Healthy Zucchini Muffins are easy to make in one bowl and super delicious! They are light, fluffy and moist muffins loaded with flecks of zucchini!
These healthy zucchini muffins are inspired by my whole grain healthy zucchini bread and healthy zucchini banana bread. They all taste amazing based on hundreds readers reviews!
Baking healthy muffins is one of my favorite ways to make sure my kids are eating healthy. It comforts me as a mom, to know they are not eating a lot of unrefined sugar and empty calories when they grab-n-go.
Reader’s Review
Made these today exactly as stated in the recipe and they were easy to make and delicious. I will be putting this recipe on rotation. Yum!
KB
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make: These healthy zucchini muffins need just one bowl and are ready in 30 minutes.
- Fiber fueled: Swapping white flour for whole grain flour adds fiber and keeps you full longer.
- Lower in sugar: The only added sweetener in this healthy zucchini muffin recipe is maple syrup.
- Lower in fat: Replacing some of the oil with applesauce retains moisture but lowers the fat consumption.
- Veggies: A full 2 cups of zucchini in 12 muffins means you are getting an extra serving of veggies!
Ingredients for Healthy Zucchini Muffins
The best part about these zucchini muffins is that you probably have most ingredients on hand right now.
- Zucchini: You will need 2 cups of shredded zucchini that has not been squeezed. Yellow squash is OK too.
- Eggs: Used for binding. Some readers have had success with flax eggs or chia eggs.
- Applesauce: Sweetened one will yield sweeter results, I use unsweetened applesauce.
- Maple syrup or honey: Both pack natural sweetness and each will result in a slightly different taste, use what you prefer. Use any other sugar but make sure it’s liquid!
- Oil: I usually bake and cook with avocado oil. You can use melted coconut oil or olive oil.
- Pure vanilla extract: Pure vanilla vs. imitation for best flavor.
- Cinnamon: A lovely spice that pairs well with vanilla, and yes, even the zucchini. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg.
- Baking powder and soda: Used to create light and airy texture. Find aluminum free baking powder, if you can.
- Whole wheat flour: I have tested these healthy zucchini muffins with regular whole wheat flour and spelt flour. You can also use white whole wheat flour. See Substitutions below for other flours swaps.
Substitutions and Add-Ins
- Yogurt: You can replace applesauce with regular yogurt or Greek yogurt but muffins will be less sweet and not dairy-free anymore. Generally 2% fat and higher will yield better results.
- Swap applesauce for mashed bananas: They will act the same way by providing moisture and replacing the oil but will give off a bit of a different taste.
- Gluten-free muffins: Use 2 1/4 cups of gluten-free flour and see if more is needed. You just need to bring batter to proper muffin batter consistency, thicker than for pancakes but sort of pourable.
- Love almond flour? Try these almond flour zucchini muffins which are also naturally gluten free!
- All-purpose flour: Use 2 1/2 cups.
- Nuts or fruit: Add up to 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds. Fresh or frozen blueberries, dried raisins, or mini chocolate chips would be great as well.
How to Make Healthy Zucchini Muffins
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line muffin tin with parchment paper liners, grease well with oil or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Grate zucchini: Shred zucchini using a box grater. I like to use largest holes of the box grater so you can see those pretty green speckles of zucchini. You can also use smaller hole side “to hide” the veggies. Do not squeeze.
- Mix wet ingredients: Add eggs, applesauce, maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt to large mixing bowl. Whisk well to combine until no small lumps of baking powder and soda are left.
- And in flour and zucchini: Add flour and stir until just combined. I like to leave it with a few patches of flour for about 3 minutes and stir again. Fold in shredded zucchini.
- Bake the muffins: Distribute batter with trigger cookie dough scoop evenly between 12 openings of a muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let muffins cool for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool off completely.
Mini Muffins Tip
Bake for 10 minutes, check for doneness and either remove muffins fro mthe oven or add 1-2 minutes extra time.
Tips for Best Results
- No need to peel zucchini: The skin is thin, light, and edible. You won’t taste the difference once baked and the flecks of dark green from the zucchini and skin look nice.
- Large garden zucchini: While a thinner zucchini is usually best for baking and zucchini noodles, you could use a larger garden zucchini, but may prefer to remove the seeds as they can be bitter.
- Measure flour correctly: Be sure to spoon flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife rather than dunking it into a bag with flour.
