Healthy Apple Zucchini Muffins

Healthy Apple Zucchini Muffins are perfect for a wholesome breakfast or a snack. They are lower in added sugar, made with whole grains, and full of fruit and veggies. Totally kid-approved and easy for little chefs to help bake!

Kids in the Kitchen:

• What kiddo doesn’t love making muffins, right? Let your child put the paper liners in the muffin tin while you make sure you have all the other ingredients ready to go.
• Practice egg cracking: Kids can crack the eggs into the bowl before adding anything else, so you can easily remove any shells. 
• Zucchini and Apples: Having kids help prep the zucchini is great exposure to the veggie. Kids can wash and dry the zucchini, help trim the end with a safe knife, and then hold the zucchini with you as you grate it (or older kids can grate the zucchini on their own).
• Measure and mix the dry ingredients: depending on the age or your child and/or how much time you have to bake, you may want to measure many of the ingredients before inviting your child to bake with you. You can leave a couple things for your child to measure, such as the baking powder and salt.
• Topping: If kids only do one little thing to help with the recipe, let it be this: have them mix the sugar and cinnamon together then pinch and sprinkle it over each muffin. So easy and fun!

Subs and Tips for Making Healthy Apple Zucchini Muffins:

• Flour: White whole wheat flour has a more mild taste than the traditional whole wheat flour. I like to buy the King Arthur brand. If you don’t have white whole wheat flour, use half regular whole wheat and half all-purpose flour to get similar results. You can also use all all-purpose flour if you prefer a more bakery-style tasting muffin.
• Yogurt/Dairy-free: I like to use whole milk plain Greek yogurt in this recipe. However, regular plain yogurt or low-fat Greek yogurt will work too. 
• Gluten-free?: Yes, no problem! I tested these muffins with a gluten-free “cup for cup” flour blend and it worked out really well.
• Egg-free: I haven’t tested these using an egg substitute.
• Sweetener: I use maple syrup for these muffins, but you could possibly use honey instead as well. Brown sugar could also work, but I might lower the amount to 1/4 cup or the muffins might be too sweet.
• Helpful tools: Unbleached parchment paper liners, large cookie scoop (in picture below), and my favorite muffin tin are listed in my Baking Essentials list on Amazon HERE.

Healthy Apple Zucchini Muffins

Wholesome breakfast or snack full of whole grains, fruit, and veggies.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 12 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 cup shredded apple, about 1 large apple I use Honeycrisp
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup neutral oil (avocado or vegetable)
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt I used Greek but regular works too
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour If using all all-purpose or gluten-free flour use, 1 3/4 cup total. If using all whole wheat flour, use 1 1/4 total.

Topping (optional)

• 1 Tbsp coarse sugar, such turbinato (sugar in the raw) or any granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

 

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners or grease with oil spray.
• Place the grated zucchini and apple in a clean kitchen towel or a few layer of paper towel and squeeze out the excess liquid. Add the zucchini and apple to a large bowl.
• Add the eggs, applesauce, oil, maple syrup, yogurt, and vanilla then whisk to combine.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and flour. Dump the dry ingredients into the wet then mix until just combined.
• Scoop the batter into the muffin tin, filling each hole to the top.
• If using the topping, mix the sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over each muffin.
• Bake until lightly golden brown and each muffin no longer looks wet on the top, 18 to 22 minutes.
• Cool then store in the refrigerator for 4 days or wrap each muffin well and freeze for up to 2 months. (Note: if you keep the muffins tightly covered or in the fridge they will lose the crunchiness on the top, but they will still taste delicious.)

Keyword apple, Applesauce, healthy muffins, zucchini

Want more kid-friendly muffin recipes??

Head to my big list of my muffin recipes: Muffin Recipes to Bake with Kids

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