Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Protein Muffins
Need an easy, high-protein breakfast that’s both healthy and delicious? These Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Protein Muffins are for you! They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and packed with protein, making them the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack. Plus, they’re freezer-friendly, so you can always have a healthy option on hand when those chocolate cravings hit.
Why You’ll Love These Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Protein Muffins
- Easy and Quick: This recipe is straightforward, using simple ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.
- High Protein: Thanks to collagen and eggs, these muffins are loaded with protein, giving you lasting energy throughout the day. They have 17 grams of protein per muffin!
- Healthy and Nutritious: Made with almond flour, shredded zucchini, and natural sweeteners, these muffins are a nourishing treat that sneaks in some veggies, too.
- Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free: These muffins cater to gluten-free and dairy-free diets without compromising on taste or texture.
- Freezer-Friendly: Make a big batch and freeze them for those busy mornings when you need a quick, healthy breakfast.
Ingredients
- Almond flour – I prefer “super-fine” almond flour to get the best texture. I like this one from Blue Diamond I can get at Sam’s Club or Amazon. See recipe notes for nut-free option!
- Tapioca flour – Tapioca is what gives these muffins their nice stretch. I recommend it over arrowroot, if you can. I get mine from the bulk bins at Winco. You can also find it easily on Amazon here.
- Collagen powder – There are a lot of collagen brands out there. Use what is most accessible to you. I often get Vital Proteins unflavored collagen when it is on sale at Costco. I love and use regularly BUBS Collagen, which is Whole30 Approved. It’s my favorite collagen powder that is truly flavorless. Blends in like a dream to soups, hot cocoa, coffee, and smoothies. Use code WHOLEFOODFOR7 to save 20% on bubsnaturals.com (*please note that this code will not work for subscription orders or already discounted bundles).
- Cocoa powder – Just any type of mainstream baking cocoa will work well here!
- Baking powder
- Salt – Traditional table salt here.
- Zucchini – No need to squeeze out the extra moisture, we want it to make these muffins moist! My boys prefer finely shredded, which I do in my food processor. No need to peel the zucchini first, as the zucchini is pretty well hidden in these dark muffins, unless you want to.
- Maple syrup – Use 100% pure maple syrup to keep these Paleo.
- Extra light tasting olive oil or avocado oil – Either will work equally well for this recipe. I usually use extra light-tasting olive oil due to cost. But, make sure it’s “extra light tasting,” not regular olive oil.
- Eggs – The eggs help these gluten-free muffins have shape. I do not have a egg-free variation for these muffins. BUT, please leave a comment below if you find one that works well for you, to help others!
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract is always ideal for taste and high-quality ingredients. However, due to cost, we often use imitation vanilla and that works just as well.
- Optional Mix-ins: Mini Chocolate Chips – For dairy-free mini chocolate chips, I use Enjoy Life Foods, as they are easy to find at Walmart, Target, and Amazon.
How to Make Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Protein Muffins
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin tin with muffin wrappers. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, collagen powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
Step 2: Add the Wet Ingredients
Add the zucchini, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and oil. Stir until well combined.
Step 3: Fold in the Chocolate Chips
Gently fold the chocolate chips into the batter.
Step 4: Bake the Muffins
Fill each muffin cup full with the batter. That’s right – not just 3/4 of the way full, all the way to the top of the muffin wrapper! These won’t rise as much as their gluten-filled counterparts. Bake for 15 minutes then without opening the oven, reduce heat to 350 and bake an additional 8
Step 5: Cool and Enjoy
Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. These muffins taste amazing fresh out of the oven but are even better the next day after the flavors have settled.
Storage and Freezing
These Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Protein Muffins store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, keep them in the fridge for up to a week.
To freeze, let the muffins cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze for 1-2 hours. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. To enjoy, simply thaw at room temperature or pop one in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Why These Muffins Are Perfect for Meal Prep
If you’re a fan of meal prepping, these muffins are a dream. They’re an easy, grab-and-go breakfast that fits perfectly into a busy schedule. You can bake a batch over the weekend and have breakfast or snacks sorted for the whole week. They’re also great for packing in lunchboxes or as a pre- or post-workout snack.
Paleo Muffins in your Lunchbox
We make muffins every week for my kid’s lunchboxes or after-school snacks. Generally, they are more budget-friendly than most store-bought gluten-free muffins or granola bars. Plus, I love being able to actively chose what ingredients go into my kiddos!
I double batch my muffins and then freeze them in single-serve Glad or Ziplock reusable containers (from the Dollar Tree). There they are good for a few months, and my kids can put them into their lunches without getting smooshed. Also, the reusable containers prevent them from getting smushed.
Other Paleo Muffins you might love:
- Chocolate Paleo Muffins
- Paleo Cinnamon Roll Muffins
- Paleo Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Paleo Blueberry Lemon Scones or Muffins
- Flourless Chunky Monkey Muffins
- Flourless Chocolate Muffins
These Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Protein Muffins are the ultimate combination of taste, convenience, and nutrition. Whether you’re following a gluten-free or dairy-free diet or just looking for a healthy, high-protein option, these muffins are sure to become a favorite. They’re easy to make, packed with nutrients, and freezer-friendly, making them a staple in any health-conscious kitchen.
Give them a try and see how delicious a healthy breakfast can be! Let me know if you do — I’d love to hear what you think!
Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Protein Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 cups almond flour see notes for nut-free option!
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 1/2 cup unflavored collagen powder or other unflavored protein powder of your choice
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 medium zucchini shredded, you need 3 cups shredded total
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup light tasting olive oil can sub melted coconut oil, or avcado oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin tin with muffin wrappers.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, collagen powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Add the zucchini, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and oil. Stir until well combined. Gently fold the chocolate chips into the batter.
