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)

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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 41 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.

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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

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

What is the secret to high muffins? ›

The idea here is to start the muffins in a very hot oven for just a short amount of time. This activates the baking powder and allows the muffins to shoot up in height quickly. We then turn the heat down and continue to cook for longer. This is done to avoid over-browning and overbaking.

Why didn't my zucchini muffins rise? ›

But a common problem bakers face is flat zucchini bread. Food chemist Shirley Corriher suggests making sure the baking powder is fresh -- and using less leavening.

What is the most important rule to follow when baking muffins? ›

The number one rule for successful muffins is: Don't over-mix the batter. Use a rubber spatula to quickly fold (gently stir) the liquid ingredients into the dry ones. A few streaks of flour still showing is okay, especially if you plan to add in extra ingredients like fruits and nuts.

What not to do when making muffins? ›

Common Muffin Making Mistakes To Avoid
  1. Over mixing the batter.
  2. Overfilling the muffin tray.
  3. Leaving the muffins in the pan after they have baked.
  4. Berries, nuts, and chocolate chips sink to the bottom.
Mar 12, 2019

Is it better to use oil or butter in muffins? ›

Using oil as a substitute for butter in muffins can result in a lighter and more tender crumb, but it may also produce a slightly different flavor, depending on the type of oil used. Applesauce can also be used as a substitute for butter in muffins, as it provides moisture and can help to keep the muffins tender.

What does adding an extra egg do to muffins? ›

If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe.

What does adding more eggs do to muffins? ›

Eggs are responsible for giving baked goods structure, which means the amount you use directly affects the resulting texture. Using too few eggs will make your desserts dense, but using too many will make them rubbery.

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.

What happens if you put too much baking soda in zucchini bread? ›

Bitter Taste: Excessive baking soda can leave a bitter taste in the bread. Baking soda is alkaline, and an excessive amount of it can result in an unpleasant flavor. Unpleasant Texture: Too much baking soda can lead to a coarse and crumbly texture in the bread.

Should you peel zucchini for zucchini 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.

Should I bake muffins at 350 or 375? ›

That being said, the standard oven temperature for baking desserts like quick breads and muffins is commonly set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Setting your oven to this temperature will almost always produce a well-cooked muffin recipe.

What is the most common flaw when baking muffins? ›

Overmixing is a common problem with muffins. First combine dry ingredients, mixing well. Then combine liquid ingredients, mixing well. Finally combine dry and wet ingredients, by hand, using only 15 to 20 light strokes.

How do you make high domed muffins? ›

According to O. Corriher, the way to get a perfectly puffed up dome on your muffins is to increase your oven heat. She says that 400° should do it, no matter what the recipe says. The higher baking temperature means that the the outside edges of the muffin will set while the middle is still liquidy.

What oil is best for moist muffins? ›

Choosing vegetable oil is the best option for baking moist, delicious baked goods. Canola oil, the most common vegetable oil used in baking, doesn't add a strong flavor. It allows your cake's flavor will shine through while still achieving a moist texture.

How do you moisten baked muffins? ›

First, prick the muffin tops all over with a toothpick. Next, pour your liquid of choice (e.g., milk or fruit juice) into a bowl, dip a pastry brush into it, and brush the tops of the muffins. The liquid will seep into the muffin's interior, soaking the crumb and softening the muffins, turning them as good as new.

Should you let muffin batter rest? ›

Quickbreads and muffins are hydrating batters, which means the flour absorbs the liquid over time, resulting in a very moist muffin, and improving the flavor. So let your muffin batter rest, up to 24 hours if possible.

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