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
Why dont you squeeze the water out of the zucchini. That’s gross and lots of liquid.
Hi Lucy, the zucchini adds tons of flavorless moisture to the muffins. If all the water is wrung out, the muffins will be quite dry.
Can I double the recipe or is it better to make 2 separate batches? Thank you!
Hi Ammie! It’s best to make batches. Enjoy!
How can I add All bran cereal?
Hi Carol Ann, we haven’t tried adding bran to this muffin recipe, but here is our bran muffin recipe if you’re interested.
Thank you so much. My muffins are cooling.
How many carbs are in one muffin?
Hi Linda, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
According to My Fitness Pal’s recipe calculator, each muffin is 29 g carb with 1 g fibre, with the recipe as is, without chocolate, nuts, or other additions.
Just made these and they are delicious!
I made a double batch because our zucchini runneth over. The muffins are delicious- moist but not dense, not too sweet, and they rose like a dream. I added chopped walnuts and sprinkled sugar, cinnamon, and some oats on top. Definitely making these again!
great recipe . I substituted the oil with applesauce. They came out fine and I added choc chips. do you have the calorie and nutrition information for the muffins? thanks.
Hi Moon, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Have made this multiple times, always delicious. My kids prefer them with choc chips but a mix of raisins ans nuts is less rich for brekkie! Perfect for our home grown courgette glut!
These are the best zucchini muffins I have ever made. I LOVE that you don’t have to squeeze out the water from the zucchini just grate and add. Honestly one of the reasons I didn’t like baking with zucchini such a pain squeezing out the water. My husband who never would eat anything zucchini liked them Thanks for continuing to bring great recipes.
Great taste and the instructions were so helpful.
Phenomenal. I made mini muffins (took 15 minutes in the oven) and I rung out the zucchini in a kitchen towel before I added to the batter. Also, because I’m a monster, I used 1.5 tsp of almond extract and .5 tsp of vanilla. Absolutely loved how they came out- I will be using this as my go-to zucchini muffin recipe in the future.
These are amazing! I made them with Bob’s baking GF flour and they came out delicious with a perfect texture. The kids ate the entire batch in one sitting and they are super easy to make. They’ll be a staple in our house
These were absolutely delicious. I used both white and whole wheat flours along with choc. chips and walnuts. Will definitely make again and again.
Question about the milk. I use your Jumbo Blueberry Muffin as a guide for about all my jumbo muffins. For the zucchini muffins you call for 2 tablespoon for just regular size muffins. So should I still use the 1 cup of milk since I’m making jumbo zucchini muffins?
Hi Leslie! Follow these ingredients (2 Tbs milk) to make jumbo zucchini muffins.
My go to recipe thank you
I usually never write reviews but I have to say Ive used this recipe a bunch of times now and i swear they get better every time. I’ve used chocolate chips, walnuts, and most recently blueberries and they are absolutely delicious. I do have to bake my muffins for about 35 mins, maybe I’m just new to baking but I just get nervous they aren’t cooked all the way through. Anyway thank you for this delicious and simple recipe !!!
Can you substitute at least the white sugar for monk fruit sweetener?
Thank you.
Hi Sandy, we haven’t tested that swap but let us know if you do!
I doubled the recipe and used coconut oil- the muffins had a thick pool of grease/oil at the bottom of the tin of each muffin. What did I do wrong?
Hi Courtney, how was the texture of the muffin? It’s possible they were just a bit underbaked and longer bake time would help. Be sure to spoon and level (or use a kitchen scale) to measure your flour, too, so that it isn’t under measured, which can lead the muffins to be too wet. Finally, see recipe note about slightly reducing the oil for next time. Thanks for giving these a try!
Courtney— any recipe I have subbed coconut oil has left me with oily sticky muffins. I’ve had no luck with it in muffins!
Moist and flavorful. I added raisins and walnuts.
I have made this recipe SO many times! It’s definitely a family favourite. Comes together so quickly and with things I always have at home. Going to try a crumb topping next I think!
I baked this recipe x5 for our Feeding Jesus ministry. We deliver a hot meal and lunch on weekends to seniors and shut ins who do not receive meals from Meals on Wheels because they do not run the service on weekends. Our seniors loved them. Such a fail proof recipe and easy to multiply. Than you so much.
So glad to hear that these muffins were enjoyed, Vickie!
Is there nutrition information available?
Hi Samantha! We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Great muffins! I used a dark nonstick Pan so I dialed back the temp by 25 degrees for each setting. The muffins turned out lovely! Thanks for a treat recipe!!!
Can I make mini muffins with this recipe? Bake the same?
Hi Jane, For mini muffins, bake 11–13 minutes at 350°F (177°C) the whole time.
My husband and I really enjoy these muffins. I made one batch with chocolate chips and decided to make a second batch using walnuts. I then realized that I was short on Zucchini so I grated carrot and added that to the batter to make the correct amount. They turned out great.
Thank you Sally for all the good recipes.
Just sat down to eat a zucchini muffin with chocolate chips. These are the best zucchini bread/muffins I’ve ever made, and I’ve been making zucchini bread for at least 30 years. They were moist and delicious, and so easy to make. I loved that the cupcake papers got filled to the top. Thanks so much. I’ll be checking out your other recipes.
Can I make this into 6 jumbo muffins instead of 12 regular?
Hi Robin, absolutely. You can follow the baking directions from these jumbo blueberry muffins as a guide.
Can I use frozen zucchini? Would I need to squeeze the excess moisture out?
Hi Gabby, if using frozen grated zucchini, you can thaw and drain before using. That will rid of the excess moisture from thawing, without losing all the moisture in the zucchini that helps promise a nice, moist muffin.
These muffins taste amazing!
Hi!
Is there ever a need to squeeze the zucchini dry when baking any zucchini recipe, whether muffins or a loaf? I love that you don’t do it! and I don’t understand why other recipes in my cookbooks always say to squeeze the liquid out.
Thank you SO much for educating me! 🙂
Hi Lynne, we don’t typically squeeze out the moisture when using zucchini in baking recipes because it adds wonderful moisture! We do, however, when using it in savory recipes like zucchini casserole, where we want more of a crisp zucchini. Hope this helps!
Good recipe. I make zucchini bread and muffins often but this was my first zucchini muffin recipe. I added half nuts and half chocolate chips and used half and half for the milk. Inside was nice and light and the top was firm. Perfect!