Delicious and healthy zucchini muffins made with almond butter and sweetened with maple syrup. Flourless, gluten-free and perfect breakfast or snacking.
This summer I have been on a zucchini bender. I have some old favorites like roasted squash and zucchini, zucchini boats and zucchini lasagna, but this week I’ve been experimenting with a bunch of new recipes! After all the savory zucchini dishes my sweet tooth kicked in and I decided to whip up a batch of healthy zucchini muffins.
Using Almond Butter to Replace Flour
I was all prepared to make traditional muffins (whole grain style, of course) but then I remembered how well almond butter works as a flour substitute and thought I’d try making an almond butter zucchini muffin similar to my flourless pumpkin spice muffins.
I still can’t get over the fact that almond butter can replace flour in a recipe — the texture is so fluffy and the flavor is spot on.
Sneak Veggies Into Your Muffins
These epic zucchini muffins even got the seal of approval from Isaac. He’s really good about giving me honest feedback and letting me know when my baked goods taste “too healthy.” I was nervous since there’s a good amount of zucchini in these muffins, but they passed the taste test with flying colors.
I wanted to keep the muffins as healthy as possible so I only added 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. You could use more if you want, but I think only having a minimal amount adds a little excitement with each bite because you never know when you’re going to get a chocolate chip. The bites with the chocolate chips are the best, obviously.
If you’re like me and up to your ears in zucchini right now, you should make a batch of these. Heck, even if you’re not swimming in zucchini, it’s worth picking up one up at the store to make these. They’re great as a side with breakfast, perfect for brunch and also make a great mid-afternoon snack. I’m sure they’d be a hit with kids as well — definitely a fun and tasty way to get them to eat more veggies!
If you make these healthy zucchini muffins, please be sure to leave a comment and star rating letting me know how it turns out for you! Your feedback is super helpful for the EBF team and other EBF readers.
These veggie packed flourless zucchini muffins are made with almond butter and sweetened with maple syrup. Gluten-free and perfect breakfast or snacking.
Ingredients
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup creamy almond butter
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips + more for topping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a muffin tin by spraying well with cooking spray or line the tins with paper or silicone liners(affiliate link). Set aside.
Measure 1 cup of grated zucchini then wrap the zucchini in paper towels (or a kitchen towel) and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Discard liquid.
Add zucchini, almond butter, maple syrup, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, baking powder and salt to a medium mixing bowl. Mix until well combined and then gently stir in chocolate chips.
Fill each muffin cavity about ¾ full with the muffin mixture. Top with extra chocolate chips, if desired.
Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean without any batter. Allow muffins to cool for 5-10 minutes or until they are firm enough and cool enough to handle. Remove from tin and let cool completely on a wire rack. If they’re sticking at all, use a butter knife to go along the rim of the muffin tin to help you detach the muffin from the tin and get them out in one piece.
Muffins are always best fresh, but these will keep airtight in the fridge for about 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Notes
For mini muffins, follow the instructions, but use a mini muffin tin and only bake them for 10-12 minutes.
I love these muffins! In the video, your almond butter looks runnier than mine– do you warm it up first? Specific brand? The one I normally get has very little oil in it, so it was tough to get it mixed. The muffins were still really tasty
Hey Emily – I’m glad you’re loving these muffins! Sometimes, I mix my nut butter with a little coconut oil and melt it for a few seconds to achieve that runny consistency. I normally just buy natural nut butter at the store that has just one ingredient.
These are awesome and so easy! I had no idea that almond butter could replace flour – super cool! I chopped up half of a Hu dark chocolate bar (no refined sugar, no dairy, no soy lecithin) instead of chocolate chips since I couldn’t find any “clean” chocolate chips in my store, and it worked great. These are keeping in the fridge well and I’m enjoying bringing one to work each day as a morning snack.
Hi Silvana. They should be baked through! They might be a little more moist than traditional muffins, but not mushy. Hopefully that makes sense. And definitely store them in the fridge!
Thank you for this recipe! I’m in my 3rd trimester and was on the search for a healthy treat after being diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Thankfully these do not spike my blood sugar yet still satisfy my sweet tooth.
I made these muffins and I’m obsessed! I work from home and like to have snacks that are convenient that I don’t feel guilty about. So excited to add these muffins to my list!
I have celiacs disease and recently my doctor told me to cut out all oats as well (even GF) because of cross contamination possibly affecting me. These are by far the best gluten-free muffins I have had including any with oats. And they were so easy! I would love to see more recipies with the almond butter substitute!
