Light and fluffy lemon zucchini muffins made with thoughtful ingredients to start the day right!
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Lazy summer days…
I don’t take it for granted one single bit. Being able to hop in the car for a few minutes and get my feet in this powdery sand is truly a dream. I think all the snow makes the summers just that much sweeter, and we truly soak it all in! With all the heat we have had lately, the zucchini prices at the store and markets have been incredible! Which means lots of zucchini recipes!
Our summer staple favorite!
Summer zucchinis usually make their way into soup form in my house. It is a really great way to get this mineral-rich veggie into the kids in a slurpable, kid-friendly way. (You can check out our favorite zucchini corn chowder and cream of zucchini soup here!) We also love our favorite cinnamon raisin zucchini muffins! (Which, by the way, go so well with a mug of zucchini soup!).
A new summer zucchini muffin fav!
Earlier this summer I was in a pinch and needed to use up some zucchini before it went bad. I didn’t have the ingredients on hand to make our usual muffins, and this lemon concept was born! They are light and fluffy, the honey lemon flavor is just incredible!
Thoughtful ingredients that count!
If I’m going to spend the time to develop a recipe for breakfast, one of my main goals is to create an ingredient list that I actually feel good about my own kids eating. With 3 very active teenagers, the fuel they are taking in really matters, as it does for every growing kid! Besides the mineral-rich zucchini in the muffin, there are nourishing, friendly fats, energy-boosting carbs and fiber, as well as some protein. And instead of gobs of sugar, these sweet and fluffy muffins are sweetened with a touch of honey that the kids will love!
Let’s make the lemon zucchini muffin batter!
I’m a one-bowl muffin batter kinda girl. Muffin prep should be 10 minutes or less in my world, and this muffin recipe is no different! Just blend the wet ingredients, and then add the dry ingredients.
Let’s talk about muffin pans and baking the lemon zucchini muffins!
You can make these muffins regular-sized, or mini! (Here are my favorite pans!) When my girls were little, mini muffins were always a hit – especially when a recipe was new. There’s something about the little muffin fitting in their little hands that makes it feel less intimidating. Line your muffin pan with unbleached paper liners, and use a cookie scoop to get the batter evenly distributed before baking.
Finishing the lemon zucchini muffins
Once the muffins are done baking, let them cool for 5 minutes in the pan before turning them out onto a cooling rack. If you are using these muffins for something special like a holiday brunch or coffee date, you can use a little powdered sugar and milk to make a glaze for the muffins after they cool. For everyday school or weekdays, we definitely skip this part! In fact, my kids don’t even know that is an option at this point! It is just a fun way to dress them up if you want on a special day.
Serving the lemon zucchini muffins
I’ve been serving the muffins with eggs and chicken sausage this summer to add a bit more protein for my teens. Your little ones might just need a muffin! You could add a small side of a hard boiled egg or yogurt if you want.
But….can you taste the zucchini?!
I know, I know…you can see the zucchini. And I know some kids might turn their noses up at it. I do think it is worth trying with them though, and you might be surprised! And for SURE if you have little ones that don’t know the difference, these will be a huge hit. I can promise you the muffins do not taste like a vegetable. My husband is a veggie detective, and he loves the taste and texture of these muffins. They really do just taste like a regular lemon muffin. The zucchini adds incredible moisture, so they are so soft and tender!
Lemon Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil melted
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup Namaste Gluten Free Flour Blend
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
- 1 tbsp aluminum free baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin pan with unbleached muffin liners. (See Notes below for mini muffin option!)
- Blend the eggs, honey, butter, yogurt, zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract for 1 minute.
- Add the flours, baking powder, and sea salt, and blend until smooth.
- Fold in the shredded zucchini and scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan.
- Bake the lemon zucchini muffins at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly golden and spring back to touch.
- Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan before turning them out onto the cooling rack.
Notes
- You can make these muffins regular-sized, or mini! (Here are my favorite pans!) When my girls were little, mini muffins were always a hit – especially when a recipe was new. There’s something about the little muffin fitting in their little hands that makes it feel less intimidating. If you make the muffins mini, plan to bake them for more like 15-20 minutes.
- Once the muffins are done baking, let them cool for 5 minutes in the pan before turning them out onto a cooling rack. If you are using these muffins for something special like a holiday brunch or coffee date, you can use a little powdered sugar and milk to make a glaze for the muffins after they cool. For everyday school or weekdays, we definitely skip this part! In fact, my kids don’t even know that is an option at this point! It is just a fun way to dress them up if you want on a special day.
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