This easy recipe for Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins is a great way to sneak some veggies into your family’s diet. The muffins are chock full of healthy zucchini and have real staying power. They’re a great on-the-go breakfast or snack option.
If you like a grab-and-go breakfast, you’ll want to try my Gluten Free Banana Muffins. My Easy Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins are also a great choice.
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I’m really excited to share this recipe with you today because the zucchini I used came from our garden. Having fresh zucchini available to bake with is a treat.
If you have extra zucchini like I do, bake up several batches of these muffins and freeze them for later. Or if you prefer, try my recipe for Gluten Free Zucchini Bread and put a loaf or two in the freezer. When zucchini season is behind us, you’ll be able to enjoy the baked goods whenever you like.
Do you enjoy muffins for breakfast as much as my family does? Check out my other gluten free muffin recipes.
Why this Recipe Works
- The moisture from the zucchini gives the muffins a soft, tender texture.
- Using both brown sugar and white sugar adds flavor to the muffins without being overly sweet.
- The ground cinnamon and nutmeg add a warm, earthy flavor to the muffins.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Gluten free flour blend - I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour to make these muffins gluten free. If you don’t have a problem with gluten, you can use all-purpose flour.
- Baking soda and baking powder - These two ingredients give lift to the muffins.
- Ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg - These spices add a warm subtle flavor.
- Salt - I use regular table salt.
- Butter - Unsalted butter is my preference so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe. For dairy free use a non-dairy butter like Earth Balance.
- Brown sugar and granulated sugar - The combination of sugars gives a subtle sweetness to the muffins.
- Eggs - Large eggs.
- Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract.
- Zucchini - Grated zucchini. You can use shredded zucchini, but I like to be able to see the larger pieces of grated zucchini in the muffins.
How to Make Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins
- Whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Stir the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until combined.
- Add the grated zucchini to the butter/sugar mixture.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture until just combined.
- Transfer the batter to a lined 12-cup muffin pan.
- Bake for about 20 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Step By Step Instructions
(For ingredient amounts see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease or line a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
Add the zucchini and stir to combine.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, using about 3 tablespoons of batter per cup.
Bake at 375° for 18-20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Gluten Free Flour
Make sure to use a good quality all-purpose gluten free flour blend when making these muffins. I use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 which contains xanthan gum.
Xanthan gum helps to hold the muffins together. In traditional baking, gluten in all-purpose flour acts as the binding agent for the baked good. Gluten free baking requires a replacement for the binding agent and that’s where xanthan gum comes in.
Your results may vary depending on the gluten free flour you use. I haven’t tried using almond flour or coconut flour with this zucchini muffin recipe.
Remember to use the “spoon and level” method when measuring your gluten free flour. Simply use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and then use the back of a table knife to level off the top. Using the measuring cup to scoop the flour directly from the canister or bag can give you more flour than needed in the recipe.
Need More Zucchini Recipes?
Try one of these suggestions.
- Gluten Free Zucchini Banana Bread
- Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Easy Gluten Free Zucchini Brownies
- Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Check the ingredients of your gluten free flour blend for xanthan gum. If your flour mix doesn’t contain it, try adding ½ teaspoon to the recipe. I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour which contains xanthan gum.
- Lining your muffin pan with baking cups works better than greasing the pan. The baking cups help the muffins keep their shape when you remove them from the pan and make storing and transporting the muffins easier.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter. Overmixing can lead to muffins that are tough.
- Transfer the muffins from the pan to a wire rack to finish cooling. If you leave the muffins in the pan, the bottoms of the muffins may become soggy.
You don’t need to peel the zucchini before using it in these muffins. The skin of the zucchini is thin, and the dark green color adds a little color to the muffins.
Wash the zucchini skin well to remove any dirt before cutting and shredding. After washing the zucchini, I cut off the ends, sliced it in half, and removed any large seeds, before grating.
(Note: I like to use a box grater to make it quick and easy to grate the zucchini.)
This recipe for zucchini muffins makes muffins that are slightly sweet.
No. The zucchini adds flecks of green color and moisture, but it doesn’t add any flavor to the muffins.
These gluten free muffins will last for 1 to 2 days, at room temperature, if stored in an airtight container.
Yes. Allow the muffins to cool completely, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container before freezing. The muffins can be stored for up to 2 months in the freezer.
Defrost the frozen muffins overnight on the counter, or microwave individual muffins for a few seconds on medium power.
Do you have more zucchini than you know what to do with? Use some of it to make these easy zucchini muffins. I hope your family enjoys them as much as my family does. Happy Baking!
You Might Also Like
- Gluten Free Cinnamon Swirl Bread
- Baked Gluten Free Donut Holes
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe (Gluten Free)
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Scones
- Simple Gluten Free Apple Muffins
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Recipe
Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated zucchini
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease or line 12 standard muffin cups.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Add the zucchini and stir to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
- Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, using about 3 tablespoons of batter per cup.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Check the ingredients of your gluten free flour blend for xanthan gum. If your flour mix doesn’t contain it, try adding ½ teaspoon to the recipe. I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour which contains xanthan gum.
- Lining your muffin pan with baking cups works better than greasing the pan. The baking cups help the muffins keep their shape when you remove them from the pan and make storing and transporting the muffins easier.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter. Overmixing can lead to muffins that are tough.
- Transfer the muffins from the pan to a wire rack to finish cooling. If you leave the muffins in the pan, the bottoms of the muffins may become soggy.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary based on products and brands you use. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the ingredients you are using with your preferred nutrition calculator.
This blog post is also available as a Web Story, "Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins."
This post was originally published in 2020. It was republished in 2022 with updated images and additional text and FAQs.
Amara says
I'm hoping to make this recipe for my husband but he is also a vegan. I can use vegan butter but is there a replacement that you recommend for the eggs? Thanks!
Flavor Walk says
Hi Amara,
I haven't tried making this recipe with an egg substitute, but I know Bob's Red Mill makes an egg replacer that should work. I hope you're able to make the muffins for your husband.
Azure says
I used 1/2 cup of applesauce as a replacement for the eggs. And it worked nicely. I really like this recipe.
Kim says
Hi, i don’t see how much salt to add...or i’m blind. Either way could use some help.
Thanks!
Kim
Flavor Walk says
Hi Kim,
You'll want to use 1/2 teaspoon salt. The recipe has been updated. Thanks for letting me know.
Kathy Simmons says
In the upper portion of the recipe posting, it states to preheat the oven to 375-degrees, but in the latter part of the recipe, it says to bake at 350-degrees. The positing of the recipe at the bottom only lists 375-degrees. This is confusing; can you please clarify?
Flavor Walk says
Hi Kathy,
Thank you for catching the two baking temperatures. The correct temperature is 375-degrees. I've updated the post.
Karen says
Have you ever added oats to recipe, would I use less flour?
Flavor Walk says
Hi Karen,
I haven’t tried using oats in this recipe so I can’t say how much less flour to use. If you try it, please let me know how the muffins turn out.