Zucchini Apple Muffins
Moist, tender muffins that combine shredded zucchini and grated apple with warm cinnamon spices. The vegetables add natural sweetness and moisture while keeping the crumb tender and delicate. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or lunchbox treats, and just as delicious served warm as they are at room temperature.
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Have paper towels or a clean kitchen towel ready for squeezing moisture from the grated zucchini—this step prevents soggy muffins.
Line muffin tinOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place paper liners into each cup of your 12-cup muffin tin, pressing them gently into place so they stay upright.
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Ready when: All 12 cups have liners in place
Shred and squeeze vegetables
- Using a box grater, grate the zucchini and apple.
- Transfer the grated zucchini to a clean kitchen towel or several paper towels and squeeze firmly over the sink to remove as much moisture as possible.
- This is crucial for preventing dense, wet muffins.
- Measure out 1 cup (120g) of squeezed zucchini and ¾ cup (90g) of grated apple, loosely packed.
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Ready when: Zucchini is thoroughly squeezed and no liquid drips when released
Tip: Squeezing the zucchini dry is non-negotiable for tender muffins. Wet zucchini will make them soggy and dense.
Combine dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (1¾ cup / 220g), baking soda (1 tsp / 5g), baking powder (1 tsp / 5g), ground cinnamon (1½ tsp / 3g), salt (¼ tsp / 1.5g), and ground nutmeg (¼ tsp / 0.5g) if using.
- Whisk until evenly combined and no lumps remain.
- Set the bowl aside.
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Ready when: Dry ingredients are evenly combined with no visible lumps
Mix wet ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted unsalted butter (½ cup / 115g) and large eggs (2) until well blended.
- Add the granulated sugar (¾ cup / 150g) and whisk for about 1 minute until the mixture becomes light and slightly thickened.
- Stir in the vanilla extract (1 tsp / 5ml).
- If using sour cream or yogurt (¼ cup / 60g), fold it in gently with a spatula to keep the mixture light.
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Ready when: Mixture is light, pale, and smooth with no lumps
Add zucchini and apple
- Gently fold the squeezed zucchini and grated apple into the wet ingredient mixture using a rubber spatula, stirring just until evenly distributed throughout.
- The batter should look slightly studded with vegetable pieces.
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Ready when: Zucchini and apple are evenly distributed in the batter
Fold in dry ingredients
- Pour the dry ingredient mixture over the wet mixture and fold together gently with a spatula, using as few strokes as possible.
- Fold just until you see no more dry flour streaks—about 8–10 folds total.
- The batter should be lumpy and rough-looking.
- Do not overmix, as this develops gluten and results in tough, dense muffins.
- If using chopped walnuts (½ cup / 60g), fold them in at the very end.
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Ready when: No dry flour streaks visible, but lumps of batter remain
Tip: Overmixing is the #1 mistake that leads to tough muffins. Stop folding as soon as dry flour is no longer visible.
Fill muffin cups
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 lined muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
- A spring-loaded ice cream scoop or a ¼-cup measure helps ensure uniform portions and even baking.
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Ready when: All muffin cups are filled to approximately the same level
Tip: Uneven filling causes muffins to bake at different rates. Aim for consistent height in each cup.
Bake until goldenOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the muffin tin in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not completely clean).
- The muffin tops should be golden brown.
- The slightly moist crumbs are expected due to the zucchini and apple; do not bake until the toothpick comes out completely dry, or the muffins will be overcooked and taste dry.
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Ready when: Toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs; tops are golden brown
Tip: Every oven is different. Start checking with a toothpick at 23 minutes if your oven runs hot.
Cool before serving
- Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the muffins cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
- This allows them to set and firm up slightly, making them easy to remove without falling apart.
- Then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool further, or serve warm with butter or cream cheese.
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Ready when: Muffins have cooled enough to remove from the tin without crumbling
Tip: Don't skip this cooling step in the tin—removing muffins while too hot will cause them to break apart.
Good to know
Tips
- Grate the zucchini and apple just before adding them to the batter to prevent excess browning and oxidation, which can affect flavor.
- For the most flavorful muffins, use freshly grated or freshly ground nutmeg instead of pre-ground. The aroma and flavor are noticeably superior.
- Double this recipe and freeze extras in a zip-lock bag. Thawed muffins reheat beautifully and make convenient grab-and-go breakfasts throughout the week.
- Serve warm with a pat of butter, a smear of cream cheese, or a drizzle of honey for extra indulgence.
Make ahead
Muffin batter can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. Bake from cold, adding 2–3 minutes to the baking time if the batter hasn't come to room temperature. Baked muffins also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature (in an airtight container or zip-lock bag): up to 3 days. Refrigerator (in an airtight container): up to 5 days. Freezer (in a freezer bag or container): up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1–2 hours, or warm in a 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes until heated through.
Substitutions
- all-purpose flour → Whole wheat flour (use for 50% of the flour). This will make the muffins slightly denser and nuttier in flavor. Use 110g (0.875 cup) whole wheat flour and 110g (0.875 cup) all-purpose flour.
- granulated sugar → Packed brown sugar. Use the same amount (¾ cup / 150g) for a slightly deeper, molasses-forward flavor and softer texture.
- apple (Granny Smith, Fuji, or Honeycrisp) → Pear. Use the same amount of grated pear as a substitute; it provides a similar texture and moisture content.
- unsalted butter → Coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil. Use the same amount; oil creates an even more tender crumb than butter. Coconut oil will add a subtle coconut flavor.
