Zucchini Muffins Recipe (2024)

These homemade Zucchini Muffins are the perfect quick snack or breakfast on the go if you are in a hurry. They are so moist and tender and rise beautifully and it’s a great way to use up your summer zucchini.

We love quick muffin recipes, from our very popular Banana Muffins to our sweet and tangy Blueberry Muffins. These Zucchini Muffins are a new favorite and are perfect for busy families on the go.

Zucchini Muffins Recipe (1)

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Zucchini Muffins Recipe

With all of the zucchini we have in our garden this season, we’ve been making Zucchini Bread every few days. It’s the perfect way to use our summer bounty and sneak in extra veggies for the kids.

These muffins are great for lazy summer mornings or as a snack on the road or trail. They stay moist for days, you can add nuts, chocolate chips, berries, or whatever you like to add extra nutrients, flavor, and texture to your muffins.

Ingredients

I love the idea of zucchini muffins but simply dividing our zucchini bread recipe into muffins wasn’t absolutely perfect if you wanted 12 muffins. It took several batches, but I have finally perfected the best zucchini muffins.

  • Flour – All-purpose. If you are making gluten-free zucchini muffins, you’ll want to use your favorite GF flour
  • Egg – Provides structure and helps to create these perfectly textured muffins
  • Baking powder and baking soda – leavening agents to help the muffins rise
  • Oil – Using extra light olive oil, canola, or vegetable oil helps to make a light and fluffy batter
  • Milk – Helps to make the muffins less dense
  • Vanilla – Use our homemade vanilla or storebought
  • Salt – Balances the sweetness
  • Cinnamon – Adds a wonderful, cozy spice flavor to these muffins
  • Zucchini – 1 1/2 cups, grated. Adds moisture to keep the muffins soft and has a subtle flavor that complements the sweetness and cinnamon spice
  • Optional Add-ins – Pick one or use a combination: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, golden raisins, dried cranberries, or semisweet chocolate chips (if adding chocolate chips, you can reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup, if desired)
Zucchini Muffins Recipe (2)

Pro Tip: To quickly bring your eggs to room temperature, submerge them in a bowl of lukewarm water for about 10-15 minutes.

How to Make Zucchini Muffins

  1. Prepare – Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line a 12-count muffin pan with paper liners or grease with softened butter or cooking spray.
  2. Dry Ingredients – Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  3. Wet Ingredients – In a separate large bowl, thoroughly whisk together eggs, oil, sugar, milk, and vanilla.
  4. Combine – Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir together with a whisk until well blended and smooth.
  5. Grate – Grate the zucchini with a large box grater. Add the shredded zucchini to the batter along with chocolate chips (or any optional add-ins that you are using), and fold until well incorporated.
  6. Bake – Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the remaining chocolate chips and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Zucchini Muffins Recipe (3)

Pro Tip: Use a trigger-release ice cream scoop to fill your muffin cups. It helps to scoop even portions into each cup and makes the job much easier.

Common Questions

How do I grate the zucchini?

Grate the zucchini in the large holes of a box grater over a bowl or plate. Be sure not to squeeze or pack the grated zucchini in your measuring cup too tightly.

Can I omit the milk?

If you are dairy-free, you can use water or almond milk instead. The milk adds moisture and helps combine the dry ingredients. It also adds an extra fluffiness to the muffins when they cook.

Can I double the recipe?

This recipe is easily doubled. The cooling time for the muffins is only 5 minutes, so if you do not have an extra 12-cup muffin tin, you can wait for them to cool, and have your next batch of muffin batter ready to go.

What size zucchini do I need for zucchini muffins?

This recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of grated zucchini, which is usually one medium, half-pound, zucchini. Be sure to cut the stem off of the top before grating.

Do I need to peel the zucchini first?

There is no need to peel the zucchini before grating. The skin is thin enough to eat, so peeling does not change the taste or texture either way. I like to see the bits of shredded zucchini show up when I bite into the muffins.

