These are the BEST gluten-free zucchini muffins I’ve ever tried! With tall muffin tops and moist interiors, they turn out light and fluffy every time.
If you’re on the hunt for an amazing gluten-free zucchini muffin recipe, you’ve found it! I tested this recipe 5+ times to get it just right. I’ve included all my tips and tricks for perfect zucchini muffins in this post!
This gluten-free zucchini muffins recipe is one you’ll turn to again and again all year long. It’s the ideal way to use zucchini in the summer, and also makes a great snack all year long.
I’ve tested and perfected this recipe to get these gf zucchini muffins just right. Plus these muffins are naturally dairy-free. Here are my top tips!
You also might like my gluten-free zucchini bread recipe!
TOP TIPS for Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins
- Cook at a high temperature for TALL muffins. By starting with a high oven temperature and then reducing the heat, you’ll help these muffins get a much better rise!
- Let the batter sit for 20 minutes for MOIST muffins. Your muffins will rise higher and be light and fluffy if you let the muffins sit in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before baking. This also gives the flour time to hydrate and chills the batter.
- Use finely shredded zucchini for LIGHT muffins. Finely shredded (rather than thickly shredded) zucchini doesn’t weight down the muffin so they turn out light and fluffy.
- Doubling the for MORE muffins: This great recipe yields 9 muffins, but you can easily double (or triple!) as needed. These muffins are great for storing in the freezer.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Tried-and-true recipe
- Made with easy-to-find ingredients
- Always rises nicely
- Light and fluffy
- Moist and golden brown
- Great way to use zucchini in the summer
For more gluten-free muffins, try these gluten-free blueberry muffins, gluten-free chocolate chip muffins, gluten-free apple muffins, gluten-free pumpkin muffins and gluten-free banana muffins. This gluten-free peach crisp is also great in the summer.
You also might like this recipe for the best gluten-free banana bread!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make these delicious zucchini muffins:
- Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: It’s important to use a high quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour that contains xanthan gum for any gluten-free baking. It makes all the difference in getting a tender crumb. It will make all the difference in producing fluffy muffins with a high rise and the best flavor!
- Oil: Canola or vegetable oil is best. Oil works best in gluten-free muffins as butter tends to make the crumb clump up.
- Chocolate chips: I prefer mini chocolate chips in this recipe for the best texture.
- Sugar: I get the best results when I use Domino sugar for these muffins.
- Grated zucchini: Use a box grater on the smallest setting to get finely shredded zucchini. It will pretty much disappear when the muffins bake!
- Vanilla: Use real vanilla extract for a richer flavor.
How to Make Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with 9 paper muffin liners (or cupcake liners), or grease with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium or large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla until smooth and well-combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
- Lightly squeeze the zucchini to get out some of the excess moisture. (You don’t need to overdo it, just reduce some of the moisture.) Stir in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips, if using. Mix until the muffin batter just combined and smooth.
- Fill 9 muffin pan all the way up. (I find I can usually make 9 full muffins with this batter, but you could make 12 also smaller muffins.) Refrigerate the gluten free chocolate zucchini muffins for 20 minutes before baking.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 400F, then reduce the over temperature to 350F and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes or until the tops spring back lightly to the touch.
- Let the chocolate chip zucchini muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Enjoy!
Storage Instructions
Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
You can also freeze these muffins in a gallon freezer bag. Let the muffins cool on a wire rack before freezing, and then take a few out and let them thaw when you want to eat them. Or you can heat them up in the microwave for a few seconds until they’re warm!
FAQs
In this easy muffin recipe, you’ll bake the zucchini muffins for 10 minutes at 400F, then reduce the over temperature to 350F and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly to the touch. Starting with a high oven temperature and then reducing the heat gives these muffins a better rise.
If your zucchini muffins didn’t rise, it could be because you didn’t use enough baking powder or baking soda, the batter was over-mixed, or because the muffins needed to start at a higher baking temperature. Starting with a high oven temperature and then reducing the heat gives these muffins a better rise.
No, this healthy zucchini muffin recipe does not need to be refrigerated, but if you put them in the fridge or freezer they will last longer! Muffins left on the counter top will last up to three days, while muffins stored in the fridge will last up to a week. Muffins stored in the freezer can last several months.
