Gluten Free Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

There is an abundance of zucchini between my place and my parents place.  My siblings/parents have been picking it every other day, and if they don't... they grow to incredible sizes.  I love zucchini, but the only thing I can do with it once it gets that big is make zucchini bread!  Which is okay because I love zucchini bread.  Especially when you throw in cocoa and chocolate chips!


My first experiment with GF muffins was actually with a recipe for berry cream muffins.  (That recipe will come soon.)  The blogger I adapted from gave a few interesting tips which lead to my flour choices here.  First, white rice flour because muffins should be light and airy.  Second, sorghum flour because it is light and binding, and has the closest texture to wheat flour.  Tapioca flour, because you need a starch to bind it all together, and tapioca is slightly sweet.  (Tapioca flour = tapioca starch)  The recipe I adapted for the zucchini muffins called for a gluten free flour mix containing a few flours I didn't have on hand, so I improvised with what worked for my last muffins.  They turned out moist, light and delicious!  Enjoy!

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white rice flour
• 1/2 cup sorghum flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, warmed to room temperature
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups finely shredded zucchini, some juice squeezed out
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves

Directions

1. Line a muffin tin with paper liners, or coat with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add cinnamon and cloves if you desire.
3. In a large bowl, mix the sugar, eggs, canola oil, applesauce and vanilla extract until well blended.  Stir in the zucchini.
4. Add the dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Scoop batter into muffin tins until they are 3/4 full.  Top with a few more chocolate chips if desired
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Bake muffins for approximately 20 minutes or until they spring back when touched.
7. Remove pan from oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before removing muffins and cooling completely on a wire rack.

My mom tried this recipe herself, but added cinnamon and cloves to the mix.  It gave the muffins a delicious twist.  Try it for yourself!

Adapted from Can I Have This?