Are you ready to take your standard blueberry muffins to the next level? Don’t worry, it’s not complicated! You don’t have to be an experienced baker to make blueberry muffins healthy.
I’ll show you how to use zucchini to add moisture and nutrition, and even teach you my trick to make it undetectable! This easy recipe works great with wheat flour, or you can grind up some oats into flour for a gluten-free version. So what are you waiting for? Make these zucchini blueberry muffins, stat!
Why You’ll Love Zucchini Blueberry Muffins
- Delicious – Bursting with blueberry flavor and a moist texture, these muffins are a true crowd pleaser.
- Convenient – These zucchini blueberry muffins are a great solution if you need a quick breakfast or an on-the-go snack.
- Sneak in Veggies – Using seasonal fruits to make healthy cranberry muffins (made with fresh or dried cranberries), peach muffins, or raspberry cream cheese muffins is a great way to take advantage of the harvest, but veggies are a great addition to muffins, too! Our family loves healthy pumpkin muffins, bakery-style double chocolate zucchini muffins, and these zucchini blueberry muffins.
- Reduces Waste – For those of you with a bountiful harvest (those who grow zucchini know what I’m talking about!), there are many ways to preserve extra zucchini. One of which is to shred and freeze your zucchini so you can enjoy these muffins all year!
- Versatile – While blueberries are the most popular choice, you can substitute any fresh or frozen berries in this recipe. For those of you who can’t tolerate gluten, you can also swap out wheat flour for your favorite gluten-free flour blend.
Ingredients Needed
A full ingredients list, including measurements, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Eggs – Learn how to store and preserve farm-fresh eggs here.
- Applesauce – Learn 12 different ways to preserve apples here.
- Vanilla Extract – Learn how to make vanilla extract here.
- Grated Prepared Zucchini – Do not neglect the steps in this recipe to properly prepare your fresh zucchini. If your preferred method of preserving zucchini is freeze-drying, refer to the “baked goods” notation in “Ways to Use Zucchini” of my freeze-drying zucchini tutorial.
- Unbleached All-purpose Flour – Fresh ground soft white wheat flour works wonderfully; see Grinding Your Own Flour for baking tips when using freshly milled flour.
Substitutions and Variations
- Melted Butter – You can substitute coconut oil for dairy-free. I prefer to use half of each.
- Sugar – Do not substitute a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup. The added moisture will throw off the texture of this recipe.
- Blueberries – Any fresh or frozen berry can be substituted if you don’t have blueberries.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg – If preferred, you can substitute three teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – You can use your favorite gluten-free flour blend to make this recipe gluten-free. Pro-Tip: Check out my tips for successful gluten-free baking here.
- Zucchini Blueberry Bread – To make a loaf of blueberry zucchini bread, pour the batter into prepared bread pans and bake for about 40 minutes.
Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). If you are not using muffin liners, grease muffin tins or loaf pans. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a bowl and set aside.
Step 2: Grate your zucchinis with a box grater or food processor to release excess moisture.
Step 3: Using your hands, squeeze out your zucchini. Then, use a paper towel to squeeze the shredded zucchini of remaining water. This is important, so don’t forget!
Pro-Tip: To make your zucchini completely undetectable, you can pureé it at this point in a high-powered blender or food processor.
Step 4: Cream together eggs, applesauce, butter, sugar, and vanilla.
Step 5: Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring gently.
Step 6: Gently fold in the grated zucchini and blueberries.
Step 7: Scoop the batter into muffin tins and sprinkle with raw sugar crystals if desired. Bake for 18–22 minutes. (Check for doneness at 18 minutes.)
Pro-Tip: To make a loaf of blueberry zucchini bread, pour the batter into prepared bread pans and bake for about 40 minutes. Test with a toothpick—it should come out clean.
Step 8: Allow the zucchini blueberry muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Storing and Freezing
Before storing your zucchini blueberry muffins, make sure to cool completely. Then, store them at room temperature in airtight containers for 3-4 days. To freeze, place cooled muffins in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag or container.
When you’re ready to thaw, simply remove the desired number of muffins from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature.
