Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Shredded Zucchini, mashed ripe banana, dark chocolate morsel and chopped walnuts are all packed into one delicious muffin! Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins are a great way to sneak in (or use up) zucchini, are made with less sugar and all in one-bowl.

When the garden (or Farmers’ Market) gives you zucchini, make these Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins!

Zucchini season is upon us which means if you have a backyard garden or you are a weekly customer at your local Farmers’ Market, you’ll likely be on the hunt for recipes that call for zucchini. Thankfully zucchini is a very versatile vegetable and can be enjoyed in both sweet and savory ways. From meatballs to muffins and everything in between. Today, we’re sharing a muffin recipe with you! Similar to our Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins, these zucchini muffins are easy to make, made with less sugar and all in one bowl. Simply add all of the ingredient to a mixing bowl, give ’em a stir, transfer to a muffin pan and in the oven they go.

Ingredients for Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

• 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour  –  all-purpose flour also works great in this recipe. 
• Brown sugar – only a little brown sugar is added for sweetness since most of the sweetness comes from the mashed banana. Coconut sugar  can be substituted for brown sugar. 
• Ground cinnamon – a spice that’s ever so nice and a common ingredient in zucchini baked goods. 
• Baking powder and baking soda 
• Sea salt
• Apple cider vinegar – we found ACV to be necessary in some gluten-free baking recipes. If you’re making these muffins with regular all-purpose flour, feel free to omit.
• Medium ripe bananas – the perfect way to add a sweetness in a natural way. You’ll want to be sure the bananas are ripe with black spots.
• Shredded zucchini – a cheese grater works great for shredding zucchini (or any vegetable). After measuring out the 1 1/2 cups of shredded zucchini (~160 grams), you’ll want to squeeze out some of the water with paper towels.
• Whole egg 
• Olive oil or avocado oil 
• Pure vanilla extract
• Dark chocolate chips or morsels
• Walnuts – we love the crunch and healthy fats from the walnuts. However, feel free to use any nut of choice or omit altogether for a nut-free muffin.

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How to make Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

This recipe is quite simple.

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with muffin liners.
2. Step 2: Place the shredded zucchini on one half of a double layer of paper towel, fold the paper towel over the zucchini and press out some of the moisture from the zucchini.
3. Step 3: In a bowl combine all of the ingredients. Stir to combine, then divide the batter among the 12 muffins wells.
4. Step 4: Optional but recommended, top each muffin with a few additional chocolate chips and/or walnuts.
5. Step 5: Bake for 18-23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or center of muffins spring back when pressed down slightly with finger. Begin checking muffins at 18 minutes as all ovens are different.
6. Step 6: Remove muffins from the oven and allow to cool in the muffin pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Note: we have found that the texture of gluten-free muffins, breads and other baked goods is best after cooled to at least room temperature. Have some patience and let them cool on a cooling rack for 30-60 minutes before enjoying.

How to store Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days or in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Our guess is they won’t last too long!

What are the best Gluten-free baking flours

Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. From our personal gluten-free baking experiences, our favorite gluten-free flours that we feel produce the best results are:

• Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-free Flour

Comment below with your favorite gluten-free flour.

Can I use coconut flour or almond flour in this recipe?

A common question we get with any baked good recipe that we share is if different flours can be substitute for one another. While it’s very possible they can be, we always share in the recipe which flours we tested for that particular recipe. Coconut flour is a hard flour to substitute with another flour because of the way it absorbs liquid. Almond flour could work but sometimes results in a ‘wet’, very dense textured baked good. So if you’d like to test a flour that we haven’t already, you certainly can and we would love to hear how the recipe turns out for you. If you’re looking for a grain-free/paleo zucchini muffin recipe, we recommend trying our Grain-free Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins!

Mix-in ideas for Gluten-free Chocolate Chips Zucchini Muffins

There are endless ways you can change up this recipe with what you have on hand or what sounds good to you. Below are some additional mix-in ingredient options:

• Chopped pecans
• Sliced almonds
• Unsweetened coconut flakes
• Raisins
• Dried cranberries
• Blueberries

Other muffin recipes you’ll love

• Zucchini Banana Baked Oatmeal Cups
• Grain-free Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• Gluten-Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Grain-free Sweet Potato Banana Muffins

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