Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins
These bakery-style Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins are studded with shredded zucchini, flavored with pumpkin purée and warm spices, and topped with a crunchy sweet streusel.
You won’t be able to make just one batch of these muffins. They’re spongy, studded with shredded fresh zucchini, flavored with pumpkin purée and autumn spices, and topped with a crunchy sweet streusel. Perfectly paired with a warm cup of coffee!
They’re the perfect treat any time of year but they’re truly special in late summer when fresh garden zucchini is still abundantly available but you’re starting to crave fall comfort food.
Looking for more yummy treats? Try these comforting Banana Walnut Muffins with Honey Butter, these easy Lemon Poppy Seed Scones, or this Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake, a brunch favorite.
What You’ll Love!
- This easy muffin recipe combines the bounty of summer produce with the comforting tastes of fall
- Makes a great snack for both kids and grownups
- These easy pumpkin muffins get a lot of moisture (and nutrition) from the shredded zucchini
Ingredients
Key Ingredient Notes
Flour – All-purpose flour is the base for these muffins.
Baking Powder & Soda – These are the leavening agents that give the muffins their rise.
Cinnamon, Ginger, & Nutmeg – Give the muffins a warm spiced flavor.
Zucchini – Grated fresh zucchini helps to make the muffins moist.
Pumpkin – Provides moisture but also gives great flavor.
Step By Step Instructions
Note: Full list of ingredients, their amounts, and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners (ideally tulip style liners).
Note: If you use regular liners, they won’t hold as much batter so you’ll likely need to spread the batter out to 14 muffins.
Step 2:
Using a box grater or food processor, finely shred the zucchini. Measure 1 cup and then place the shredded zucchini in a fine mesh sieve or towel inside a bowl to remove some of the excess moisture. Set aside.
Step 3:
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg.
Step 4:
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, pumpkin purée, canola oil, whole milk, large eggs, and vanilla extract.
Step 5:
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
Step 6:
Add the drained grated zucchini and stir until it is evenly distributed. Avoid overmixing the batter.
Step 7:
Fill the liners with the muffin batter so that it is evenly distributed. It should fill each liner about 2/3 full if you’re using tulip-style liners.
Step 8:
To make the streusel topping, whisk together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl.
Step 9:
Using a fork or your hands (my choice), cut the cold butter cubes into the sugar mixture until it is evenly distributed.
Step 10:
Evenly distribute the streusel over the top of each muffin.
Step 11:
Bake the muffins for 21 to 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Allow them to cool for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack.
Variations
Variety is the spice of life. Here are some ideas for add-ins and variations
- add chocolate chips to the batter
- mix in chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts
- add shelled pumpkin seeds to the streusel topping
- swap the sugar for maple syrup in the batter to reduce the amount of refined sugar
Tips & Tricks
- Bring the milk and eggs to room temperature for about 30 minutes before making the muffins. This helps them mix with the other ingredients
- You can use a fork, pastry cutter, or even a food processor to combine the streusel topping ingredients. However, I prefer to just use my hands by mashing the butter into the dry ingredients until it is thoroughly worked through
- I highly recommend using tulip-style muffin liners for these. Not only do they look beautiful, but they also help to keep the streusel topping from sliding as they bake
Storage
Keep the muffins in an airtight container lined with a paper towel.
They should keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Recipe FAQs
Personally, I leave the peel on the zucchini. It’s grated so finely you won’t notice it at all. I say keep the extra nutrition and skip the extra work.
Not if you plan to eat them up within 3 days. If you want to store them for up to a week, you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. Just know that refrigerated muffins have a tendency to dry out a bit.
Sure! Once they are fully cooled, wrap each muffin in foil or freezer paper and them in a large freezer bag for up to 3 months. Allow the frozen muffins to thaw in the fridge overnight. You can also heat them in the microwave at 30-second intervals or in a 350-degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes.
Yes! But there are a few changes you’ll need to make. One, you’ll need to preheat the oven to 350 degrees instead of 400. Also, you’ll need to grease a 9×5 loaf pan with butter. Finally, you’ll need to bake the zucchini pumpkin bread for anywhere from 50 to 70 minutes.
I recommend starting to check with a toothpick at the 50-minute mark and continue checking every 5 minutes until it comes out clean and the top of the bread springs back when gently pressed.
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Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup zucchini finely shredded
Steusel Topping
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons salted butter cubed and cold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with liners.
- Using a box grater or food processor, finely shred the zucchini. Measure out 1 cup and place it in a fine mesh sieve or towel in a bowl to drain. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, pumpkin purée, oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Squeeze out extra moisture from the zucchini and add it to the batter. Mix until evenly distributed but avoid over-mixing the batter.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin liners until each one is about 2/3 full. (See notes #1 & #2)
- In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon for the streusel. Add the cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients until evenly combined. (See note #3)
- Evenly distribute the streusel to the top of each muffin.
- Bake for 21 to 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack.
Notes
- If you are using regular muffin liners, you’ll likely have too much batter for 12 muffins and may need to spread the batter and streusel out to 14 muffins.
- Avoid getting batter on the tips of the tulip liners as it can burn while the muffins bake.
- I prefer to use my hands to combine the butter and dry ingredients. I simply use my fingers to mash the butter with the sugar mixture. However, you can use a fork, food processor, or pastry cutter to mix the butter into the dry ingredients.
