Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins

You will love these Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins. They are so quickly and easily prepared. Perfect for brunch, a great addition to a lunch box or serve on the side of a warm bowl of soup.

Muffins stacked on a round wooden board, with a beige napkin on the right. Set on a white background.

As much as I love sweet muffins for breakfast or brunch, there are times when my preference is for a savoury muffin. These savoury Zucchini Muffins are extremely versatile; whilst they are delicious for breakfast or brunch, they are also ideal to enjoy in other ways and I have some suggestions listed below.

Why we love this recipe:

These muffins are delicious. The buttermilk gives them a light, tender crumb and they are beautifully moist due to the ricotta and zucchini. As well, they are an excellent addition to almost any meal.

When zucchinis are in season, many people are looking for new ways to use them. People who grow zucchini will be accustomed to having an abundance of this fruit. Yes, technically, it is a fruit. These muffins are another delicious way to enjoy this fabulous produce.

These delicious Zucchini Muffins are quickly and easily prepared. Just add your dry ingredients and your wet ingredients to separate bowls. Slice some spring onion and shred a zucchini/courgette and combine the ingredients.

Ingredients in this recipe:

Ingredients used in this recipe for muffins.

Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

Gluten-Free plain/all-purpose flour - I have used a commercial gluten-free blend. However, you can substitute regular all-purpose flour if you don’t need them to be gluten-free. Our gluten-free flour blends contain either xanthan or guar gum to stabilise and provide structure to our recipes. If your flour blend already contains either of these gums, there is no need to add more.

Baking powder – if necessary, ensure that your blend is gluten-free.

Parmesan – I use good quality parmesan, mostly Grana Padano, and grate it myself. It must be finely grated.

Spring onion/scallion – I use the white and some of the green.

Buttermilk – this will give the muffins a light texture.

Grapeseed Oil – if you prefer, you can use another neutral-flavoured oil.

Eggs – I use large, free range eggs.

Ricotta cheese – it is best to use full fat ricotta.

Zucchini – also known as courgette.

Step by Step Instructions:

Start by pre-heating your oven. Then, prepare your muffin tin.

Add your wet ingredients to a medium-sized bowl.
Add your dry ingredients to a large-sized bowl, along with the spring onion and zucchini.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet ingredients. Combine well.
Use an ice cream scoop to evenly fill the prepared muffin cups. Bake the muffins until they are golden and cooked through. Once cooked, allow them to cool for a few minutes before enjoying.

Tips for Success and FAQs:

These Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins tend to stick to paper liners more than other muffins so I have baked them directly in a well-greased muffin cup and they are easily removed.

How do I grease muffin tins?

To grease the tin I use melted butter and a pastry brush. If you don’t have a pastry brush, just make a wad of paper towel and dip it in the butter. Melt a small amount of butter in a saucepan over low heat. When melted, dip the pastry brush or wad of paper towel into the butter and lightly coat the bottom and sides of each muffin cup.
If you prefer to use muffin liners, I recommend that you use non-stick silicone paper liners.

How should I store the muffins?

To store these Gluten-Free Zucchini muffins, make sure they are completely cool and then store in an airtight container. Muffins are at their best on the day of baking or can be re-heated on the second day. However, for longer than that I recommend that they be frozen.

Can I freeze the muffins?

You certainly can. Cool them completely before placing in a large zip lock bag. You will need to keep the bag flat so that the muffins are separated. This will avoid them sticking together when frozen. When they are completely frozen it is fine if they are touching so you need not keep the bag flat. It is best to use the muffins within 3 months.

If I don't need these to be gluten-free, can I use regular all-purpose flour?

Yes - this recipe works well made gluten-free or regular.

nine muffins sitting on a cooling rack, on a white marble background.

When it comes to serving:

These muffins are fantastically versatile. Serve them:

For breakfast or brunch;
An anytime snack;
With a bowl of soup;
In packed lunches;
To take on a picnic or to a potluck;
Slice and fill as you would a sandwich;
With meals in place of dinner rolls – feel free to add butter!

More recipes for you to try:

Love these ingredients as much as we do? Here are some more recipes featuring them:

More muffin recipes for you to try:

You will love the aroma of these Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins as they are baking. The warm, comforting smell of home baking is enticing and it’s difficult to be patient whilst waiting for them to emerge from the oven.

I encourage you to try these; please let me know in the comments below if you do.

Alex xx