Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins (Paleo, gluten-free)

gluten free zucchini muffins with chocolate chips piled on a white plate on a wooden table

5 from 9 votes

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins (Paleo, gluten-free)

These Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins are big, light, fluffy and perfectly moist. They're made with healthy ingredients but also have chocolate chips for a fun, nutritious treat. Plus they're Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and refined sugar-free!

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: muffins

Calories: 330kcal

Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

1 lb. zucchini
3 cups superfine blanched almond flour
1 cup tapioca flour/starch or arrowroot flour/starch
3 tablespoons coconut flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
⅔ cup coconut sugar
½ cup water
3 eggs
3 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 lemons, zested, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup chocolate chips (dairy-free, if necessary), plus more for the tops if desired

Instructions

Heat the oven to 325°. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line it with muffin cups.
Trim off the ends and grate the zucchini. Wrap up the shredded zucchini in cheesecloth or a flour sack towel (you can try paper towels but they might rip) and wring and squeeze out as much water as possible. When you think you're done, twist and squeeze a bit more.
In a medium bowl, whisk the almond flour, tapioca or arrowroot, coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cream of tartar.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the coconut sugar, water, eggs, avocado oil, vanilla, lemon zest and juice until blended.
If using a stand mixer with a whisk, with the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients then increase the speed to medium until everything is blended. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula. If whisking by hand, whisk in the dry ingredients in 4 or 5 additions.
Give the zucchini one last squeeze and add to the batter along with the chocolate chips. Stir in with a spatula, breaking up the clumps of zucchini, until evenly distributed.
Portion the batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup to to the top. Each cup will probably need 4-6 tablespoons of batter. Sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on top of each one, if desired.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating the pan 180° halfway through, until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (unless it pierces a chocolate chip). Let the pan cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes.

Notes

To halve the recipe: use half the amount of ingredients. For the eggs, add one egg to the wet ingredients. Crack a second egg into a small bowl. Whisk until fully blended, then add half the mixture to the wet ingredients. Save the other half for scrambled eggs or a smoothie (if you're okay to consume raw eggs).

These can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

They can also be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To freeze, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and freeze in a baggie or container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

To reheat, nuke them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or in a 300° oven for 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition