Zucchini Muffins
Updated August 13, 2019
These zucchini muffins are fluffy, moist, and have a sugary sweet top. You will LOVE making these easy zucchini muffins with your garden zucchini. They freeze beautifully too!
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It’s zucchini season and you all know that I LOVE zucchini. You can see all of my very best zucchini recipes here. There are so many good ones to choose from! I hope you have made my classic zucchini bread and chocolate zucchini bread…two of my all-time favorites!
Today, I am sharing another favorite, my zucchini muffin recipe. These zucchini muffins are a long-time favorite in our house. The muffins have a great, moist texture thanks to grated zucchini and the cinnamon and spices give the muffins a depth of flavor that tastes like home. Sprinkling sugar on top before baking gives them the most subtle crunch and sweetness right out of the oven! These are incredible as a breakfast side or a grab-and-go snack for those busy mornings.
How to Make Zucchini Muffins
- First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease cups generously with nonstick cooking spray. I use paper liners because they work well and look nice!
- Make sure your baking soda and baking powder are fresh. It does expire so check the date! This is a super cheap ingredient to replace and it does make a difference.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, making sure there are no brown sugar clumps.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients in a small bowl. Make sure the butter is melted and slightly cooled and the eggs are at room temperature.
- You don’t have the peel the zucchini before shredding. Also, don’t squeeze out the liquid in the zucchini. If you do, you will end up with dry muffins. The zucchini keeps the muffins nice and moist. Stir the shredded zucchini into the liquid ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir together with a spatula. Don’t over mix the batter; stir just until flour disappears. It is ok if there are a few streaks of flour left.
- Divide the muffin batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. I like to use an ice cream scoop to get nice, even muffins.
- Sprinkle each muffin with turbinado sugar. This really takes your muffins to the next level! You will LOVE the sugary tops!
- Bake for 18 to 23 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and the tops of the muffins bounce back when you gently press on them. You can also insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin; if it comes out clean, they are done.
- Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes before placing them on a rack to finish cooling.
A Good Way to Eat Vegetables for Breakfast
These muffins are made with two full cups of grated zucchini! It’s a great way to add a serving of vegetables into a recipe that tastes amazing! Plus, it’s always a good idea to start your day with a dose of vegetables, especially in muffin form! My kids LOVE these zucchini muffins. They don’t even know they are full of zucchini! Plus, it’s a great way to use up that garden zucchini!
Do Zucchini Muffins Need to Be Refrigerated?
I wouldn’t recommend refrigerating because the muffins can dry out in the refrigerator. After you enjoy one (or two or three!) warm out of the oven, store them loosely covered on the counter, for up to four days. I like to store muffins under a glass dome because it prevents the muffins from getting too soggy since moisture isn’t being trapped in the container. If you use a container, loosely cover the container with plastic wrap or you can leave the lid slightly open.
How to Freeze Zucchini Muffins
Zucchini muffins freeze beautifully! This is a great recipe to freeze if you know you won’t be eating them all within a couple days. Once they’re cooled, place them in a freezer bag and make sure to enjoy within 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the microwave. You might want to make a double batch so you always have some of that zucchini muffin goodness on hand!
More Zucchini Recipes:
- Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Brown Butter Zucchini Coffee Cake
- Zucchini Banana Blueberry Muffins
- Zucchini Banana Bread
- Whole Wheat Zucchini Pancakes
Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or white whole wheat flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/4 cup canola, vegetable, or grapeseed oil
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, for sprinkling on muffins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the zucchini.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Don't over mix.
- Divide the batter equally amongst the muffin cups. Sprinkle each muffin with turbinado sugar. Bake for 18 to 23 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and the tops of the muffins bounce back when you gently press on them. You can also insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin, if it comes out clean, they are done.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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I love the muffins. They look so sweet. Will cook them today
Enjoy!
Love muffins like this with tons of butter! haha Can’t wait to try these!
They are so good!
I’m all about extra-moist muffins and these look like perfection! Can’t wait to give them a try!
I hope you love them!
Made these today and theyโre absolutely delicious! Definitely going to keep these stocked in the freezer. Thanks for such a yummy recipe!
So happy you loved the zucchini muffins!
The zucchini plant in our garden has just been going crazy this summer. I’ve been baking so many muffins, and now I can’t wait to try these! Your chocolate zucchini bread is one of my all time faves!
I made these for my trio of boys and when they saw the zucchini going in they were not to thrilled… needless to say, they devoured them like no tomorrow! So delicious and moist!
Thank you!
Ha! So happy they loved them!
Thank you for the recipe! Used about 1 1/2 medium-large zucchini for the 2 Cups. Came out perfect! We will be making this recipe again.
Hi Maria!
I just made these muffins with my kids and it was a hit! What is your go to gluten free flour? I used what I had on hand…Bob’s Red Mill all purpose.
Glad you liked the muffins! I like Cup4Cup gluten-free flour.
Moist, flavorful but not as sweet as my regular recipe. I may just increase the sugar a bit next time, but will definitely make them again! Doubled the recipe and shared with neighbors and everyone loved them, so clearly Im the only one needing more sugar!
Glad you loved the muffins!
I have made these twice now and my husband is a fan. I added a streusel topping instead of just sugar. Yum! (1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, 2 T marg, 2 T flour, 1 t cinnamon, mixed together and crumble on top).
Streusel topping is always a good idea:)
These were SO good!! Iโve been making them over and over. Iโve made them normal, with half shredded carrots, and added chocolate chips! They are fantastic. My kids devoured them. I love them, too! BEST zucchini muffin recipe ever!! Donโt forget to drain the juice off the zucchini though. I shred my zucchini first and let it sit in a colander over a bowl and then I start the recipe. By the time I get to the part to add shredded zucchini, I have drained at least a cup or two of zucchini juice into the bowl. I pour the juice down the sink drain and add the shredded zucchini. So easy!! Thanks so much!!!
I am so happy you love the muffins! I need to make a batch this weekend!
For these muffins, is it necessary to dry out the shredded zucchini?
Give the zucchini a good squeeze but don’t dry it out completely. You want some moisture to keep the muffins moist.
Can I add raisins etc…?
Sure! Raisins, nuts, dried cranberries, chocolate chips…all good options:)
Loved them !! My kids and husband ate them and itโs difficult for them to like anything thatโs not chocolate!! I did add 1/2 cup of walnuts and did 1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup oats!!
Love the walnut addition! Thanks for sharing!
Delicious muffins – used dark brown sugar but only 1/4 cup, added 1 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup butterscotch chips. I always bake muffins at 400ยฐ results in slightly crunchy top
can I substitute maple syrup for the sugars and unsweetened apple sauce for the oil?
That should be fine. The texture/flavor will be a little different.
Question: I’ve never prepared a bread/muffin recipe that called for grated zucchini. I’ve always shredded my zucchini either with a handheld box shredder/grater or a food processor using the shredding blade. Since this recipe called for grated, I tried using the side of the handheld with the grating holes and it’s taking forever. It’s basically liquifying the squash into a wet mess. Kind of like zucchini pulp. Which if that’s what I’m trying to achieve, would be much easier to achieve by cutting the squash into chunks and feeding it through the food processor, essentially turning it into zucchini baby food. Can you please provide some clarity on the grating vs shredding? If it really makes a difference and the recipe requires grated zucchini (for visualization, think grated parmesan vs shredded), then maybe you can offer some suggestions on the easiest way to get grated zucchini instead of squash pulp.
You can use a food processor. If you use a grater, use the side with the larger holes. If you have a good grater, it should grate the zucchini without turning it into a pulp.
I’ve made these muffins so many times that I couldn’t count. They are amazing! I’ve never had the turbinado sugar on hand until today, so I am excited that I actually got to try it with the crispy sugar top! It did not disappoint, but the muffin itself is so good you don’t have to have the turbinado sugar. Yay!!!
can i use frozen grated zuccini?marge
can i use frozen zuccini
Sure, just let it thaw and then give it a good squeeze to remove some of the excess moisture.
Yummy, but high in fat (oil, butter, eggs) and sugar. A once in a blue moon treat for those of us on a WFPB (plus no oils which also includes no nuts/seeds, no eggs because they contain fat) way of eating Thank you for sharing. Zucchini is a very versatile vegetable. I use it in vegan lasagna.
Applesauce can be substituted for the oil (cup for cup)
Delicious!
I made these using half a large zucchini from my garden. It came out delicious!! I didn’t out the extra sugar on top but otherwise followed it exactly. Will definitely make them again!!!
These were easy & delicious and even my discerning 4 year old loved them. Made them with the white whole wheat flour, melted coconut oil instead of regular oil, mini chocolate chips in 1/2 the batter, and didnโt sprinkle the sugar on. I was worried I squeezed the zucchini too much or that I had more than 2c as it was so compacted but the muffin was beautifully moist, though the tops were a little โstickyโ. Thank you for sharing your creation Maria, we will definitely make these again!
This is a wonderful recipe! And not too sweet. Had to use dark brown sugar and measured the white sugar a little short. The spices are just right. I added one grated carrot and a cup of walnut pieces, because I love nuts. My breakfast muffins… Yum!
