Whole Grain Zucchini Muffins
on Sep 30, 2016, Updated Aug 22, 2024
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Whole Grain Zucchini Muffins are a simple yet filling snack that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! This recipe is easy to follow and one that you will come back to again and again.
I am always looking for healthy snacks my family can enjoy on the go or when we are in a hurry. These muffins fit the bill perfectly! With whole grains, natural sweeteners, and even a vegetable, I feel good about serving these muffins any time of the day. Making this recipe is a great way to use up that extra zucchini at the back of your fridge.
The outside of these muffins will develop a slight crisp as they bake that is pleasant to bite into and reveals a soft and fluffy interior. My favorite part about these muffins might be how easy they are to make! I can prepare them at the beginning of the week in less than 30 minutes, and everyone can enjoy them for the next few days. You have to give this recipe a try!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The muffins are naturally sweetened and full of nutrient dense ingredients.
- The interior is soft and moist while the outside has a slight crisp.
- You’ll have a delicious batch of muffins ready in less than 30 minutes.
Recipe Ingredients
- Whole Wheat Flour—Can be found on the baking aisle right next to the all-purpose flour.
- Zucchini—Grated.
- Old Fashioned Oats—We like the texture of old fashioned oats better than quick oats.
- Maple Syrup—You can also use honey.
- Milk—To add moisture. Use any percentage, or even nut milk.
- Egg—Adds structure and stability to your batter.
- Coconut Oil—Melted.
- Baking Powder & Soda—To give the muffins the perfect domed top.
- Ground Cinnamon—Adds a warm flavor to your muffins.
- Salt—To enhance the flavor of all the ingredients.
- Vanilla Extract—Enhances the sweetness of your muffins.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Whole Grain Zucchini Muffins
Step #1. Preheat the oven and grease a muffin tin. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, and salt. Use a whisk to combine.
Step #2. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, syrup, milk, coconut oil, and vanilla. Stir until the mixture just comes together. Add the zucchini and oats, and stir to combine.
Step #3. Divide the mixture evenly in the muffin tin. Sprinkle a few oats on the top of each muffin. Bake until they are done in the middle.
Step #4. Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool on a wire rack. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen zucchini! It tends to freeze well, so if you have some extra in the freezer, it will work just as well as fresh. You will want it to be pre-shredded to make it easier. If you are going this route, allow it to thaw completely before using it. With both fresh and frozen zucchini, there tends to be a lot of moisture once you shred it. Watch out for this as it can mess with the texture of your muffins. I recommend allowing it to drain and then patting it dry with a towel or paper towel before adding it to your mixture. It might take more planning to use frozen, but it is just as convenient!
It can be difficult to tell when muffins are done because the top can look set while the middle is still slightly underdone. The most sure way of knowing when these muffins are done is to stick a toothpick into the middle. If it comes out clean or with dry crumbs, then you know the muffins are ready. The other way to tell is by gently pressing the top of one of the muffins. If the top springs back, then they are done, but if it makes an indent then they will need more time. The muffins will also slightly cook more as they rest in the pan before you take them out!
What To Serve With Zucchini Muffins
Serve Whole Grain Zucchini Muffins with homemade yogurt, smoothies, and hard-boiled eggs for a balanced and nutritious breakfast. The creamy yogurt adds protein, the smoothies provide a refreshing and nutrient-packed drink, and the eggs offer an additional protein boost. This combination ensures a satisfying and wholesome start to your day.
How to Store Whole Grain Zucchini Muffins
To store your muffins, keep them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days. You can line the bottom of the container with paper towels to absorb any moisture or oil so they do not become sticky. These can be eaten at room temperature or heated in the microwave slightly until warm!
Expert Tips
- Be careful not to overmix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. This can cause the muffins to become dense and dry, and we don’t want that!
- You can also add chocolate chips to the batter if you want to make the muffins a little bit sweeter! I find it contrasts the zucchini flavor well.
- The best way to serve these muffins is warm, and to keep it simple with some butter!
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before attempting to take them out. This will help them set and be sturdy as you remove them from the tin.
More Muffin Recipes To Consider
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Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
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Apple Cinnamon Muffins
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Banana Nut Muffins
Muffin Recipes
Banana Bread Muffins
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Healthy Whole Grain Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1/3 cup milk, nut or dairy
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups grated fresh zucchini
- 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats, uncooked, plus extra for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 12-cup muffin tin well. ]
- In a large bowl add the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, and salt. Use a whisk to combine well.
- Make a well in the center of the dry mixture an add the egg, syrup or honey, milk, coconut oil, and vanilla. Stir until the mixture just comes together (don’t over mix). Add the zucchini and oats and stir to combine.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle a few additional oats on eat muffin if desired. Bake for 16-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the muffin pan and serve warm, at room temperature.
Notes
- Be careful not to overmix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. This can cause the muffins to become dense and dry, and we don’t want that!
- You can also add chocolate chips to the batter if you want to make the muffins a little bit sweeter! I find it contrasts the zucchini flavor well.
- The best way to serve these muffins is warm, and to keep it simple with some butter!
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before attempting to take them out. This will help them set and be sturdy as you remove them from the tin.
Fantastic! Used Pastry flour which worked great and added a couple tbsp flax seeds and couple of sliced almonds. Super easy and baked up beautifully. As a thought, you may want to reference not needing to remove excess moisture in the recipe itself. I had the cheese cloth at the ready before I decided to check comments for that guidance. It’s probably truly a no-brainer, but would be helpful if someone prints the recipe and doesn’t have the comments. 🙂
Thanks for Sharing!
WW pastry flour is my favorite and just about all I buy these days, so light! You adjustments sound amazing!
Should I squeeze out excess moisture from zucchini before adding it?
You don’t need to for this recipe, the flour will absorb it.
I was wondering the same thing, except I only have frozen zucchini from last year’s garden. Would that work? And would the zucchini measurement be different?
You definitely can use frozen zucchini! It has a lot of water when it thaws and I try to keep about half of it, all of it seems to be a bit too much liquid but if you remove all of it, it’s too dry, so just dump a little off the thawed zucchini and use it!
Can you use white flour instead?
Yep, it’ll work great.
These are DELICIOUS! Tried it this past week and they made a GREAT quick breakfast!
Great recipe for kids lunches! A little more dense than regular muffin recipes but still tasty!
This looks absolutely delicious and I can’t believe it’s totally healthy – yum!
These sounds and look amazzing! I have been wanting to try my hand at baking with zucchini like this and this looks like a great way to do that!! Any way I can sneak some healthyness into something without my kids knowing is a high-five to myself (and to you too 🙂 )! Haha!! Hope you have a great weekend!