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These soft, moist, and flavorful zucchini muffins are made with warm cinnamon, plenty of shredded zucchini, and a generous sprinkle of coarse sugar for tall, golden bakery-style tops. Super easy to make in just 30 minutes!
Surprise! I’m back today with another delicious zucchini muffin recipe. A few days ago, I shared my rich, melty double chocolate zucchini muffins loaded with cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Today’s recipe is equally delicious, but completely different.
In this version, we’re skipping the chocolate altogether and leaning heavily into everything I love about classic zucchini bread. Made with plenty of freshly shredded zucchini, warm cinnamon and nutmeg, and sour cream for a moist, fluffy crumb, these zucchini muffins are simple, cozy, and just sweet enough to enjoy for breakfast, brunch, or a mid-afternoon snack. I also added a sprinkle of coarse sugar over the tops for a lightly crisp and irresistible bakery-style finish.
This recipe makes 12 muffins, is freezer-friendly, and is a great way to use up that seemingly endless supply of zucchini 🙂
Table of Contents
Ingredients and Substitutions
Below are notes on the ingredients that need a little extra explanation, along with helpful substitution tips. You’ll find the complete ingredient list and measurements in the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: Regular all-purpose flour gives these muffins their soft, fluffy texture. For the best results, I recommend spooning the flour into your measuring cup and leveling off the top rather than scooping directly from the bag.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: I use mostly cinnamon with just a little nutmeg to give these muffins that warm, classic zucchini bread flavor. If you’re not a fan of nutmeg, you can leave it out.
- Brown sugar and granulated sugar: I like using a combination of both sugars here. The brown sugar adds moisture and a deeper sweetness, while the granulated sugar helps keep the texture a little lighter.
- Neutral oil: You’ll want to use a mild-flavored oil that won’t compete with the zucchini and warm spices. I usually reach for avocado oil or vegetable oil.
- Sour cream: Full-fat sour cream adds moisture and richness without making the batter too thin. I prefer full-fat for the best texture, but you can substitute low-fat or plain full-fat Greek yogurt if needed.
- Coarse sparkling sugar: This is technically optional, but I wouldn’t skip it. Coarse sparkling sugar consists of large, coarse-grained sugar crystals that don’t melt completely in the oven. As generous sprinkle before baking results in a sweet, crunchy topping and a lovely contrast to their soft, tender centers. You can also use a few packets of Sugar In The Raw if you have some laying around.
- Zucchini: Zucchini is one of my favorite ingredients to bake with because it adds plenty of moisture without changing the flavor of the muffins. Once it’s shredded and folded into the batter, it practically disappears, you won’t even know it’s there!
Shredding Zucchini for Muffins
I use the fine or medium holes on this box grater to grate my zucchini. It’s easy to use and has a non-slip base which is super helpful. You don’t need to peel the zucchini first, and you don’t need to squeeze it dry (unlike when you’re making zucchini fritters where excess moisture is the enemy to crisp fritters). In fact, the moisture is part of what makes these muffins so soft.
Tips for the Best Zucchini Bread Muffins
- Forgot to bring your eggs to room temperature? Place the cold eggs in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot) water for 10-15 minutes. They’ll warm up quickly while you measure and prep the remaining ingredients.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Once you add the dry ingredients, fold everything together just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and can leave you with dense muffins instead of a light, fluffy crumb.
- Fill the muffin cups almost to the top. I do this intentionally to help the muffins bake up with those tall, bakery-style tops.
- Start with a hot oven. The first few minutes at 425°F give the muffins an initial boost of heat that helps the tops rise. Lower the temperature to 350°F without opening the oven door, then let them finish baking.
How to Store and Freeze Zucchini Muffins
To store: Once the muffins are completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Because zucchini muffins are naturally moist, I like to place a paper towel in the container to help absorb any excess moisture.
To freeze: These muffins freeze really well. Let them cool completely, then place them on a baking sheet and freeze until partially frozen (about an hour or two). Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container, and freeze for up to 3 months. You can thaw them at room temperature or warm individually in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
These Zucchini Muffins are soft, fluffy, and perfectly sweet with warm spices and a crunchy sugar topping. I hope you love them as much as we do! If you give them a try, please remember to leave a rating and review! Your feedback helps other readers discover and enjoy the recipe too. Thank you so much! 💛
More Zucchini Recipes
In the mood for more homemade muffins? Try my Banana Protein Muffins, these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, or browse more of my muffin recipes for sweet, simple, easy recipe perfect for breakfast, brunch, or snacking.
Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup neutral oil, such as avocado oil or vegetable oil
- ¼ cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups finely shredded zucchini
- 2-3 tablespoons coarse sparkling sugar, for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a medium bowl. Whisk until evenly combined.1¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Add the oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract and continue whisking until smooth.2 large eggs, ¾ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup neutral oil, ¼ cup full-fat sour cream, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to gently fold everything together just until the flour is incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold the shredded zucchini into the batter until it is evenly distributed.1½ cups finely shredded zucchini
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups, filling each one almost to the top. Sprinkle the tops generously with coarse sparkling sugar.2-3 tablespoons coarse sparkling sugar
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes.
- Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F. Continue baking for 14-17 minutes, or until the muffins are tall and golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
