These Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins are made with natural, nutritious ingredients and no refined sugars. They’re tall, moist, flavorful, and loaded with zucchini!
author’s note
Gluten-Free And Naturally Sweetened!
Several years ago, I created my popular Healthy Zucchini Muffins, and they quickly became a favorite. The only problem was that they weren’t gluten-free, and I continued to get requests for a version that was.
So, I set out to make gluten-free zucchini muffins that were just as moist, flavorful, and satisfying as the original.
Instead of using a gluten-free flour blend, I kept the ingredient list simple and turned old-fashioned oats into flour right in the blender. The oats give the muffins structure, while plenty of grated zucchini keeps them moist.
Getting the sweetness right was the next challenge. Zucchini is mild, so it needs enough sweetness and spice to keep the muffins from tasting flat. A combination of Medjool dates, ripe banana, and maple syrup gives these muffins a naturally sweet flavor without adding refined sugar to the batter.
And, of course, I couldn’t resist adding chocolate chips. They’re optional, but those little pockets of melty chocolate make every bite so good!
Ingredients In Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins
A few ingredients to talk about.
| Ingredient | Tips |
|---|---|
| Old-Fashioned Oats | Blend into a fine powder to create the “flour” for the muffins. |
| Medjool Dates | Remove the pits before chopping and blending. |
| Coconut Oil | Let it cool slightly before mixing so it doesn’t cook the eggs. |
| Mashed Banana | Use a very ripe banana for the sweetest flavor. |
| Grated Zucchini | If it seems especially wet, wring out the excess moisture before adding. |
| Eggs | Bind the ingredients together and help the muffins hold their shape. |
Quick Tip
Use a good nonstick muffin tin for easy muffin removal. I can’t say enough good things about this muffin pan; these Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins always come out perfectly!
How To Make Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins
The full recipe is below but here are some tips while making them.
- Blend the oats: Make sure to break up any large oat chunks for a smoother batter.
- Wet ingredients: Scrape the sides of the blender to get all the paste out.
- Mix the dry ingredients: It might seem dry at first, but it will come together.
- Add chocolate: If desired, top the muffins with extra mini chocolate chips.
- Bake and cool: Use a fork to gently lift the muffins out to avoid damaging them.
Storage
Store these cooled gluten free zucchini muffins in an airtight container at room temp for 2 to 3 days.
They often taste even better the next day as the texture softens and the spices deepen.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave briefly until warmed through.
More Snack Recipes:
Desserts
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Breakfast
Healthy Chocolate Cookies
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Gluten Free Apple Muffins
Healthy
Oatmeal Energy Balls
Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins
Video
Equipment
- Muffin pan 12 cavities
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 7 to 8 whole coarsely chopped fresh medjool dates remove pits, 3/4 cup
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons mashed banana 3/4 a large banana
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 cups grated zucchini see note 1
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease 12 cavities of a muffin pan with cooking spray (muffin liners won’t work well).
- Add 2 leveled cups of oats to a blender or food processor. Blend until the oats resemble flour—a fine powder. If needed, stir and continue blending to break up larger chunks of oats. Pour powdered oats into a large bowl.
- Remove the pits and coarsely chop up the dates. Measure to get 3/4 cup and add into the now-empty blender. Pour the melted coconut oil on top of the dates. Mash a banana and add to the blender. Blend, scraping the sides as needed, until you get a thick paste. Scrape all this paste out of the blender and add to the bowl with the oats.
- In the same bowl, add the maple syrup, grated zucchini (see note 1), 2 eggs, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon or hand mixer until you have a thick batter (it will seem very dry at first, but keep stirring). Add chocolate chips and stir until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin pan—the batter should exactly fill 2 cavities about 3/4 the way full. If desired, sprinkle a few more mini chocolate chips on top of the muffins.
- Bake for 22–26 minutes or until the sides are lightly browned and the tops are no longer gooey/wet looking. Remove from oven and let stand in the pan for 3–4 minutes before gently removing (use a fork to gently coax out the muffins) and setting on a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- Enjoy muffins warm; these muffins are even better the second day! Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature. Best enjoyed within 2–3 days. Freeze leftover muffins.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These look great and I can’t wait to try them out! I was wondering if I could substitute the coconut oil with something else though? My boyfriend does not like coconut unfortunately and can pick it up in anything I put it in. Can I use butter or another type of oil such as sunflower? If so, could you please recommend quantities if you know? Thanks!
Hey Gaby, I haven’t tried any other substitutions so I can’t say for sure without further recipe testing. I do think canola oil would be the best substitution.
I’ve made these twice now with thawed strawberries and once with thawed blueberries instead of bananas because I had those fruits in the freezer but no bananas on hand and they were so yum
That is so great to hear!! I love to hear how you’ve changed them up with the different fruits 🙂 Thank you!
Chelsea oh my gosh these are so good! Just made these with truvia and they are awesome! I love your recipes!
Hello, could I substitute eggs with flax eggs? I can’t eat eggs, but these look amazing
I’m sorry, I have very little experience with flax eggs and haven’t tested this recipe with them so I really have no idea. Wish I could be of more help!
I’m making these with applesauce instead of oil and chia eggs instead of the eggs. I sub these all the time in muffin recipes with success. 1 Tbsp Chia seeds plus 2.5 Tbsp water for each egg. I premix the code and eggs just like the flax egg, letting them sit while I prepare the other ingredients. Thanks for the yummy recipe Chelsea!
You bet! Thanks for the comment Erin!
Can you use applesauce instead of bananas in this recipe?
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work 🙂
SO moist and delicious! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
So glad to hear you enjoyed these!! Thanks for the comment 🙂
I love using oat flour for muffins. It gives the best texture. These look amazing!
Thanks so much!! I don’t mind the moisture in these muffins and didn’t pat the zucchini dry, but I definitely don’t think that it would hurt to pat them dry especially if you don’t prefer moist muffins. 🙂
Chelsea, these look YUMMY and love that they are healthier! I love baking with oats, coconut oil and of course dark chocolate. Need to try these! Pinned.
Hi Chelsea, I love your recipes! My husband is not a fan of chocolate chips in muffins. Will they still be good if I leave the chocolate chips out?
Thanks so much Amy! 🙂 These are great with or without the chocolate chips! 🙂
These look awesome Chelsea! There’s no such thing as too many zucchini recipes, if you ask me! 🙂
I just love baked goods with zucchini! These muffins look fantastic Chelsea!