Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread Muffins (+Vegan!)

Rich, chocolatey, decadent and tender, it’s hard to believe these tasty little muffins are gluten free! If you’ve got a garden full of zucchini plants, this is a great recipe to use up your summer harvest. The muffins also vegan, which means dairy free, of course, and made with simple ingredients you probably have in your pantry already.

This is especially helpful if you’re just getting started with gluten free or vegan recipes. Lots of recipes for gluten-free baking rely heavily on a pre-made, expensive gluten free flour mixture. This easy gluten free quick bread utilizes oat flour, which you can make for yourself by simply throwing your favorite oatmeal in the blender. I’ve tested this one countless times and I truly believe it’s the best recipe out there for gluten free zucchini bread! The whole family will love it. And since it has no dairy, eggs, or wheat flour, it really can be considered a healthier zucchini bread for those with allergies or sensitivities.

That being said, yes, it has sugar. We’re living in a world where recipes are lauded as healthy only when they are made with a scant amount of coconut sugar or maple syrup. I’m kinda tired of plain old cane sugar being vilified. So I’d just like to say, I like sugar. Not everyone can afford to stock their pantries with each new ‘healthy’ alternative. It tastes good, and while yes, it can have a negative health impact if over-indulged in, I think there are bigger things in the world we need to worry about. Who’s with me?

Ingredients

Flax eggs – if you’ve done any vegan baking before, you’ve probably used a flax egg. If this is your first time, don’t fret, they are very simple! You make them by mixing ground flax seeds with water and then just letting the mixture sit to thicken. It’s is a really common and highly effective alternative to eggs in baking.

Sugar – see not above to on how I feel about this one. Haha. You could probably reduce the amount if you must, but I think as written will give you the best results.

Oil – I tested with coconut oil and vegetable oil, both came out great. Canola oil would be fine too! If you use coconut oil, measure and use it as a liquid. In the summer, mine stays liquid in the cupboard, in the winter, I have to heat it gently before use.

Cocoa powder and vanilla – You could get really fancy with different types of vanilla or processes of cocoa, but I prefer to use what’s most accessible!

Grated zucchini – peeled or unpeeled, up to your preference. I usually use mine unpeeled, unless they are near bad or showing some other sign of needing to be peeled first. I shred them with a hand grater, then wrap up tightly in a clean, lint free towel or cloth napkin, and twist over the sink to remove excess moisture. Scoop into measuring cup after this step.

Flour – If you need to be 100% gluten free, you can use store bought oat flour, or use certified gluten free oats if you’re making your own oat flour. To make it, measure the need about of oats into blender or food processor and blend until a fine powder forms. In my large ninja blender, it takes about 2 minutes. They measure the same blended or unblended, so you only need to measure once! Also, don’t expect it to look like all purpose flour, it will probably still have a coarser texture, like that of almond flour. We’re going to add a spoonful of coconut flour. DO NOT interchange the ratios of these two flours. Coconut flour absorbs a ton of moisture, so using too much will result in a very, very dry sweet bread.

Baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt – because I like to keep it simple, we do one teaspoon of each. Let’s not get all the measuring spoons dirty.

Chocolate chips and walnuts – use vegan or dark chocolate chips to make sure they are dairy free. Nuts are optional and you can use any you like. Walnuts, pecans, and almonds are all good!

I also recommend using paper muffin liners for your muffin pan. Gluten free baked goods have a much more tender crumb, using liners helps tremendously when it comes to removal and serving. I usually never recommend them, considering they generally just create useless waste, but in this recipe, they are very useful.

Method

First, prep your flax eggs and set aside to thicken. Shred zucchini with a box grater and squeeze out excess moisture. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare muffin tins with paper liners. You’ll need 12.

Make our measure out your oat flour then, add coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and combine.

In a large bowl, combine sugar and oil. Whisk together, then add flax egg, cocoa powder and vanilla and blend well. Fold in shredded zucchini, then add dry ingredients and stir until a thick batter forms. Add chocolate chips and nuts, if using.

Pour batter into prepared muffin cups and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

If you need some recipes to use up more zucchini, check these out:

Double Chocolate Vegan Zucchini Bread – this is the non-GF recipe I adapted this one from

Vegan Zucchini Gratin from Minimalist Baker – for a more savory use

Vegan Zucchini Fritters from Loving it Vegan – who doesn’t love fritters?