This is a delicious recipe. Just like the description says they are fluffy and have great flavor. My grand-babes love them!
Very yummy muffin, and an easy way to get my vegetable averse children to eat zucchini! I changed a few things, I subbed in 3/4 cup ground oatmeal, and 1/2 cup of the zucchini for grated carrots. I also added a few tablespoons of flax seed and a half cup of chopped walnuts. It was a very moist and tender muffin and I’m so ready to eat them this week for breakfast with my coffee!
These are so delicious! Iโve been looking for a good zucchini muffin recipe for a while now and this one is perfect! Theyโre moist but not too sweet and I canโt stop eating them!
Yummy recepie. I skipped eggs (as I don’t eat eggs) and added green chillies and lemon juice…its just takes the taste to a next level
Iโve made this recipe 3 times! Adjusted to a little less sugar. My family loved it!
Glad you love the recipe!
These are great! I didn’t have light brown sugar on hand, so used dark brown sugar and that worked fine. My husband, son, and I all loved them! ๐
I am glad the muffins were a hit. Thanks for letting us know.
I just made some tonight and they are delicous! Thank you for sharing this delicous recipe.
Why white whole wheat flour? Can you use regular whole wheat flour without any recipe adjustments?
White whole wheat flour is lighter in texture, but whole wheat flour will work too!
These muffins are absolutely delicious. Very easy to make. The only ingredient I had to purchase was the zucchini as the ingredients are also very simple. My niece came by as the muffins were cooling and enjoyed so much eating one as she left.
Great flavor and a very forgiving recipe…I accidentally used the wrong measure for baking powder but didn’t negatively affect the bake. I did squeeze the zucchini a bit and would not do that again. I added raisins and walnuts. Delicious and fragrant. This recipe is a keeper!
is the batter supposed to be very thick?
Yes, it is a thicker batter.
Delicious and easy to make. I use maple syrup for a sweetener. To compensate for the extra liquid, I added a quarter cup extra flour. The recipe turned out exactly as your photos. I will be making these again. Thanks very much!
Oh my gosh! I made these muffins tonight & they are sooooo great! The sugar on top makes it perfect. Alittle crunch to such a soft middle! I followed the steps perfectly & I will be making these again & again. You can’t even tell they have zucchini in them. The picture doesn’t do them justice! We love them!
Yay! I am so glad!
Positively thee BEST zucchini muffins EVER!!! Thankyou for sharing.
Your recipes NEVER disappoint!
Thank you!!
Oh my goodness! What delicious muffins! What a great recipe! Thank you, Maria!
You are welcome!
I baked these this morning and my whole family agreesโthe muffins are delicious! I added golden raisins and dried cranberries, and just a bit of chopped fresh pineapple (slightly squeezed) as I had it on hand. The spice is just right and the texture perfect. The turbinado sugar gives a nice sweet crunch to the tops. I did spray the muffin liners with a vegetable spray, and the muffins came out of the paper liners just perfectly. I will definitely be making them again – and again! These muffins would be a perfect treat to drop off for friends. Will also try adding some shredded carrot as other reviewers suggested. Pecans or walnuts would be delicious also. Thank you!
You are welcome!
These were absolute perfection, now I know what im doing with my massive zucchini harvest this year! Thanks for the great recipe!!
I have made so many batches this summer. Glad you love them too.
can i use margarine instea of oil or butter? its all i have today.
I haven’t tried it, but it should work if that is all you have.
I love this yummy muffin recipe for using up summer zucchini! I added mini chocolate chips.
I love adding chocolate chips too:)
Can this recipe be used to make a loaf instead of individual muffins?
I have a classic zucchini bread recipe on the blog.
I made these this weekend to use up some excess zucchini! The recipe was easy enough to assemble and were delicious! I’d certainly make again.
They are so good!
We are vegan so I made a few adjustments to make this recipe work for us.
Instead of butter and oil, I use all coconut oil.
Instead of eggs, I use 1 banana per egg
I also add walnuts making them a zucchini banana nut muffins.
They are so so so good!
Great! Thank you for sharing!
Just made a double batch of these for my hubby with fresh summer squash from the garden, and they are WONDERFUL.
Definitely my go-to zucchini bread recipe from now on!
I am so glad you love the recipe!
This is another great way to use zucchini! I added dried cranberries.
Love the dried cranberry addition!
Wondering if adding 1/2 cup pumpkin purรฉe would ruin these or work out?? Anyone tried this?
I haven’t tried adding pumpkin to this recipe.
These were perfect and so yummy!! I doubled the recipe and made the muffins a bit bigger.
Nice!