One-Bowl Zucchini Bread Muffins – The Seasoned Mom

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Stir together these easy zucchini bread muffins with one bowl and just 10 minutes of prep! The moist and fluffy insides, crisp, sugar-crusted tops, and warm notes of cinnamon make them a delicious breakfast or a simple grab-and-go snack.

The moist, warmly-spiced, sweet flavor of classic zucchini bread is delicious in muffin form, too! This easy zucchini bread muffin recipe is adapted from my favorite Morning Glory Farm zucchini bread, 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 nuts (chocolate chips would be great, too!).

This recipe is sensational. The recipe was easy to follow and we found a great way to use zucchini. Clean-up was a breeze. Thanks. If we could give it a rating of a 6 we would!

– Denise

A Few Notes Before You Get Started

Don’t worry — you definitely cannot taste the zucchini in these muffins (it just adds great moisture). Instead, they taste like a cozy spice cake, pumpkin bread, or pumpkin muffins, thanks to all of that cinnamon.
I use half of a large (1-lb.) zucchini to equal 1 cup shredded. 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.
You also 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 have not tested a batch of 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.

Directions

These easy zucchini muffins come together with just one bowl, which means you have fewer dishes to wash at the end! You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:

Grate the zucchini using the large holes on a box grater.
Whisk together the batter in a large bowl, starting with the wet ingredients and then gradually adding the dry ingredients. Using a whisk helps to eliminate any clumps of flour. That way you don’t have to sift! 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 can result in dry, dense muffins.
Fold in the chopped nuts.
Divide the batter evenly between 12 paper-lined muffin cups.
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 King Arthur sparkling sugar, but turbinado sugar is also a great option.
Bake in a 375°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Remove from the muffin pan and cool on a wire rack.

Baked zucchini bread muffins in a vintage 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.

Horizontal overhead shot of a sliced zucchini bread muffin with cream cheese spread.

Storage Tips

How to Store: 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.

These are the most delicious, moist and out of this world Zucchini muffins I have ever made and tried!! And you use only ONE bowl!!! I cook like the Chef on the Muppets, so this was an instant win for me. I added the chocolate chips and added all the spice recommendations (allspice, nutmeg, ginger) and they are amazing! Thank you for sharing your recipe. I’m not a baker at all but this was so easy to make and in no time at all. I live in BC, Canada and I’m grateful for this recipe. It’s a KEEPER!!!

– Maria

Horizontal side shot of a sliced zucchini bread muffin with cream cheese spread.

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More Zucchini Bread Recipes to Try

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.
Add even more warm spices, such as ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon cloves, ¼ teaspoon allspice, and ¼ teaspoon ginger.
Fold raisins or chocolate chips into the batter instead of nuts.

Serving: 1muffinCalories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 3gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 248mgPotassium: 91mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 63IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg

Zucchini Bread Muffins 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.
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.
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 zucchini.
Mini Muffins: bake the batter in mini muffin tins for about 12-15 minutes.