Chocolate Almond Flour Zucchini Muffins (Keto, Gluten Free)

These chocolate almond flour zucchini muffins are incredibly light and tender in texture, with a rich cocoa flavor and shreds of zucchini weaved through the batter. Almond flour and coconut flour make these grain free, gluten-free and keto-friendly!

Bake up a batch (or two) and have them on-hand for a quick and easy snack, breakfast, or even toss one into a packed lunch for a healthy treat that is kid-approved.

I have this keto zucchini bread on the brain, the kids are back in school, and I have been wanting to create a snack that is a bit more portable, healthy, and chocolate-y. For the kids. Totally for the kids. 😉

These keto and gluten-free chocolate zucchini muffins are exactly that. The recipe is similar to my keto cinnamon muffins with a few major changes, namely, shredded zucchini and cocoa powder. And they are GOOD.

Zucchini season is in full swing, so let's make the most of it and trick our kids (and ourselves) into eating more veggies by hiding it in baked goods, shall we?

(Also, these zucchini tots, zucchini fritters and zucchini gratin are wonderful if you're looking for savory zucchini recipes.)

why you'll love them

The zucchini holds these muffins together beautifully and the cocoa powder gives them a rich flavor and perfect texture.

Unlike some keto muffin recipes, these are not dense, they won't fall about, and the crumb is light and tender.

These sugar free zucchini muffins are:

• rich and chocolate-y but not overly sweet
• studded with stevia-sweetened chocolate chips, if you'd like keto double chocolate zucchini muffins (and who wouldn't?)
• low-carb, keto-friendly, gluten-free and dairy-free
• a one-bowl, 15-minute-prep recipe. 

the ingredients

Made with wholesome ingredients, these almond flour zucchini muffins are a healthy treat and the perfect on-the-go breakfast for a busy morning or a healthy snack whenever a chocolate craving hits. 😉

And, if you're a regular low-carb baker, you probably have most of the ingredients on-hand.

You will need:

• zucchini, grated
• almond flour, preferably blanched and superfine (not almond meal)
• coconut flour
• granulated monk fruit sweetener
• cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed like this one for a smoother chocolate taste
• baking soda
• baking powder - gluten-free and aluminum free, if you can
• fine sea salt
• eggs, at room temperature
• coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly (olive oil or avocado oil are also great substitutes)
• unsweetened coconut milk
• vanilla extract
• strong-brewed coffee, optional and you'd need just a splash of it
• keto-friendly chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate (like Lily's)

Note: For the coconut milk, really any non-dairy milk should work just fine, as long as it is unsweetened. If you don't have coconut milk, your next best options are macadamia milk and almond milk.

the process

This one-bowl recipe for healthy zucchini muffins is really straightforward. Make sure you give the grated zucchini time to sit and release water, then squeeze it it out using a clean dish towel or paper towel.

Here's a look at the process but be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page to view the printable recipe card.

1. Grate the zucchini. Use a box grater to grate about half of a large zucchini. Spread it out across a plate or small pan and sprinkle a dash of salt over the top. Let it sit while you prepare the batter.
2. Combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond and coconut flours, baking cocoa, monk fruit sweetener, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. Stir the batter. Add the wet ingredients- coconut oil, eggs, coconut milk, vanilla, a splash of strong coffee (optional). Mix the batter until it is well combined.
4. Add the zucchini and chocolate chips. Using a clean dish cloth, squeeze the excess water out of the grated zucchini. Measure out ½ cup of loosely-packed zucchini and fold it into the batter. Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Bake. Line a standard muffin tin with paper muffin cups and fill each one with about ¼ cup of the almond flour zucchini muffin batter. Bake at 400°F for the first 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for about 12-14 minutes. Cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

for the best almond flour zucchini muffins

These keto and gluten-free chocolate zucchini muffins are so simple to make, but I do have a couple of tips for you to keep in mind.

• Go with the coffee. The coffee is optional, but a small amount will help bring out the flavor of the chocolate.

• Remove excess water from the zucchini. Zucchini has high water content and salt will help draw out excess moisture. Squeezing out the extra water is an important step- don't skip it or your batter will have too much water.

