Healthy Zucchini Muffins (So Moist!)

Why This Zucchini Muffin Recipe Is the ONE

There are many zucchini muffin recipes on the internet, but here’s why you should make THIS one!

• Wholesome ingredients. We’re making muffins with zucchini here—let’s not negate all those nutritional benefits with loads of sugar and junk! I use whole wheat flour, maple syrup for sweetness, and a combination of applesauce and coconut oil in place of the typical vegetable oil.
• Stellar flavor. I just LOVE the flavor of these zucchini muffins. They are sweet, but not overly so like many muffins tend to be. And the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla gives them a warm, cozy flavor. (If you prefer a little more decadence, try my Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins.)
• Tender and moist. This zucchini muffin recipe keeps it moist without being soggy or dense. You’ll love the light, tender crumb!

What You’ll Need

Here’s everything you need to make these delicious, healthier zucchini muffins! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

• Whole wheat flour – This adds some extra fiber and also a little bit of nuttiness.
• Baking powder and soda – These help the batter rise and create a light texture.
• Salt – Enhances the flavor.
• Cozy spices – Ground cinnamon and nutmeg add warmth.
• Maple syrup – One of my favorite baking tricks to consistently get moist fluffy muffins is using either honey or maple syrup as the sweetener instead of sugar. Adding sugar in liquid form really helps keep the moisture in the muffins.
• Unsweetened applesauce – Adds moisture and acts as a partial substitute for the oil; we’ll still add some oil (see below!), but we don’t need as much!
• Coconut oil – I love the moisture and richness coconut oil adds to baked goods!
• Egg – Binds the ingredients together.
• Vanilla extract – Like the salt, this enhances the overall flavor of the batter.
• Grated zucchini – No need to peel before grating! You can use a box grater or your food processor’s grater.

How to Make Zucchini Muffins

Here’s a step-by-step guide showing what you’ll need to do to make this recipe.

Tips and Variations

I’ve got some helpful tips and variations you can try with this zucchini muffin recipe.

• Squeeze out the liquid. The key to perfect zucchini muffins that are moist, not soggy, is squeezing any excess water from the grated zucchini. If you don’t squeeze the liquid out before adding the zucchini to the batter, the muffins will brown on top but be raw dough in the center.
• Add some mix-ins. To take these muffins up a notch, you could add 1/3 cup of dark chocolate chips, 1/2 cup fresh blueberries or even 1/4 cup of chopped nuts.
• Try different toppings. You can switch things up by adding a streusel topping (use the one from my Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel) or sprinkle coarse sugar over the batter before baking for a little extra sweetness and crunch.
• Don’t overmix your batter. Overmixing will result in dense, tough muffins instead of light and fluffy ones. Make sure to stop mixing as soon as you no longer see large pockets of flour in the batter.

How to Store

• Room temperature: To store zucchini muffins, place in an airtight container or storage bag. Keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Once you remove the zucchini muffins from the oven, let them rest and cool on a wire rack. After the muffins have cooled, place them in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove the muffins from the freezer and place in a freezer safe storage bag. Store for up to 3 months. To reheat the muffins, wrap them in a paper towel and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

More Muffin Recipes to Try