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.
Update. I have made this recipe probably 3 dozen times now and it is my most favourite muffin recipe ever. Gluten free total bonus as daughter is celiac. Hands down amazing. I make it as stated. No changes. Out of this world. Today I had to make while baby napped so I could eat one before my older kids came home from school and grabbed one for each hand! Thank you again. This recipe gave me the courage to keep trying gluten free baking after many many failed attempts.
So fun to hear you’ve enjoyed this recipe, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! 🙂
I don’t see where there is Greek yogurt? The recipe is good either way!
No Greek yogurt in this recipe; there is some in these healthy zucchini muffins!
These are amazing. Thank you. My dads words “you could sell these!”
Question. Could you use oat flour in place of oats? Same measure? Thank you!
Yay! So happy to hear that 🙂 Thank you!!
Unfortunately they aren’t the same measurement so it won’t work out the same, sorry!
Ok thank you. No worries. Honestly I have made these so many times. So so amazing. And zero nuts too so great for school. Just made a batch tonight for my kiddies.
So glad to hear that! Thanks Christina 🙂
Can this recipe be made into a loaf instead of muffins
Sorry not this recipe!
Can I use dark or golden raisin instead of dates? I am trying to use what I already have. Thanks for sharing your recipe
I don’t know that those would work the same way, but truthfully haven’t tested anything but dates. Sorry, wish I could be of more help!
Oats contain gluten so I’m puzzled by the title gluten free
I’m a celiac and have always known to avoid wheat rye oats and barley
Oats actually don’t contain gluten naturally, it’s the cross contamination that can be a concern. So just confirm on your container of oats they are processed in a gluten free facility (it will say) and they’ll be good!(https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gluten-in-oats#:~:text=Pure%20oats%20are%20gluten%2Dfree,wheat%2C%20rye%2C%20and%20barley.)
I made this as a treat (and to use a giant zucchini) for my Nursery kids at church last week using a mini muffin pan and adjusting the time (12 mini muffins took 11 min in my oven) it was such a hit that I made them this week too – only I used coconut vanilla Greek yogurt and replaced 1/2 the chocolate chips with shredded coconut- another big hit. I’m making up a few variations to freeze today (using up the giant zucchini too).
Thanks for this healthy recipe (my parents expect nothing less from me)
Yay! So happy to hear these were a hit 🙂 You sound like the best nursery leader!
My 5 year old son and I absolutely LOVE these muffins!! Have you tried freezing a batch? Wondering if possible and if they were still as yummy?!
They will freeze great for a few months in an air tight container 🙂
recommendations instead of banana? don’t have any on hand….
You could try applesauce!
I made these and they rock! I have 4 picky eaters, and I’l always doing crazy acrobatics to get them to eat their vegetables. This is just too easy! My husband and I couldn’t stop eating the raw dough- so delicious!
I came home from the store to find that half of my zucchini I had intended to use had gone bad, so I improvised… I added finely shredded carrots and in an act of desperation added one stalk of celery. You would NEVER know. Seriously- these muffins are like a chocolate chip salad at this point! I can not wait to smirk knowingly at my children as they wax eloquent about how good these “desserts” are.
I can’t wait to try your other recipes. This one hit it out of the park!
Hi Jennifer! Thank you so much for your sweet comment and for giving these a try! I love that you were able to sneak in all those other veggies 🙂 Thanks again and I hope you love what you try next!