• Use room temperature eggs. Make sure the eggs are at room temperature otherwise the cold eggs could re-solidify the coconut oil and you'll end up with a lumpy batter.

• Choose parchment muffin cups. Please line the muffin pan with parchment baking cups like these, as they release easily from the muffin and you won't have any of the muffin stick to the paper (I tested it myself with two different types of paper baking cups).

• Sweetener substitutions: If you do not have monk fruit sweetener, erythritol can be swapped in 1:1. Granulated allulose works well too, but I would increase the amount by 3-4 tablespoons since allulose isn't as sweet. Feel free to substitute the same amount of coconut sugar if you do not need these to be low glycemic.

• Baking method: The baking method (used in most of my keto muffin recipes) gives the muffins a big blast of heat at the start of baking. This helps the muffin rise and will result in a taller muffin. Don't forget to reduce the temperature to 350°F after the first 5 minutes of baking.

• For storing: Store these sugar-free zucchini muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.

almond flour zucchini muffins recipe video

These almond flour zucchini muffins are so rich and chocolate-y with a fluffy texture worth raving about. They make a delicious, easy breakfast or on-the-go snack that is filling and nutrient-dense.

If you make these keto chocolate zucchini muffins and love them, please consider leaving a comment or a star rating below! Or tag me on Instagram @stemandspoon- I love seeing what you're baking!

you might also love...

• If almond flour zucchini muffins are your thing, then these pumpkin almond flour muffins will be right up your alley!
• Air fryer zucchini tots are keto, gluten-free, and a quick and easy veggie bites! Cook them in the air fryer or make them in the oven.
• Lemon blueberry scones work any day of the week, any time of the year. This easy keto scone recipe is sure to become a fave.
• Zucchini chocolate bread with almond butter swirl- an easy, bread version of these chocolate-y muffins.

Continue to Content

Chocolate Almond Flour Zucchini Muffins (Keto, Gluten Free)

Yield: 11-12 muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes

These chocolate-y almond flour zucchini muffins are deliciously rich and tender. They're perfect for breakfast or served as a healthy, after-school snack.

Print

Ingredients

• ½ large zucchini, grated (you will need a heaping ½ cup of loosely packed zucchini)
• 1-½ cups almond flour
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• ⅔ cup granulated monk fruit sweetener*
• ¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon full-fat coconut milk (or unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon strong coffee (optional)
• 1 handful of keto-friendly dark chocolate chips (like Lily's)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a standard muffin tin with parchment baking cups.
2. Grate about half a large zucchini with a box grater. Spread the grated zucchini across a plate or small pan and sprinkle a dash of salt over the top. Let it sit while you prepare the batter, about 10-15 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking cocoa, monk fruit sweetener, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center.
4. In the well, add the eggs, coconut oil, coconut milk, vanilla, and a splash (about 1 tablespoon) of strong coffee if you're using it. Mix the batter until it is well combined.
5. Place the grated zucchini into a clean dish towel and squeeze out the water. Measure out a heaping ½ cup of loosely-packed zucchini and fold it into the batter.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
7. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about ¾ of the way full.
8. Bake at 400°F for the first 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for about 12-14 minutes.
9. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Use ¾ cup monk fruit sweetener if you prefer your treats on the sweeter side (I've used Lakanto classic and golden sweeteners, along with Lakanto Baking sweetener and all of these work well).

Make sure the eggs are at room temperature otherwise the cold eggs could re-solidify the coconut oil and you'll end up with a lumpy batter.

If you do not have monk fruit sweetener, erythritol can be swapped in 1:1. Granulated allulose works well too, but I would increase the amount by 3-4 tablespoons since allulose isn't as sweet.

The baking method gives the muffins a big blast of heat at the start of baking. This helps the muffin rise and will result in a taller muffin. Don't forget to reduce the temperature to 350°F after the first 5 minutes of baking.

Store at room temperature, covered for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 11 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 242Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 173mgCarbohydrates: 10gNet Carbohydrates: 5gFiber: 5gSugar: 1.5gProtein: 9g

This nutritional information is approximate and is provided for convenience as a courtesy.