This easy zucchini muffins recipe is moist and flavorful, packed with grated zucchini, walnuts, and cinnamon. Make a batch in just 30 minutes!
This zucchini muffins recipe is one of my favorite ways to use up summer zucchini. A perfect breakfast or snack, the muffins are sweet, soft, and incredibly moist, thanks to 2 whole cups of shredded zucchini inside them. Vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon fill them with warm, spiced depth of flavor, and walnuts add delicious crunch. (If you’re wondering—yes, chocolate chips would work here too!)
This zucchini muffins recipe is an updated version of one I shared back in 2021. I recently re-tested it and updated it to be more similar to my go-to zucchini bread recipe, using a streamlined ingredient list and higher ratio of wet ingredients to get an extra-moist and tender texture. I can’t get enough of this new version, and I hope you love it too.
These zucchini bread muffins are easy to make with basic equipment in just 30 minutes. Why not head to the kitchen and make a batch right now?
Zucchini Muffins Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this zucchini muffins recipe:
- Zucchini, of course! You’ll need 2 cups shredded zucchini to make this recipe. That’s about 2 small-medium zucchini, or 1/2 pound. Look for squash that are firm and glossy without any soft spots.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon and level it to avoid packing too much into your measuring cup. If you’d like to make whole wheat zucchini muffins, feel free to replace half the white flour with wheat. (I wouldn’t replace all of it, or the muffins will be dense.)
- Baking powder, baking soda, and eggs – They help the muffins puff up as they bake.
- Sugar – It adds sweetness and helps perfect the muffins’ moist, soft texture. I typically use cane sugar in these muffins, but regular granulated sugar will work too. I’ve also tested them with brown sugar, and it’s delicious, adding extra molasses-y depth of flavor. You could even use a mix of white and brown sugar.
- Vegetable oil and milk – For moisture. If you don’t have vegetable oil on hand, use another neutral oil like avocado oil, melted coconut oil, or even olive oil if you don’t mind the flavor. Any type of milk works too—almond milk, oat milk, etc.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract – For warm, spiced depth of flavor.
- Walnuts – For crunch.
- And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Shredding Zucchini for Muffins
If you’re new to making baked goods with zucchini, you might be wondering how to prep the zucchini for the muffin batter.
It’s super simple:
- No need to peel the zucchini. Just wash it well and pat it dry.
- Grate it on the large holes of a box grater. It only takes a minute to grate enough zucchini for this recipe.
- Don’t press or squeeze out the excess moisture. It makes these muffins soft and delicious!
How to Make Zucchini Muffins
Once you shred the zucchini, the muffins come together quickly:
Start by making the batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Stir the grated zucchini into the wet ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the chopped nuts, being careful not to overmix.
Finally, bake the muffins. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan, or place paper liners in the muffin cups. Evenly divide the batter among the cups, and bake at 400°F for about 18 minutes. The tops of the muffins should spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted should come out clean.
Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
Here are a few fun ways to change up this muffin recipe:
- Swap the squash. Replace the zucchini with shredded yellow squash, or use a mix of the two.
- Change up the mix-ins. Replace the walnuts with other chopped nuts like pecans, or swap them out for dried fruit like dried cranberries or raisins. You could also make chocolate chip zucchini muffins by replacing the walnuts with chocolate chips.
- Play with the spices. The cinnamon and nutmeg are delicious in these muffins, but so are other warming spices like ground ginger and cardamom. Feel free to experiment with different combinations!
How to Store and Freeze Zucchini Muffins
Store these zucchini bread muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can store them in the fridge for another 2 days after that.
They also freeze well. Allow the muffins to cool to room temperature, then seal them in an airtight container or bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Let frozen muffins sit at room temperature for an hour or so to thaw. I also love to defrost one in the microwave for about 30 seconds for a quick breakfast or snack!
More Zucchini Recipes to Try
If you love these zucchini muffins, try one of these delicious zucchini recipes next:
Want to make more muffins? Try my healthy banana muffins or morning glory muffins next!
Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup cane sugar or brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil, plus more for the pan
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated zucchini, from about 2 small-medium (½ pound), don't press or squeeze
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line it with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Stir in the zucchini.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the walnuts.
- Evenly divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, adding about a scant ⅓ cup to each one. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
I have made these several times because they are so good! Thanks for the recipe
I do use dairy milk instead of almond milk
Can I substitute vanilla extract with lemon or almond extracr.im out of vamilla
Hi Sheila, yep! I think either would be great. I’d just use 1/4 teaspoon because those extracts can have a strong flavor.
They were good but bland. I made a second batch and doubled the salt to a tsp and it highlighted the flavor more. I think I might try again ground coriander and substitute almond extract for vanilla.. it’s a good base recipe though!
Very moist muffin with just a hint of sweetness. I used pecans (preference) instead of walnuts but followed the recipe to a T:) Next time I might try maple syrup for a different flavour profile.
Thanks for the recipe.
In place of the walnuts, can i use chocolate chips? would it be an even exchange or would it change the outcome of the muffins?
These are delicious!! By chance, do you have baking instructions for jumbo muffin tins? I usually eat these 2 at a time anyway 🙂
Hi Suzanne, I’m so glad you love the muffins! I’ve never tried baking these in jumbo muffin tins. I think it would work to keep the temp the same and increase the time. If you try it, let us know how it goes!
These muffins turned out perfect. I veganized the egg but other than that I followed the recipe. Love them.
So glad you loved them, Marion!
Best zucchiini muffins! Made as written with addition of raisins and needed to cook about 24 minutes. So moist:) Thank you
Can you substitute honey/maple syrup instead of cane sugar?
Hi Mark, I only like to substitute wet with wet and dry with dry. A less refined option here would be coconut sugar.
I don’t know what happened, but very dry.. should have added a lot more oil.
Wow these are exceptional! I needed to add a carrot since I didn’t have enough zucchini. I swapped I spelt flour for whole wheat (didn’t have). Used fresh microplaned nutmeg. Wow tender muffins with amazing taste. Well done L&L development team! ?
I’m so glad you loved them!
Muffins have a moist, fluffy texture but found the flavour a bit lacking for my sweet tooth. Might try again with sultanas instead of nuts.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe! The sultanas would add a nice sweetness here.
Excellent! I love the fact that I didn’t to get water out of the zucchini. I replaced the eggs with flaxseeds with success.
Hi Renée, great to know! So glad you enjoyed the muffins.
Thank you for saying that because I was wondering if flax eggs would work!
So yummy! I made a few tweaks: 1/2 cup applesauce in lieu of oil, 1/4 sugar & 1/4 cup chocolate chips in lieu of sugar and 1/2 cup old fashioned oats in lieu of almond flour. Ended up having to bake in a bundt pan – my son has my muffins tins! ??♀️ Roughly same baking time with excellent results!
Hi Lori, so glad you loved it!
Hi, How would I adjust the recipe for high altitude? I am at 5200 ft. Thanks!
Hi Kathleen, unfortunately, we don’t have experience with baking at altitude. Wish I could help more!
I can’t wait to try these! Where do I find the nutrition information, please?
Thanks!
Hi Sherry, I’m sorry, we don’t post nutrition facts but you can type the ingredients into a site like my fitness pal.
These are delicious muffins! Not sweet, light and fluffy. A great use for the garden zucchini bounty.
Hi Amanda, I’m so glad you loved them!
This is an excellent muffin recipe. It would be so much easier if the measurements also had grams included. It takes so long to measure the cups and tablespoons, etc. So much easier to weigh and more accurate.
Made these exactly as the recipe stated. They were delicious! Even my daughter ( who thinks she doesn’t like zucchini) loved them. She ate 2 right after they cooled down!
Thanks!