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
This has become a family favorite. My adult ”kids” love this recipe ! The added crunch from the coarse sugar sprinkled on top is a nice treat. Thanks Sally !
Just made these this afternoon, and they turned out beautifully! Such a good recipe, and a great way to blend whole wheat and white flowers and use up zucchini! Thanks for a great recipe
Can I use with extra large muffin pans?
You bet! You can follow the baking directions from these jumbo blueberry muffins as a guide.
I loved these! Made with a mix of white wheat flour and whole wheat. Super moist and delicious! I am hoping to shred and freeze zucchini this summer. Could this recipe work with frozen zucchini?
Hi Amanda, we’re so glad you enjoyed these muffins! 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.
I just made a batch of these zucchini muffins to bring into work and wow! Thankfully I already planned on baking a second batch because two muffins disappeared pretty quickly haha. Super simple to put together and the end product turned out soft, moist, and very flavorful. I added a little ground ginger, chopped walnuts, and bittersweet chocolate chips and they were good but the star for me was the actual muffin. I’m glad I didn’t add too many mix-ins because the bake time was spot on and texture perfect. Excited to have some other folks try these out!
These turned put so good. It’s like a spice cake or carrot cake-like muffin. They are pretty dense but super moist. My significant other isn’t really good with veggies and he loved these! Perfect grab and go snack.
Stumbled upon this recipe. Had zucchinis & greek yoghurt & thought why not. Just made & devoured 3 x mini (still warm) muffins, with walnuts. Delicious!! Will repeat & freeze!! Thank you.
I have made over a dozen of Sally’s recipes and have never been disappointed. These zucchini muffins are no exception! They are easy, moist, and versatile. I made a double recipe and put dark chocolate chips in half the batter and raisins/ walnuts in the other half. I reduced both the white and brown sugar slightly and found the muffins are more than sweet enough.
Thanks for another hit recipe!
This recipe truly is amazing. I’ve been baking for over 20 years and this one is a winner for sure! Simple, quick and perfectly moist.
Great recipe- good moistness and flavor. I did add a 1/2 tsp of ground cardamom because it’s such good friends with cinnamon.
One question- do you think I could sub melted butter for the oil? Is there a reason why that might not work?
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.
sorry, I followed this recipe and found the muffins very dense and heavy…..did not care for.
This recipe is a winner! I added white and chocolate chips along with walnuts. But the basic recipe would be fabulous without the add-ons!
Thank you for the recipe, they were delicious. I made two batches, the first plain and the second with whole wheat flour and craisins, and both turned out great.
What happened to the streusel? I seem to recall an award-winning zucchini bread and muffins recipe with a streusel topping here. Where did it go? I wish I had copied it but if there is ANY way to send it to me I would be more grateful…
Hi Dondi, We still have our Award-Winning Zucchini Bread with Brown Sugar Streusel!
Perfect. You did what I’ve been try to do but didn’t have the knowledge or patience to do. I rarely give five stars for anything. I’d give more if I could. I’m going to try this with Splenda for my diabetic hubs.
I love making this recipe! It’s delicious and nutritious! When I doubled the Recipe, the batter was thin and runny… how do I fix this?
Hi Sherene! We recommend making separate batches for best results.
Hi Sally, I love your recipes! Can I make this using gluten-free flour?
Hi Betty! We haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flours, but some readers have reported success using 1:1 flour substitutes (like Cup4Cup). If you try it, let us know how it goes!
This is my first time rating a recipe and these muffins are absolutely delicious and I have made them at least 10 times everyone loves them. Made recipe exactly as is.
So glad they were a hit, Sue!
Any recommendations for cooking in an convection oven? Thank you!
We always recommend conventional settings for baking (not convection/fan). The flow of air from convection heat can cause baked goods to rise and bake unevenly and it also pulls moisture out of the oven. If you do use convection/fan settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake. Hope this helps!
Great recipe and very easy. Is there nutritional information available?
Hi LP! 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
Best Muffins Ever!!! I finally found a muffin recipe that I will use over and over again! They are easy to bake with simple ingredients and they come out so moist and delicious every time!
I haven’t had much luck with muffins but these changed all that!!! What a great recipe – easy to follow and my finished muffins look, and taste, great. I will be making these again. And using the trick of heating the oven at 425 and then lowering it. Thank you!!!
These turned out fantastic! So yummy!!
Hi! for your greek yogurt zucchini bread – can I use regular plain yogurt instead of greek plain yogurt? If so, is it a 1:1 replacement? (I couldn’t seem to leave a comment on that recipe so I am asking you here)
Yes, absolutely. It’s a 1:1 replacement.
This recipe is absolutely to die for! I used 1/2 all purpose 1/2 whole wheat flour, applesauce instead of oil, and topped it with a cream cheese sour cream and cinnamon frosting
I will be using a cupcake pan. Should I bake with different oven settings or at the lower temp. the entire time?
I don’t see the no need to blot ‘*’ comment. Watched the video.
These turned out delicious, we’ll be making these again.
Really good. I’ve learned to come to you first for just about anything I’m wanting to make. I had extra zucchini so I skipped the milk and sprinkled the zucchini with powdered milk. They were a hit at work.
Great recipe! Followed exactly as written but added small handful chopped fresh peach tidbits and used all purpose four. Rose nicely like the photo, with the 5min @ 425 degrees and, the recipe actually made 12 muffins. Very tasty and not too sweet. Thank you Sally!