Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Rich, fudgy gluten free chocolate zucchini muffins made with almond flour, banana, and dark chocolate chips—grain free, dairy free, and family-friendly.
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 215kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups ground almond
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 0.33 cup cocoa one third cup
- 1 medium banana 100 grams mashed
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 medium zucchini (150 grams grated and squeezed)
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare a muffin tray, you can either use paper muffin liners or grease a muffin tin
- Take out 2 mixing bowls
- In the first mixing bowl add the almond, cinnamon and cocoa (you can also add a grind of salt at this point), mix these so that they are evenly distributed
- In the second bowl, place the banana and give it a good mash with a fork
- Add the eggs, oil, maple syrup, vanilla and baking soda, use a whisk to beat all these ingredients together
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix to combine
- Grate the zucchini, give the grated zucchini a good squeeze over your sink so that most of the liquid comes out
- Fold the squeezed grated zucchini into the muffin batter
- Portion the muffin mix into the muffin tray, I typically get 9-10 muffins out of this mixture
- Sprinkle with chocolate chips/drops
- Bake in a 180 degree Celsius oven for 20 mins (160 degrees Celsius if fan forced) check readiness with a toothpick, it should come out clean
Video
Notes
- Squeeze zucchini well or the muffins may turn out soggy.
- Use paper liners or grease well—almond flour muffins can stick. I like to make these muffins in reusable silicone cups that I grease, the muffins pop out beautifully when I do this.
- Keep a stash in the freezer. Let them cool completely and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight or pop in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- What if I don’t have almond flour? Unfortunately, there’s no 1:1 substitute that will give the same texture and nutrition in this recipe.
- Almond flour: Also called ground almonds. Adds protein and healthy fats. Not suitable for nut-free needs.
- Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa for a rich chocolate flavor.
- Banana: Adds moisture and sweetness. The riper, the better!
- Maple syrup: Adjust to taste—use up to one third or ½ a cup for a much sweeter muffin. I find ¼ cup sufficient and 2 of my kids are happy with that level. My other 2 kids only liked the sweeter version I made with one third cup of maple syrup.
- Oil: Coconut oil, rice bran oil, or mild olive oil all work. Melted butter can be used if dairy is tolerated. Avoid Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the strong flavor will be overwhelming in this recipe.
- Zucchini: Grate and squeeze well to remove excess moisture.
- Chocolate chips: Use dark chocolate chips for a dairy-free option (always check the label).
Nutrition
Serving: 1Muffin | Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg