Gluten Free Zucchini Bread or Muffins Recipe

It’s summer, and that means all things zucchini to me. It seems natural to start off with the re-invention of an old favorite: gluten free zucchini bread!

This new recipe embraces the flavor of the zucchini without hiding it behind a lot of sugar or oil like traditional recipes often do. Healthy coconut oil adds just the right touch without weighing down this lighter-than-you-might-expect loaf.

If you’ve been following me awhile, you probably know that I have lots of zucchini recipes. In fact, if you use the search bar at the top of every page and type in the word zucchini, you’ll get FOURTEEN gluten free recipes featuring this favorite ingredient.

Zucchini is also known as a member of the summer squash family, and though often called a vegetable, it’s actually a fruit! (seeds inside, you know?) It is full of vitamins, fiber, antioxidants and every other good reason to eat it, plus it’s mild tasting and can be enjoyed fresh/raw or cooked, as noodles (zoodles, if you will), chips for dip, “baked zucchini fries,” and of course as a baking ingredient.

Which is where this recipe comes in.

As a cookbook author, you know I love creating new recipes. I already have several wonderful gluten free zucchini bread and gluten free zucchini muffin recipes, so you might ask, “Why one more?”.

I love the art and craft of creating. Of starting afresh with a new canvas, here, using coconut oil as an alternative fat solution, and cutting back on the sugars.

I’ve also modified the recipe so it’s easy to make with either my award-winning gfJules Gluten Free Muffin Mix or from scratch with my gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. Both ways turn out delicious loaves; one just saves time and measuring, making homemade gluten free zucchini bread even faster and easier!

As a side note: my award-winning gfJules Gluten Free Muffin Mix is already light on sugar compared to many traditional quick breads. I have heard from many customers who are trying to cut back on sugar, so I use only a little in the mix, which means you are always free to add more.

I’ve added regular cane sugar, brown sugar or even coconut palm sugar in this recipe and they are all delicious, but for a truly light and not-too-sweet gluten free zucchini bread, no need to add any sugar at all.

You can even add an optional crumble topping, if you like!

The coffee cake-like crumble on top of these gluten free zucchini muffins is a pretty fantastic combo!

But the original, un-topped version is quite spectacular, as well.

I find with fresh zucchini and pecans, there really isn’t a need for lots of extra oil or sugar, which is why I really love this recipe.

With my gfJules Flour or Muffin Mix, there is no grittiness, and the bread is light and moist. Don’t weigh it down with heavy oil or excess sugar!

You can also use my new gfJules grain-free Nada Flour to make this recipe! See recipe notes for tips!

I think you’ll be impressed at the statement zucchini makes in this recipe: in color, taste, texture and moisture. It stays fresh and soft for days, too, should you somehow be able to resist eating it all in one day!

If you’ve never made recipes with zucchini, you may be surprised to see instructions about “pressing” the zucchini after grating it. In any recipe with such instructions, be sure to follow them! I put the grated zucchini for this recipe in a strainer and pressed the liquid to measure it as an experiment just to show you how much liquid comes out of zucchini when pressed … 

… it’s a lot! In this case, two tablespoons from 1 1/2 cups of zucchini. And that’s enough to throw off a recipe by adding too much liquid. So mind the recipe instructions!

And since you asked, yes! Of course you can bake this yummy batter into gluten free zucchini muffins instead of a loaf. They’re quite delicious in portable form! Depending on the size of your muffins, you’ll need to start checking to see if they are done at around 20 minutes.

Depending on the kind of sugar you use, and whether you choose convection or conventional bake, they will be lighter or darker in color (as will the bread).

You can also feel free to make this recipe vegan (egg-free)! The loaves don’t rise as high and they are a bit more moist, but the flavor is still perfection. Choose an egg replacer that is not fruit-based — like a commercial egg replacer, flaxseed meal and water, or aquafaba.

Have a look at my egg replacer recommendations in this article for choices.

As you can see, I’ve made several loaves. That’s what it takes to make a proven recipe worthy of sharing with you! Luckily everyone around my house is sneaking slices!

If you love zucchini like I love zucchini, you’ll definitely want to check out my other gluten free zucchini recipes like this new favorite: Gluten Free Zucchini Lemon Muffins!

If you try this recipe, let me know whether you decide to make it as loaves or muffins, and if you use my gfJules Muffin Mix or from scratch. Did you add more sugar or less? Extra crumble topping? Did you love it? Please leave a 5-star review!

Gluten Free Zucchini Bread or Muffins Recipe

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Gluten Free Zucchini Bread Recipe

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

There's nothing quite like yummy zucchini bread. This delicious low oil and low sugar gluten free zucchini bread recipe makes it even better!

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Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1 gfJules Muffin Mix mix (optional: + 1/4 cup sugar, brown sugar or coconut palm sugar, if you like sweeter bread)

OR

• 1 1/4 cup gfJules Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour (169 gr)*
• 1/4 cup flaxseed meal (or use gfJules Flour or almond meal or buckwheat flour)*
• 1/2 cup granulated cane sugar or unrefined coconut palm sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. sea salt, fine
• 1/2 Tbs. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. allspice

PLUS Liquids & More

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid (or may use vegetable oil)
• 1 egg + 1 egg white (or 1 1/2 recipes egg replacer of choice like 1 1/2 Tbs. vegan mayo + 1 Tbs. coconut milk powder + 1 Tbs. arrowroot starch + 2 Tbs. water) click here for other suggestions)**
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract (or pure vanilla extract)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (packed and pressed between paper towels to absorb extra liquid)
• 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans (toast at 200°F for 10 minutes on a cookie sheet, cool, then chop) - optional

ICING (optional)

• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1-3 Tbs. milk of choice

Crumble Topping Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (67 grams) gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 Tbs. softened butter or non-dairy substitute (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Shred zucchini in a food processor or using a box grater. Measure out 1 1/2 cups, packed, and press between paper towels or in a colander to release extra moisture.
3. If making from scratch instead of using my gfJules Muffin Mix, whisk together gfJules Flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice in a bowl.
4. In a large mixing bowl, cream coconut oil together with sugar for one minute. Add egg, egg white and almond extract, mixing until thoroughly combined.
5. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients/muffin mix, making a thick batter. Fold in the shredded zucchini and chopped nuts until integrated.
6. Oil a 9×5 bread pan and spread the batter smoothly with a rubber spatula. If making muffins, spoon batter into 13-15 oiled or lined muffin tins.
7. If making optional crumble topping, soften butter and add to other ingredients in a separate bowl, mixing with a fork or a pastry blender until a pebbly mixture is formed. Sprinkle evenly on top of all the muffins or bread.
8. Bake bread in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, muffins for 25 minutes, testing with a toothpick to see if it has baked all the way through. The toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf or muffins should come out dry or with crumbs when done.
9. Remove to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from the bread pan to finish cooling on the rack.
10. If desired, whisk together icing ingredients until drizzling consistency, adding more or less milk or confectioner's sugar so it is thin enough to drizzle without being watery. Drizzle across the top of each fully cooled loaf in a decorative pattern.

Notes

Recipe is easily doubled!

*If using gfJules Nada Flour, use 1 1/2 cups Nada flour total (165 grams) -- instead of adding extra flaxseed meal. Also use 2 full eggs, rather than 1 egg + 1 egg white.

**if making vegan/egg-free, the loaf won't rise as high or be as airy, but it will still be delicious!

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  gfJules Gluten Free Muffin Mix

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