- Don’t over mix the batter: Be careful to stir just until your muffin batter is combined. The batter will thicken as dry ingredients absorb moisture. Over mixing will cause your healthy zucchini muffins to be dense.
- Don’t over bake the muffins: Remove from the oven as soon as toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Muffins will keep baking with residual heat.
How to Store
Store: Store muffins on a counter covered with linen towel or in a ventilated container for 1-2 days. After I recommend to freeze them.
Freeze: Bake and cool muffins completely. Place in resealable plastic bag, let the air out as you are sealing, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for a few hours.
Reheat: Top with a smear of butter or your favorite nut butter for a snack. You can also pop it into a microwave to warm up for a minute or so.
Storage Tip
For more muffin storage tips and tricks, check out my detailed posts how to store muffins and how to freeze muffins.
More Healthy Zucchini Recipes to Try
- Healthy banana zucchini muffins
- Healthy zucchini brownies
- Chocolate zucchini muffins
- Carrot zucchini muffins
- Chocolate veggie muffins
- Healthy zucchini cookies
Also browse my favorite healthy zucchini recipes!
Healthy Zucchini Muffins
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup any mild tasting oil, I use avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups whole wheat or spelt flour
- 2 cups shredded zucchini, not squeezed and packed
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped, optional
- Cooking spray, I use Misto
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray non-stick 12 muffin tin with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add eggs, applesauce, maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk well to combine.
- Add flour and gently mix with spatula just until combined. Add zucchini and nuts (if using). Stir and do not over mix.
- Distribute batter evenly between 12 openings of a tin (I used trigger cookie dough scoop) and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let muffins cool for a few minutes and transfer to a cooling rack to cool off for another 30 minutes.
Notes
- Store: Store muffins on a counter covered with linen towel or in a ventilated container for 1-2 days. After I recommend to freeze them.
- Freeze: Bake and cool muffins completely. Place in resealable plastic bag, let the air out as you are sealing, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for a few hours.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love these muffins!! However I always find that I have about Half a cup to a cup of whole wheat flour extra. I have been baking for years. And know how to measure everything exactly. I do not squeeze out the zucchini after grating and measure it just as you said. So I just add a few splashes of milk and the recipe turns out fine every time. I have no idea why I always have flour left over.
I add chopped walnuts and mini chocolate chips to the recipe. I also take this into consideration when counting the calories. These muffins are absolutely delicious! And so moist!
I have followed your blog four quite some time now and only had one recipe that I really didn’t care for. The rest are great! I really appreciate your healthy recipes.
I made the wheat version. They were really moist but I would recommend more cinnamon, and either apples or bananas to add a little more natural sweetness than the honey. I will make these tweaks and try again.
I was a little skeptical but they were delicious! I halved the baked time and made some mini ones for my daughter. Thank you!
That’s great!
Best ever zucchini muffin recipe. Just makes it taste as if sugar was used… but so much healthier! Wonderful filling breakfast or snack.
Thanks for the wonderful review!
Hello Olena.
I’m from Ukraine, too, but I’m not sure if a Russian (or Ukrainian?) comment would be welcomed here. Anyways, may I ask you to specify metric measurements in the recipes above? It’s just such a pain to search for each ingredient to recalculate the recipe. Would greatly appreciate your help)
And one more question: can I substitute the syrup or honey for more applesauce?
I’ve never been a fan of baking but this recipe was really easy to follow and Made incredibly moist and flavorful muffins. I hadn’t used almond flour before either, but now I’m hooked. They’re perfect protein packed power food for hiking and backpacking.
I’ve made both chocolate chip muffins and also used the lemon zucchini bread recipe as muffins too. Both turned out great!
So fantastic to get this positive feedback. Thanks Elysabeth!
Can you suggest some substitutions if I wanted to use protein powder in the batter? Would it go instead of something? It just dissolves in water so im not sure.
HI Samantha. I have never tested this recipe with protein powder, so I can’t say for certain what would/wouldn’t work. Baking is a science.
I will be making theses again I used the almond flour and they are delicious and very moist!
I just made the whole wheat muffins and doubled the recipe. I’m glad I did. I added raisins and walnuts. They are delicious. Thanks once again Olena. I am so thankful to have found you. ?. We have enjoyed so many of your recipes.
I really appreciate your kind feedback Jane!
How much chick pea flour would you suggest using. AND would I need to add cornstarch?
I just tested with gluten free flour. I have not tested with chickpea flour only so can’t do any recommendations. Feel free to try your favorite flour and report back. 🙂