Tips for the Best Zucchini Blueberry Muffins
Follow these muffin-making tips to achieve bakery-style zucchini blueberry muffins that are soft and moist with a tender crumb.
| Detail | Tip |
| Prepare Your Zucchini | Follow the preparation method in the recipe instructions to properly drain your zucchini. This step is crucial to avoid soggy muffins. |
| Hide Your Zucchini | No, I’m not talking about tucking it under your bed. One trick to keep picky eaters in the dark (hey, don’t judge a homesteading Mamma) is to puree the zucchini up in the blender until all those little flecks of green are undetectable to the picky eater’s eye. |
| Prepare Your Blueberries | If using frozen blueberries, toss them in flour before folding them into the batter. This will suspend the blueberries and keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins. |
| Measuring | Use proper measuring utensils to accurately measure your ingredients, and spoon and level your flour instead of scooping it from the container. Using too much flour is the top reason muffins come out dense. |
| Mixing | Bring your wet ingredients to room temperature and mix your wet and dry ingredients separately before mixing them together. Don’t use an electric mixer when combining wet and dry ingredients. You could overdevelop the gluten, resulting in dense muffins or large holes in the crumb. |
| Filling | Do not overfill your muffin tins. For mini muffins, fill 1 Tbs. batter per cup, standard muffins are about ¼ cup, and jumbo muffins are about ½ cup batter per cup. Pro-Tip: Use a cookie scoop for ease of filling. |
| Baking | Don’t open the oven door before the minimum baking time is complete, or the muffins may deflate. To check if they are ready, insert a toothpick into the center of one muffin. If it comes out clean with no wet batter, they have finished baking. |
| Substitutions | Any fresh or frozen berry can be substituted if you don’t have blueberries. Coconut Oil can be used in place of butter for a dairy-free version, and your favorite gluten-free flour blend can be used to make this recipe gluten-free. |
| Extras | Sprinkle the top with sparkling sugar for an added touch. |
| Time Saver | This recipe works with my homemade muffin mix. Just use 3 3/4 cups muffin mix in place of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and reduce the sugar in this recipe to 3/4 cup. |
FAQs
Muffins and sweet breads typically use fat for a moist texture. Zucchini offers moisture and a nutritional boost without the extra calories of oil or butter.
Failing to remove the excess moisture from zucchini before baking will result in a soggy texture. First, grate the zucchini to release the moisture. Then, squeeze the zucchini with your hands to remove moisture further.
Tossing the blueberries in flour before folding them into the batter will suspend them and prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins.
Other Posts You May Enjoy
Did you make these zucchini blueberry muffins? If so, please leave a star ⭐️ rating in the recipe card below (this really helps me out)… then, snap a photo and tag me on social media @melissaknorris so I can see! I love getting a glimpse of what you all make in your kitchens.
Zucchini Blueberry Muffin Recipe
Equipment
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Mixer
- Silicone Spatula
- Muffin Tin
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 3 Whole Eggs lightly beaten
- 1/2 Cup Butter melted, or coconut oil
- 1/2 Cup Applesauce
- 3 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 2/3 Cup Raw Sugar
- 2 Cups Shredded Zucchini
Dry Ingredients:
- 3 Cups All-Purpose Flour or a gluten-free blend
- 1 Teaspoon Salt I love Redmond Real Salt. Use code “Pioneering” for 15% off
- 2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon ground
- 1 1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg ground
- 2 Cups Blueberries fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). If you are not using muffin liners, grease muffin tins or loaf pans. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- Grate your zucchinis with a box grater or food processor to release excess moisture.
- Using your hands, squeeze out your zucchini. Then, use a paper towel to squeeze the shredded zucchini of remaining water. This is important, so don’t forget! Pro-Tip: To make your zucchini completely undetectable, you can pureé it at this point in a high-powered blender or food processor.
- Cream together eggs, applesauce, butter, sugar, and vanilla.
- Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring gently.
- Gently fold in the grated zucchini and blueberries.
