Best-Ever Moist Pumpkin-Zucchini Muffins
These irresistibly moist muffins combine earthy pumpkin with fresh zucchini, warm fall spices, and a hint of sweetness. Perfect for breakfast or snacking, they offer a nutritious, fiber-rich treat with the ideal balance of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil for a subtle flavor twist
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 cup grated zucchini excess moisture squeezed out
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional
- ¼ cup pepitas pumpkin seeds for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease thoroughly with cooking spray.
- Prepare the zucchini by grating it on the large holes of a box grater. Using clean hands or a kitchen towel, squeeze out as much moisture as possible – this prevents soggy muffins.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves until well combined.
- In a large bowl, beat together sugars and oil until smooth, about 1 minute. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the pumpkin puree, squeezed zucchini, and vanilla extract until just combined – the mixture might look slightly curdled, but that’s perfectly normal.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a rubber spatula, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. Overmixing will result in tough muffins.
- If using nuts, fold them in now with just 2-3 strokes of your spatula.
- Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Sprinkle with pepitas if using.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For extra flavor dimension, try browning your butter instead of using oil. Simply cook butter in a light-colored saucepan until golden brown and nutty-smelling, then cool before using.
- These muffins freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator or microwave for 20-30 seconds when you need a quick breakfast.
- For a delicious variation, add ½ cup of dark chocolate chips or dried cranberries to the batter.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.
- For a streusel topping, mix ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons butter, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon until crumbly, then sprinkle over muffins before baking.