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

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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 out all the moisture!
  • 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 love 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 think 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

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

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4.94 from 29 votes

Zucchini Lemon Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Cuisine: American
Course: Breakfast
These Healthy Zucchini Lemon Muffins are simply the BEST! Bright in flavor, delicious, easy and made with simple ingredients. You are going to love these healthy muffins.

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

Equipment

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 added the zucchini right into the blender with the batter and mixed well.
  • 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. 
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