Name: Healthy Lemon Zucchini Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: vegan
Ingredients: 2/3 cup vanilla yogurt (160g // if using plain add 1/4 cup dry sweetener of choice + 2 tsp vanilla); 1/2 cup lemon juice (120ml); 1/4 cup maple syrup (80g); 1 tbsp lemon zest; 1 3/4 cup oat flour (180g); 3/4 cup almond flour (84g); 1/4 cup potato starch (48g); 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 heaping cup shredded zucchini (120g // about 1 small zucchini)

lemon zucchini muffin on a white speckled plate

Healthy Lemon Zucchini Muffins that are light, moist and deliciously lemony– perfect for breakfast or snacking during the summer. Made with just 9 wholesome ingredients, these zucchini muffins are also vegan, gluten free and oil free.

two lemon muffins stacked on each other with top muffin cut in half

It’s AUGUST! Bring on all the zucchini recipes.

Admittedly, I’m not one to go crazy over zucchini dishes but I do love sneaking this nutritious squash where I can, especially in desserts and baked goods. Because they have such a mild flavour and soft texture, you really can’t taste them. Plus, they add moisture to baked goods if used in the right proportions.

Since muffins are one of my favourite breakfast foods to have, I wanted to kick off zucchini season with a muffin recipe. I was going back and forth between a good ol’ plain zucchini muffin, chocolate zucchini muffins, blueberry zucchini muffins and banana zucchini muffins.

Being the indecisive person I am, I asked Eric which one he would prefer and he just told me to bake another batch of the lemon poppy seed muffin. Not very helpful (lol), but then he shoots out the idea: Lemon Zucchini Muffins. I was totally down for that.

Lemon Zucchini Muffin Ingredients

We’re not just sneaking veggies into breakfast but healthy zucchini muffins are made with just 9 wholesome ingredients keeping them 100% vegan, gluten free and oil free too! Check it out:

Vanilla Coconut Yogurt: This adds sweetness and makes them super moist without any added oils or butter. Choose a dairy free yogurt that is not too thick but not too runny. I used Liberte vanilla coconut yogurt.
Lemon: You’ll need the juice and zest. If you prefer muffins that are less lemon-y, you can substitute some of the lemon juice with dairy free milk.
Maple Syrup: For some extra sweetness to balance out the lemon tang.
Oat Flour: I love using oats for breakfast muffins because it’s basically eating oatmeal in baked form! Plus, it helps these muffins get super fluffy with the perfect light crumb.
Almond Flour: Makes these buttery and also light and fluffy.
Potato Starch: Binds and absorbs any excess moisture from the zucchini.
Baking Soda + Baking Powder: Leavening agents to help make these muffins rise.
Zucchini: About 1 small zucchini with a larger grate. Some zucchinis are particularly wet so in that case, blot them with some paper towel or kitchen towels.

lemon zucchini muffin batter in a muffin tin

How to Bake Muffins with Zucchini

Baking with zucchini can be frustrating at times because it’s not really a wet or dry ingredient but does hold a lot of water. Some recipes call for ringing the zucchini but I’ve found cutting back on the amount of liquid in the muffin batter helps compensate so for this recipe, you don’t have to ring the heck out of the zucchini. If you find your zucchini particularly wet, you can just blot them.

Stir Wet Ingredients: Use a whisk to ensure there are not clumps of yogurt.
Mix in dry ingredients and shredded zucchini: the batter will slightly thicker than your typical muffin batter but the zucchini’s moisture content will help keep them moist once baked.
Bake: Divide the batter between 9 muffin tins and fill them to the top for sky high muffins. Then, bake them at 425 F for 5 minutes. The initial high heat will help the baking soda and powder react and give them a nice rise. Then we finish baking them off at 350 F so they are fully cooked through. See this post on my Banana Muffins to know if your muffins are done baking.
Cool: In the pan for 1-3 minutes. The longer they sit in the pan the higher chance of them getting soggy because the excess steam from the bottom has no where to escape. Then place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

How to Store Zucchini Muffins

These muffins can be made ahead of time and are great for meal prep for a quick and easy grab-and-go breakfast!

1-2 days at room temperature in a paper towel lined air tight container semi-covered.
2-3 months in the freezer in a freezer safe container/bag

When ready, just let them thaw on the kitchen counter with a damp paper towel wrapped around it. If in a rush, microwave it for 20 seconds or until warmed through. The damp paper towel will prevent them from drying out. You could also re-bake them for 5-8 minutes at 350 F.

three lemon zucchini muffins stacked on a white plate with a bite on the top muffin

I tried to capture how texturally perfect these muffins are, I hope I’ve succeeded. They are so fluffy, yet have a nice dense crumb and bite. The zucchini and yogurt keeps them ultra moist and the vanilla flavour compliments the tart lemon flavour so well.

So yes, these are the best summer muffins. My ideal August mornings have been lookin’ like: iced coffee in one hand and a lemon zucchini muffin in the other. #perfection.

lemon zucchini muffins on parchment paper with a bite taken out of the middle muffin

More Healthy Muffins to Bake!

SAVE IT FOR LATER! ↓

pinterest lemon zucchini muffins with text overlayed

If you recreate this Healthy Lemon Zucchini Muffins recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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