A few years ago, my “second mommy” (she baby-sat me while my mom worked when I was as a little girl!) started traveling a lot more with her husband during the summers. They flew around the country to watch their oldest son play baseball, but to minimize their time away from home, they usually booked really early flights the morning of his game instead of flying in a day in advance.
The afternoon before one of their trips, I happened to stop by her house to drop off a batch of muffins. I had been working on a new recipe to share on my blog, and since I knew she enjoyed taste testing treats for me, I wanted to hear what she thought of them.
Her eyes lit up as I handed over the plate. “These will be perfect for breakfast at the airport tomorrow!” she exclaimed.
The next day, my phone buzzed right after the sun rose, and I smiled as I read her text. She shared that she had devoured two of the muffins (along with an extra large cup of coffee!) while sitting at the gate waiting to board their plane, and she absolutely loved their moist texture and rich spices… So she was glad she had left a few back at home in the fridge to enjoy when they returned from their weekend getaway!
For the rest of the summer, I baked a different batch of muffins before almost every one of her trips to give her something healthier to eat at 5 am at the airport… Rather than relying on the sugar-laden pastries in the coffee shop bakery cases for breakfast. We both looked forward to that little tradition — partially because it gave us an excuse to chat and catch up the day before when I dropped off the muffins!
While at the airport for a trip of my own earlier this month, those airport muffin memories floated through my mind. I smiled, recalling how my second mommy’s face lit up each time I showed up with a plate of freshly baked breakfast goodies, and when I returned home…
I baked a batch of these Healthy Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins to satisfy my newfound muffin cravings! They’re incredibly moist, packed with zucchini and cozy spices, and perfect for meal prepping or quick grab-and-go breakfasts and snacks.
Just like all of the muffins I previously made for my second mommy, these are also much healthier than the ones in coffee shop display cases. They have lots of hearty oats and protein-packed Greek yogurt to keep you full all morning long, no refined flour or sugar, and 105 calories!
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY ZUCCHINI OATMEAL MUFFINS
Let’s go over how to make the best healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins! And the first ingredient that you’ll need? Oats! Or more specifically… Instant oats! They’re also called quick cooking oats and one-minute oats. They’re not the ones sold in those individual brown paper packets with flavors like apple cinnamon and maple brown sugar!
Instead, instant oats are just smaller and thinner than traditional old-fashioned rolled oats. They have the same exact health benefits as old-fashioned oats, but instant oats’ smaller and thinner size means they soften faster… Which yields really soft and tender healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins!
Tip: You can usually find them right next to the old-fashioned rolled oats at the grocery store, and instant oats are also perfect for making oatmeal cookies! (You can use them to make ALL of these healthy and yummy oatmeal cookie recipes of mine!)
And that brings us to my special trick that creates the fluffiest and moistest muffins imaginable…
You’ll stir the oats together with Greek yogurt and some milk, and then you’ll let that mixture sit while you measure and mix together the rest of the ingredients! Oats act like little sponges and soak up lots of moisture, so combining them with the Greek yogurt and milk lets them start soaking up those liquids ahead of time… Which then makes the oats soften ahead of time… Which creates the best texture in these healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins!
Such a great trick, right? I use it when baking all of my other healthy oatmeal muffin recipes — and my healthy bran muffin recipes too!
Speaking of those other ingredients…
You’ll need white whole wheat flour and spices next! My grandma always used at least two different spices when making her famous zucchini bread, so I do the same with all of my zucchini baked treats too. For these muffins, you’ll use cinnamon (I buy my favorite cinnamon online here because it’s so rich, strong, and sweet but really still really affordable inexpensive!), allspice, and nutmeg. Although you’re only adding a small amount of the latter two, they really round out the spice flavor and make these healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins taste so cozy and comforting!
Just in case you’re unfamiliar with it… White whole wheat flour actually exists, and it’s not just a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour! Instead, it’s made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!), whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. They both have the same health benefits (like extra fiber!), but white whole wheat flour has a lighter taste and texture… And that lets the moist texture and sweet flavor of your healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins shine!
