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★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★
A Smarter Donut Fix
We love to grab chocolate glazed donuts from the store as a quick breakfast treat. The kids loved them—and honestly, so do I. But when it became more routine than occasional, I started thinking: how can we keep the fun without the guilt?
My family loves my chocolate zucchini bread, so that's where the evolution of the Chocolate Maple Zucchini Donuts began.
Zucchini for the Win
That’s when I turned to zucchini. It adds moisture without a strong flavor and hides perfectly in chocolatey bakes. These donuts are basically chocolate zucchini bread in donut form, topped with a sweet glaze. The kids figured out the veggie secret eventually—but they still love them!
Do my kids know there is zucchini in their donuts? They didn't at first but they've wised up to my vegetable hiding ways. They don't mind though. They still get their donuts. I get them to eat their veggies. Win-win!
White Chocolate Maple Icing
Lets talk about that. The blend of maple syrup and chocolate is a beautiful thing that only nature can properly explain in scientific terms but I'll just tell you, it's good. Really good. The more "real" the maple syrup the better, but if you're trying to avoid calories, it's fine to go with a light maple syrup.
Sprinkles or icing, you decide
Whether you top these donuts with frosting or go the sprinkle route, you can’t go wrong. If you live near an Amish or country market, you’ve likely seen the bulk sprinkle section—perfect for loading up on fun toppings. A little tip: store your sprinkles in mason jars fitted with flip caps. They double as handy sifters for flour, sugar, or even homemade breadcrumbs. However you decorate them, these donuts are a fun and secretly nutritious way to treat the whole family.
★ Ingredients You'll Need ★
Here's everything you'll need to make zucchini donuts with white icing.
- Whole wheat flour. Or all purpose flour works too.
- Baking powder and baking soda.
- Salt. Use sea salt for added flavor.
- Dark coca powder.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- White sugar.
- Brown sugar.
- Eggs.
- Vanilla extract.
- Coconut oil. Or any neutral cooking oil.
- Maple syrup.
- Zucchini. Shredded with skin on.
- White chocolate chocolate chips or melting wafers.
★ How to Make this Recipe ★
Here's a look at how these healthy baked donuts come together.
- Mix together dry ingredients.
- Cream together wet ingredients.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and blend.
- Add batter to donut pan and bake then let cool.
- Mix together icing ingredients.
- Pipe icing onto cooled donuts then serve or store.
★ Tips & FAQs ★
You will need a donut pan, and ideally a mixer and a cooling rack to make baked donuts at home. You'll also need a piping bag to apply the icing, or you can use a plastic bag with the corn snipped off.
Yes! If you don’t have a donut pan, use a muffin tin and bake slightly longer—about 18–20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Not at all! The zucchini just adds moisture and helps keep the donuts soft. The chocolate and maple flavors are what really shine through.
Nope! Just wash the zucchini and grate it with the skin on. The skin is tender and blends right into the batter—plus it adds extra nutrients.
★ More Zucchini Recipes ★
Want more breakfast ideas?
Browse all my easy breakfast recipes!
These chocolate maple zucchini donuts were featured on Foodie Friday!
Chocolate Zucchini Donuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoon special dark coca powder
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
TOPPING
- ½ cup white chocolate chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
Mighty Mrs. is a #WalmartPartner.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Mix together whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- Beat together sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, coconut oil, maple syrup and shredded zucchini In a larger bowl, using a mixer.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, slowly, until batter is formed.
- Spoon or pipe batter into greased and floured donut pan, filling just below the the top of the pan.
- Bake at 350˚ for 10-12 minutes or just until toothpick poked into thickest part comes out clean.
- Remove donuts from oven and flip onto a wire rack to cool.
- Make the icing. Use a glass measuring cup to melt chocolate chips in the microwave. Use 30-second increments stirring in between until melted all the way through (about 1 minute).
Video
Notes
- Don't overcook or donuts will be dry.
- For glazed donuts: Add extra maple syrup to thin your icing then pour over top each donut. Immediately add sprinkles so they stick.
Iris says
Have you ever made them without sugar?? That’s my only concern because that’s what I’ve been staying away from and wondering if there’s an alternative?? TIA!!
Angela G. says
Hi Iris, You can substitute the sugar with more maple syrup, agave nectar, honey or an artificial sweetener of your choice.
Holly says
So easy and fun to make! I modified with AP flour and they came out great.
Angela G. says
That's awesome, Holly! Thanks for the feedback. And now you have a donut pan! Woo hoo! 😉