- Scoop the batter into muffin tins and sprinkle with raw sugar crystals if desired. Bake for 18–22 minutes. (Check for doneness at 18 minutes.) Pro-Tip: To make a loaf of blueberry zucchini bread, pour the batter into prepared bread pans and bake for about 40 minutes. Test with a toothpick—it should come out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Notes
| Detail | Tip |
| Prepare Your Zucchini | Follow the preparation method in the recipe instructions to properly drain your zucchini. This step is crucial to avoid soggy muffins. |
| Hide Your Zucchini | No, I’m not talking about tucking it under your bed. One trick to keep picky eaters in the dark (hey, don’t judge a homesteading Mamma) is to puree the zucchini up in the blender until all those little flecks of green are undetectable to the picky eater’s eye. |
| Prepare Your Blueberries | If using frozen blueberries, toss them in flour before folding them into the batter. This will suspend the blueberries and keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins. |
| Measuring | Use proper measuring utensils to accurately measure your ingredients, and spoon and level your flour instead of scooping it from the container. Using too much flour is the top reason muffins come out dense. |
| Mixing | Bring your wet ingredients to room temperature and mix your wet and dry ingredients separately before mixing them together. Don’t use an electric mixer when combining wet and dry ingredients. You could overdevelop the gluten, resulting in dense muffins or large holes in the crumb. |
| Filling | Do not overfill your muffin tins. For mini muffins, fill 1 Tbs. batter per cup, standard muffins are about ¼ cup, and jumbo muffins are about ½ cup batter per cup. Pro-Tip: Use a cookie scoop for ease of filling. |
| Baking | Don’t open the oven door before the minimum baking time is complete, or the muffins may deflate. To check if they are ready, insert a toothpick into the center of one muffin. If it comes out clean with no wet batter, they have finished baking. |
| Substitutions | Any fresh or frozen berry can be substituted if you don’t have blueberries. Coconut Oil can be used in place of butter for a dairy-free version, and your favorite gluten-free flour blend can be used to make this recipe gluten-free. |
| Extras | Sprinkle the top with sparkling sugar for an added touch. |
| Time Saver | This recipe works with my homemade muffin mix. Just use 3 3/4 cups muffin mix in place of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and reduce the sugar in this recipe to 3/4 cup. |
Wow! These are fantastic! I had some fresh-made applesauce left over after canning and a nice big zucchini sitting on my kitchen counter that I needed to use up. In no time, I had the batter mixed up and my muffin tins filled. I used tulip paper liners and they worked great, keeping the batter nicely contained so I could scatter a few extra blueberries over the muffin tops before baking.
These are soft, tender, and did I mention fantastic? Thank you, Melissa!
Hello Melissa, I tried the recipe for the first time yesterday and it was
AH-MAY-ZING!!! I didn’t have applesauce so I used your suggestion for coconut oil. They were moist and the flavor was delicious. I will definetly bake them again.
I have one question for clarity, I wrang out most of the water in the zucchini before I realized that it was not a part of the directions. Should I extract the excess liquid or leave it in?
Thank you for sharing,
Peyton
Oh my goodness! This bread recipe is sooo good! I added a half cup chia seeds to mine too and it gives it the tiniest little crunch. Yum.
Thanks for the tip about the chia seeds!!
There is already butter in the recipe. If I omit applesauce do I still add another 1/2 cup of melted butter? Or 1/2 C total butter?
Can I make this recipe in loaf pans? I love the muffins so much, that I want to make them as mini loafs for Christmas gifts.
Thanks so much!
Mary
Yes, you’ll just have to bake longer 🙂
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! My friends are going to love these mini loaves.
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! My friends are going to love these mini loaves.
If not using applesauce, then you would use 1/2 c butter plus the 1/2 c that’s already in the receipe for a total of 1 cup?
Correct!
disappointed with the amount of sugar in your blueberry zucchini muffins… a great way to get a sugar high for breakfast!
You can adjust the sugar to your preference, no need to be rude.
Hi Melissa, this recipe sounds good, but I am supposed to cut calories and the easiest place to cut them is to eliminate fats. Do you think this recipe would work with no butter but extra applesauce?
I am not technically a homesteader, but I have been gardening and preserving food for more than 40 years. Your blog is a great resource.