Just remember, it’s really important to measure the oats and flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much of either will dry out your muffins. This is especially true of the oats. Remember how they act like little sponges?? So it’s definitely worth taking a few extra moments to measure your ingredients correctly. It’ll yield the best healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins — I promise!
Whereas traditional muffin recipes typically call for ¼ to ½ cup of oil, you only need ½ tablespoon of melted butter or oil in these muffins. That really helps keep your healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins low calorie and low fat! Yet they’re still incredibly moist and tender because of…
Greek yogurt! Which you already added to your oats… So this shouldn’t be too big of a surprise. 😉 In this batter, Greek yogurt adds the same moisture as extra butter or oil but for a fraction of the calories. It also gives your healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins a protein boost!
Greek yogurt is definitely one of my favorite healthy baking ingredients for those reasons!
You’ll sweeten your healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins with another one of my favorite ingredients: liquid stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that contains nothing refined or artificial (aka it’s clean eating friendly!). It’s also highly concentrated. You just need 1 ½ teaspoons to sweeten this entire batch of muffins… Which is the equivalent of almost ¾ cup of sugar!
Tip: Many stevia brands and products have a slightly different sweetness level and equivalent, so I highly recommend using the same one that I do for the best results! I buy mine online here because that’s the best price I’ve found, and I love how I don’t notice any strange aftertaste in my baked goods like I do with some other stevia products. It’s not a one-time-use ingredient either — you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too!
There’s one more key ingredient in these muffins… The zucchini! It’s impossible to make healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins without that beautiful green vegetable, right?? 😉
But before you stir your freshly grated zucchini into the batter, you must thoroughly pat it dry! Zucchini contains a lot of moisture. If you stir your grated zucchini into the batter without patting it dry, it releases that moisture into your muffins as they bake… And that moisture then causes your muffins to collapse and sink while cooling, making them dense and a bit gooey. Not good.
But if you thoroughly pat your zucchini dry first, you end up with the best healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins! To do this, place a double-thick layer of paper towels on a cutting board. Spread your freshly grated zucchini on top. Firmly press down with a second double-thick layer of paper towels, and keep pressing out the moisture until the top paper towels are soaked all the way through. Then repeat with a fresh double-thick layer of paper towels on top.
Yes, I know this is an extra step… Yes, I know this takes extra time… And yes, I promise the moist and fluffy texture of these healthy zucchini muffins is worth it!
One last tip for you! Low fat muffin batters, like with these healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins, stick to both muffin tins and muffin liners (paper, foil, even silicone!) like superglue. So regardless of whether you’re using liners or plain unlined muffin cups, generously coat them with nonstick cooking spray! This allows the muffins to slide out of the muffin cups — or the liners to peel away from the muffins’ sides — much more easily!
Then once you pop your tray into the oven, set a timer, and listen for it to buzz…
It’s time to enjoy your delicious and well-deserved muffins! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ????) I’d love to see your healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins!
| Healthy Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins | | Print |
- ¾ cup (75) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon (255mL) nonfat milk, divided
- 2 cups (240g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 tbsp (6g) ground cinnamon (see Notes!)
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp liquid stevia
- 2 ¼ cups (203g) freshly grated zucchini, thoroughly patted dry (see Notes!)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat 13 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. (If using liners, then line 13 muffins cups with liners and coat them with cooking spray.)
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, Greek yogurt, and 5 tablespoons of milk. In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a third bowl, whisk together the butter, egg whites, vanilla, and liquid stevia. Add in the oat mixture, stirring until no lumps remain. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and remaining ¾ cup of milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 4 equal parts.) Gently fold in the zucchini.
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350°F for 30-33 minutes or until the top feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Instant oats are also called quick-cooking or one-minute oats. They’re smaller and thinner than traditional old-fashioned rolled oats, so they soften faster (which gives these muffins their moist and fluffy texture!). You can find instant oats right next to the traditional old-fashioned rolled oats at the grocery store! In a pinch, add ¾ cup of old-fashioned rolled oats to a food processor or blender, and pulse until they’re ⅛ - ¼ of their original size.
