• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Natural Nurturer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Home
  • Info
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
  • Recipes
    • Recipes by Type
      • Breakfast
        • Muffins
        • Oatmeal
        • Pancakes & Waffles
      • Desserts
      • Dinner
      • Dips, Sauces & Spreads
      • How To
      • Salads
      • Side Dishes
      • Smoothies & Drinks
      • Snacks
      • Soups
    • Recipes by Diet
      • Dairy-Free
      • Gluten-Free
      • Grain Free
      • Nut-Free
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Whole30
    • Recipes by Cooking Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Instant Pot
      • Meal Prep
      • No Cook
      • Roasted
      • Slow Cooker
    • Recipe Search
    • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Stories
  • Shop
    • Ebooks and Meal Plans
    • Recommended Products
  • Blog
    • Food For Thought
Home » Dietary Preference » Vegetarian » Healthy Zucchini Lemon Muffins

Healthy Zucchini Lemon Muffins

By Taesha Butler May 12, 2020 (Updated December 9, 2021) 50 Comments

Servings12 muffins
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Jump to Recipe
4.92 from 24 votes

These Healthy Zucchini Lemon Muffins are simply the BEST! Bright in flavor, delicious, easy and made with simple ingredient. Dairy-free and can easily be made gluten free! You are going to love these healthy muffins.

A

Zucchini Lemon Muffins

When life hands you lemons, make zucchini lemon muffins!

Right? That’s totally the saying?

No? Oh, well now it’s my saying and totally fitting since all of the lemon trees here in San Diego are BURSTING with lemons needing a purpose. And the endless zucchinis in my CSA box inspired me to bust out this recipe that as been rolling around in my brain since last summer.

These muffins are actually inspired by one of my favorite breads from my Paleo days. I never knew just how magical zucchini and lemon could be together until that bread and now I am beyond hooked on that flavor combination. It just like summer sunshine in baked form and works for dessert, snacks or breakfast. Seriously, so much winning.

A step-by-step guide to making Healthy Zucchini Lemon Muffins

Why these healthy zucchini lemon muffins are just awesome

  • The zucchini adds a healthy dose of veggies into your life! Plus, the shredded zucchini gives these muffins the perfect level of moisture.
  • Lemon adds a lovely bright flavor to the muffins and is pretty much what sunshine tastes like.
  • They are super easy, mixed in your blender! Less dishes = life goals.
  • These muffins are totally dairy-free and easily can be made gluten free! Oh, and naturally sweetened too!
Healthy Zucchini Lemon Muffins in a basket with white cloth

Suggested adaptions

  • Replace the zucchini with summer squash. I find that they are pretty interchangeable in recipes. Just be sure to still squeeze it out!
  • Up the lemon flavor. If you are a lemon lover, by all means, add extra lemon zest to give these muffins an extra POW of lemon flavor. We all lemon on different levels.
  • Omit or reduce sweetener. These healthy lemon muffins are loaded with banana, which does oodles of naturally sweetening on its own. So if you are looking to reduce your added sugar or just enjoy a lightly sweetened muffin, skip the honey/maple syrup and up the banana to 1 cup.
  • Use unsweetened applesauce instead of banana. I personally thing lemons and bananas are a magical flavor combination. However if bananas are not your thing or you don’t have any on hand, swap out the mashed bananas in this recipe with some unsweetened applesauce.
  • Stir in some poppyseeds! Poppyseeds and lemon are basically BFFs and these muffins are lovely with 1 Tbsp of poppyseeds stirred into the batter.
Healthy Zucchini Lemon Muffins on cooling rack, with one muffin cut open.

Other veggie-loaded muffin recipes

  • Healthy Carrot Pumpkin Muffins
  • Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
  • Oatmeal Green Smoothie Muffins
  • Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Muffins
  • Nut-Free Paleo Chocolate Butternut Squash Muffins
  • Almond Butter Blueberry Zucchini Muffins

Did you try this veggie-loaded muffin recipe and now you’re hungry for more? 