More Gluten-Free Recipes
I hope you love this delicious recipe as much as we do! If you try these gluten-free muffins, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
The BEST Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cup gluten-free 1:1 baking flour 200 grams
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Other Ingredients:
- ¾ cup granulated sugar I use and recommend Domino
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 3/4 cups FINELY grated zucchini lightly squeezed, 250 grams (weigh after squeezing)
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with 9 paper liners or grease with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla until smooth and well-combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
- Lightly squeeze the zucchini to get out some of the excess liquid. (You don’t need to overdo it, just reduce some of the moisture.) Stir in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips, if using. Mix until the batter just combined and smooth.
- Fill 9 muffin cups all the way up. (I find I can usually make 9 full muffins with this batter, but you could make 12 also smaller muffins.) Refrigerate the muffins for 20 minutes before baking.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 400F, then reduce the over temperature to 350F and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes or until the tops spring back lightly to the touch.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cook at a high temperature for TALL muffins. By starting with a high oven temperature and then reducing the heat, you’ll help these muffins get a much better rise!
- Let the batter sit for 20 minutes for MOIST muffins. Your muffins will rise higher and be light and fluffy if you let the muffins sit in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before baking. This also gives the flour time to hydrate and chills the batter.
- Use finely shredded zucchini for LIGHT muffins. Finely shredded (rather than thickly shredded) zucchini doesn’t weight down the muffin so they turn out light and fluffy.
- Doubling the for MORE muffins: This great recipe yields 9 muffins, but you can easily double (or triple!) as needed. These muffins are great for storing in the freezer.
- Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: It’s important to use a highly quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour that contains xanthan gum for these muffins.
- Oil: Canola or vegetable oil is best.
- Chocolate chips: I prefer mini chocolate chips in this recipe for the best texture.
- Sugar: I get the best results when I use Domino sugar for these muffins.
- Grated zucchini: Use a box grater on the smallest setting to get finely shredded zucchini. It will pretty much disappear when the muffins bake!
Thank you so much! My whole family loved these!!!
Wonderful, Laura! We’re glad the zucchini muffins were a hit with your family!
Do you have a suggestion to add pumpkin to this recipe?!
I haven’t tried adding pumpkin to these! I don’t know how it would affect the consistency. I do have a gluten-free pumpkin muffin recipe that we love: https://meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-pumpkin-muffins/for you.
Looking forward to trying this recipe! How do you recommend for thawing them after storing them in the freezer?
To freeze these muffins I recommend wrapping them individually in plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. You can let the defrost at room temperature – or if you’re in a hurry you can microwave them at 50% for 10-15 seconds.
Made the recipe as is and used Bob’s 1 to 1 and they are so good. I freeze shredded zucchini so I thank you for the weight measurements.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
I’m trying to avoid seed oils, I’m thinking avocado oil would be a good sub for vegetable oil, what do you think? Also do you have tips on a good non-seed oil pan spray?? I’ve tried avocado but it didn’t release as well when I made a different muffin recipe. Thanks!
I used Avocado oil and olive oil to spray the pan.
They turned out great and came out of the pan easily.
I will note I used a mini muffin pan. I filled it full and they are about the size of a regular muffin.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I am wondering if this could be used as a zucchini bread recipe as well?
Has anyone ever tried it this way?
I recommend using this gluten-free zucchini bread recipe! https://meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-zucchini-bread/
I’ve been making gluten free muffins for 10 years, and these are probably the best ones of any flavor that I’ve ever made!! Thanks for the genius recipe.
I’m so honored you like them! Thanks for the comment!
Yellow squash from my garden is taking over the kitchen. This recipe was the perfect match for a few of them. I used slightly less sugar (2/3 cup), a little extra cinnamon and no add-ins. These lightly spiced muffins are delicious. I got 11 from the batch. I plan on making them for work soon and maybe with some walnuts thrown in. I also think they’d be delicious with a streusel topping or with lemon zest and poppy seeds. Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe!
I bet streusel or lemon poppy seed would be delicious as well! Great to know they turned out for you with less sugar. Thanks for the comment!
This really is the best zucchini muffin recipe! So fluffy! Made them with Namaste Gluten Free Perfect Flour blend, avocado oil, decreased sugar a bit and used brown coconut sugar. Added ground cloves and ginger, as well as pecans. Made 12 muffins. Thank you!