You’ll love these easy zucchini muffins because they pack a lot of wholesome flavor and only require about 30 minutes start to finish. Enjoy cinnamon, vanilla, and sweet brown sugar in a moist yet fluffy crumb. (And you can’t even taste the zucchini!)
One reader, Carla, commented: “I had lots of zucchini this summer and I struggled to know what to do with it! I made a batch of these muffins and the kids gave them 2 thumbs up, so I will make again for sure and freeze! ★★★★★”
Another reader, Dana, commented: “These zucchini muffins are delicious! They have the perfect texture and the flavor is wonderful. They’re also so easy to make. ★★★★★“
I bake zucchini bread often in the summertime and recently made a couple small tweaks to my usual method. This zucchini bread comes from an award-winning recipe and is now updated with a little more volume (taller 9×5-inch loaf!) and moisture. It’s better than ever!
You could turn the quick bread recipe into muffins or try today’s muffins recipe, which is quite similar.
Here’s Why You’ll Love These Zucchini Muffins
- The batter comes together quickly.
- No mixer required.
- Easy way to use a plentiful summer vegetable.
- Perfect balance of moist, hearty, and soft.
- Dairy free if using dairy-free milk.
- Adaptable to your liking with any add-ins you love in a muffin.
- An extra special treat with a swipe of homemade honey butter on top—YUM.
BONUS: Zucchini muffins are vegetable delivery vehicles that even picky vege-skeptics will love. You can’t taste the vegetable because the zucchini takes on the flavor of the cinnamon-spiced batter. Hop on over to my zucchini cake and chocolate zucchini cake recipes… you can’t even see that sneaky vegetable inside! For even more inspiration, here are 20+ of my favorite zucchini recipes.
Zucchini Bread vs Zucchini Muffins
As I was experimenting with ways to perfect my zucchini bread recipe, I also wanted to get the muffin version just right. Muffins usually have a thicker batter and heartier texture than quick bread. If a quick bread batter is too thick, your bread may easily dry out during the long bake time. Additionally, quick bread slices can become flimsy and fall apart if you stuff the batter with too much, but the compacted muffin shape welcomes extras.
Comparing today’s muffins and the quick bread version, here are 3 differences:
- I use a little more zucchini in the muffin batter.
- I slightly reduce the brown sugar in the muffin recipe (you could successfully do the same quick bread recipe though).
- I use a touch of milk to thin out the muffin batter. In the zucchini bread, I use applesauce. You could use applesauce instead of milk in the muffins, but I do not suggest milk in the bread recipe because the bread will be too moist.
FYI: You can use the batter from my peanut butter chocolate chip zucchini bread and apple zucchini bread to make muffins, too.
Key Ingredients You Need & Why:
In addition to baking powder, baking soda, and salt, the following ingredients are imperative for the success of this recipe:
- Whole Wheat Flour or All-Purpose Flour: Like these applesauce muffins, healthy apple muffins, bran muffins, and morning glory muffins, today’s zucchini muffins taste wonderfully wholesome with whole wheat flour. You can use all whole wheat or all all-purpose flour or a combination of the two.
- Vanilla, Cinnamon, & Nutmeg: Use all 3 for unbeatable flavor.
- Oil & Eggs: Oil adds moisture and eggs give the muffins structure.
- Brown Sugar & White Granulated Sugar: Brown sugar not only sweetens the muffins, it adds flavor and moisture. Using all brown sugar weighs down the muffins, so use a combination of brown and white sugars, just like in these pumpkin muffins. If you’re curious about using unrefined sugar, try substituting both the brown and white sugars with coconut sugar, or you may enjoy turning this Greek yogurt zucchini bread into muffins instead.
- Milk: Like banana muffins, this batter needs some liquid to help thin it out. Dairy or nondairy milk work wonderfully. Orange juice works too; it sounds odd but I swear by it when making pumpkin bread!
- Optional Add-ins: Chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and raisins are favorites.
And of Course… Shredded Zucchini
Zucchini adds flavorless moisture. It’s truly a magical ingredient in your baked goods—just wait until you try this zucchini crumb cake, chocolate zucchini bread, or a batch of zucchini oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
- Shredding Zucchini: I use and love this box grater because it’s easy to use, grates quickly, and has held up well with regular use. No need to blot the shredded zucchini before adding it to the muffin batter, unlike when you’re making zucchini fritters or zucchini biscuits. (Where moisture is NOT a good thing!)
