Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Muffins

Why You’ll Love These Gluten Free Mini Muffins

So many people love my original Carrot Zucchini Muffins made with whole wheat flour that I had to make them into gluten free mini muffins. Those muffins have gotten so many picky kids to eat vegetables that the GF kids and moms needed an easy snack solution too. Here’s why these are sure to be a hit in your house…

• So many veggies. It seems like a lot of carrots and zucchini being held together by just a little batter, but if you fill a 24-cup mini muffin tin, they will bake up perfectly and fully loaded with veggie goodness.
• Kid-approved. They may only have a little maple syrup, but they have just enough sweetness to entice the kiddos despite those sneaky vegetables.
• Freeze well. They are a perfect way to use up all the summertime bumper crops of zucchini when everyone is looking for more zucchini recipes.
• Lunchbox-friendly. The small size makes them a great packable snack or easy kids lunch idea. But the other advantage is that they have no nuts, making them perfect for a nut-free school environment. They are also adaptable to other allergies since they are gluten free and can easily be made with substitutes for the butter and eggs.

Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Muffin Ingredients

A couple of veggies and basic pantry ingredients are all you need to whip up a batch of these gluten free mini muffins. Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need. The full quantities are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Gluten free flour – the gluten free flour mixture is a simple blend of brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch. You can also replace these flours and starches with 1:1 GF baking flour.
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Unsalted butter – melted and cooled. You can substitute vegan butter for a dairy-free option.
• Maple syrup – you can also use honey to sweeten these mini muffins, but I prefer maple syrup, and I only use maple syrup from Vermont.
• Egg – lightly beaten.
• Vanilla extract
• Zucchini – finely grated, but you do NOT need to squeeze out the excess moisture.
• Carrots – finely grated, but again, it is NOT necessary to squeeze out the excess moisture.
• Raisins

How to Make Gluten Free Mini Muffins

These muffins are so easy to make. Preheat your oven and grease your mini muffin pan. Then I’ll give you a brief rundown, but be sure to follow the detailed instructions at the bottom of the post.

• Make wet and dry mixtures. Sift or whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Then in a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract.
• Mix the muffin batter. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just barely combined. Fold in the zucchini, carrots, and raisins.
• Fill the pan. Scoop into the prepared pan, dividing the batter evenly between the 24 wells.

• Bake and cool. Bake the muffins in the 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes and remove the carrot zucchini muffins from the pan.

Storing Gluten Free Mini Muffins

Countertop. In an airtight container, you can store the muffins at room temperature for a couple of days. I wouldn’t leave them out much longer because all of the moisture from the veggies can cause them to get moldy very quick.

Refrigerator. You can refrigerate the gluten free carrot zucchini muffins for up to 4 or 5 days, and possibly even a week if they are sealed properly.

Freezer. You can also freeze them for up to 2 to 3 months wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, plastic freezer storage bags, or an airtight container. In fact, they are safe to eat for much longer, but after time they can start to get dry or have their flavor impacted. That being said, if you are only going to take out a couple at a time, I do recommend wrapping them individually or several together. Then place them in a zip-top plastic freezer storage bag or another airtight container. This allows you to pull out just a few at a time without affecting the rest of the batch.