Hi Brittany! I received a lot of zucchini from my local CSA. I just made this muffins this morning and doubled the recipe. This easy recipe is another winner. Thank you for posting such great recipes! Btw, I also made the Mango chia and peanut butter chia puddings. Yummy!
Oh awesome! Thank you so much for letting me know, Heather. I’m glad you enjoyed them so much. And thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and star rating. I really appreciate it.
This recipe is fool-proof, amazing, & versatile! I used sunflower seed butter because it is what we had on hand, & these turned out beautifully. My husband text me this afternoon to share how much he loved it too. I highly recommend them!
Oh yay!! This makes me so happy, Kori. And I’m so glad to hear that they turned out with the sunflower seed butter too. It’s super helpful to know that they can easily be made nut-free if needed.
I recently made Erin’s (Well Plated) Avocado Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, and we gobbled them up. These sound so amazing, and I can’t wait to make them! I hate to be that person to ask about substitutions right off the bat, but do you think sunflower seed butter would be the wrong flavor? We have it on hand, so I hoped perhaps it may be tasty. Thanks, Brittany!
Hey Kori! Sunflower butter should work just fine flavor-wise, but I know sunflower seed butter has a tendency to turn baked goods green based on the reaction it has with baking powder/soda. It’s not a big deal, but they will probably look a little funny.
Woo!! I’m so glad they turned out well for you, Jag! And thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment and star rating. I so appreciate it.
I have to make this once I get my maple syrup shipped from Canada! Original maple syrup is so expensive in my country 🙁 Will come back with the results
When did the chia seeds get eliminated? I made this recipe so many times and love it!!! but today I noticed the recipe changed? Anywhere I can find the old recipe?
Hi Jennifer. I recently retested the recipe and realized the muffins were super moist and I didn’t love the texture of the chia seeds so I removed them from the recipe. If you really enjoyed the original recipe, you can just add 1/2 Tablespoon of chia seeds into the mix and only use 2 eggs instead of 3. The new recipe also uses 1/2 teaspoon baking powder instead of the 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda + 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. So if you loved the old recipe, just make those swaps. Or try the new version and see if you like it better! 🙂
These were great! Just in case anyone is wondering, I substituted sunflower seed butter for the almond butter, and “flax eggs” for the eggs, and they turned out well. Thank you for the great recipe!
This recipe is so easy to make and absolutely delicious. I made it several times now & the muffins go so fast – they barely make it a few days. I was surprised how the texture was so light. This is my new favorite website for recipes.
I made these and they are delicious!! Especially straight out of the oven. The melted chocolate is divine. I did notice that I had to cook these twice as long as the recipe recommends. Sooooo good! Thank you.
Love these muffins!! I’m doing a 30 day cleanse type thing and maple syrup isn’t allowed. What can I substitute? Stevia is the only sweetener on the approved foods list. Does applesauce work?
These muffins are delicious! They taste decadent, even without the chocolate chips. Like others who commented, my batch made more than 24 muffins (even better!)
Just made your muffins with lots of substitutions based on what I had on hand… Subbed applesauce for the maple, used 3 different nut butters (finishing empty jars!) & added a scoop of protein powder. Also left out the chocolate chips. Still turned out great, thanks!
I have never left a comment on a food blog before but I felt like I had to after making these today! They are incredible!!!!! Thank you so much for a delicious healthy muffin recipe!
I haven’t tried it so I’m not 100% sure the texture would hold up as well in larger muffin form and they’ll probably take longer to bake. If you try it, please do report back and let me know. 🙂
Not sure how your post landed in my Facebook feed but am so glad it did. I love these muffins and they are perfect for a pre-race energy boost before a 5K walk/run. So easy to throw together and I love that there is no flour in them at all!
I doubled the recipe and made them full size. They were amaaaaaazing. I also added a teaspoon of cardamom and who scoops of a good vanilla flavored protein powder. They were amazing. Had no idea almond butter was such a great flour substitute. Thanks so much for the tip I’ll definitely be using almond butter in the recipes I develop.
omg. yes. I used half zucchini, half summer squash (SO MUCH SUMMER SQUASH), homemade cashew/sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter, and excluded the chocolate chips, and they are great!! Super moist, nice little crunch from the chia seeds, love the cinnamon! I only had one mini muffin pan so I filled those babies up, and then put the rest of the batter in a small le creuset baking dish. great recipe.
