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These Vegan Zucchini Muffins are fluffy, tender, moist, and loaded with the hidden nutrients of zucchini โ A simple 2-bowl, 8-ingredient recipe with gluten-free options.
Tender and Moist Vegan Zucchini Muffins
With zucchini bread, zucchini mock apple pie, and oatmeal zucchini cookies already under our belts, hiding zucchini in different bakes like these zucchini muffins has quickly become a favorite method for sneaking in extra nutrients while making them tender and moist without adding zucchini flavor.
This zucchini muffin recipe is SO simple, too. You donโt even have to squeeze out the excess liquid from the zucchini. Just shred it, mix the dry and wet ingredients, and bake the batter into perfectly fluffy, delicious vegan vanilla zucchini muffins.
The subtle vanilla infusion makes these a perfect base for different add-ins (think vegan chocolate chips, berries, or nuts). You can also adapt the recipe to your dietary requirements. E.g., lower oil, less sugar, or gluten-free vegan zucchini muffins. Theyโre even freezer-friendly, so you can always have them to hand!
The Ingredients and Substitutes
To reduce the amount of oil in the zucchini bread muffins recipe, you could replace a portion of it with unsweetened applesauce, mashed banana, or pumpkin puree. Dairy-free Greek yogurt might also work.
Optional add-ins & Recipe Variations
Like most muffins, there are several simple ways to add extra flavor and texture to this recipe for zucchini muffins. Some of our favorites include:
- Spices: We particularly love making cinnamon zucchini muffins, but adding a pinch of nutmeg or even a blend like pumpkin pie spice will work, too.
- Citrus zest: Add 1-2 teaspoons of lemon/orange zest for a subtle delicious citrusy flavor.
- Vegan chocolate chips: Use your favorite dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks. Use sugar-free chocolate, if preferred. You can also check out our chocolate chocolate chip muffin recipe.
- Berries: Check out our recipe for blueberry zucchini muffins and easily swap out those for other berry types (like raspberries or blackberries). Dried fruit also works.
- Nuts: A handful of chopped nuts (raw or lightly toasted) will create delicious, crunchy zucchini nut muffins. E.g., walnuts, pecans, pistachios, almonds, etc.
- Carrot: Replace some of the zucchini with carrot.
- Toppings: Add coarse cinnamon sugar OR a streusel topping for crunch/sweetness.
How to Make Vegan Zucchini Muffins?
- First, preheat the oven to 400F/200C and prepare a muffin tin with silicone or parchment paper liners.
- Then, mix the water and ground flaxseed in a small bowl and set it aside for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, shred the zucchini using the medium holes on a box grater or a food processor shredding disk.
Finely shred the zucchini for it to be barely noticeable within the recipe. Use coarsely shredded zucchini to add more texture and noticeable color.
- In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder) and mix well. Then, form a well in the middle and add all the wet ingredients (oil, flax egg, plant-based milk, vanilla, and grated zucchini).
- Starting in the middle of the bowl, gently combine the wet and dry ingredients, mixing them into a batter until only just combined (a few small lumps are fine).
A thick batter is perfectly normal, as the liquid in the zucchini will release while baking to add the perfect amount of moisture.
- Divide the muffin batter between the cups of the muffin tin, filling them all to the top, and transfer them to the center of your oven to bake for 30-35 minutes, or until theyโre golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs, but definitely no wet batter).
- Finally, remove the muffins from the oven and leave them to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Enjoy one of these zucchini bread muffins warm or room temperature with vegan butter, nut butter, fruit preserves, etc.
FAQs
To make a simple one-bowl zucchini bread, check out our separate recipe for the full recipe and tips and tricks.
Divide the batter into mini muffin trays and reduce the baking time of the mini zucchini muffins to somewhere around 15-20 minutes (check with a toothpick).
No, thatโs not necessary, as it adds extra nutrients to the bakes but isnโt very noticeable texture or taste-wise.
No, in this case, the extra moisture in the shredded zucchini adds the perfect amount of moisture to the muffin batter.
Pro Recipe Tips
- To save time: A grating disk will shred the zucchini in seconds.
- To avoid dense muffins: Measure the flour properly by spooning it into your measuring cup and using the back of a knife to level it. Also, avoid over-mixing the batter.
- Donโt squeeze the zucchini: We want all the liquid in it to add moisture to these easy vegan zucchini muffins.
- Experiment with add-ins: These zucchini muffins are a great base โvanillaโ muffin, perfect for adding spices, nuts, chocolate, or berries, so have fun experimenting.
- Adjust the shred size: Finely shredded zucchini practically melts into a bake unnoticeably. Medium shreds can be seen but otherwise barely noticed. Coarse shreds will add extra texture and noticeable flecks of green in the muffins.
Storage Instructions
After baking, allow the zucchini bread muffins to cool and store them loosely covered for 2-3 days or in a paper towel-lined airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.
These are also freezer-friendly. Flash freeze them until solid, then store them in a large, freezer-safe Ziplock/Stasher bag for up to 3 months.
When you want one, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, on your kitchen counter for several hours, or thaw it in the microwave.
More Vegan Muffins
- Easy vegan apple muffins
- Carrot cake muffins
- Oil-free banana muffins
- Vegan blueberry banana muffins
- Pineapple walnut muffins
- Peach blueberry muffins
- Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Easy Vegan Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds
- 2 ยฝ tablespoons of warm water
- 1 ยฝ cups of all purpose flour
- ยพ cups of granulated sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon of salt
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- โ cup of vegetable oil
- โ cup of plant-based milk
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1 cup of grated zucchini
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line tin with liners.
- In a small bowl, thoroughly mix together the ground flaxseeds and warm water for 5 minutes. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder and mix well. Form a well in the flour mixture and add the vegetable oil, flax meal mixture, plant-based milk, vanilla extract, and grated zucchini. Gently mix together.
- Fill your cupcake tin with batter (filled to the top).
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick comes out of the center of the muffin clean.
Notes
- To save time: A grating disk will shred the zucchini in seconds.
- To avoid dense muffins: Measure the flour properly by spooning it into your measuring cup and using the back of a knife to level it. Also, avoid over-mixing the batter.
- Donโt squeeze the zucchini: We want all the liquid in it to add moisture to these easy vegan zucchini muffins.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
I made these twice this week. They’re SO good! I over-mixed the batter both times because I forgot to add the flax egg (I set it waaaay aside and didn’t remember about it until the very end). But they turned out great anyway! Great recipe. Will be making these every summer.
That’s so amazing! They’re the best muffins to enjoy in the summer!
I made the zucchini muffins today and they were a hit! I donโt use vegetable oil and so instead I used olive oil and they turned out fabulous! Thank you!!
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed these yummy muffins. They’re the best!
These Easy Vegan Zucchini Muffins smell amazing during baking and they taste so good! Thanks for the awesome recipe.
So moist and yummy! Great for a quick breakfast!
Right?! And nutritious too!
So delicious!