These Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are seriously moist, rich and indulgent and perfectly chocolatey. They come together in one bowl and are refined sugar free optional. You definitely won't notice the vegetables, and they taste surprisingly like chocolate banana bread!
How to make this recipe
Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- The zucchini (courgette) will need to be grated - the easiest way to do this is to use a box grater.
Tip: Use both hands to squeeze as much water as possible out of the grated zucchini - this will help it cook better.
- Then place all the ingredients in a glass mixing bowl and mix it all together.
Tip: Make sure to use a measuring jug to measure out the exact amount of plant-based milk!
- Divide the batter between muffin cases in a muffin/cupcake tin.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
How long do these keep for?
Although these do taste best when fresh, they keep well covered in the fridge for up to a few days. If you have just taken them out of the fridge, I'd recommend warming them up in an oven toaster if you have one.
Substitutions you can make
- You can use any type of oil: coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil.
- You can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, cashew milk, oat milk etc.
- You can use any type of liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc.
- You can replace the ground almonds (almond meal) with ground walnuts.
- For a nut-free version: replace the ground almonds with ground sunflower seeds and use a nut-free plant-based milk.
- You can use plain flour, wholemeal (whole wheat) flour or spelt flour instead of the gluten-free flour if you’re not gluten-free.
- For a refined sugar free version, use refined sugar free chocolate chips.
- The chocolate chips can be omitted or replaced with chocolate chunks.
- If you don't like chocolate, make my plain Gluten-Free Vegan Zucchini Muffins instead!
- Want to make a loaf instead? Use my Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread recipe!
More gluten-free vegan muffin recipes
- Carrot Muffins
- Blueberry Banana Bread Muffins
- Chocolate Muffins
- Apple Muffins
- Blueberry Muffins
- Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Banana Muffins
- Orange Muffins
- Lemon Muffins
- Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
- Gingerbread Muffins
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.
Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 150 g (1 cup) zucchini (courgette) , grated
- 60 g (¼ cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
- 12 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar * (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- Pinch salt
- 150 ml (â…” cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) **
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
- 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 50 g (½ cup) cocoa powder
- 50 g (â…“ cup) dark chocolate chips *** (ensure vegan/gluten-free if necessary)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Use both hands to squeeze as much water as possible out of the grated zucchini – this will help it cook better.
- Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil).
- Once melted, add the zucchini, maple syrup, vinegar, salt, milk and ground almonds to the same bowl.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder.
- Mix well, adding a splash more milk if it's looking too dry.
- Add the chocolate chips and fold in gently.
- Transfer the mixture between muffin cases in a muffin tin.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Tastes best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
Notes
- If you don't like chocolate, make my plain Gluten-Free Vegan Zucchini Muffins instead!
- Want to make a loaf instead? Use my Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread recipe!
Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.
Zeynep
Such great muffins!!
No-one could tell there was zucchini in the muffins, incredible how it melted away, even though I grated the big zucchini without peeling it first in order to get more fiber. Very moist and chocolatey. My son tasted the almonds, though, interesting, cause I didn't. He asked, is there marzipan in it, lol. For the flour I used half all-purpose glutenfree flour, half wholemeal teff flour. It came out great.
Thank you for the recipe, everything is very clear and easy to make. I love your site 🙂
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so glad you like them!
Grace
Can I use 2.5 cup whole meal flour instead of using gluten free flour and plain flour? Just wondering whether it's 1:1 conversion. Thank you.
Rhian Williams
You can use whole meal flour as a 1:1 conversion for the gluten-free flour, but the ground almonds are still needed for texture!
Anonymous
Absolutely delicious everytime! Excellent recipe thanks for sharing🤗
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so happy to hear that!
Anni
Hi there
I made these muffins and they were a hit! I was loathe to put in 12 TBS of maple syrup initially, as it’s not easy to come by here. I don’t like overly sweet dishes but in the end I relented and these were perfect. Not too sweet at all.
So my question is: in order to stretch my stash of maple syrup, could I substitute half of the maple syrup with coconut sugar? Or brown sugar even? Will it be too sweet, do you think?
TIA and thanks for a great recipe!
Kind regards
Anni
Rhian Williams
Hi Anni, thank you so much for your feedback, I'm so happy to hear that! Yes you can replace half of the maple syrup (or even all of the maple syrup) with coconut sugar or brown sugar, no problem!