Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins – Dairy Free

Healthy and dairy free whole wheat zucchini muffins that are sweetened with honey. A perfect breakfast for Summer mornings and one of my favorite ways to use up extra zucchini from the garden!

I’m going to guess its zucchini season in your neck of the woods! Did you find this recipe because you’re growing zucchini in your garden or a neighbor had tons of zucchini and dumped some on you?

I love zucchini! It tastes delicious in both savory and sweet recipes. I don’t know many other ingredients you can say that about!

You don’t even have to peel zucchini before using it. Just shred the whole thing up and add it to muffins, breads, cakes and more!

A great way to use up extra zucchini is to make muffins! These easy zucchini muffins make a great breakfast because they’re high in fiber, low in calories and don’t have any refined sugars at all. Make a double batch so that you have extra to freeze for busy mornings!

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Why you’ll like this recipe

• moist – the honey, zucchini and coconut oil make these muffins perfectly moist and tender, not dry or crumbly.
• flavorful – these zucchini muffins are spiced with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
• healthy – this recipe is made with healthy substitutions like honey, whole wheat flour and coconut oil.
• nutritious – high in fiber, and loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. Zucchini muffins make a great healthy snack or breakfast option!
• use up extra zucchini – if you’re growing zucchini in the garden, you’re probably looking for ways to use some of it up! You can make a big batch of zucchini muffins and freeze some for later.
• freeze well – these muffins can be frozen for for up to 6 months in an airtight container and thawed at room temperature.

What you need to make Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins

ingredients

• shredded zucchini – zucchini that is picked when its about 8 inches long will give you the best flavor and consistency. But don’t worry if you’ve let your zucchini get too big, its still fine to use.
• coconut oil – coconut oil contains healthy fatty acids that boost heart health. Melted butter is a good substitute if that’s what you have on hand.
• vanilla extract – pure vanilla is best for this recipe. I used my homemade vanilla extract.
• almond milk – any type of milk can be used, but using almond milk makes these muffins dairy-free.
• honey – raw honey is what I used. Pure maple syrup is a good substitute.
• egg – eggs hold the muffins together and also help them to rise.
• salt – for flavor. Salt also brings out the sweetness in the honey a bit more.
• cinnamon – cinnamon gives these banana muffins a wonderful spiced flavor.
• baking soda – to make the muffins rise.
• all purpose flour – Gold Metal is my favorite brand of flour to use.
• whole wheat flour – whole wheat flour for a more substantial, more filling muffin.
• pecans – chopped pecans. After baking they have an amazing toasted flavor and add crunch to the muffin tops.

supplies

• box grater or shredder – for grating the zucchini.
• medium and large mixing bowl – for mixing the wet and dry ingredients.
• muffin pan – a regular sized muffin tin with 12 cups.
• muffin liners (optional) – non stick muffin liners work the best, but any liners would be fine.
• wire cooling rack – for cooling the muffins after baking.

FAQ about Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins

why are my zucchini muffins dry?

Leaving the peels on when you shred zucchini will give you more moist muffins. Make sure you don’t squeeze any liquid out of the zucchini before adding it to your muffin mixture or you’ll end up with dry muffins.

how do you grate zucchini for muffins?

Cut off both ends of the zucchini to remove the hard stem and blossom end. Gently rub the zucchini against a shredder until the entire thing is shredded.

Zucchini can also be shredded quickly in a food processor using the shredder blade.

do you need to peel or remove the seeds from zucchini for these whole wheat muffins?

You don’t have to peel zucchini before shredding it for muffins since its edible and add extra health benefits when included in a recipe.

If you are using zucchini that has gotten to be longer than 8 inches, the seeds will be too big to use in muffins. Adding the seeds will change the consistency of your muffins and give them a bitter flavor.

Healthy Zucchini Muffins Recipe

Prep – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin pan with 12 liners or spray the pan lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.

Mix The Wet Ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk the coconut oil and honey together until completely combined. Whisk the egg. Add in the vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.

Mix With The Dry Ingredients – In a large bowl combine the flours, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Stir in the shredded zucchini.

Combine – Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Don’t over mix. Gently fold in the nuts. Let the batter sit in the mixing bowl for 10 minutes.

Fill The Muffin Cups – Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin tin, filling them all the way to the top.

Bake Muffins – Place the muffin pan on the middle rack and bake 20-25 minutes until a long toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops of the muffins springs back when touched with your finger.

Let Cool – Bake the muffins for 20 – 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for 10 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

tips for success

Substitutions – Walnuts can be substituted for the pecans in this recipe or left out all together.

Don’t Overbake – Check the muffins after they have been baking 20 minutes and lightly press on the tops to see if they stay firm. If they sink a bit, they need to bake a few more minutes

To Store – Keep in an airtight container or zip lock bag for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Healthy Breakfast Recipes On The Blog:

If you liked this recipe, I think you’ll really enjoy these other healthy muffins and other breakfast ideas on the blog!

• Chocolate Overnight Oats
• Instant Pot Oatmeal
• Banana Baked Oatmeal
• Healthy Jumbo Banana Muffins
• Chunky Date and Pecan Granola

I hope you love this healthy zucchini muffin recipe! If you make them, I’d love for you to come back and leave a comment and rating so that I know how you like them!

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