Sign up so that my newsletter is delivered straight to your inbox. And be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all kinds of veggie-loaded living ideas!

Print Recipe
4.92 from 24 votes

Zucchini Lemon Muffins

These Healthy Zucchini Lemon Muffins are simply the BEST! Bright in flavor, delicious, easy and made with simple ingredient. You are going to love these healthy muffins.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dairy-free, gluten free, healthy muffins for kids, hidden veggies, lemon muffins, nut-free option, zucchini muffins
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 129kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Equipment

  • Muffin tin
  • Blender

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup grated zucchini
  • 2 cups rolled oats if gluten free is important, make sure the oats are certified gluten free
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup mashed banana
  • 1/3 cup honey* or maple syrup
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • zest of one large lemon (mine made about 1 1/2 Tbsp zest)
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a 12-hole muffin tin with liners.
  • Take the grated zucchini and place it in the middle of a clean dish towel or large paper towel. Wrap the zucchini in the towel and squeeze out as much of the moisture as you can. Set aside. 
  • Pour oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt into your blender. Pulse until very finely ground and the oats resemble flour.
  • Add remaining ingredients except zucchini to the blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides and continuing to blend as needed.
  • Add drained zucchini to the batter and fold in.
    You can pour the batter into a bowl before zucchini if you want to. However, I was looking to make as few dishes as possible, so I just poured them into the blender with the batter and stirred them in.
  • Portion the batter out between the 12 lined muffin tin holes.
  • Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  • Cool for 15-20 minutes before enjoying. Allow the muffins to cool completely before transferring to an air-tight container. Store in fridge for 4-5 days or in freezer for up to a month.

Notes

*If making muffins for a child under age 1, use maple syrup instead of honey. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 116mg | Potassium: 211mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

Sharing is caring!

4258 shares
  • Share466
  • Tweet

Filed Under: Gluten-Free, Meal Prep, Muffins, Snacks, Vegetarian Tagged With: zucchini

Previous Post: « Veggie-Loaded Spring Meal Plan
Next Post: Mushroom Lentil Pasta »

Reader Interactions

    Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Jessie Root

    May 12, 2020 at 4:04 pm

    5 stars
    As a total lemon head I can say that these have the best natural lemon flavor! Seriously a perfect muffin, and bonus – my 10 month old LOVES them! So thankful my neighbor lets me steal their giant lemons!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 13, 2020 at 2:49 am

      Babies loving healthy veggie-loaded muffins might be my favorite kind of review!

      Reply
  2. Rosie

    May 12, 2020 at 4:59 pm

    5 stars
    Just made these and my house smells SO AMAZING! I couldn’t wait for them to cool to try one. So good with a little butter in top.

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 13, 2020 at 2:49 am

      Oh good call! And dunked in coffee!

      Reply
  3. Erica

    May 13, 2020 at 2:46 am

    5 stars
    These are delicious! The lemon flavor is perfect. Super easy. Will be making these again

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 13, 2020 at 2:48 am

      I am SO glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  4. Danielle

    May 15, 2020 at 10:00 pm

    5 stars
    So easy to make and delicious. Another veggie loaded muffin my toddler loves!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 16, 2020 at 3:40 pm

      I am so glad you and your family enjoyed these!

      Reply
  5. Sarah E Partain

    May 17, 2020 at 12:55 pm

    Have you ever substituted with a grain-free flour? Would love to know how it turned out!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 18, 2020 at 4:13 pm

      I haven’t tried yet but I would love to try with a almond flour and tapioca flour blend!

      Reply
  6. Joanna

    May 20, 2020 at 1:36 pm

    5 stars
    These were amazing! Will definitely add them to our rotation.