All you’re doing is whisking the dry and wet ingredients together separately, and then combining everything. Expect a thick batter. If desired, sprinkle coarse sugar on top of the muffins before baking. It adds a sweet crunch that also happens to make homemade muffins look like they came from a bakery display case. 🙂 Or a sprinkle of Sugar In The Raw works well here, too.
Can I Add Crumb Topping?
Absolutely! Feel free to top the muffins with the crumb topping used in these apple cinnamon muffins. Or you can swirl the muffins with the same streusel used in these banana chocolate chip streusel muffins.
Plain or chocolate chip are the favorite varieties around here. You might also love these slightly different (but just as marvelous!!!) cream cheese zucchini muffins with a thick cream cheese swirl hiding inside.
Zucchini Bread Muffins
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Flavorful and moist, these zucchini bread muffins are an easy summertime baking staple. No need to peel the zucchini before shredding, but you certainly can if you’d like. See Notes for freezing instructions.
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour (or mix of both), spooned & leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk (dairy or non dairy)
- 1 and 3/4 cups (210g) shredded zucchini (no need to blot)*
- optional: 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chopped nuts, raisins, etc)
- optional: coarse sugar, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk together. Whisk in the shredded zucchini. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk or stir until just combined. Fold in any add-ins you want to include, if any. Avoid over-mixing. Batter is thick.
- Spoon the batter into liners, filling them all the way to the top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C); then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce heat to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for another 15–17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 20–21 minutes, give or take. (For mini muffins, bake 11–13 minutes at 350°F (177°C) the whole time.)
- Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, and then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling, or enjoy warm.
- Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days, then transfer to the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, freeze the muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then heat up in the microwave if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Box Grater | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Coarse Sugar
- Zucchini: I do not peel the zucchini before shredding, but you certainly can if you’d like. I like to use a box grater for shredding zucchini. Zucchini can vary in size, but 1-2 medium zucchini are plenty for this recipe.
- Can I reduce the sugar or oil? You can absolutely slightly reduce either or both, but understand that sugar and oil help produce moist, tender muffins and the results may be disappointing. For the oil, feel free to swap *some* for applesauce. You could also try substituting all or most of both sugars with coconut sugar. Or you may enjoy this Greek yogurt zucchini bread as muffins instead.
- Can I add a crumb topping? Absolutely! Feel free to top the muffins with the crumb topping used in these apple cinnamon muffins.
- Why the initial high oven temperature? Like I do for most muffin recipes, bake the muffins for 5 minutes at a very hot temperature. Then, keeping the muffins in the oven, switch to a lower temperature for the remaining bake time. This initial high temperature will quickly lift the muffin tops so they’re extra high, then the centers will bake during the lower temperature bake time. This trick makes beautiful bakery-style muffins every time.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Amazing! These are the best muffins I have ever made. Make sure to read the whole blog for Sally’s tips, you won’t be disappointed!
I accidentally made these without adding the 1/2 cup of white sugar and they turned out perfect! I did remember the brown sugar and I had added 1 cup semi-sweet chicken chips. So if you’re wondering if you could omit some sugar, you totally can haha
I made this recipe using metric measurements, and I ended up with 10 perfect muffins, instead of 12, which I found amusing. They came out absolutely perfectly shaped. I used the crumb topping instead of chocolate chips.
I made these with a few zucchinis I picked from my garden this morning, and wow! This recipe is delicious! I baked at 400 for 20 minutes. Came out great! I’m at 5,400ft altitude.
great recipe! not the strongest zucchini flavour but lovely to eat regardless!
These turned out soooo wonderfully & moist! Thank you
My muffins are cooling on the counter and smell heavenly. I’m sure they’ll be superb with a bowl of soup. Your recipes are great and I know will yield delicious results!!
I made these and they were excellent. No changes to the recipe. I am wondering if the higher temperature initially will work for other things like baking cakes and then turning it down after 5 minutes?
Hi Jackie! The high temperature trick works best for muffins, we don’t recommend it for cakes.
Yum!! Perfect recipe to use some of my garden zucchini. I ran out of eggs and substituted with plain 2% greek yogurt and they turned out perfectly moist. Will be making again.
Am totally amazed ! What a delicious treat , thank you for sharing . Anneke
I’m a regular bread maker. These are delicious and look fantastic with the perfect muffin dome! Thank you.
I followed the recipe exactly. Easy and absolutely delicious!!!
