These healthful Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins are made with natural, nutritious ingredients and no refined sugars. They’re tall, moist, flavorful, and loaded with zucchini!
Add our Healthy Zucchini Bread or Lemon Zucchini Bread to your list for a future baking project.
Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins
Several years ago, I created a popular Healthy Zucchini Muffin recipe, but it wasn’t gluten-free. Prompted by a reader’s request, I began developing a gluten-free version. These new muffins omit refined sugar, sweetened instead with mashed banana, maple syrup, and medjool dates. Their primary ingredients are nutritious oats and zucchini.
While chocolate chips aren’t the most nutritious, I prefer dark chocolate for its essential fats. For a completely refined-sugar-free muffin, opt for sugar-free chocolate chips, or substitute them with dried currants or chopped nuts.
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!
Ingredients In Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins
- Old-fashioned Oats: Ground into flour, they form the base of the muffins, providing structure and a hearty texture.
- Medjool Dates: Chopped and blended, they add natural sweetness and moisture.
- Coconut Oil: Melted and mixed in, it contributes to the muffins’ moisture and richness.
- Mashed Banana: Adds sweetness and moisture, enhancing the Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins soft texture.
- Pure Maple Syrup: Provides additional natural sweetness.
- Grated Zucchini: Increases moisture content without making the batter overly wet.
- Eggs: Act as a binding agent, helping to hold the muffins together.
- Salt, Baking Soda, and Baking Powder: These ingredients work together to season the muffins and help them rise, making them light and fluffy.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Add warmth and spice for flavor.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the muffins.
- Dark and Mini Chocolate Chips: Provide rich, sweet chocolatey pockets in the muffins.
How To Make Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins
- Preheat Oven: Set to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 12-slot muffin tin.
- Blend Oats: Process 2 cups old-fashioned oats into a fine powder; transfer to a bowl.
- Blend Dates Mixture: Blend pitted medjool dates, melted coconut oil, and mashed banana into a paste; add to the bowl.
- Mix Ingredients: Stir in maple syrup, grated zucchini, eggs, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Fill and Top: Divide batter into muffin tin, 3/4 full. Optionally, top with mini chocolate chips.
- Bake: For 22-26 minutes until set and lightly browned.
- Cool: Let cool in the tin, then transfer to a rack. Enjoy Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins warm.
Storage
Storage Tips
- Cool muffins completely before storing.
- To freeze: Wrap Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins individually in plastic wrap and then place all the wrapped muffins in large freezer bags.
- To thaw: Set out at room temperature or heat frozen muffins in the microwave.
*There is some loss of texture and flavor when freezing and thawing these muffins.
More Nutritious Snack Recipes
Healthy Zucchini Muffins
These healthful Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins are made with natural, nutritious ingredients and no refined sugars. They're tall, moist, flavorful, and loaded with zucchini!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (195g) old-fashioned oats
- 7-8 whole coarsely chopped fresh medjool dates (remove pits), 3/4 cup (117g)
- 1/3 cup (67g) melted coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons mashed banana (~3/4 a large banana)
- 1/4 cup (85g) pure maple syrup
- 2 cups (252g) grated zucchini (See Note 1)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (93g) dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup (40g) mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease 12 cavities of a muffin tin with nonstick spray (muffin liners won't work well).
- BLEND OATS: 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.
- BLEND OTHER INGREDIENTS: Remove the pits and coarsely chop up the dates. Measure to get 3/4 cup and then add into the now-empty blender that you used for the oats. Pour the melted coconut oil on top of the dates. Mash a banana to get 3 tablespoons of mashed banana and add that the blender. Blend, scraping down the sides as needed, until you get a thick paste. Scrape all of this paste out of the blender and add to the bowl with the oats.
- FINISH BATTER: 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 electric hand mixer until you have a thick batter (it will seem very dry at first, but keep stirring). Add in the chocolate chips and stir until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin tin -- the batter should exactly fill 2 cavities about 3/4 the way full. If desired, sprinkle a few more miniature chocolate chips on top of the muffins.
- BAKE: Bake for 22-26 minutes or until no longer gooey/wet looking on top and the sides are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let stand in the pan for 3-4 minutes before gently removing (use the tines of a fork to gently coax out the muffins) and setting on a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- ENJOY: 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.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Zucchini: Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a grater. If the zucchini is excessively wet, wring it off a few times with paper towel or cheesecloth (I rarely do this unless it's dripping wet).
Nutrition
Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 350mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The best tasting healthy muffin ever. yummy I will make them again
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Sherry!
Made these flourless/sugarless muffins for
The first time! I’m not that that I’ve ever had
Such an amazing treat!
Thank you!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Mo! 🙂
Can you skip the dates in this recipe?
Sorry no; this recipe won’t work without them!
These muffins are incredible! Moist, soft, delicious! I have made these so many times and they are always amazing. One of my favorite baking recipes!
(Side note, I use butter instead of coconut oil.)
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thank you so much!!
I just had to leave a review on these muffins! We make these on repeat. They ALWAYS turn out moist. I swapped regular oil for the coconut oil. I make a double batch and then freeze one batch. I love that there are no refined sugars. Thank you Chelsea!!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Stephanie! 🙂
How much greek yogurt and when do you add it?
There isn’t any greek yogurt in this recipe!
On the healthful Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins
I’m allergic to them and okay to leave out the 7-8 whole coarsely chopped fresh medjool dates (remove pits), 3/4 cup (117g) for this recipe? Or could you recommend something in place of this item?
Thanks, Michelle
On the healthful Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins
is it okay to leave out the 7-8 whole coarsely chopped fresh medjool dates (remove pits), 3/4 cup (117g) for this recipe? The reason is I’m allergic to them . Or could you recommend something in place of this item?
Thanks, Michelle
Sorry Michelle, this recipe won’t work without the dates! I haven’t tested anything else and baking can be finicky, so I don’t want to recommend something that might not work.