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 20, 2020 at 2:13 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  7. Heather @ Fit Mama Real Food

    May 22, 2020 at 5:55 pm

    5 stars
    These turned out super tasty! Love the lemon and how easily they came together in the blender. And of course the veggies!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 22, 2020 at 6:27 pm

      Thanks Heather! I am so glad they were enjoyed!

      Reply
  8. Amelia

    May 23, 2020 at 11:56 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious, loved by my 3.5 year old and 1 year old. Thank you

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 24, 2020 at 2:40 pm

      Love it! Reviews from little food critics are my favorite!

      Reply
  9. Marla

    May 26, 2020 at 1:10 pm

    5 stars
    These have a fantastic flavor – so refreshing! I used almond flour instead of the oats and mixed everything together in my kitchenaid since I didn’t have to pulverize the oats and it worked great! I later realized my baking powder was very expired (which may explain some other baking problems!) so mine were very flat, but I believe that was due to the baking powder and not the use of almond flour. This will become one of my regular muffins to make!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 26, 2020 at 4:13 pm

      Oh that is so great to hear! I have some almond flour coming today so I can try these grain free! So I am jazzed they worked. And yes, old baking powder can totally impact the rise of a baked good!

      Reply
  10. Lena

    May 26, 2020 at 10:02 pm

    5 stars
    Got my new silicone muffin form yesterday and those were the first muffins I baked! Super delicious, nice and juicy and sweet enough even though I didn’t use any sweetener because I wanted my 9 months old to try them as well. Guess what – he loves them too! Win for the whole family, they were gone in a day 🙂 Definitely going to make them again soon!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 26, 2020 at 10:10 pm

      I am SO happy to hear that!

      Reply
  11. Kay

    June 9, 2020 at 1:40 am

    5 stars
    These were perfect for using up the zucchini coming from our garden! Making a double batch tomorrow! (Because today’s are already gone!)

    Reply
    • Taesha

      June 9, 2020 at 3:15 pm

      I am so glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  12. cheg

    June 15, 2020 at 10:30 am

    the muffins tasted amazing

    Reply
  13. Jami

    June 28, 2020 at 10:00 pm

    Anyone had any luck making these egg free?

    Reply
  14. Cairstiona Wilson

    November 14, 2020 at 6:45 pm

    5 stars
    Tried these out, and they’re delicious! I think I’ll add some extra lemon zest next time because my toddler and I love the taste of lemon.
    Love trying healthy muffin recipes, so I can’t wait to try more! 😄

    Reply
    • Taesha

      November 16, 2020 at 6:29 pm

      I am so glad!

      Reply
  15. Denise

    January 25, 2021 at 5:01 am

    These Zucchini Lemon muffins are yummy! My husband liked it too, yay! I shared the recipe with a girlfriend. I love the touch of lemon!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 25, 2021 at 3:49 pm

      I am so glad you enjoyed them, Denise!

      Reply
  16. Courtney

    April 7, 2021 at 1:13 am

    5 stars
    These are crazy good!!! I added the suggested poppyseeds and pulsed the zucchini a few quick times with the mixture in the blender (to make the pieces a bit smaller). My 1 year old practically bit my fingers off as I was giving him bites. I think he likes them. My husband was also a huge fan, so I’ll be making some just for us next! So. Much. Yum.

    Reply
    • Taesha

      April 7, 2021 at 5:02 pm

      I am SO glad you enjoyed them so much….and you still have all your digits intact 😂

      Reply
  17. Abbi

    May 2, 2021 at 6:42 pm

    5 stars
    These are super tasty! We omitted the honey since there was so much banana and they were delicious. The only thing was that there didn’t seem to be as much batter as a typical muffin recipe, so the muffins were quite small. However, they still turned out great.

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 2, 2021 at 8:10 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  18. Melissa

    May 25, 2021 at 8:08 pm

    3 stars
    I have made these 3 times, but they came out gummy/dense each time. Followed recipe exactly. Flavor is great, but I wish they were fluffy.