Zucchini Muffins Recipe (4)

How to Serve Zucchini Muffins

Zucchini muffins are fantastic just as they are, or with any of the add-ins mentioned above. Some of my favorite ways to top them include:

  • Cream cheese frosting – make these muffins look like a healthy(ish) cupcake… oh, they are so delicious!
  • Butter – On the top, or heat your muffins up in the toaster or microwave and add it right to the sliced sides.
  • Powdered sugar – dusted over the tops
  • Whipped Honey Butter – perfectly sweet and spiced with cinnamon.

Make-Ahead

  • To Store: Store your freshly made muffins at room temperature for several days by placing the muffins in a Ziploc bag or an airtight container. Be sure they have cooled completely before covering them.
  • Freezing: If you want to save muffins for later, simply add your cooled muffins to a freezer bag or wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to enjoy them, unwrap them and set them on the counter to thaw or pop them into the microwave for about 30 seconds to defrost.

Pro Tip: Be sure your muffins have completely cooled before storing or freezing them. This will prevent condensation from forming on your muffin tops affecting the texture.

Zucchini Muffins Recipe (5)

Love Muffin Recipes?

If you are looking for more quick muffin recipes to try, here are a few of our favorites. Make them now and store some in the freezer for back-to-school breakfasts or lunchbox treats.

  • Banana Muffins
  • Cinnamon Muffins
  • Mixed Berry Muffins
  • Breakfast Egg Muffins
  • Blueberry Muffins

Zucchini Muffins Recipe

4.98 from 39 votes

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

Zucchini Muffins Recipe (7)

These yummy zucchini muffins are moist and tender and rise beautifully. A tasty snack or breakfast on the go, we hope you enjoy this recipe.

SavePinReviewPrint

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

Ingredients

Servings: 12 muffins

Instructions

Nutrition Per Serving

239kcal Calories29g Carbs3g Protein12g Fat3g Saturated Fat1g Polyunsaturated Fat8g Monounsaturated Fat0.01g Trans Fat14mg Cholesterol151mg Sodium127mg Potassium1g Fiber16g Sugar60IU Vitamin A3mg Vitamin C24mg Calcium1mg Iron

  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Zucchini Muffins Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

239

% Daily Value*

Fat

12

g

18

%

Saturated Fat

3

g

19

%

Trans Fat

0.01

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

8

g

Cholesterol

14

mg

5

%

Sodium

151

mg

7

%

Potassium

127

mg

4

%

Carbohydrates

29

g

10

%

Fiber

1

g

4

%

Sugar

16

g

18

%

Protein

3

g

6

%

Vitamin A

60

IU

1

%

Vitamin C

3

mg

4

%

Calcium

24

mg

2

%

Iron

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Zucchini Muffins

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $

Calories: 239

Natasha Kravchuk

Zucchini Muffins Recipe (8)

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

Zucchini Muffins Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist muffins? ›

How to Make Homemade Muffins Moist: Our Top Tips
  1. Tips to Make Homemade Muffins Moist.
  2. Keep Wet and Dry Ingredients Separately.
  3. Add All Flavorings Last.
  4. Consider Paper Liners.
  5. Don't Overfill the Muffin Cups.
  6. Check the Temperature of Your Oven.
  7. Test if Muffins Are Fully Cooked.
  8. Top Your Muffins with Flavor.
Aug 9, 2021

Do you leave the skin on zucchini when making bread? ›

Don't peel the zucchini – Yes, it's tempting to remove the zucchini's skin, but there is no need to do that. Zucchini melts into the bread, so peeling is just an unnecessary step. Do grate the zucchini – I don't know about you, but when it comes to zucchini in bread, I want it there – but I don't want to see it.

Do you squeeze out the liquid from zucchini for bread? ›

But unless your zucchini is excessively juicy, squeezing the squash could be removing some of the moisture you really do want in the bread. It's up to you, though. Squeeze for lighter, drier bread. Leave it as is for denser, moister bread.

