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Author:
Tracy Nawara
Omitting gluten from your diet is really hard at first. It seems that almost every prepared food has gluten in it, limiting most of your options at a restaurant or grocery store. If you know personally how a gluten sensitivity effects your stomach, you stay away from it as best you can.
That means that sweet treats are usually avoided. Muffins, cookies, and cakes are all typically made with wheat flour, making them all off-limits. Buying gluten-free goods at the store is always an option, however, they are 2-3 times more expensive than non-gluten-free items. Plus, homemade baked goods without gluten are always tastier than the store-bought ones.
These gluten-free chocolate zucchini muffins are tender and moist with the use of almond flour and zucchini. When you add shredded zucchini to your cakes and muffins, it brings tons of moisture. In the case of gluten-free baking, this comes in handy because gluten-free flours tend to be slightly dense.
The trick here is to squeeze all of the moisture out of the zucchini before adding it to the recipe. First, shred the zucchini finely using a food processor attachment or a box grater. Then, gather all the shredded zucchini into a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Squeeze firmly and extract as much of the water from the zucchini as possible. You may need to squeeze for several minutes, or add the zucchini to a mesh strainer. Without squeezing, the batter would be too wet.
In addition to chocolate inside the muffin batter, there are also chocolate chips too! The double chocolate in these muffins add such a rich decadence that feels like a treat. Although these zucchini muffins feel like a treat, there is no refined sugar in this recipe. Instead, the sweetness comes from natural maple syrup!
Not only is this recipe gluten-free, but it is also dairy-free and vegan! To ensure it is absolutely vegan and dairy-free, be sure to buy dairy-free and vegan chocolate chips. Who knew you could make gluten-free muffins and make them healthy, too?
You can also modify this recipe to feed a crowd. It’s nice to make desserts that are inclusive of many diet restrictions. This way, the whole party gets to enjoy your baked goods and everyone feels included. If you have a loved one who is a chocolate lover, this is the perfect recipe to make for them! Even for those who are watching their weight closely, each muffin is less than 200 calories per piece!
Make these muffins for a birthday party, for a on-the-go breakfast, or for a healthier dessert when you are craving something sweet after a meal. These muffins are universal because so many people with dietary restrictions can also enjoy them, whether they are sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, or vegan.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake tin with muffin liners and set aside.
Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl with the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.
In a separate bowl, Mix the eggs, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir to combine fully.
Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Fold together with a spatula and add the zucchini and half of the chocolate chips. Fold to combine everything.
Scoop the muffins into the cupcake liners until they are ¾ full. Top with the other half of the chocolate chips.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are baked all the way through. Test with a cake tester if needed.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.
