Double Chocolate Chai Zucchini Muffins Are Exactly What You Need to Use Up All that Zucchini

Do you ever get a recipe idea in your head that you just can’t shake?

That’s how I felt about these chocolate zucchini muffins with chai spices – once I dreamed up the idea, I couldn’t stop thinking about them! Rich chocolate and warm chai spices are delicious together and I had a feeling that they’d make an especially delicious treat when added to zucchini muffins.

It took me a few tries to perfect this recipe, but I’m glad I kept going until I nailed it.

The chocolate and chai flavors are nicely balanced, and the muffins are moist and cakey. I love that they’re healthy enough for breakfast, but decadent enough for dessert.

What you’ll love about this zucchini muffin recipe:

• A great way to use garden-fresh zucchini with unexpected flavor from chai spices
• Grab and Go. Muffins are a great option for a breakfast or snack on the go. 
• Under 200 calories each

What you’ll need to make them

To make these double chocolate zucchini muffins, you’ll need:

• Unsweetened Coconut Milk. For this recipe, you’ll need refrigerated coconut milk beverage (not canned coconut milk). You could also use almond milk or dairy milk if you prefer. 
• Spiced Chai Tea bags. For the best flavor and texture, I found that using chai spice tea bags works best. I like the ones from Tazo a lot!
• Zucchini. One medium to large zucchini should be plenty. 
• Coconut Oil. Cocout oil is a nice alternative to butter in this muffins. If keeps them dairy free and adds lots of moisture. 
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. My absolute favorite is Ghirardelli but you can never go wrong with Hershey’s either!
• Chocolate Chips. Milk, dark, or semi-sweet. It’s your choice!

You’ll also need standard baking supplies like flour, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. 

Substitutions:

• Try applesauce instead of coconut oil
• For a healthier muffin, use whole wheat pastry flour in place of all purpose flour
• You can also use a cup for cup gluten-free flour blend. 

How to make them:

1. Brew the chai. Heat the coconut milk until it’s lukewarm, then steep the tea bags until it take on a deeply spice flavor. Press as much moisture form the tea bags and as you before discarding them.

2. Combine the dry ingredients. Be sure to whisk everything well so you don’t end up with clumps of baking powder in your muffins!

3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. The method of adding wet ingredients into the dry ones is key to muffin-making and is one of the key differences between muffins and cupcakes!

4. Scoop the batter into your muffin pan. I like to use a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop for this. It’s less messy and means all of the muffins will be the same size. If you want, sprinkle the top of each muffin with a few chocolate chips. 

5. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the top of a muffin comes out clean. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More delicious muffin recipes

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• Spiced Sweet Potato Blender Muffins with Pecan Streusel
• Apple Cheddar Corn Muffins with Honey Butter
• Chocolate Cinnamon Muffins
• Roasted Peach Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel
• Bakery Style Raspberry-Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Peanut Butter, Banana + Bacon Muffins

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Chocolate Chai Zucchini Muffins

Moist and decadent double chocolate zucchini muffins with chai spices. These amazing muffins make a great grab and go breakfast or snack!

Course 14 Sweet Breakfast Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword zucchini muffins

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Total Time 37 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 194kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 bags chai
• 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup coconut oil melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups shredded zucchini about 1 large
• ½ cup chocolate chips

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350ºF. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray it with cooking spray.
• In a small saucepan, heat the coconut milk over medium heat until its lukewarm. Add the tea bags. Remove from heat and let steep 5 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid from the tea bags as you can, then discard the bags.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In a second bowl, combine the brewed chai, coconut oil, and vanilla. One at a time, whisk in the eggs. Stir in the zucchini.
• Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.
• Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 of the way to the top. If desired, top each muffin with a few chocolate chips.
• Bake 22-25 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 193mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

I created this recipe for my client, Nielsen-Massey. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen!

Homemade Lamb Chops: Broil Them, Baby!

These broiled lamb chops are hands-down the most delicious thing I’ve eaten in ages. When making healthy recipes, it’s important to choose pure ingredients with complex flavor profiles that keep things interesting. These homemade lamb chops only use a handful of ingredients, but they have major flavor.

Balsamic reduction is always amazing, but I kicked this version up a few notches with woody vanilla extract and a hefty dose of black pepper.

The earthy-sweet-spicy combination blew my mind. I want to eat it on everything!

Vanilla is a staple for baking, but I really love the deep, earthy flavor that it adds to savory recipes. It’s my secret ingredient in everything from a smokey vanilla tomato relish for grilled steak to the perfect vinaigrette for a roast pear salad.