Jenny P
Yes, but you may want to research macro and micronutrients for weight loss, as fat calories don’t make you fat, it’s sugars (even those found in fruit) that cause weight gain. I’d cut back the sugar if I was concerned about calories before the butter personally. But if you want to omit the butter you can try all applesauce.
I love you recipes, I will send your e-mail address to my sister in Hot Springs Arkansas if it’s Ok with you. Think she would enjoy them too. I will wait for an answer from you first. Thank you Mellisa.
Hello Melissa, I found you recently and am so enjoying your videos/blogs. I love to garden and want to learn as much as possible to make it more successful. We have had a different summer as well weather wise and this summer I have never had to water as much as I have, ever. I live on the east coast in Canada. It was discouraging mid summer when new bugs arrived to chow down on my vegatables but they have moved on and I am presevering. Not as good harvests as normal due to the dryness. My hope is that you might comment on Brandwine tomatoes. I love the fruit. Only had one growing and pulled it several weeks ago as I feared it may have been developing a desease. Not sure that it was but it appeared at times to have a dark tinge to the edges of the leaves. Is this normal for brandywine? THere were only 6 fruit on the plant and they all ripened fine. My other few plants are not heirloom and have reistance built into them. None of them are at all affected. In fact it has been so dry the tomatoes in general are looking heathier than ususal as there is not blight, etc. – common problems for us too normally. Thank-you and I should also mention that your videos on sourdough were helpful too!
This recipe looks amazing!
How woould you suggest making low carb friendly?
Almond Flour and/or Coconut Flour?
Sugar substitute?
Thanks so much!
What is the Nutritional information and calories on these muffins
I’ve been using this recipe for over a year now. I double it and put away 3-4 dozen in the freezer at a time. They freeze beautifully! Also, I’m not a fan of blueberries in my muffins, but I purée them and it’s divine! I just swirl the blueberry purée into the finished batter and voila! Blueberry muffins without the large chunks of blueberry. ? Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I have a lot of dehydrated zucchini.. I wonder if I pulse chop it in the blender or food processor and then soak it a little. Looks tasty!
I would definitely try it!
My daughter and I made these this afternoon. The garden is bursting with zucchini and blueberries and we were looking for a new way to use them. Mercy!!! These are the BEST muffins! We used freshly ground spelt flour and substituted oil for the applesauce as we didn’t have anymore sauce on the shelves. Excellent!! I can’t recommend these enough. We’ll be making (and freezing) lots of these! Thanks for a great recipe.
Yay, I’m so glad you guys enjoyed them, woo hoo!
Looks delicious, and I have an abundance of zucchini right now! Is there something I can sub for the applesauce? I don’t have any on hand, and I want to try to make do with what I do have. Thank you!
Any pureed fruit or sub in any liquid oil for the equal amount.
i have been thinking of subbing mandarin oranges in this recipe . alternating them & blueberries . hope it works 🙂
Hi Melissa, can I substitute gluten free flour in this recipe? thanks, I love all you post!!!!
Hi Carol,
If you do, you’ll need to increase the liquid a little bit, usually gluten free flour requires more.
Hi Melissa,
If your family likes pineapple, try substituting drained crushed pineapple for the blueberries.
You can even add finely chopped nuts (my family loves pecans) for even more goodness!
Thank you for your wonderful website, I enjoy it immensely.
Melissa, will soft white wheat berries work in this recipe? If so, will the amount or liquid fluctuate at all? Also, after you blend the zucchini, do you squeeze out excess water? Thank you ??
Deb,
Yes, you could use soft white wheat berries. I used the last of our frozen zucchini from last year and blended it, I’d drained it before I froze it, so I didn’t drain it, after going the blender it was pretty much thick juice already. But when using fresh or before freezing I do squeeze it out.
Have you used freshly ground flour instead of all purpose flour?
Yes, I typically use spelt and with fresh ground spelt I up it by a 1/4 cup for every 1 cup of all purpose flour when altering.
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I think my mouth just watered. Yup. Delish!
lol, I kept snitching bites all night until an entire muffin was gone. They’re pretty healthy w/ the fruits and veggies, or at least, that’s what I keep consoling myself with.