Zucchini chocolate chip pancakes are so easy to make and the perfect way to sneak some veggies into your kid’s breakfast! Perfectly fluffy, slightly sweet and so delicious!
From pumpkin pancakes, to these zucchini chocolate chip pancakes, there are so many delicious homemade pancake recipes that you can sneak extra veggies into!
Breakfast is served, and it's a great big stack of fluffy zucchini pancakes with chocolate chips! These zucchini pancakes are a favorite in our home, for adults and children alike. Even our discerning 6 year old who can spot a little green something in his pancake from a mile away enjoys these chocolate-chip-disguised zucchini pancakes… Chocolate chips really do work miracles!
Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
- they are a great healthy breakfast option for both kids and adults
- you’ll have no idea there’s zucchini in there - the chocolate disguises it perfectly!
- you can make these chocolate chip pancakes ahead and reheat for easy breakfasts!
Ingredient Notes
- Zucchini - finely grated; you will want to use a paper towel (as shown above) or cheesecloth to press the moisture out of the zucchini before adding it into this recipe. Zucchini holds a lot of moisture, so skipping this step could affect the texture of the pancakes.
- Coconut oil - essential to provide moisture to the pancakes; we recommend using refined coconut oil. You can swap for melted butter or olive oil.
- Milk - swap for almond milk or your favorite dairy-free milk alternative
- Eggs - these pancakes can work with a flax egg, but the texture is NOT the same. It ends up thick and kind of gummy. For best results we recommend using a real egg.
- All purpose flour - may be swapped for white whole wheat flour, or a mixture of all purpose/whole wheat (equal parts of each). Alternative flours like almond or gluten-free flour have not been tested.
- Maple syrup - may be swapped for an equal amount of honey or your favorite liquid sweetener.
- Chocolate chips - We suggest using mini chocolate chips so that you get little bites of chocolate in each bite.
Step by Step Directions
Mix the wet
Melt coconut oil in a large microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Stir in the maple syrup, milk, egg and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth.
TIP- If the coconut oil re-solidifies, pop the bowl back in the microwave for 20 second increments to melt it.
Mix the dry
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon and mix into the batter until no flour clumps remain.
Add chocolate chips and zucchini
Fold in the mini chocolate chips and shredded zucchini.
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Note - be sure to press the moisture out of the zucchini using a paper towel or cheesecloth before adding to the mixture to ensure best results!
Cook
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add some spray oil to the pan, then measure out ¼ cup portions of pancakes. Cook for around 2 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook 1 minute on the second side.
Serve
Enjoy with walnuts, syrup and extra chocolate chips.
Tips for flipping pancakes
Here are our best tips for perfect chocolate chip pancakes, and how to make flipping them easy and effortless:
- use a non-stick pan (and don’t over-crowd it with too many pancakes! Two pancakes in a 12-inch pan is my limit)
- make small pancakes- stick to ¼ cup, as even ⅓ cup become too wide and challenging for me to flip
- wait until you see bubbles in the middle of the pancake and the edges start to dry out a bit
- test by slipping your spatula under the side of the pancake. If it sticks to the batter, the pancakes need longer
- the first pancake is always a tester- don’t stress if it gets ruined. Your temperature may need to be adjusted, your pancake batter may need to sit a few minutes to thicken, etc.
- get the timing down- once the temperature of the pan is stabilized, set a timer so you know roughly how long the next few batches of pancakes will take.
FAQ
These chocolate chip pancakes contain little oil and a full cup of shredded zucchini, so I do consider them to be on the healthy side. You can also swap the all purpose flour for white whole wheat flour to make them even healthier!
We have not tested any alternative flours. However, we have tried these pancakes with white whole wheat flour and they worked perfectly!
Yes! We stacked them in a glass meal prep container with a bit of wax or parchment paper between each pancake. When you want to heat up, thaw at room temp for a few hours, then place in the toaster.
You can swap the milk for almond milk no problem, and the pancakes work with a flax egg but the texture is NOT the same. It ends up thick and kind of gummy. For best results I recommend using a real egg.
Storage + Reheating
- Fridge - Cook chocolate chip pancakes and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze - for up to 3 months.
- Reheat - in a pan, or in the toaster!
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil 26g
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup 39 g
- ½ cup milk dairy or non-dairy are both fine
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour 125g; fluffed, spooned & levelled
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup shredded zucchini moisture pressed out
Instructions
- Mix the wet - Melt coconut oil in a large microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Stir in the maple syrup, milk, egg and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth.
- Mix the dry - Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon and mix into the batter until no flour clumps remain.
- Add Chocolate Chips And Zucchini - Fold in the mini chocolate chips and shredded zucchini. * see note 1
- Cook - Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add some spray oil to the pan, then measure out ¼ cup portions of pancakes. Cook for around 2 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook 1 minute on the second side.
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Tips:
- Fridge - Cook pancakes and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze - for up to 3 months.
- Reheat - in a pan, or in the toaster!
Nutrition Information
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Joan Washington says
Delicious pancakes! Husband is on a kidney diet due to health issues, and this is low in salt! Used oat milk, blueberries added on top as the pancakes cooked (instead of chocolate chips), and regular flour due to potassium limitations. Thank you so much for all your recipes. You might not know it but they are lifesaving.
Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Joan, thank you for sharing, this makes us so happy.
Cecilia says
Incredible! Super moist and flavorful 😍
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Cecilia, thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review - we're so happy to hear you enjoyed!
Violet says
I am 13 years old and I made these with no struggle! They were delicious and I definitely recommend them. I added extra chocolate chips and it made them even better. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Violet! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the pancakes. Way to go on making them yourself! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a review, I really appreciate it 🙂
Tamara says
I never use non stick cookware as it is considered toxic, why add anything toxic to our food if we don't need to. I use a cast iron skillet and have no trouble flipping three 1/4 C pancakes. The trick is really in all the tips given. Pan temperature, wait for bubbles, don't worry about flubbing the first one. Besides my cast iron I love using my All Clad pans. They are expensive but there is no non-stick surface to wear through, they are well constructed, easy to cook on, long lasting & easy to clean. I've been using my ones for over 15 years and still good as new.
Denise says
Thanks for your tips Tamara! I use GreenPan now, it also works well for pancakes.