Made with just 9 ingredients, these Zucchini Pancakes with Chocolate Chips are thick and delicious. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, and glorious to wake up to and linger over, on a weekend morning.

I love a slow weekend morning where I can linger over a couple of these Zucchini Pancakes with Chocolate Chips in them. Smothered with maple syrup and a pat of butter, I find these pancakes to be so tasty and filling. And, they are on the healthy-ish side!

Summer here in Covington got off to a hot, humid, and incredibly busy start. So, when we have a morning with nothing on the agenda, it brings me so much pleasure to make a stack of pancakes, brew a large pot of coffee and savor them ever so slowly, with my boyfriend.

Just like the oatmeal pancakes I shared on this blog a while ago, these Zucchini Pancakes with Chocolate Chips are made with gluten-free oat flour and dairy-free almond milk, making them a perfect option if you have dietary restrictions with either of those. However, if you don’t want to make a stack of these, then check out this pancake recipe for 1.

These zucchini pancake recipe is an easy one to make and calls for only 9 ingredients.

What are the ingredients needed to make these Zucchini Pancakes with Chocolate Chips?

The following 9 ingredients are needed to make these tasty, filling, and healthyish pancakes:

1. Rolled oats
   I added rolled oats to my blender and ground them up into a flour like consistency. If you happen to have oat flour on hand, please feel free to use it instead.
   
2. Zucchini
   Fresh zucchini was used in this recipe. And, when I say fresh, I mean fresh as in picked from the yard fresh. Yup, I decided to grow zucchini this year and harvested my first zucchini to use in this recipe. I grated the zucchini with a box grater and drained it well to remove as much liquid as possible, before adding it into the pancake batter.
   
3. Chocolate chips
   In my mind, the zucchini had to be balanced off with some chocolate chips. I used a combination of semi sweet chocolate chunks and milk chocolate chips in this recipe. You could choose to leave them out if you wanted to omit the “ish” off the “healthy.”
   
4. Cinnamon
   I love to add just a tad bit of cinnamon flavor to the pancake batter. For these pancakes, I used some Ceylon cinnamon I had on hand. By the way, I used to think that all cinnamon was created equal, until I stumbled on this article that showed me the error of my ways. According to it, Ceylon cinnamon is lighter, brighter and safer to use in large quantities as it has less coumarin in it. What is coumarin you ask? Well, from what I read, it is a found in cinnamon and, in large quantities, can cause liver damage and other issues.
   
5. Pure vanilla extract
   Pure vanilla extract lends such a delightful aroma and flavor to these pancakes. I have not used imitation vanilla – so if you happen to have it and use it in these, please do let me know how it turns out.
   
6. Baking powder
   Baking powder helps add a tad bit of fluffiness to these thick pancakes. In fact, you will see the baking powder in action as they rise as they cook.
   
7. Salt
   To me, salt unites and accentuates all the ingredients and flavors used in these pancakes. Without salt, these pancakes would be a tad bit bland.
   
8. Almond milk
   I used almond milk in these oat zucchini pancakes as I am lactose intolerant.
   
9. Eggs
   Eggs are the binder in this recipe. I have not used a flax egg or any egg substitute while making these oat zucchini pancakes or any of the other oat flour based pancakes on this blog, so I cannot speak to how these would turn out if made with those options.
   

Substitutions and Variations

These pancakes are quite thick and a bit dense. For fluffier pancakes, I use a combination of gluten-free flour and ground up rolled oats. If you prefer, you could also use simple all purpose flour.

If zucchini is not one your favorite pancake additions, you could check out these chocolate oat pancakes or these oatmeal pancakes.

Want to keep these pancakes healthy? With the exception of the chocolate chips, these pancakes are quite healthy.  So, feel free to leave out the chocolate chips or replace them with cacao nibs, dark chocolate chips, or sugar-free chocolate chips.

If you do not have any cinnamon or vanilla extract on hand, then try this recipe out without them. I have made these pancakes without vanilla or cinnamon and  have still immensely enjoyed eating them. Or, if you would like to amp up the spices, add in some nutmeg and cardamom.

While I have not made these or any other oat pancake without eggs (yet), I have had readers mention that they used flax eggs or an egg substitute and have had great results. With that said, I cannot guarantee the taste and texture if the eggs are left out or substituted.

