Gluten-Free Savoury Zucchini Muffins (Easy!)

If you are looking for a recipe that yields moist gluten free savoury breakfast muffins, then you are in the right place! These delicious zucchini and cheddar muffins are sugar-free, making them a healthier breakfast option for you and your kids.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

– Sugar-free. Yes, you heard it right, muffins can be made with no sugar whatsoever! Muffins are a super easy thing to make, yet often we hesitate because of the amount of sugar that goes into those little cakes. Here is your perfect solution to make your breakfast healthier – gluten free zucchini muffins with the rich flavor of cheddar cheese.

– Deep flavor. Thanks to the cheddar cheese and garlic, these delicious muffins will surprise you with their deep savoury flavors.

– Easy recipe. Unlike so many other gluten free savoury recipes out there, muffins don’t require rising or chilling time. All you need to do is mix the ingredients in a bowl, transfer the batter into the muffin tins, and bake them for about 25 minutes! An excellent option for a quick breakfast.

Substitutes and Swaps

Dairy Free Version

To make these zucchini muffins dairy free substitute the milk for plant-based milk, and mascarpone cheese for vegan cream cheese. In order to substitute cheese, you will need to use vegan cheese that is often made with coconut oil or some other type of dairy-free or vegan cheese.

Vegan Version

To make gluten free vegan zucchini muffins just follow the directions in the paragraph above.

Onions

You can use green onions in this recipe if you’d like to! I really like the onions in these muffins as they add both to the texture and to the flavor of your breakfast muffins.

Garlic

Sometimes you might not have fresh garlic on hand. No problem! You may use garlic powder, however, fresh garlic does add more flavor to the end result. Use 2 tsp of garlic powder in place of 2 garlic cloves.

Cheddar Cheese

I like using white Irish Cheddar as it has a very strong flavor that is close to that of Parmesan. You can substitute the cheddar cheese with Parmesan 1:1 if you wish!

Mascarpone Cheese

I often have leftover mascarpone after making peanut butter frosting for cinnamon rolls and cakes, so I add leftovers to these savoury muffins. But you can totally use cream cheese or ricotta for this recipe instead of mascarpone. Substitute 1:1.

Oil

I used 1/2 cup of sunflower oil and the muffins were not too oily, yet, feel free to decrease the amount to 1/4 cup of oil if you wish to make lighter breakfast muffins!

Ingredients

How to Make Gluten Free Savoury Breakfast Muffins

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 160C (320F). Grease the muffin tins or line them with muffin baking paper.

Step 2

Peel and shred the zucchini then shred your cheddar cheese, chop the onion, and mince the garlic.

Step 3

In a medium size bowl combine all the flours, xanthan gum, salt, and baking powder and mix well. In another bowl combine eggs, oil, and milk and whisk until incorporated. Then, add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ones, add mascarpone (or ricotta) and mix until well combined. Fold the zucchini into the muffin batter along with the cheddar cheese, chopped onion, and minced garlic.

Step 4

Pour the muffin batter into the muffin tins almost all the way to the top and place them into the oven on the medium rack for 25-30 minutes. The muffins should spring back if you push them a bit. Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes in the muffin tins and then transfer them to a cooling rack. It is important to let the muffins cool on a rack because if you don’t provide space for the bottoms of your gluten free muffins they will get soggy and wet. Enjoy as is or with some oil or butter!

Expert Tips

– Grate the zucchini first as it will need time to “sweat” and let the water out. It is best to let the zucchini sweat as you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

– You can use a garlic masher instead of mincing if you want to.

– Use a premade gluten free flour blend if you prefer.

– Add some pumpkin seed to add an extra flavor and a crunch to the muffins.

– Don’t open the oven while your muffins are baking. You can open it when at least 20 minutes have passed. If you open it too soon you will interfere with the rising process and get flat tops.

– Make sure to air out the bottoms of the muffins as they are cooling as it will prevent the muffins from getting wet and soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Free Gluten Free Savoury Zucchini Muffins?

Yes, you can freeze these muffins for up to 6 months. Pop them into a microwave to defrost or defrost in the oven!

Do You Peel Zucchini Before Shredding?

I did peel my zucchini before shredding but I did it rather out of reflex. You don’t need to peel zucchini as its skin is edible and fairly thin!

Do I Need to Refrigerate Zucchini Muffins?

Yes, especially if it is warm in your house. Refrigerate your gluten free zucchini muffins for up to 5 days!

How Do You Remove the Water from Zucchini Before Baking?

Shred zucchini, then place it into a drainer, and sprinkle salt over it. Leave the zucchini to “sweat” in the drainer for 10-15 minutes, then squeeze the water out before adding the vegetable to your recipe. In this recipe, I did not drain my zucchini and the muffins turned out moist which wasn’t taking away from the end result but rather adding to it.

Can You Shred Zucchini in a Blender?

You can, but your zucchini will rather become pureed, not shredded. It is best to use a grater when the recipe calls for grated or shredded zucchini as it yields a different texture to the baked goods. Plus, it is more difficult to get rid of water when you shred your zucchini in a food processor or a blender.

Why Do My Muffins Sink When I Take Them Out of the Oven?

There could be a few reasons. First, you might have added an insufficient amount of baking powder and/or soda. Second, you might have taken your muffins out of the oven too soon. Third, the oven temperature might have been too high or too low.

What is a Secret to a Good Muffin?

If you are making a gluten free muffin the secret would be the right flour blend. Another one would be the right balance of wet ingredients for the perfect moisture levels in the end product. The final one, I would say, is following the recipe to the T!

Did you like this savoury muffin recipe? Please, leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below! And if you REALLY liked this recipe consider supporting it by buying me a coffee! 🙂 Thank you and have a great day!