I made this recipe for high altitude–7000 ft–and applied the standard high-altitude tweaks. They came out great! Here’s what I did:
–reduce baking powder by ¼ tsp.
–reduce baking soda by ⅛ tsp
—increase the flour by 3 tbsps
–increase milk (used oat milk) by 1.5 tbsp.
–decreased granulated sugar by 1 tbsp
–decreased brn sugar by ¼ tbsp. (this was difficult for me to figure out. the rule is to decrease 2-4 tbsp PER cup, which is a huge range)
–decreased brown sugar by
So good! I replace the oil with unsweetened apple sauce and added pecans and raisins. I made jumbo muffins…they were really good!
Good morning! I assume these can be made into mini muffins? What temperature and how long would they bake? Thank you!!
Hi Stacey, For mini muffins, bake 11–13 minutes at 350°F (177°C) the whole time.
It’s Zuchini season! I whipped up a batch of these with my garden Zuchini today. Wow! They are so good. I honestly didn’t expect these muffins to be SO good! The only change I made was baking them at 350 the whole time. Starting off high and moving low never works out for me.
My husband isn’t much of a muffin fan but he said these were the best he’d ever eaten.
These are fantastic! Fluffy, soft, and delicious; and they rose beautifully. Used up exactly one zucchini for me. I left out nutmeg since I didn’t have any, and I didn’t miss it. Highly recommend!
Delicious! Made these this even & just ate 2 (yes, 2!) as an accompaniment to my last slice of ham, cheese & asparagus quiche. Didn’t make any changes to the recipe, but did double it. I expected to get 24 muffins, but only got 18. The recipe is great exactly as it is. I know my bingo group is going to enjoy them tomorrow evening.
Great recipe! Thank you very much for sharing it.
It’s the very 1st time I made Zucchini muffins and they were really moist and good.
I only used one egg (because not enough at home hahaha). The color of the muffins were light brown, not as nice as your picture, however it still taste very yummy! I will definitely bake this muffin again.
I am gluten sensitive. Can I use almond flour on stead of wheat?
Hi Patti, that 1:1 replacement will not work in this recipe. You may enjoy any of these gluten free recipes instead such as these blueberry almond muffins.
I just made these with a 1:1 gluten free flour and they turned out great! They had a lovely rise, the perfect level of moisture. The batter was thinner than described in the recipe, but nonetheless it was a total success!
Can I use butter instead of oil?
Hi Susan, for best taste and texture, we recommend sticking with oil. Butter may dry out the muffins and even make them taste a bit rubbery.
I just made these! Enjoying one right now! I added 1/2 c chopped pecans and used coconut oil. I love them but they are a tad salty so will cut the salt in half next time! But super yummy and moist!
Have you tried making these with any form of egg replacer? Flax egg, perhaps? My son has an egg allergy so wondering about what might be the best modification.
Hi Julie, we haven’t tested any egg substitutes in this recipe. Let us know if you give anything a try!
I used Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer for years, and it was my favorite out of all the egg replacers.
Can you use brown sugar in place if white sugar?
Absolutely. The muffins may taste a bit denser.
Excellent muffins!!! Will share recipe!!
These are delicious and came out looking perfectly! We’ll be serving them at our Bed & Breakfast in the morning! So glad to find a yummy recipe to help use the bounty of zucchini we’ve got going in our garden!
I’m out of cinnamon! Can I substitute pumpkin pie spice? If so, would I still use the amount of nutmeg listed in the recipe? Thanks, Sally!
Hi Jo Ann, you can use pumpkin pie spice instead and keep the nutmeg. Enjoy!
They came out so good! I used orange juice instead of milk. I used mini loaf pans. My only advice is not to fill them all the way to the top. They rose a lot.
I have too much zucchini coming from my garden this year and was looking for ways to use it. I doubled this recipe and made a dozen jumbo muffins instead. I ended up using convection bake and cooking for 7 minutes at 425, then turned it down to 350 and baked for another 25 minutes. (A wood skewer test was done at 20 minutes and 25 minutes.) They turned out moist and perfect. (I just wish they used MORE zucchini because I have so much!)
I did add chocolate chips but I like the bites without chocolate more. Also, all of my chocolate chips settled at the bottom and I’m not sure why. I will skip the chocolate chips next time.
Hi Erika, we’re so glad you enjoyed these muffins! You can lightly toss the chocolate chips in flour next time to help prevent sinking. If you’re interested, here are all of our recipes using zucchini. Hope you find some more to enjoy!
Lovely recipe! Thank you so much.