Vegan Zucchini Muffins

Name: Vegan Zucchini Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp ground/milled flaxseed; 2 cup all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour or gluten free 1-1 baking flour)* SEE NOTES; ½ tsp baking soda; 1 tsp baking powder; ¼ cup canola oil (or other neutral oil) (*can use apple sauce for oil-free); ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp nutmeg; 1 cup shredded zucchini (roughly 1 medium zucchini), patted dry; 1 tsp vanilla extract; ¼ cup granulated sugar; ½ cup light brown sugar; ½ cup vegan milk of choice (I use unsweetened almond milk)

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These vegan zucchini muffins are soft, fluffy, and make the perfect breakfast or snack! They are easy to make, ready in 30 minutes, and are kid-approved. These muffins can also be made gluten free, oil free, or refined sugar free!

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I'll admit, I don't use vegetables in my baking very often. But when you eat as many cookies and cupcakes as I do, sometimes you just crave something a liiittle bit healthier.

These vegan zucchini muffins are dairy free, egg free, and can easily be made gluten free. They can be made even healthier by using whole wheat flour and sugar substitutes too!

Why These Vegan Zucchini Muffins Work

The zucchini is undetectable, but it makes the muffins moist and a little healthier!
These muffins freeze well and perfect for a school snack, breakfast on the go, or even to serve at brunch.
Ground cinnamon and nutmeg add a delicious warm spice to the muffins!
The recipe is easy to customize accordingly for different diets and food allergies.
These muffins are a great way to sneak some veggies into your day (just like these banana carrot muffins!)

Ingredient Notes

Zucchini: you'll need around 1 cup of shredded zucchini. Note that the zucchini doesn't have to be peeled!
Flour: I use regular all-purpose flour in this recipe, but you can also use whole wheat flour or even gluten free 1-1 baking flour to make gluten free zucchini muffins.
Oil: I use canola oil, but you can use any neutral oil! Alternatively, you can use unsweetened apple sauce for an oil free option.
Flax: Ground flaxseed is used to make the flax egg. It must be ground - whole flaxseed will not work! You can also use chia seeds in place of flax to make the "egg".
Sugar: The recipe uses regular white and brown sugar, but you can swap for coconut sugar or maple syrup if you want to make these muffins a little healthier. You can also use honey if you don't follow a vegan diet.

ingredients to make vegan zucchini muffins

Step By Step Instructions

STEP ONE: First, make the flax egg. Mix warm water and ground flaxseed together, then let it sit until the mixture has a gel-like consistency. This takes around 10-15 minutes.

water and flax in a bowl — water and ground flaxseed in a bowl

a spoon scooping out a flax egg — water and ground flaxseed in a bowl

STEP TWO: Preheat the oven and prepare 12 muffins tins with liners.

STEP THREE: Shred the zucchini until you have 1 cup, packed down. Pat it dry with paper towel and squeeze out excess water and set aside.

shredded zucchini with paper towel on top

STEP FOUR: In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, milk, and vanilla together. Whisk in the sugars, then stir in the flax egg. Add the grated zucchini.

STEP FIVE: Add in the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Pour the batter into muffin liners, almost to the top (around ¾ full).

step by step process showing how to make zucchini muffins — step by step instructions

STEP SIX: Bake the muffins for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centre of one of the muffins. Let them cool in the baking tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

vegan zucchini muffin batter in a muffin tin

How do you grate zucchini?

To grate the zucchini, leave the peel on and use a box grater. You can also use a food processor with the grating attachment.

Do you squeeze water out of the zucchini?

I like to pat the zucchini dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel and try to squeeze out any excess water. Some zucchini's will have more moisture that others as well, so this step helps avoid too much water in your batter.

Can you taste the zucchini in zucchini muffins?

Not at all! These muffins are a great way to hide vegetables for kids (or picky adults)! They don't add a flavor to the muffins - all they do is add moisture. You can see a little bit of green in the muffins though so if you really need to hide it be sure to shred the zucchini smaller 😉

Can I add chocolate chips to these muffins?

Yes! You can add chocolate chips, cranberries, raisins, or nuts to these muffins. ½ of a cup of mix-ins is usually a good place to start.

Should I peel zucchini for muffins?

You can peel the zucchini if you'd like to avoid the little specks of green in the muffins, but otherwise there's no need to peel the zucchini before grating it.

Can I make these muffins into zucchini bread?

Yep! You can use a 9x5 loaf pan and bake at 350°F for around 45-55 minutes. You can test when it's ready by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the bread. When the toothpick comes out clean, the zucchini loaf is ready!

vegan zucchini muffin with a bite taken out of it

Expert Tips

Be sure to only use the flax egg once it has reached that egg-like consistency! If you add it in when it's still fully liquid, it won't act properly as an egg replacer or provide the necessary structure to the muffins.
Pat the zucchini dry with paper towels to remove some of the excess water. Some zucchini's will be a lot wetter than others. You don't have to pat it completely dry, just squeeze out any extra water.
Be sure to properly measure your flour. Too much flour will make the batter really thick and can lead to dry muffins.
I love to add vegan chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or chopped up walnuts to these muffins.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

The muffins will be good for 2-3 days at room temperature in an airtight container, but I actually like to freeze them in a ziploc bag as soon as they have cooled. When I'm ready to eat them, I take one out of the freezer and microwave it for 30 seconds (which makes them taste fresh out of the oven), or let it thaw at room temperature.

vegan zucchini muffins pin for pinterest

MORE VEGAN RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE

If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!

The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.

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