Name: One-Bowl Zucchini Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup granulated sugar; ½ cup vegetable oil; 2 large eggs; 1 cup coarsely grated zucchini; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon baking powder; ¾ teaspoon salt; 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional); Coarse sugar, for topping (optional)

Stir together these easy Zucchini Muffins with one bowl and just 10 minutes!

Total Time: 30 minutes

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Close up shot of a stack of homemade easy zucchini muffins.

Stir together these easy Zucchini Muffins with one bowl and just 10 minutes! The moist and fluffy insides, crisp, sugar-crusted tops, and warm cinnamon flavor make these muffins a delicious breakfast or a simple grab-and-go snack. Add nuts or chocolate chips for even more flavor and texture, and serve them warm with butter, cream cheese or honey!

Zucchini Bread Muffins

The moist, warmly-spiced, sweet flavor of classic zucchini bread is delicious in muffin form, too! These zucchini muffins are hand-held, pre-portioned, convenient, portable treats for any time of day. They're a great way to take advantage of fresh summer produce, and they're easy to stash in the freezer for a later date. The kids say that these muffins taste like pumpkin bread or Amish Friendship Bread -- thanks to all of that cinnamon! You definitely cannot taste the zucchini (it just adds great moisture to the muffins).

Can you make zucchini bread into muffins?

Yes, that's essentially what I've done here! This easy zucchini muffin recipe is adapted from my favorite Morning Glory Farm Zucchini Bread recipe, with just a few minor tweaks. I've made it in one bowl, added a bit more leavening agents for lift, a little bit less salt, a little more vanilla, and some optional chopped pecans. Divide the batter between 12 muffin cups (rather than a loaf pan), and bake for just 20 minutes. Sometimes muffins are easier to deal with than a big loaf of bread. You don't need a cutting board for slicing, you can easily freeze any extras, and they cook so much faster.

Overhead shot of a muffin tin full of zucchini bread muffins.

Ingredients

This is a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you'll need for a batch of zucchini bread muffins. As always, specific measurements and complete step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

Granulated sugar: for sweetness.
Vegetable oil: for moisture. Feel free to substitute with canola oil if you prefer, or even unsalted melted butter.
Eggs: give the muffins structure.
Grated zucchini: I used half of a large (1-lb.) zucchini to equal 1 cup shredded.
Vanilla extract and cinnamon: for warm flavor.
Salt: balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors in the batter.
Baking soda and baking powder: leavening agents that help the muffins rise.
All-purpose flour: the base of the batter.
Pecans or walnuts: an optional mix-in that adds great flavor and texture.
Coarse sugar: a sprinkling on top before baking yields sugar-crusted muffin tops that are slightly crunchy.

Should I peel zucchini for muffins?

No, you don't need to peel the zucchini before grating it and adding it to the batter. Zucchini skin is so thin that it will not add an unpleasant, tough texture to the baked goods.

Can you use frozen zucchini for muffins?

I have not tested these muffins with frozen zucchini; however, according to this article, you can successfully bake with frozen zucchini. The key is to measure the zucchini before freezing. For instance, measure out 1-cup portions of shredded zucchini, keep it in the freezer, and then thaw before using in this recipe. There will be a lot of water with the thawed zucchini, so make sure to pat it dry before stirring it into the muffins.

How to Make Zucchini Muffins

These easy muffins come together with just one bowl, which means you have fewer dishes to wash at the end!

Whisk together the batter in a large bowl.
Fold in the chopped nuts.
Divide the batter evenly between 12 paper-lined muffin cups.
Sprinkle coarse sugar on top.
Bake in a 375° F oven for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Process shot showing how to make zucchini muffins

Zucchini muffin batter in a muffin tin before baking

Close overhead image of the best zucchini muffin recipe in a muffin tin

Serving Suggestions

Zucchini muffins are such a versatile little treat -- especially when paired with butter, cream cheese, or honey. You can offer them for a quick grab-and-go breakfast on busy mornings; pile some in a basket as a part of a special brunch buffet; set out a few with a glass of lemonade or iced tea for an afternoon snack; or even add them to your bread basket as a side dish with dinner. We love the variety of a bread basket that includes some homemade bread, a few warm muffins, and a couple wedges of cornbread. It turns an ordinary weeknight meal into a special restaurant-worthy occasion -- and you can pull each of these items from your freezer with almost zero effort!

Overhead shot of sliced zucchini muffins served with cream cheese.

Storage

Allow the muffins to cool completely. Store in a large Ziploc freezer bag or other airtight container. The muffins will last for 2-3 days at room temperature, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat

If the muffins are frozen, allow them to sit on the counter for a few minutes while you preheat the oven to 350° F. Frozen muffins will require about 10-12 minutes in the oven; room temperature muffins will only need about 5 minutes to warm through.

Alternatively, you can microwave one muffin at a time for 15-30 seconds or just until warm.

Recipe Variations

Carrot Zucchini Muffins: swap out half of the grated zucchini and replace it with freshly-grated carrots.
Apple Zucchini Muffins: swap out half of the grated zucchini and replace it with freshly-grated apple.
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins: instead of the chopped nuts, add ½ cup of chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips to the batter.
Add even more warm spices, such as ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon cloves, ¼ teaspoon allspice and ¼ teaspoon ginger.
Fold raisins into the batter instead of nuts.
If your kids don't want to see green flecks in the muffins, you can substitute with an equal amount of yellow summer squash instead of the zucchini.
Mini Muffins: bake the batter in mini muffin tins for about 12-15 minutes.

Square shot of easy zucchini muffins cooling on a wire rack

Tips for the Best Zucchini Muffin Recipe

You don't need to squeeze the zucchini dry before adding it to the batter. The moisture in the zucchini will keep the muffins nice and moist.
I recommend using either canola oil or vegetable oil. You want a neutral oil that will not flavor the muffins, so don't use olive oil. Feel free to substitute with melted unsalted butter if you prefer.
Be careful not to over-mix the batter. You want it to come together so that everything is combined, but then stop stirring! Mixing too much will result in dry, dense muffins.
Use a whisk to combine the ingredients. This will help to eliminate any clumps of flour.
Sprinkle coarse sugar on top of the muffins before baking. This is optional, but it creates sugar-crusted muffin tops with a slightly crunchy texture -- a beautiful contrast to the moist, tender insides. I use this King Arthur sparkling sugar, but turbinado sugar is also a great option.
To check if the muffins are done, insert a toothpick into the center and make sure it comes out clean. Don’t cook them for too long, or they can dry out.

Side shot of a stack of easy zucchini muffins.

More Zucchini Recipes to Try

If you have a zucchini overload this summer, here are a few more delicious ways to enjoy the fresh veggies:

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