Aloha- plan to make these in the morning with my 4 and 2 year olds. I don’t have almond butter on hand so am going to sub sunflower butter instead. Think it’ll be ok?
will be going to a Reiki evening soiree soon…potluck requirements= loooo sugar, high nutritrion…lots of healers, green and healthy eaters in the midst. My kind of peeps: take the time, add something good, homemade, and healthy to the feast. Your muffins are right on time…and in the meantime, DIY cold brew coffee, corn, avocado and quinoa salad, and blueberry basil smoothies!! Feel like I’m spending the week with you- THANKS!!! Your website is great!!! Just signed up…what fun and goodness coming my way!!
I made these in regular muffin tins and they are SO good! I was skeptical when they first came out of the oven, but they taste much better after cooling. Thank you so much for posting this!
I made these tonight and they are fabulous! love that you suggested mini muffins, they make a perfect little snack. I tried one batch with the chocolate chips and one without–I’m not sure which is better! I can’t wait to have my friends and family try them, I’m sure they’ll be a hit. I’m new to your blog, and can’t wait to explore more! Thanks!
I made these yesterday, pretty much as soon as I saw your post! They are absolutely out of this world!!! Seriously – everyone who has tried them has raved! I ended up with more than 24, though, so I used the extra batter for four brownie-sized ones, too. (I used one of those pans for making individual brownies). I baked them just a little bit longer. I have a feeling this is a recipe I’ll be making over and over again! Thank you!!!
Yay! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the muffins, MaryBeth. I posted a portion of your comment on my Facebook page in hopes that your review will inspired others to try the recipe. 🙂 Thank you again for coming back to comment and let me know how they turned out.
This is a great idea and I love that they are bite size too. I have a friend who avoids wheat and I think these would be perfect for me to make for her!
Do you use any natural pesticides on your zucchini plants? Both my cucumbers and zucchini were annihilated by beetles this summer and I am sooo sad! 🙁 Was looking forward to a similar bounty and so far I’ve gotten two sad cucumbers and squat from my zuke plant. Would love to hear your tips on keeping pests away, if you have any!
Hi Jenn, no we’re not using any pesticides on our garden. We’re having issues with squirrels eating our tomatoes but the zucchinis have been fine. Sorry I don’t have any good tips to share. :/
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I love these muffins! In the video, your almond butter looks runnier than mine– do you warm it up first? Specific brand? The one I normally get has very little oil in it, so it was tough to get it mixed. The muffins were still really tasty
★★★★★
Hey Emily – I’m glad you’re loving these muffins! Sometimes, I mix my nut butter with a little coconut oil and melt it for a few seconds to achieve that runny consistency. I normally just buy natural nut butter at the store that has just one ingredient.
These are awesome and so easy! I had no idea that almond butter could replace flour – super cool! I chopped up half of a Hu dark chocolate bar (no refined sugar, no dairy, no soy lecithin) instead of chocolate chips since I couldn’t find any “clean” chocolate chips in my store, and it worked great. These are keeping in the fridge well and I’m enjoying bringing one to work each day as a morning snack.
I’m so glad you tried and enjoyed these muffins, Anna! Isn’t it crazy how well the almond butter works as a replacement for flour?! 🙂
Just made the zucchini and chic chip muffins and was just wondering if they are supposed to be very moist or do they set in time?
★★★★★
Hi Silvana. They should be baked through! They might be a little more moist than traditional muffins, but not mushy. Hopefully that makes sense. And definitely store them in the fridge!
Thank you for this recipe! I’m in my 3rd trimester and was on the search for a healthy treat after being diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Thankfully these do not spike my blood sugar yet still satisfy my sweet tooth.
★★★★★
I made these muffins and I’m obsessed! I work from home and like to have snacks that are convenient that I don’t feel guilty about. So excited to add these muffins to my list!
★★★★★
I have celiacs disease and recently my doctor told me to cut out all oats as well (even GF) because of cross contamination possibly affecting me. These are by far the best gluten-free muffins I have had including any with oats. And they were so easy! I would love to see more recipies with the almond butter substitute!
★★★★★
Hi Brittany! I received a lot of zucchini from my local CSA. I just made this muffins this morning and doubled the recipe. This easy recipe is another winner. Thank you for posting such great recipes! Btw, I also made the Mango chia and peanut butter chia puddings. Yummy!
