The key to these nutritious vegan zucchini muffins is the lemon juice and zest! It’s such a bright, flavorful addition. They’re also made with whole wheat flour and stuffed with veggies – but you’d never know it! Warm spices, chopped walnuts, and unsweetened applesauce give them tons of flavor, and there’s no butter or oil.
These fluffy and moist muffins are a perfect make ahead breakfast or afternoon snack that will keep you satisfied. Make them immediately – you won’t be sorry!
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Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins
I am a huge muffin fan (as you can probably tell, based on all the muffin recipes on my site!). These vegan muffins are one of my absolute favorites.
They’re bright and flavorful, packed with hidden vegetables, and make a great portable breakfast or snack. Plus, they don’t call for any eggs, milk, or butter, so they’re vegan and dairy-free! The applesauce and zucchini add plenty of moisture as well, so there’s no need for oil.
I love the walnuts in them, too! They add such a nice nutty crunch to the muffins, and sneak some healthy fats in there.
Between the fiber from whole wheat flour, zucchini, and applesauce, and the healthy fat from walnuts, these muffins keep you fuller than your average muffin. So they’re perfect to curb that afternoon energy slump!
Looking for more vegan muffin recipes? Try these banana blueberry oatmeal muffins or these whole wheat carrot cake muffins!
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this zucchini muffin recipe. The cool thing about it is, you can swap out the zucchini for carrots or squash if you want to try something different! Use what you have on hand.
Dry ingredients:
- whole wheat pastry flour (or half white, half regular whole wheat flour)
- sugar (White sugar, or use brown sugar for a deeper, more caramelized flavor)
- chopped walnuts (or pecans)
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
Wet ingredients:
- unsweetened applesauce (This eliminates the need for butter or oil by adding moistness, plus adds delicious flavor!)
- shredded zucchini or squash (Carrots would work, too! I recommend using a box grater or food processor to shred your zucchini more easily.)
- non-dairy milk (or dairy if preferred)
- lemon juice
- lemon zest
Feel free to throw in your favorite dried fruit as well, like shredded coconut or raisins!
How to Make Vegan Zucchini Muffins
These whole wheat muffins couldn’t be easier to make! Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Separately, mix together all the wet ingredients (including grated zucchini). Combine the wet bowl into the dry bowl, and mix until the muffin batter is uniform. (Don’t over-mix, though).
Spoon or scoop the batter into a non-stick or sprayed muffin pan. (You can also use muffin cups or liners to keep the muffins from sticking to your pan.)
Sprinkle with some uncooked oats and chopped walnuts to make them look extra pretty when they come out. 🙂
Bake for about 25 minutes. Near the end, use a fork or toothpick to check if they’re done. (It should come out clean). Let the muffins cool on a wire rack, then enjoy!
Feel free to also add extra lemon zest on top, too!
I love how moist and tasty these turn out. They’re especially perfect for summer, but can definitely be enjoyed year-round!
Why These Are The Best
These moist zucchini muffins are:
- loaded with nutrients and staying power
- vegan, whole wheat, and dairy free
- made with wholesome ingredients like zucchini, nuts, and applesauce
- made without butter or oil
When is zucchini in season?
Zucchini’s peak season is from June to late August, so that’s when it’ll be the ripest and most fresh. But you can usually find it year-round, too.
Storage Tips
To store these vegan muffins, let them cool completely, then place in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2-3 days. Or, to store them longer, individually wrap them and place them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
You’ll find the full vegan zucchini muffins recipe at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!
What’s your favorite way to eat zucchini? Let me know in the comments!
If you like this recipe, check out some of my other favorite muffin recipes:
- Whole Wheat Carrot Cake Muffins (vegan)
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffins (or Bread)
- Peach Muffins (dairy free, gluten free)
- Sweet Potato Cranberry Coconut Muffins
- Spiced Butternut Squash Muffins
Vegan Lemon Zucchini Muffins (Whole Wheat)
The key to these zesty whole wheat zucchini muffins is the lemon juice and zest! Such a bright, flavorful addition. These muffins are 100% whole wheat and stuffed with veggies — but you’d never know it!
Ingredients:
Dry:
- 1 & 1/2 C whole wheat pastry flour (or half white, half regular whole wheat flour)
- 1/2 C sugar
- 1/2 C chopped walnuts (optional)
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Wet:
- 1 C unsweetened applesauce
- 1 C shredded zucchini or squash (carrots would work, too!)
- 1/4 C dairy or non-dairy milk
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tsp. lemon zest
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In two separate bowls, mix dry, then wet, and then combine, adding wet to dry and stirring gently until the mixture is uniform-ish. Spoon the mixture into a non-stick or sprayed muffin pan and sprinkle with oats & walnuts to make them look pretty when they come out. 🙂
- Bake about 25 minutes — fork check near end to make sure they are done. Enjoy!
