These gluten-free Almond Flour Zucchini Muffins make a nutritious, satisfying snack—moist, tender, and dotted with melty chocolate chips.
Almond flour is a favorite in our kitchen for its rich flavor and tender crumb. If you enjoy baking with it, check out our collection of almond flour dessert recipes for more muffins, cookies, and cakes made with almond flour.
Table of Contents
Why Make This Recipe
- Nutritious breakfast or snack option the whole family will enjoy
- Kid-approved: grated zucchini melts into the batter so chocolate chips shine through
- Gluten-free when you use a gluten-free flour blend
🥗 Ingredients
- Zucchini: Choose a firm zucchini without soft spots. One medium yields about 1¼ packed cups shredded.
- Almond Flour: Use blanched almond flour (not almond meal) for the best, light texture. Hazelnut flour can be used as an alternative.
- Gluten-Free Flour: A small amount of gluten-free blend helps the muffins hold their shape; substitute regular all-purpose flour if gluten isn’t a concern.
- Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar works well, or swap in dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth; you can experiment with cardamom or a pinch of cloves instead.
- Chocolate Chips: Optional but delicious—swap for dried berries or chopped toasted nuts if you prefer.
🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Grate one medium zucchini (about 1¼ packed cups). Use a clean kitchen towel or your hands to squeeze out as much moisture as possible and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups almond flour, ½ cup gluten-free flour, ⅔ cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk 3 large eggs with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry mixture just until combined—do not overmix. Fold in the squeezed shredded zucchini and ½ cup chocolate chips if using.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake 20 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out almost clean. Remove from the oven and transfer the muffins to a cooling rack.
🧐 Recipe FAQs for Almond Flour Zucchini Muffins
Cool completely, then store in an airtight container for 3–4 days. To prevent sticky tops, line the container with paper towels and place a layer of paper towels on top of the muffins. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Almond flour lacks the gluten structure of wheat flour, so muffins made with almond flour alone can collapse after baking. Adding a small amount of gluten-free or regular flour improves structure and helps create a domed top.
Almond flour is denser and absorbs more moisture than wheat flour. Reduce excess liquid, avoid overmixing, and use adequate leavening—this recipe uses both baking soda and baking powder for lift.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
Squeeze the zucchini well. Removing extra moisture prevents soggy muffins and keeps the crumb light.
Avoid overfilling the muffin cups. Fill about two-thirds full so the tops can rise without spilling over and collapsing against the pan.
Do not overmix. Stir just until ingredients are combined to preserve a tender texture.
Use an ice cream scoop to portion batter quickly and evenly—almost a full scoop fills each cup nicely.
Make almond flour at home by pulsing blanched almonds in a food processor until fine; stop before it turns to almond butter.
Other Almond Flour Recipes
If you enjoy almond flour baking, try our roundup of gluten-free muffin recipes and other almond flour favorites like banana chocolate chip muffins, almond flour chocolate cake, oatmeal cookies, and a chocolate almond flour mug cake.
-
Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
-
Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
-
Almond Flour Oatmeal Cookies
-
Chocolate Almond Flour Mug Cake
If you try this recipe, please rate and leave a comment—your feedback helps us improve.
📖 Recipe
Almond Flour Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini (≈184 g), shredded and well-drained
- 2 cups almond flour (175 g)
- ½ cup gluten-free flour (75 g)
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar (138 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
- Grate the zucchini and squeeze out as much liquid as possible; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine almond flour, gluten-free flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Whisk eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl; pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Fold in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips.
- Divide batter among the muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.
- Bake 20 minutes, until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out almost clean.
- Cool in the tin briefly, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
Storage: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container for 3–4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Line the container with paper towels to reduce sticky tops.
Quick tips: Don’t overfill cups, don’t overmix the batter, and use an ice cream scoop for even portions.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 23 g
Protein: 7 g
Fat: 13 g
Fiber: 3 g
Instagram users: If you make these muffins, tag @vanillabeancuisine or use #vanillabeancuisine—we’d love to see your photos!
More About Molly
I’m Molly Pisula: a French pastry-trained chef who enjoys creating wholesome, seasonal recipes you can make at home. I share tested, approachable recipes for everyday cooking and baking.