instead of using the white and brown sugar the recipe called for, I went with sugar substitutes. Not only am I saving a ton of calories, I am also saving on my daily sugar allowance. By substituting the grated zucchini for the oil the recipe calls for, I get more veggies in my diet. And the zucchini adds an unexpected moistness to the recipe! My new recipe is Double Chocolate Chip Zucchini Streusel Muffins.
You Put What In Those Muffins?!
Mom’s original Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe did not have a topping. I wanted to add a tasty texture to my muffin recipe. The streusel topping with the pecans was the perfect addition! With the sugar substitutes and zucchini, I made a healthy twist on a family favorite recipe. Caitlin was helping me make the muffins and she said the zucchini sounded like a smart ingredient! She couldn’t wait to taste one of my Double Chocolate Chip Zucchini Streusel Muffins. The verdict? A wholehearted two-thumbs-up!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 cup granulated Stevia (or other sugar substitute)
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar substitute
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. coffee
- 2 cups grated zucchini (make sure to grate as fine as possible, so it blends better)
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- For Streusel:
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar substitute
- 1/3 cup sugar substitute
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 butter or margarine, softened
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray
- In a large bowl, beat your sugar substitutes, butter, eggs, coffee, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Gradually add dry ingredients into sugar mixture until just combined.
- Fold in zucchini until it is evenly distributed into the batter. Stir in chips.
- Fill muffin tins 2/3 full.
- For Streusel: Combine brown sugar, flour and butter in small bowl; stir in nuts. Sprinkle generously over muffin batter; press down lightly. Bake 18-22 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Do you have a favorite substitute to a family recipe to make it a healthier option? I would love to hear about it!
Mmm! Those sound so good. I need to make these soon!
I would never have thought that you could add zucchini to muffins. What a great idea… I am always looking for ways to make sweet things healthier. Thanks for sharing
Those sound so amazing. These are a lot like the chocolate chip zucchini bread I make. I can’t wait to give this a try.
These look delish! They would be perfect to make on a Sunday and have ready for the week’s breakfast.
Holy. Moly. Chocolate chip zucchini bread is one of my favorite breads to make. Therefore, I think this will be one of my favorite muffin recipes, especially with that streusel on top!
My husband has pre-diabetes and has to be careful what he eats. These muffins look good for both diabetics and people without diabetes.
Yum! These look really good! Sometimes it’s hard to have to make those changes, but recipes like this make it a little easier. Thanks for sharing it!
Oh my word. These look incredible. I love adding zucchini to baking. Its surprisingly so deliciously good. I need to try these asap!
This is a GREAT tricks for moms haha squeesing veggies into muffins! Awesome. I love zucchini Bread any way.
These look super yummy, I am glad you shared this recipe. I will be making them before you can blink 😉 I love the idea of chocolate chip mixed with zucchini!
My Mom used to make the best zucchini bread. I am always looking for new recipes to try. I am excited to make this.
These look scrumptious. I love how zucchini adds moistness to desserts. I will have to try these.
What a great way to add vegetables to your diet. I love zucchini. These sure do look delicious.
Oh man, these look perfect! I’m positive my family would love them! I need to use zucchini like this more.
Those look so delicious. I might be willing to try zucchini with these.
Woah woah woah. I don’t freak out over recipes but this looks amazing. Like healthy and indulgent??!!! Dessert for breakfast? 🙂 yes!
I am always looking for healthier recipes to try. I would love to make these zucchini muffins. My kids would never know they were good for them.
YES to anything chocolate!! I love that this has a healthy factor to it as well.
YUM! Now these look deliciously easy and fun to make. Plus they have hidden veggies, a must for kids!
This looks delicious! I love zucchini bread but these look even better with the chocolate and streusel on top!
Wow! I would have never have thought to add zucchini to a baked chocolate recipe. This is the most amazing way to sneak a serving of healthy veggies into dessert. Fabulous!
Oh that sounds delicious!! I have extra zucchini now and I would love to try these.
It is nice to take a family recipe and add a special touch to make it your own. By doing this, we keep recipes fresh and relevant.
I have a recipe for chocolate zucchini cake that is delicious. I hadn’t considered adding zucchini into other baked goods, but it sounds like a great idea. These look scrumptious!
This looks so good. What a great way to get veggies in to where kids will actually enjoy them 🙂
Not a big fan of zucchini but this looks amazing! Great recipe!
I don’t have a favorite substitute to put in a recipe as a means to make it healthier, I will have to try something though. Appreciate the recipe, I think this would be good with a cup of coffee in the morning.
Um! Those look delicious and perfecting timing as my zucchini will be ready soon!
I agree, this looks so good. I need to go pick up some zucchini and try this recipe.
The perfect muffin for breakfast. I’d love to try it. I know the kids would too (though not with my delicious cup of coffee that would accompany it).
It will surely satisfy cravings everywhere, that’s for sure. I love how you mentioned incorporating your own styles with your mom’s old recipe, experimental things like that are what makes new treats delicious!
All right. So I pinned this because…yumm. Anything with zucchini in it is so moist.
I never thought that zucchini is perfect for this recipe! I can’t wait to try this.
I am actually a big fan of zucchini. Until recently, I had no idea you could incorporate it into desserts. These muffins look really thick and moist. I can’t wait for the chocolate fragrance to come wafting from the oven!
This looks like a delicious recipe. I’m sure it can be made gluten free just by using gluten free flour. What a great idea you had. Good luck with the diabetes. It’s a challenge, I know.
Another pre-diabetic here! Will definitely be trying these. I still need to feed my sweet tooth but healthier! Thanks!!
You are so smart. I would not have thought of putting zucchini in there for the oil I will have to try these too.