These dairy-free zucchini muffins are fluffy and sugar-free! They are sweetened with dates, studded with chocolate chips and so tasty!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
These zucchini bread muffins, I do have to say, are pretty much perfect my internet friends. They are moist and soft and super tender, with that high, round, bakery-style top that is a little bit crispy and crunchy. They have these swirls of spicy cinnamon that complement the (natural!) sweetness of the dates and zucchini and then explosions of melty chocolate chips.
INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 cup deglet noor dates, halved and packed (140g)
- 1/2 cup zucchini, grated
- 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 cup oat flour (103g)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp mini chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and spray a muffin pan with cooking spray.
- Place the dates into a microwave safe bowl and microwave until just warm, about 30 seconds. Place them into a large food processor (mine is 10 cups) along with the zucchini, applesauce, almond milk, vanilla and egg. Blend until combined, stopping to scrape the sides down as needed. There will be tiny pieces of dates visible in the mixture, this is fine!
- Combine the remaining ingredients, excluding the chocolate chips, in a medium bowl. Add in the zucchini mixture and stir until well mixed. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips.
- Fill 7 muffin cavities just over 1/2 of the way full (I like to use an ice cream scoop for nice, domed tops!) and bake until browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes.
- Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then, run a sharp knife around the outside and remove the muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- DEVOUR!
Tips & Tricks For Delicious Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins
- Use a blend of different gluten-free flours, such as almond flour, coconut flour, and tapioca starch. Have fun experimenting with the ratios to find one you like.
- If you don’t want to use the egg, you can mix 1 tbsp avocado oil, 2 tbsp water and 2 tsp baking powder, and then get rid of the baking powder in the dry ingredients. However, you will then only get 6 muffins and the nutritional info will change. The texture of these is not near as good as the egg version, but the taste is the same.
- You can use yogurt instead of apple sauce. Both add moisture and tenderness to the muffins in place of some of the oil or butter.
- Overmixing the batter can cause the muffins to be tough, so mix the ingredients just until they are combined.
- Gluten-free muffins can be delicate, so let them cool completely before slicing or storing them. This will help them hold their shape and texture.
How to make these zucchini muffins vegan
I’ve made these healthy gluten free chocolate chip muffins by mixing 1 tbsp of avocado oil, 2 tbsp of water and 2 tsp of baking powder and subbing it in the for the egg, and then removing the baking powder from the dry mixture. HOWEVER, the texture is not quite as good and you will only get 6 muffins, not 7, this way!
Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins FAQ
It is actually simple, make sure you use the right type of flour and the right ingredients. It is also important to properly measure and mix the ingredients. Overmixing the batter can cause the muffins to become tough and dense, so it is best to mix the ingredients just until they are combined. You should also be careful not to overbake the muffins, as this can cause them to become dry and tough.
If you don’t like chocolate chips, no problem! You could totally leave them out OR swap in some diced dried fruit or nuts instead.
Zucchini is packed with many important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It has a high fiber content and a low calorie count. Fiber plays an important role in digestion and may limit the likelihood of suffering from a variety of GI issues! So, YES, super healthy!
In some recipes it is helpful but since these muffins are blended, you don’t have to. So easy!
How To Store Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins
Place them in an airtight container or a zip-top bag and keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you wanted to keep them longer, place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. This will extend their lives by up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat the muffins, put them in the refrigerator or let them thaw at room temperature. You can also reheat the muffins in the oven or microwave before serving.
Other Recipes You Might Like:
Zucchini Low Carb Muffins with Tahini
Healthy Banana Muffins with Turmeric
Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins with Rhubarb
Healthy Chocolate Paleo Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and spray a muffin pan with cooking spray.
- Place the dates into a microwave safe bowl and microwave until just warm, about 30 seconds. Place them into a large food processor (mine is 10 cups) along with the zucchini, applesauce, almond milk, vanilla and egg. Blend until combined, stopping to scrape the sides down as needed. There will be tiny pieces of dates visible in the mixture, this is fine!
- Combine the remaining ingredients, excluding the chocolate chips, in a medium bowl. Add in the zucchini mixture and stir until well mixed. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips.
- Fill 7 muffin cavities just over 1/2 of the way full (I like to use an ice cream scoop for nice, domed tops!) and bake until browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes.
- Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then, run a sharp knife around the outside and remove the muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- DEVOUR!
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS PER SERVING: 6 POINTS+: 4. OLD POINTS: 3
(per muffin , based on the recipe making 7 muffins)
Natalie says
I love zucchini muffins! These look so delicious and would make a perfect snack!
Taylor Kiser says
Thank you so much Natalie!
Parizad in Az says
I would love lovvve to make these scrumptious zucchini muffins soooon- have made many of your recipes & loved them !
Question: What can I sub for the Dates please??
Thank you 🙂
Taylor Kiser says
So glad you love them!
Recipes are only tested as written so I really can’t tell you. Taking out the dates TOTALLY changes the recipe. Sorry!
Katie says
Any idea if I could add cocoa powder and omit the chocolate chips? Also, wondering about subbing the dates for stevia powder and how much you think I’d need? It’s always 1/2 the amount of normal sugar, but not sure about the dates. And I wonder if I’d need to add a little more applesauce to keep them moist with the powdered sweetener? Any ideas would be appreciated!
Taylor Kiser says
Honestly, those subs are completely changing the recipe! There really is no way for me to know. I definitely don’t think subbing dates will work…totally different than stevia. Sorry!
Cecilia says
Made these the other day and they were amazing! Hubby and toddler devoured them! Quick question – do you squeeze the liquid out of the zucchini? I did! But I was wondering if I didn’t need to go through the effort!
Taylor Kiser says
Totally fine to do that Cecilia!