Healthy Zucchini Muffins – light and fluffy zucchini muffins that are gluten-free AND vegan! Perfect for those extra zucchini you have laying around!
(Gluten-Free + Dairy-Free + Plant-Based)
This post is sponsored by Califia Farms, but the opinions are my own.
It’s zucchini season!
Fall is right around the corner and we all have a ton of zucchini and tomatoes from our garden laying around so let’s get cooking (and baking)! These Healthy Zucchini Muffins are vegan + gluten-free and I am SO excited to get them on the blog for you! Tested and tested I FINALLY got the perfect light and fluffy texture that can be difficult to achieve sometimes with gf/df baking!
Of course they are dairy-free thanks to my friends over at Califia Farms! Their Unsweetened Almondmilk (seriously my go-to for all things dairy-free) always works perfectly in baked goods and for these we also added a little bit of their Plant Butter! Both are products I always have on hand – they taste amazing and work so well in all of my recipes! I love that that Plant Butter isn’t made with any canola or palm oil!
How to Store
Store in an airtight container on the counter top for up to 5 days (if they last that long!).
Recipe Substitutions
- Banana: I have used oil in place of the banana with success.
- Flax Eggs: You should be able to use 2 eggs in their place.
- Gluten-Free Flour: I have NOT tested the recipe with any other flour besides the combination in the recipe card!
Recipes FAQs and Tips
- Spray your muffin tin liners: otherwise they will stick!
- Flax Eggs: make sure they sit for at least 5 minutes (or longer) to really congeal
- Don’t over-mix: once you add in those flax eggs try not to mix anymore than you need too! The flax eggs will work better that way!
- Take out of muffin tin: Let the muffins cool for about 5 minutes or so after you take them out of the oven, but then remove them (carefully) and set them on a cooling rack.
- Let fully cool: I repeat – let fully cool! Especially with gluten-free baking it is especially important to let them cool and the moisture/steam escape. Once they are cooled they will be light and fluffy on the inside!
OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
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Love,
E
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PinIngredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup 1-to-1 gluten-free flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup gluten free oats
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon xanthum gum
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients:
- heaping 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup banana, smashed (about 1 small banana)
- 1/2 cup Califia Farms Unsweetened Almondmilk
- 2 flax eggs
- 2 tablespoons ground flax meal, divided
- 4 tablespoons water, divided
- 1 cup zucchini, grated
Other Ingredients:
- 1/3–1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon Califia Farms Plant Butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Place muffin tin liners in a 12 muffin tin and spray with olive oil. Set aside.
- Take two small bowls and make two flax eggs by adding 1 tablespoon of ground flax meal to each bowl and then 2 tablespoons of water to each bowl. Stir to mix the flax and water together and then set aside for at least 5 minutes.
- Grate your zucchini and squeeze out as much liquid as possible using either your hands, paper towel or cheese cloth (don’t skip this part!). Set aside.
- Combine Dry Ingredients in a medium mixing bow. Stir to combine with a fork or whisk to ensure no lumps and that everything combines really well. Set aside.
- Take a large mixing bowl and add applesauce, mashed banana and almond milk. Stir to combine.
- Add the two flax eggs to the applesauce mixture and mix gently for just a few seconds.
- Add the zucchini to the applesauce mixture and gently mix for just a few seconds.
- Pour the Dry Ingredients about a 1/3 at a time into the Wet Ingredients and stir to combine.
- Once the wet and dry ingredients are fully combined (don’t over-mix) add the chocolate chips and melted Plant Butter.
- Stir to combine, again being careful to not over-stir.
- Scoop dough into muffin liners, filling almost to the top (they will rise a bit).
- Bake on the middle rack for 32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool for 2-3 minutes and then carefully remove and place on a cooling rack as soon as possible.
- Let fully cool before serving.
Notes
- Spray with olive oil (or nonstick): definitely remember to spray the muffin tin liners or the muffins will stick!
- Flax Eggs Separately: I have just had better luck making my flax eggs separately.
- Flax Egg Substitutions: I have tested these with eggs and it was successful!
- Let cool!: Make sure you let these fully cool! If you break them open before they are fully cool they may look a little mushy in the very center. Once they have cooled they will be fluffy and delicious!
Keywords: healthy zucchini muffins, vegan zucchini muffins, gluten free zucchini muffins
DO you think it would work to use oat flour or more GF flour for the almond? No nuts for me, I’m afraid. They look so good!!
Hi Janet! So I did extensive testing on this recipe and I did start out with only GF flour, but less baking soda and baking powder … and it didn’t work. I then increased the baking powder/soda and used the almond flour. I didn’t test it with only GF flour and the increased baking soda/powder so it MIGHT work to use all GF flour or sub in some oat flour for the almond flour. If I had to pick I would try the oat flour as a sub! Please report back if you try it and remember to get the muffins out of the baking tin ASAP and let them fully cool. If you break them open too soon they won’t look fully cooked! 🙂
I do best with gluten free things but often they are just not that good- not fluffy or tasty. I made this recipe and I cannot stop eating them! They are so good! I am not a vegan so made them with eggs and they turned out great! I’m so glad to have this blog for Whole 30 and gluten free recipes which are my go to. Thanks for all your amazing recipes Erin! When can we expect a cook book? ❤️
★★★★★
Thank you so much for this! I love creating recipes for all of you! Definitely a cookbook … one day 🙂 So glad you loved the recipe and thank you for the feedback – I really appreciate it!