How do you make zucchini not soggy? ›

The secret to zucchini with the best flavor and texture is roasting it in a 450°F oven. Roasting zucchini at a high temperature instead of baking or sautéing helps develop browning and a slight char on the outside, which keeps it from getting soggy.

What not to do when making muffins? ›

Overmixing the batter.

When you overmix the batter, it crushes the air bubbles and ruins the fluffy texture. → Follow this tip: To ensure a batch of light, fluffy muffins, mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until just barely combined, and no more dry flour is visible.

Why are Bakery muffins so much better? ›

The best bakery-style crumb muffins start with cake flour

Cake flour is more finely ground and has less protein, which leaves the muffins with a fine, light crumb and soft texture. Using cake flour is an easy way to avoid heavy, dense muffins even if you end up stirring just a bit too much.

How many zucchinis make 2 cups? ›

When sliced, 1 medium zucchiniyielded about 1 to 1.25 cups and if grated, you end up with about 2/3 cup of tamped down zucchini. If you need 1 cup of cooked sliced zucchini, due to shrinkage while heated it will take about 3 medium zucchini, sliced, to hit the mark.

Why do you soak zucchini in salt water? ›

Vegetables with high water content tend to become mushy and bland if they aren't rid of excess moisture before cooking. To do that, you need two things: salt and time. Salting these watery vegetables draws out extra water and flavor molecules.

Why does my zucchini bread sink in the middle after baking? ›

The most common reason for zucchini breadand other quick breads (and cakes) to collapse as they cool is the ingredients are too vigorously or quickly mixed, which incorporates lots of less stable air bubbles into the batter.

Why does my zucchini bread stick to the bottom of the pan? ›

It is important to thoroughly coat the sides and bottoms of the pan with solid shortening or non-stick cooking spray, particularly in the corners. A missed spot will result in sticking. Use a nonstick baking pan.

What does zucchini do for your body? ›

Zucchini is a versatile squash rich in vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds. It may offer several health benefits, ranging from improved digestion to a lower risk of heart disease. Zucchini may aid your bones, thyroid, and prostate. If you're curious, try adding this soft, mild fruit to your diet today.

Why is my cooked zucchini mushy? ›

If zucchini is overcooked, it will have a mushy, soft texture. What is this? In certain recipes, the author may recommend that zucchini be patted dry or salted and drained before cooking. Although the author may not explain why these steps are important, they shouldn't be skipped.

What to add to muffin mix to make it moist? ›

Add greek yogurt to your muffin mix for extra moistness. Top with a vanilla glaze or sugar sprinkles.

How do you keep homemade muffins moist? ›

The Best Way to Store Muffins
  1. STEP ONE: Let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack.
  2. STEP TWO: Line an airtight storage container with paper towels.
  3. STEP THREE: Place muffins in the container, on top of the paper towels.
  4. STEP FOUR: Place an additional paper towel layer on top of the muffins.

Why are my muffins not moist? ›

If the muffins are dry, it is possible that they were baked for slightly too long. The oven temperature is slightly higher that you would normally use for cakes, as this helps to give the muffins nicely domed tops, a good crust and a moist interior. This means that the baking time is only 15-20 minutes.

What can I add to muffins to make them less dry? ›

The main cause of dry, hard muffins is over-mixing the batter and overcooking the muffins. So the the 3 simple secrets for beautifully soft and moist blueberry muffins are: use butter AND oil -butter makes things tasty but oil makes things moist. So use both!

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: The Hon. Margery Christiansen

Last Updated:

Views: 6776

Rating: 5 / 5 (70 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: The Hon. Margery Christiansen

Birthday: 2000-07-07

Address: 5050 Breitenberg Knoll, New Robert, MI 45409

Phone: +2556892639372

Job: Investor Mining Engineer

Hobby: Sketching, Cosplaying, Glassblowing, Genealogy, Crocheting, Archery, Skateboarding

Introduction: My name is The Hon. Margery Christiansen, I am a bright, adorable, precious, inexpensive, gorgeous, comfortable, happy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.