- Fill each muffin cup full with the batter. That's right - not just 3/4 of the way full, all the way to the top of the muffin wrapper! These won't rise as much as their gluten-filled counterparts.
- Bake for 15 minutes then without opening the oven, then reduce heat to 350 and bake an additional 8-10 minutes until tops are solid to the touch. Don't underbake, or they will collapse into flat (but delicious) muffins.
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- FREEZE: To make these for lunchboxes or meal prep, freeze in a single layer and then, once frozen, store in a sealed container or zip top bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- PALEO: Use 2 cups cassava flour instead of the almond flour + tapioca. Yes, only 2 cups cassava flour total (don't use the tapioca flour). Cassava flour is VERY dense and a little goes a long way! Be sure to fluff your cassava flour with a fork prior to using and spoon (don't scoop!) the flour into the cup to prevent over measuring. If your cassava flour muffins turn out dense and dry, you probably accidentally over-measured and used too much.
- Use 2 cups 1:1 gluten-free flour. Fluff your flour first and only use the gluten-free flour, not the almond OR tapioca. This will result in 10 large muffins instead of 12 (or make 12 medium muffins, but watch for doneness as they will cook faster)
Listen, I’m not paleo or gluten feee but I happened to have all the ingredients so I decided to try them. I was having a bad day when I made these, and I didn’t have very high expectations, but my god are these good. Like genuinely delicious. They are tall and fluffy and look like real muffins, which doesn’t always happen with alternative diet home baking. Not only that but the texture is fantastic, and they are just the right amount of sweet.
I will absolutely be making these again and while they didn’t completely turn my day around, they did provide a distinctly bright spot!
Okay, “tall and fluffy and look like real muffins” is exactly what I’m always going for, so this made me so happy to read! I’m sorry you were having a rough day, but I’m honored these got to be a bright spot in it. So glad they won you over even as someone who’s not paleo or gluten-free, that’s huge! Thank you so much for the review, and happy baking next time!
These are being added to our monthly rotation! They were so good! Filling, moist, and perfectly sweet!
YAY! “Filling, moist, and perfectly sweet” — that’s the trifecta right there! So glad these earned a spot in your monthly rotation. Thank you so much for the review! 💛
Love these, but have a question. When measuring the shredded zucchini, do i pack it into the measuring cup or just lightly put it in there?
Thanks for such a great Paleo recipe!!
Good question. I just usually scoop it, so it ends up more packed than not (but not like intentionally packed down). Enjoy!
I don’t have almond flour or cassava flour. I am not concerned about the paleo option. Do you think a 1:1 GF flour blend would work in these??
That’s always a great question. 1:1 doesn’t work for my husband, so I unfortunately don’t test with it and can’t say how it would turn out and what the amount needed would be. Let me know if you try it!
These turned out great! I love a muffin with a protein kick! Using the collagen was a great idea! I did banana a few weeks ago, next up the pumpkin!
I love that you are enjoying these protein muffins! Such an easy + delicious way to get protein in. Thank you for the review and I hope you love the pumpkin ones too!
These are delicious!! I was pleasantly surprised. Quick and easy snack or breakfast. I used vanilla protein powder because that’s what I had. But still delicious. I’ll try it with unflavored next time, just to see if it tastes any different. I will def make these again!
I’m so glad these were a hit! Wonderful to hear that you tried a flavored protein powder and it still worked well, thanks for sharing that. I appreciate the review!
Can I use coconut oil instead of olive oil? I have regular evo and coconut oil but not light.
Great question! I haven’t specifically tested it, but I believe it should work. Just melt the coconut oil first, then measure, and make sure it’s not super hot still when you add it to the batter (or it will melt the chocolate chips). Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
These are so good!
I’m so happy you loved these! Thank you so much for the review.
These are fantastic!
These were so easy to make and delicious. I skipped the extra choc chips and used choc flavored collagen—so good! I froze the entire batch to use for my on the go work breakfast or work snack.
That’s great to know the chocolate flavored collgen worked out well, thanks for sharing that. So great to have these on hand in the freezer as a grab and go option. Thank you so much for the review!
I don’t see the recipe notes, but I’m looking for your suggestions to make these nut free. Thanks!
Sincerely,
A fellow mother to 5 boys!
Hi, you were right that there wasn’t a nut-free option for these muffins. But, the community has spoken and I went back to testing and found one with cassava flour. You can find it at the bottom of the recipe in the recipe notes now. Hugs to you as a mom of 5 boys as well – hope they love these! XO – Autumn
Can you use coconut flour instead of almond flour? I have a nut allergy.
Hi! Good question, and no, coconut flour won’t sub for almond flour, as it is very absorbant and doesn’t behave the same. (You can learn more about Paleo flours here: https://wholefoodfor7.com/paleo-pantry-101-flours/). BUT, I just added a nut-free modification with cassava flour! See the bottom of the recipe and enjoy!
If I don’t have plain protein powder or collagen? Can I leave out? Or add my chocolate protein
Hello! I wouldn’t reocommend just leaving it out, that didn’t produce great texture results. BUT, yes – though I haven’t tried it personally, another community member tried chocolate protein powder with great success. Let me know how it goes!
Can these be made without tapioca flour? I have the other ingredients and these look amazing! Thank you
I haven’t tried it, so I can’t say for sure. I will say I use the tapioca because it gives baked goods a nice stretch + texture. So, it would probably work just not as good of texture. LMK if you try it!
Made these tonight and they were gobbled up immediately! So moist and delicious. It feels great knowing there is a vegetable and protein in them for our return back to school and after school activities!
Oh my gosh, you wasted no time!! I love that you dove into these right away. So great when a nourishing snack can be delicious and easy too. I’m so happy you loved them. Thank you for the review!