They say that summer is almost to an end but in actuality Los Angeles is hotter than ever and will continue to be HOT HOT because September is actually one of the hottest months here.

The farmer’s markets are still bursting with zucchini and corn and tomatoes and figs. What a time to be alive! Every year I buy way too much zucchini and then my friends usually try and pass some off to me too. Zucchini overload!

To be completely honest with you, my absolute favorite way to eat zucchini is sautéed over really high heat with tons of salt and crushed red pepper. It caramelizes the zucchini a little and I think it brings all its flavors out so much. While I’ve been doing this like every morning and having it for breakfast, I still can’t get through all of it…so MUFFINS.

These zucchini chocolate muffins aren’t very sweet. Actually they definitely feel more like muffins than cupcakes. I’m not into super sweet muffins because I want to eat them for breakfast and not feel like I’m eating something I shouldn’t!

The best thing about this mixture is that the batter could easily be made into pancakes or even a loaf. There are a whole lot of options!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

These breakfast muffins can also be easily converted into pancakes or a loaf. (Recipe Credit: Adrianna Adarme of Fresh Tastes)

Ingredients

• 2 cups grated zucchini (from about 2 medium-sized zucchini)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup shaken buttermilk
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Transfer the zucchini to the center of a few layers of paper towels. Wrap up the zucchini and squeeze all the water out. You’ll be surprised at how much liquid comes out! Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and sugar together until it turns pale yellow, about 1 minute. Pour in the buttermilk, olive oil, and pure vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients; mix until you no longer see any flecks of flour.
4. Fill the muffin liners up about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Yield: 12 muffins

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.