Paleo Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Fall is here! The leaves are changing, I dress for fall in the morning, summer by mid-day, and then back to fall in the evening. Can you relate? Maybe my CA and FL friends can’t but if you are feeling the change in weather then I have just the recipe for you.

Or maybe you are just a PSL person, if so, it is win-win!

These paleo muffins are a hit for everyone I have ever served these to. Whether they are used to eating gluten free or for those who have no idea what gluten is, the subtle pumpkin spice flavor and the chocolate chips make everyone fall in love.

This muffin recipe is easy to make, freezes well, and can be adapted to your dietary needs. It uses maple syrup instead of refined, white sugar which has a lower glycemic index and contains some antioxidant nutrients as well. These muffins are higher in protein and contain pumpkin which has beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, and folate! And it is grain free. For some individuals, grains can contribute to inflammation in the body. Nourishing yourself during the fall and winter months with nutrient dense, low sugar foods is an excellent way to use nutrition to support your immune system.

Ingredients:

¾ cup Coconut Flour 

½ cup Pumpkin Puree (canned or homemade) 

¾ cup Maple Syrup 

6 Eggs 

2 heaping teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice 

¾ teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar 

¼ cup Lilly’s Chocolate Chips which use stevia or use your favorite dairy free chocolate chip but that will increase the sugar content

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees & line a muffin tin with 12 parchment baking cups 

2. Combine all ingredients and stir well with a whisk to break up any clumps 

3. Bake 25-30 minutes 

4. Muffins are done when you test with a knife and it comes out clean 

5. Enjoy

Paleo Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

We live in an interesting growing area. At high elevation, we can get frost and freezes that destroy our gardens if we are not careful. In fact, that actually happened to our tomato plants at the start of the season.

We’ve also gotten a lot of rain this year, like torrential rain. While the streets and flood zones from the fires did not necessarily appreciate that, my garden sure did.

As such, we have 1 zucchini plant that is producing prolifically. In fact, it seems each time we go out and look, we have another huge zucchini ready to be picked!

That means zucchini-everything around here.

I wanted to make zucchini bread although I don’t like to make breads as much as I like to make muffins.

Muffins are easier to cook (less time baking) and I feel like they are more moist as a result of the reduced baking time. And, these are perfect portion sizes where with breads, I am more likely to keep nibbling and not pay attention to exactly how much I am eating.

So if your garden runneth over with zucchini, this can be a great way to get it into even your most veggie-resistant child. Note, these are not necessarily low sugar. You can play with alternatives like maple syrup or swapping out some of the sugar for stevia. You could also use Lily’s Stevia Sweetened Chocolate Chips which are also allergen friendly as a way to cut down the sugar.

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You will need:

2 eggs (preferably at room temperature)

1/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups almond flour

1/3 cup tapioca flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit .

Line your muffin pans with parchment liners.

Grate 2 cups of zucchini then pour onto a clean kitchen towel, roll up and squeeze the excess moisture out. Unroll the towel and allow the zucchini to dry out further on the counter while you begin making the batter.

In your stand mixer, mix on low eggs, almond butter, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and vanilla

In a another bowl, combine the dry ingredients: almond flour, tapioca flour or arrowroot, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix on low until combined. The zucchini adds a lot of moisture so don’t worry that your batter looks thick at this point.

Add your shredded zucchini and chocolate chips, mix until well blended.

For ease and precision, I use an ice cream scoop, to fill muffin tins. But you can use a spoon or spatula to fill them 3/4 of the way. I got 16 muffins out of this recipe.

Bake in your preheated oven for 22-25 minutes or a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool and enjoy!