These muffins !!!! They turned out absolutely amazing, so yummy! I will be making these over and over!
★★★★★
Oh awesome! Thank you so much for letting me know, Heather. I’m glad you enjoyed them so much. And thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and star rating. I really appreciate it.
This recipe is fool-proof, amazing, & versatile! I used sunflower seed butter because it is what we had on hand, & these turned out beautifully. My husband text me this afternoon to share how much he loved it too. I highly recommend them!
★★★★★
Oh yay!! This makes me so happy, Kori. And I’m so glad to hear that they turned out with the sunflower seed butter too. It’s super helpful to know that they can easily be made nut-free if needed.
I recently made Erin’s (Well Plated) Avocado Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, and we gobbled them up. These sound so amazing, and I can’t wait to make them! I hate to be that person to ask about substitutions right off the bat, but do you think sunflower seed butter would be the wrong flavor? We have it on hand, so I hoped perhaps it may be tasty. Thanks, Brittany!
Hey Kori! Sunflower butter should work just fine flavor-wise, but I know sunflower seed butter has a tendency to turn baked goods green based on the reaction it has with baking powder/soda. It’s not a big deal, but they will probably look a little funny.
These are amazing! Was worried they would be dry but they are perfect! Will double the recipe next time.
★★★★★
Woo!! I’m so glad they turned out well for you, Jag! And thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment and star rating. I so appreciate it.
I have to make this once I get my maple syrup shipped from Canada! Original maple syrup is so expensive in my country 🙁 Will come back with the results
When did the chia seeds get eliminated? I made this recipe so many times and love it!!! but today I noticed the recipe changed? Anywhere I can find the old recipe?
Hi Jennifer. I recently retested the recipe and realized the muffins were super moist and I didn’t love the texture of the chia seeds so I removed them from the recipe. If you really enjoyed the original recipe, you can just add 1/2 Tablespoon of chia seeds into the mix and only use 2 eggs instead of 3. The new recipe also uses 1/2 teaspoon baking powder instead of the 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda + 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. So if you loved the old recipe, just make those swaps. Or try the new version and see if you like it better! 🙂
These were great! Just in case anyone is wondering, I substituted sunflower seed butter for the almond butter, and “flax eggs” for the eggs, and they turned out well. Thank you for the great recipe!
★★★★★
This recipe is so easy to make and absolutely delicious. I made it several times now & the muffins go so fast – they barely make it a few days. I was surprised how the texture was so light. This is my new favorite website for recipes.
★★★★★
I made these and they are delicious!! Especially straight out of the oven. The melted chocolate is divine. I did notice that I had to cook these twice as long as the recipe recommends. Sooooo good! Thank you.
★★★★★
Love these muffins!! What could be substituted for maple syrup? Stevia? Applesauce?
★★★★★
Love these muffins!! I’m doing a 30 day cleanse type thing and maple syrup isn’t allowed. What can I substitute? Stevia is the only sweetener on the approved foods list. Does applesauce work?
★★★★★
Looks amazing! Am I able to sub soynut butter in place of the almond butter (allergy issues)?
Yes! Any nut butter will work!
Yes! Soynut butter or sunflower seed butter should definitely work!
These muffins are delicious! They taste decadent, even without the chocolate chips. Like others who commented, my batch made more than 24 muffins (even better!)
Could you sub applesauce or mashed banana for the maple syrup?
I haven’t tried that, but you could certainly experiment and see how it turns out! 🙂
I just made these with peanut butter and they turned out great. I had to bake them for 10 minutes, instead of 7-8.
★★★★
Love the sound of this recipe! Do you think peanut butter would work ok instead of almond butter?
Just made your muffins with lots of substitutions based on what I had on hand… Subbed applesauce for the maple, used 3 different nut butters (finishing empty jars!) & added a scoop of protein powder. Also left out the chocolate chips. Still turned out great, thanks!
I have never left a comment on a food blog before but I felt like I had to after making these today! They are incredible!!!!! Thank you so much for a delicious healthy muffin recipe!
Hi quick question! Can I make these into regular muffins instead of mini?
I haven’t tried it so I’m not 100% sure the texture would hold up as well in larger muffin form and they’ll probably take longer to bake. If you try it, please do report back and let me know. 🙂
Love these for my toddler. How would you modify to make an 8×8 bread pan?
