These delicious Zucchini Blueberry Muffins are moist, packed with flavor, and under 200 calories! Loaded with healthy ingredients like zucchini, blueberries (or huckleberries) means you can enjoy these Zucchini Blueberry Muffins guilt-free, for breakfast, snack, or my favorite way, with a good cup of coffee!
Some of you might be wondering if this blog has turned into a zucchini recipe blog with all of my recent zucchini recipe posts (particularly, Zucchini Stew and Cheese-Stuffed Zucchini Flowers). Don't worry, this will be my last zucchini recipe for the season, I promise.
Lately, I've been trying to come up with recipes that don't require baking since I'm going on 3 months without an oven.
We have not been able to find the right wall oven anywhere because supply is very limited. So when I was sharing my dilemma with my friend, Kelly, she suggested that I use my toaster oven instead, genius!
These Zucchini Blueberry Muffins were baked in my toaster oven and came out perfect every time I tested the recipe. The baking time should be the same when using an oven.
Why This Recipe Works
This Zucchini Blueberry Muffins recipe is so easy to prepare! You don't even need to use your mixer. The batter is hand-mixed in a bowl.
Most muffin recipes have one cup of oil, while this one only requires â…“ of a cup. That's because I replace some of the oil with applesauce. The shredded zucchini and pineapple do a wonderful job of adding additional moisture, making these Zucchini Blueberry Muffins extra moist and delicious!
If you're lucky enough to have huckleberries, you can add them instead of the blueberries. I used a combination of huckleberries and blueberries.
What Goes Into This Recipe
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Zucchini — Fresh or frozen shredded zucchini can be used in this recipe.
- Pineapple — Canned crushed pineapple is more convenient than using fresh pineapple. Strain the liquid before adding it to the batter. If using fresh pineapple, chop into cubes and pulse a few times in a blender, then drain the excess juice.
- Oil — Instead of vegetable oil, you can use melted coconut oil, avocado oil, or melted butter.
- Blueberries — Besides fresh or frozen blueberries or huckleberries, you can add ½ cup of raisins or Craisins.
- Coconut — I like adding flaked coconut on top, which is coarser than shredded coconuts and looks beautiful when baked and toasted. If you don't like coconut, it can be left out of the recipe.
How to Make Zucchini Blueberry Muffins
Step 1 | Preheat Oven & Prepare Pans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray or muffin liners. This recipe makes 18 muffins.
Step 2 | Whisk Wet Ingredients
Whisk eggs, vegetable oil, and applesauce into a medium-sized bowl. Add sugar and whisk to combine. Stir zucchini, crushed pineapple, milk, and vanilla into the bowl.
whisk eggs add sugar and other wet ingredients
Tip: Make sure to squeeze the shredded zucchini to remove excess liquid before adding it to the batter. This is especially necessary when using frozen and defrosted zucchini.
Step 3 | Mix Dry Ingredients with Wet Ingredients
In a larger bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cardamom. Whisk to combine. Add walnuts and blueberries (or huckleberries, or a combination of both) into the dry ingredients and coat with the flour. Fold in wet ingredients just until combined.
sift flour sift spices add freshly ground nutmeg fold berries/nuts into flour combine wet and dry ingredients don't over mix
Step 4 | Bake Zucchini Blueberry Muffins
Add ¼ cup of Zucchini Blueberry Muffins batter into each muffin liner. Sprinkle with flaked coconut, if desired. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
pour batter into pan add coconut bake muffins cool muffins on a rack
Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips
You do not need to peel zucchini before adding it to the batter.
One reason zucchini muffins can get soggy is if your zucchini was too wet, especially if it was frozen first then thawed. Squeeze the excess liquid before adding the zucchini to the batter.
Once cool, zucchini muffins can be stored in a ziplock bag at room temperature for three to four days. After that, you should refrigerate the remaining muffins to keep them from spoiling.
Zucchini muffins freeze very well. First, make sure they are completely cool, then wrap in foil and double bag in freezer bags. To defrost, unwrap the foil and bring the muffins to room temperature inside the bag. Or wrap in a napkin and microwave for 30 seconds at a time until warmed through.
- Since you will lose a lot of volume once you drain the liquid from frozen and thawed zucchini, you may need to add more shredded zucchini to equal one cup.
- Use only freshly ground nutmeg, which tastes and smells a million times better than powdered nutmeg.
- Wipe any splattered batter off of the pan with a damp paper towel before baking the muffins. Once the splatter is baked on, it will be harder to remove.
Related Recipes
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Zucchini Blueberry Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- â…“ cup vegetable oil
- 1 4-ounce sweetened apple sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (approximately 4 ounces)
- ½ cup crushed pineapple (drained)
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg (freshly ground)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ cup walnuts (chopped)
- 1 cup blueberries (huckleberries, or a combo)
- â…“ cup flaked coconut (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray or muffin liners. This recipe makes 18 muffins.
- Whisk eggs, vegetable oil, and applesauce into a medium-sized bowl. Add sugar and whisk to combine. Stir zucchini, crushed pineapple, milk, and vanilla into the bowl.Â
- In a larger bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cardamom. Whisk to combine. Add walnuts and blueberries (or huckleberries, or a combination of both) into the dry ingredients and coat with the flour. Fold in wet ingredients just until combined.
- Add ¼ cup of Zucchini Blueberry Muffins batter into each muffin liner. Sprinkle with flaked coconut, if desired. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
Notes
- Coating the berries and walnuts with flour keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins.
- Make sure to squeeze the shredded zucchini to remove excess liquid before adding it to the batter. This is especially necessary when using frozen and defrosted zucchini.
- Since you will lose a lot of volume once you drain the liquid from frozen and thawed zucchini, you may need to add more shredded zucchini to equal one cup.
- Use only freshly ground nutmeg, which tastes and smells a million times better than powdered nutmeg.
- Wipe any splattered batter off of the pan with a damp paper towel before baking the muffins. Once the splatter is baked on, it will be harder to remove.
Faith Foust says
Wow, these are delicious. Moist and packed with a wonderful huckleberry "punch". Just enough sweetness that doesn't overwhelm, and yes, I love the crunchy coconut on top! And with all the healthy additions I can eat two at a time! Thanks for another winning recipe for my collection, Hilda!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Faith. I'm glad you like them and as always, I appreciate the review. Which reminds me, I need to make some more!
Kathy Fisher says
Well, you can start drooling. I just took these out of the over 1/2 hour ago. This is a thank you Jesus moment. And, thank you Hilda. They are so delicious and healthy. Used my homegrown blueberries. I'm in Heaven.
Hilda Sterner says
You're so funny, you REALLY like these muffins!
Kelly Methey says
These muffins are so moist and delicious. No one would ever know they are also healthy and low in calories! These are a fantastic way to use some of the zucchini from those beautiful, summer gardens. Well done Hilda!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Kelly! It was nice seeing you and having you taste test the recipe.