To make these lamb chops

Start by making the glaze. Bring some balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer it until it reduces by about half. At this point, it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the glaze from the heat and stir in a good amount of black pepper to help balance out the sweetness.

Prepare the lamb chops with brushing them with a little olive oil and sprinkling on some fresh rosemary.

Broil the lamb for about 5-7 minutes on each side (5 minutes for a perfect medium, 7 if you like them more well done).

Once the lamb comes out of the oven, brush the chops with glaze. Be sure not to brush them before you broil them, or the glaze with burn.

For an elegant presentation, you can use rib chops, like I did here, or you can use loin chops, which have a triangular shape without the long bone. Rib chops are my favorite, but it seems like loin chops are slightly easier to find these days. Either way, you can’t go wrong. (If you like lamb, you’ll also love my recipe for Garlic and Herb Lamb Chops)

I served these lamb chops with juicy pomegrante seeds, roast carrots and manchego polenta. And I drizzled that balsamic glaze over every. last. bite.

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Broiled Lamb Chops with Vanilla Balsamic Glaze

These broiled lamb chops are everything you need in a dinner. They're easy to make, delicious, and homemade—and they'll make you feel like a total boss. The balsamic glaze is rich and sultry – perfect for a date night at home!

Course Beef Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword broiled lamb chops, lamb recipes

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 291kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Mexican Vanilla Extract
• ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 pound lamb chops rib or loin
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• sea salt
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds optional

Instructions

• Add the vinegar, sugar, and vanilla to a saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer until reduced by about half and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the black pepper.
• Lightly coat the lamb chops with olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt. Place in a single layer on a broiling pan. Broil under high heat for 5 minutes on each side.
• Brush the lamb chops with the vanilla balsamic glaze. Serve with remaining glaze. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 406mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg

There’s an ice cream stand not too far from our house that has the most amazing selection. My standard order is one scoop of cajun strawberry and one scoop of horchata on a chocolate cookie cone. It’s so good – but what else would you expect from an ice cream place that literally serves six different varieties of vanilla? They definitely understand the nuances of flavor.

We usually associate vanilla with sweet recipes, but it’s warm, musky flavor is just as suitable for savory dishes. When Nielsen-Massey challenged me to create a side dish featuring vanilla, it didn’t take me very long to brainstorm a whole page of ideas. I finally settled on this simple salad topped with vanilla vinaigrette. It would be lovely on your Thanksgiving table or as part of your holiday meal, or you can add prosciutto and serve it as a light lunch.

Vanilla is featured throughout this recipe – it’s in the butter that I used to roast the pears, on the spiced nuts, and in the vinaigrette. Although bourbon vanilla (what you probably have in your baking cabinet) would be fine for this salad, it’s a great reason to try out a different variety. I chose to use Nielsen-Massey’s Mexican vanilla, which has a deep, earthy flavor and a slightly spicy undertone similar to cloves. It’s delicious in sweet recipes, but it really shines in savory recipes (try adding a splash to your favorite tomato soup!)

The pears and spiced pecans in this salad contribute a sweetness that makes the vanilla seem warm and familiar, but spicy greens, creamy cheese, and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper keep thing firmly on the savory side of the flavor spectrum. I like to serve it on mâche (also known as lamb’s lettuce), a tender green with a mildly spicy, nutty flavor. You could also use a mild lettuce, like butter lettuce, mixed with endive.

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Winter Salad with Roast Pears and Vanilla Vinaigrette

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon butter
• ½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Mexican Vanilla Extract
• 2 firm pears
• ½ cup halved pecans
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup champagne vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Mexican Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 8 cups mâche or other tender salad greens
• 2 ounces soft goat cheese crumbled
• 2 ounces prosciutto optional

Instructions

• Heat your oven to 400ºF.
• Add the butter to a small baking pan and place it in the oven for a minute or two, until melted. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Cut each pear into 6 sections; remove and discard the stem and seeds. Place the pears, cut side down, into the melted butter. Roast 10-15 minutes, or until the pears are soft and begin to brown at the edges. Use a slotted spatula to remove the pears from the pan, reserving the vanilla butter.
• Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and roast for 6-8 minutes, or until toasted. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the vanilla butter and stir to coat. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper, coating the nuts evenly. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, prepare the vanilla vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and honey. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• To serve, toss the salad greens with 1/4 cup of vinaigrette. Divide among four plates. Top with pear slices, spiced nuts, and cheese. Top with prosciutto, if using. Serve with remaining vinaigrette.

I created this recipe for my client, Nielsen-Massey. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen and help bring you creative new recipes.