Not sure how your post landed in my Facebook feed but am so glad it did. I love these muffins and they are perfect for a pre-race energy boost before a 5K walk/run. So easy to throw together and I love that there is no flour in them at all!
So glad you found and enjoyed them. 🙂
I doubled the recipe and made them full size. They were amaaaaaazing. I also added a teaspoon of cardamom and who scoops of a good vanilla flavored protein powder. They were amazing. Had no idea almond butter was such a great flour substitute. Thanks so much for the tip I’ll definitely be using almond butter in the recipes I develop.
these muffins look interesting but i do not have zucchini available. do you feel carrots will work?
I’ve never tried them with carrots instead of zucchini so I’m not sure how well the muffins will turn out. Let me know if you test it out.
omg. yes. I used half zucchini, half summer squash (SO MUCH SUMMER SQUASH), homemade cashew/sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter, and excluded the chocolate chips, and they are great!! Super moist, nice little crunch from the chia seeds, love the cinnamon! I only had one mini muffin pan so I filled those babies up, and then put the rest of the batter in a small le creuset baking dish. great recipe.
Hooray. So excited that they turned out will for you. Enjoy!!
Aloha- plan to make these in the morning with my 4 and 2 year olds. I don’t have almond butter on hand so am going to sub sunflower butter instead. Think it’ll be ok?
will be going to a Reiki evening soiree soon…potluck requirements= loooo sugar, high nutritrion…lots of healers, green and healthy eaters in the midst. My kind of peeps: take the time, add something good, homemade, and healthy to the feast. Your muffins are right on time…and in the meantime, DIY cold brew coffee, corn, avocado and quinoa salad, and blueberry basil smoothies!! Feel like I’m spending the week with you- THANKS!!! Your website is great!!! Just signed up…what fun and goodness coming my way!!
I made these in regular muffin tins and they are SO good! I was skeptical when they first came out of the oven, but they taste much better after cooling. Thank you so much for posting this!
I made these tonight and they are fabulous! love that you suggested mini muffins, they make a perfect little snack. I tried one batch with the chocolate chips and one without–I’m not sure which is better! I can’t wait to have my friends and family try them, I’m sure they’ll be a hit. I’m new to your blog, and can’t wait to explore more! Thanks!
Welcome Kristen! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the muffins. Thanks for coming back to let me know how they turned out. <3
These look fantastic! Love using almond butter to make muffins 🙂
So excited to try these and find yet another use for zucchini! I think it was a banner year!
They look great, I’ll have to try them!
I made these yesterday, pretty much as soon as I saw your post! They are absolutely out of this world!!! Seriously – everyone who has tried them has raved! I ended up with more than 24, though, so I used the extra batter for four brownie-sized ones, too. (I used one of those pans for making individual brownies). I baked them just a little bit longer. I have a feeling this is a recipe I’ll be making over and over again! Thank you!!!
Yay! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the muffins, MaryBeth. I posted a portion of your comment on my Facebook page in hopes that your review will inspired others to try the recipe. 🙂 Thank you again for coming back to comment and let me know how they turned out.
This is a great idea and I love that they are bite size too. I have a friend who avoids wheat and I think these would be perfect for me to make for her!
I’ve never tried making flour less muffins but they looks amazing! Love the flavours!!
http://youtube.com/addalittlefood
Do you use any natural pesticides on your zucchini plants? Both my cucumbers and zucchini were annihilated by beetles this summer and I am sooo sad! 🙁 Was looking forward to a similar bounty and so far I’ve gotten two sad cucumbers and squat from my zuke plant. Would love to hear your tips on keeping pests away, if you have any!
Hi Jenn, no we’re not using any pesticides on our garden. We’re having issues with squirrels eating our tomatoes but the zucchinis have been fine. Sorry I don’t have any good tips to share. :/
Yum these sound sooo amazing Brittany. Such a great recipe.
Thanks Beth! 🙂
Baking these this weekend! They’ll make a good breakfast option for the coming week. Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Yay! Let me know how they turn out. 🙂
When I first read ‘almond butter’, I though you meant ‘almond flour’. I’m intrigued!
Oh my, this sounds fantastic! I absolutely love baked goods with zucchini! It’s a great way to sneak some veggies in. Yum!
Love these! I’ve made almond butter muffins with banana before..the deflating is a bummer but I bet they taste amazing!
These look awesome! I’m intrigued about the texture…I suppose that just means I’ll have to make a batch 🙂