Chickpea Flour Zucchini Muffins (Vegan, Oil-Free, Grain-Free)

Chickpea flour zucchini muffins made in one bowl with no fuss, and minimal muss! They are vegan, grain-free, gluten-free, oil-free, and loaded with healthy goodness.

Got zucchini?

Whether you have a final haul from your late summer garden, or a jumbo zucchini “gifted” by a friend or neighbor, I’ve got a great new spin on zucchini bread that will make you celebrate your bounty.

It’s my 1-Bowl Chickpea Flour Zucchini Muffins.

I confess that I have been breakfasting and snacking on these gluten-free zucchini muffins A LOT these past few days. They are delicious, yes, but they really fuel me and refuel me for busy days and workouts. I especially like to gobble one after a run because zucchini is high in potassium (much needed after a super-sweaty run!). Zucchini is high in folate and fiber, too.

Recipe Benefits

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Gluten-free
• Grain-Free
• Oil-Free (i.e., no butter, no melted coconut oil,
• Made in 1 bowl (easy!)
• Moist and flavorful

Chickpea Flour: A perfect grain-free flour for vegan baking

When you taste one of these muffins, you will wonder how something so humble–and so nutritious–can be so scrumptious. You will also wonder how the heck it can be grain-free, oil-free and vegan, too!

The answer is as simple as the ingredients. Chickpea flour takes the place of grain flour, delivering fiber and protein while also yielding muffins that taste as if they were made with all-purpose flour.

An ample amount of zucchini (2 cups!) creates muffins with a moist, tender texture. Flaxseed meal (ground flax seeds)–rich in Omega-3 fatty acids–heightens the tenderness. In combination, these two super-ingredients eliminate any need for oil in the batter!

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.

• chickpea flour
• flaxseed meal
• coconut sugar (or the sweetner of your choice)
• ground cinnamon
• ground ginger
• baking soda
• salt
• unsweetened applesauce
• nondairy milk (I used almond milk)
• zucchini
• vanilla extract
• chopped pecans

I steered clear of making these muffins overly sweet, too. I added 1/4 cup of coconut sugar (that comes to 1 teaspoon per muffin), but you can use any granulated sweetener you prefer. Since the batter is eggless and wheat-free, feel free to sweeten to taste before baking.

Zucchini Tips

• Leave the peel on the grated zucchini! The dark green peel contains beta carotene, which helps to keep your eyes, skin, and immunity at their finest! Talk about a small yet mighty muffin!
• Use either the small or large holes on your box grater (or food processor disc) when grating the zucchini.
• Do not drain any of the liquid from the shredded zucchini! It adds to the moisture of these vegan zucchini muffins.

Step by Step Instructions

It will take no more than a few minutes, and one bowl, to make the batter for this muffin recipe, followed by about 20 minutes in the oven.

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

• Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line 12 cups of a standard size muffin pan with paper muffin liners, foil liners or silicone liners.
• In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients: chickpea flour, flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds), coconut sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt, breaking up any and all lumps in the chickpea flour.
• Add the wet ingredients: applesauce, milk and vanilla to chickpea mixture. Stir until blended.
• Add the zucchini, stirring until well-blended.
• Evenly scoop and divide the batter into the prepared muffin cups (they should only be roughly 1/2 full). Sprinkle the tops with walnuts.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 19 to 23 minutes until golden brown, tops are firm to the touch, and a toothpick inserted near the center of a muffin comes out with only moist crumbs attached.
• Cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the muffin tin, place on a cooling rack, and cool completely.

Important Baking Tip

It is very important to divide the batter between all 12 cups of a standard muffin pan. Making bigger muffins (i.e., filling the cups beyond 1/2 to 2/3 cup full) will make you sad: the muffins will rise (hooray!) and then collapse (boo!). Grain-free vegan batters have their quirks.

I do not recommend baking this batter in a large (e.g., 9×5-inch) loaf pan, either, for the same rise & fall issue. Very small loaf pans (e.g., 5-inch long) will work fine, but larger sizes are a gamble.

When made into 12 muffins, they are perfect, for breakfast, a snack, or anytime at all.

FAQ

• How Should I Store the Muffins? Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container at (cool) room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator for 5 days, or the freezer for up to 6 months.
• What are Some Substitutes for Coconut Sugar? An equal amount of natural cane sugar, granulated sugar, brown sugar, or measure-for-measure sugar-free granulated sugar replacement can be used in place of the coconut sugar. Or replace with an equal amount of maple syrup or agave nectar.
• Can I Substitute Another Gluten-Free Flour for the Chickpea Flour? No. Other gluten-free flours, such as oat flour, cassava flour or almond flour, will not work in this particular recipe.
• Can I Substitute Another Vegetable / Veggie for the Zucchini? Yes! Use an equal amount of grated carrots, summer squash, yellow squash or parsnips in place of the zucchini.

Flavor Variations

The options for add-ins to these so Chickpea Flour Zucchini Muffins ! Consider one, or a combination of several, of the following options:

• Spices: Vary the spices to suit your tastes. Consider trying nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, or pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon and/or ginger.
• Dried Fruit: Add up to 1/3 cup of chopped dried fruit, such as raisins, dried cranberries, dried apricots, dried cherries, dried blueberries, or dried figs.
• Chocolate: Add up to 1/3 cup of your favorite chocolate chips or chocolate chunks, or add 2 tbsp cacao nibs.
• Nuts or Seeds: Replace the pecans or walnuts with almonds, hazelnuts, pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds.
• Extracts or Zests: Replace the vanilla extract with almond extract or lemon extract. Or add one to two teaspoons of finely grated lime zest, lemon zest or orange zest.

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• Healthy Zucchini Oat Bread (oil-free)
• 3-Ingredient Zucchini Soccatas (chickpea flour omelets)
• 4-Ingredient Zucchini Skillet Flatbreads
• Coconut Flour Zucchini Cookies (grain-free)
• Coconut Flour Zucchini Brownies {oil-free, grain-free}
• Zucchini Oat Breakfast Cookies 
• Vegan Almond Flour Zucchini Muffins {grain-free, oil-free}