Vegan Zucchini Muffins

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!

This recipe was originally published in May, 2021. It has been updated with new photos, detailed instructions, and a step-by-step-video.

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!
• Similar to my vegan blackberry muffins, vegan zucchini muffins freeze well and are 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 vegan zucchini muffins are a great way to sneak some veggies into your day (just like these banana carrot muffins!), and they are freezer friendly!
• You can make these with or without chocolate chips!

Ingredients Needed

• 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, white whole wheat flour, or even gluten free 1-1 baking flour to make gluten free vegan 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 a chia 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.

Step By Step Instructions

Note: Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

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.

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.

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. Add vegan chocolate chips if desired. Pour the batter into muffin liners, almost to the top (around ¾ full).

STEP SIX: Bake the vegan zucchini muffins for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centre of one of the muffins.

Let the muffins cool in the baking tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

FAQs and Expert Tips

Can I add other mix-ins to these muffins?

Yes! You can add 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

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 vegan zucchini 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.

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.