Healthy Lemon Zucchini Muffins

Healthy Lemon Zucchini Muffins are incredibly moist, fluffy and bursting with fresh lemon flavor. They are perfect to take advantage of garden fresh zucchini bounty and make a great choice for healthy breakfast or snack!

I love baking with zucchini during summer. Other favorites include healthy banana zucchini muffins and healthy zucchini muffins!

These healthy lemon zucchini muffins are light, lemony and so moist! Contain only simple ingredients and are so easy to make.

Made with whole wheat flour, plain yogurt, zucchini and a coconut flake topping. Although the topping is optional, it is extremely delicious and adds another layer of fresh lemon flavor!

Every summer, my neighbor makes Lil Luna’s lemon zucchini bread, which in turn inspired these healthy zucchini lemon muffins.

I now have a version of my own healthy lemon zucchini bread too. It is 100% healthy, naturally gluten free, and will blow your mind how amazing it tastes!

Of course, my end results ended up being completely different, just like most of my healthy muffin recipes. Lighter and better for you being the name of the game!

What Makes These Muffins Healthy?

• More veggies: No one will notice they are getting an extra serving of zucchini!
• Low oil: Both zucchini and yogurt add moisture while keeping added oil to a minimum.
• Flavorful: Lemon adds a zing of flavor you are going to love!
• Wholesome: Whole wheat flour or spelt flour adds nutritious fiber that keeps you full longer and natural sweetener means you avoid a sugar crash later. You’re welcome!
• Optional topping: Makes muffins taste indulgent and doubles for a healthy dessert.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Zucchini: Shred zucchini using medium size holes to help incorporate better with the batter. Give a gentle squeeze.
• Yogurt: Use plain yogurt or Greek yogurt with fat content 2% and higher. Non-fat yogurt lacks flavor and moisture.
• Lemon: You want to use only fresh lemon juice and zest. Bottled doesn’t taste nearly the same. Not to mention it is loaded with preservatives.
• Whole wheat or spelt flour: Please stick to these 2 flours for most favorable end result. Baking is a science, all flours are different and do not act the same.
• Oil: We use just 2 tbsp, and any mild tasting oil will work. I often use avocado oil.
• Maple syrup: Any liquid sweetener like honey, agave or brown rice syrup will work. Do not use sugar as it is dry and batter consistency will be thrown off.
• Eggs: For lift and binding, you can replace eggs with flax eggs.
• Muffin topping (optional): Rolled or quick oats, honey or maple syrup, coconut or avocado oil, lemon zest, unsweetened coconut flakes.

How to Make Healthy Lemon Zucchini Muffins

These healthy zucchini lemon muffins come together in one bowl, two if you are making the optional topping!

1. Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line muffin tin with paper liners. Alternately, use a silicone muffin pan. Shred zucchini and give it a gentle squeeze. Juice and zest lemon.
2. Make muffin batter: In a large mixing bowl, add eggs, yogurt, maple syrup, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, shredded zucchini, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk well to combine. Add flour and stir gently to mix. Do not over mix which could lead to dense muffins.
3. Make topping (optional): In a different smaller bowl, add all topping ingredients and stir to combine.
4. Fill muffin pan and bake: Using large ice cream scoop, fill 12 openings with batter and if using the topping sprinkle that on top. Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
5. Cool: Remove from the oven and let muffins cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack to cool off more.

Suggested Variations

• Berries: Adds a light fruity flavor. You may also love these healthy lemon blueberry muffins.
• Mini muffins: Bake 12-15 minutes and do a toothpick test.
• Lemon glaze: Omit topping and try this simple glaze from healthy lemon poppy seed bread!
• Almonds: Stir in sliced almonds or chopped walnuts for the crunch.
• Poppy seeds: Pair well with anything lemon! You may also love these healthy lemon poppy seed muffins.

Tips for Best Results

• Whisk well, but stir soft: This tip applies to this muffin and others! Whisk your wet ingredients well or briskly to ensure all your baking staples are dissolved but once you add your flour or other add-ins fold gently. This ensures light and airy baked goods!
• Use a trigger release scoop. When dividing the batter, this is super helpful in getting equal portions. This helps to ensure each muffin gets evenly baked.
• No need to peel your zucchini: Zucchini skin is very thin, so there is no need to peel, plus the green flecks look so colorful.
• Zesting the lemon: Microplane is the best for zesting lemon. In a pinch, box grater will work. Just make sure to zest only yellow part as white pith can add bitter taste to the muffins.

FAQs

Storing and Freezing Tips

I bake muffins all the time because kids love them! I always double or even triple any muffin recipe for freezing.

To store: If not freezing, I store baked muffins on a plate on a kitchen counter covered with a towel for first 2 days. If any are left at that point (let’s be honest), I transfer them to a container with a lid and into the fridge for another 3 days.

I mean this is fantasy I am talking about here. I have 3 men in the house who eat 24 muffins within 24 hours.

To freeze muffins: Bake, cool and place in a gallon size Ziploc container. Release as much air as possible and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, just place on a counter for a few hours.

More Healthy Lemon and Zucchini Recipes

• Healthy zucchini bread
• Almond flour zucchini muffins
• Healthy lemon blueberry muffins