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 26, 2021 at 5:14 pm

      Hi Melissa! Glad you enjoy the flavor! The oats do create for a much denser muffin vs. a muffin made with flour. With that said, I have found these to be pretty soft for an oat based muffin. I find that over blending/mixing the batter can result in a gummy middle. Perhaps stop the blender as soon as the ingredients is combined and see if that helps? Or maybe process the dry ingredients into a flour in your blender and then do the rest of the mixing in a bowl to prevent over processing.

      Reply
      • Melissa

        June 4, 2021 at 10:02 pm

        I did exactly as you said and they are delicious! I was over mixing this recipe and one of your other one. Thank you so much!

        Reply
        • Taesha

          June 8, 2021 at 1:00 pm

          Yay! I’m so glad it worked out!

          Reply
  19. Claudia

    June 4, 2021 at 9:19 pm

    Silly question (I’m a newbie to the kitchen!). What is the difference between baking soda and baking powder?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      June 8, 2021 at 1:01 pm

      Baking soda needs an acid (like vinegar or lemon juice) to activate its rising action. Baking powder does not need an acid.

      Reply
  20. Deb

    July 2, 2021 at 9:40 pm

    Hi!

    Instead of oats, can I sub gf 1:1 flour?

    Thank you
    Deb

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      July 3, 2021 at 8:37 pm

      I haven’t tried it with GF flour but it might work! If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!

      Reply
  21. Hollie

    March 10, 2022 at 3:59 pm

    I made these using flax for egg substitute and they did not turn out. I left them in the oven for 10 minutes longer and they are still wet and gooey on the inside. I put them back in and still waiting right now. They smell wonderful though! Has anyone made using an egg sub. that worked? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      March 10, 2022 at 8:28 pm

      Hi Hollie! I have made these several time egg free with flax eggs and they have worked for me, so lets see if we can troubleshoot! Did you squeeze out your zucchini well? Those suckers can add so much moisture to a baked good if you don’t!

      Reply
  22. Emily Blakely

    June 29, 2022 at 4:41 pm

    5 stars
    Just made these and they are delicious! I used a full cup of mashed banana and no honey or maple syrup and they are the perfect level of sweet! I also had no baking soda so I doubled the baking powder and I guess it worked because they are soooo good! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      June 29, 2022 at 9:26 pm

      I am so glad you enjoyed these, Emily! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!

      Reply
  23. Jimmy

    July 16, 2022 at 2:11 pm

    5 stars
    Loved that these lemon muffins have some fiber (oats, zucchini) and taste delish.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      July 21, 2022 at 5:57 pm

      Same! They are filling while also tasting bright and summery!

      Reply
  24. Stacy

    August 29, 2022 at 10:08 pm

    Have you made this in a cake pan before? Thinking about it for my daughters first birthday cake, but wasn’t sure what size pans to try.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      August 30, 2022 at 7:42 am

      I have not but find many of my muffin recipes work well as loaves….so I feel like the would work as cakes too. If you try it, please let us know how it goes!

      Reply
  25. Lenny

    October 3, 2022 at 2:58 pm

    I love this recipe but the cupcakes seem to have dipped in the middle :/ any idea what could be wrong?

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      October 3, 2022 at 4:09 pm

      Hi Lenny! So glad you enjoyed them. But let’s troubleshoot those sinking muffins.I find this happens when either the muffins haven’t baked long enough or they are too wet. Did you squeeze out the moisture of the grated zucchini before adding it to the batter?

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Categories

Newsletter

Subscribe to our email list.

Never miss a new veggie-loaded recipe or natural living rambling.

Once you have subscribed, you will receive an email asking you to confirm. Please click "yes" and you'll be added to my list. And just my list. Your privacy is important and I totally respect it. I won't be sharing your email with anyone else....no matter how nicely they ask.

Footer

As seen in…

As seen in brand wall collage

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

© 2023 The Natural Nurturer - Privacy Policy - Accessibility Policy - Support by Foodie Digital

  • 466