If you do not have any issues with lactose, cow’s milk can be used in this recipe. However, if, like me, you are lactose intolerant too, then cashew milk, coconut milk, soy milk, or any nut milk could be used.

The only ingredients I have not substituted in this recipe are the baking powder and salt. So, I would not recommend making these zucchini pancakes with chocolate chips without either of them.

How do you make these zucchini pancakes?

These pancakes are so incredibly easy to make. 

I used my blender to grind up some rolled oats.

Then, I added in the almond milk and eggs and blended it a few more seconds so all the ingredients were incorporated. After that I poured the mixture into a large mixing bowl.

I grated half of a zucchini I had that yielded about 1/2 a cup of zucchini. I placed the grated zucchini onto a kitchen towel, gathered up the ends of the towel, and wrung the towel tight so as to squeeze out as much liquid I could from the zucchini. Then I added the zucchini to the batter.

After adding in the chocolate chips, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla, I used a spatula to give the zucchini mixture a good stir.

After that, I let the mixture sit on the kitchen counter for about 10 minutes. This is an important step as the oats will absorb the liquid and the mixture will thicken up. The thicker the mixture, the easier it is to make pancakes that rise up beautifully.

When the ten minutes are up, grease a large pan or skillet. If you have a griddle, feel free to use that.. I like to do this with a mixture of coconut oil and butter and place it over a stovetop set to medium heat.

When the pan is hot, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of the pancake batter onto it, and let cook for 2-3 minutes. When there are a few bubbles on top, flip and cook the pancakes another 2-3 minutes, before removing from the stovetop. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Serving these pancakes…

I enjoy eating these pancakes with a pat of butter and some pure maple syrup. Though there have been times when I have topped these with dairy-free whipped topping and honey.

There have also been times when I have enjoyed these with some vanilla Greek yogurt, berries, and more chocolate chips.

How can leftover zucchini pancakes be stored?

Leftovers of these pancakes can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for about 2-3 days.

If you want to meal prep some oat pancakes and store them for a week or so, I would suggest you make a batch or two of my oatmeal pancakes and not these zucchini chocolate chip ones as they tend to get a bit soggy, especially if the zucchini is not drained completely. I speak from experience as I have been guilty of using zucchini that had a bit of liquid in it, only to have these pancakes turn soggy on me while they sat in the refrigerator. So, unless you happen to have a zucchini drainer gizmo, I will urge you to try and enjoy these chocolate chip zucchini pancakes in 2-3 days.

Thanks so much for stopping by. If you make this recipe, please let me know in the comments below what you think of it, or tag your creation on social media with @savoryspin or #savoryspin.
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Zucchini Pancakes with Chocolate Chips

5 from 9 votes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes minutes

Resting time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Cost: $7 per serving

Author: Shashi

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Made with just 9 ingredients, these Zucchini Pancakes with Chocolate Chips are thick and delicious. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, and glorious to wake up to and linger over, on a weekend morning.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup shredded Zucchini
• 1/2 cup Chocolate chips
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cups almond milk
• 2 eggs

Instructions

• Add some rolled oats to a blender or food processor and blend or process
• Then, add the almond milk and eggs to the blender or food processor and blend it a few more seconds so all the ingredients are well incorporated. After that, pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
• Using a box grater, grate a zucchini to yield 1/2 a cup of zucchini. Place the grated zucchini onto a kitchen towel, gather up the ends of the towel, and twist the towel tight so as to squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the zucchini. Then add the zucchini to the batter.
• Add the chocolate chips, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla to the batter and stir well with a spatula.
• Let the mixture sit on the kitchen counter for about 10 minutes. This is an important step as the oats will absorb the liquid and the mixture will thicken up. The thicker the mixture, the easier it is to make pancakes that rise up beautifully.
• When the ten minutes are up, grease a large pan or skillet. If you have a griddle, feel free to use that. When the pan is hot, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of the pancake batter onto it, and let cook for 2-3 minutes. When there are a few bubbles on top, flip and cook the pancakes another 2-3 minutes, before removing from the stovetop. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
• Serve the zucchini pancakes with butter and maple syrup and enjoy!

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Nutrition

Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 554mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 151IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 217mg | Iron: 2mg

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