For the gluten-free flour, use the following: 1 cups (120g) millet flour, ½ cup (60g) tapioca flour, ½ cup (60g) brown rice flour, and 1 ¼ teaspoons xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will work as well, if measured like this.
Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted in place of the whole wheat flour.
Remember to measure the flour and oats correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much will make your muffins turn out dry. This is especially true of the oats because they act like little sponges and soak up lots of moisture from the batter!
This is my favorite cinnamon (← I buy it online at that link!) because it tastes stronger, richer, and sweeter than regular cinnamon. For a stronger spice flavor, increase the cinnamon by an additional ¼ to ½ teaspoon.
The muffins require 2 full egg whites. The whites contain the majority of the protein in eggs, and that protein is required to ensure the muffins maintain their shape and texture while cooling.
For sweeter muffins, increase the liquid stevia by an additional ¼ to ½ teaspoon.
I do not recommend substituting for the liquid stevia, if at all possible. I buy my liquid stevia online here because that’s the best price I’ve found. (It’s one of my favorite ingredients, and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!) However, if you really prefer to omit the liquid stevia from the muffins, substitute ¾ cup (144g) granulated sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar and reduce the milk to ½ cup + 3 tablespoons (165mL). You may also substitute ¾ cup (180mL) pure maple syrup, honey, or agave and reduce the milk to 5 tablespoons instead. The baking time may vary with either of those substitutions as well.
Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.
Measure the zucchini before patting it dry. You must thoroughly pat it dry to remove the excess moisture because that excess moisture will cause the muffins to collapse while cooling. To pat the zucchini dry, lay a double-thick layer of paper towels onto a cutting board, and arrange the freshly grated zucchini on top. Place another double-thick layer of paper towels on the zucchini, and firmly press down until the top towel layer turns completely wet. Repeat with a fresh set of double thick paper towels on top.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, sugar-free}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Muffins
♡ Healthy Spiced Carrot Zucchini Muffins
♡ Healthy Zucchini Oatmeal Snack Cake
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Zucchini Mini Muffins
♡ Healthy Zucchini Protein Muffins
♡ Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
♡ Healthy Lemon Zucchini Muffins
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy muffin recipes!
This recipe looks wonderful. I spiral and freeze my zucchini from my garden. Do you think it would work in this recipe?
Homegrown zucchini sounds delicious, Stacey! As long as you fully thaw it and squeeze out the moisture really thoroughly, I think it should work. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these muffins!
These sound good. If I only have strawberry flavor Greek yogurt will it come out Okay? Would you suggest adjusting something else or will this only work with plain?
I think strawberry Greek yogurt should work, Meira! You may detect a very faint strawberry flavor, but I don’t think it should affect the texture of these muffins. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of them if you try this recipe!
Looks great, can’t wait to make some! Do you have any suggestions for an alternative sweetener? We just found out my husband is allergic to stevia.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Camille! I’ve actually provided quite a few alternatives in the Notes section of the recipe already (located directly underneath the Instructions). I know it can be easy to miss! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you and your husband try these muffins!
Oops, you are right! Thanks for directing me to the sweetener alternatives and for providing the accompanying adjustments to the amount of milk. We tried these muffins over the weekend and they are great! Love the texture with a nice balance of sweetness (I used coconut sugar) and flavor from the spices. Thanks for the great recipe, will definitely make again!
You’re welcome Camille! I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins and already think that you’d want to bake them again — thank YOU for taking the time to let me know! That truly means a lot to me! 🙂
Can flax egg be used for vegan recipe?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Sydney! I don’t have much experience with flax eggs, but I know Ener-G will work! Ener-G is a shelf-stable powder that keeps for ages. My brother is actually allergic to eggs, and Ener-G is my favorite substitute. It works perfectly as an egg replacer in nearly all of my recipes, including this one! For my recipes, use 1 ½ teaspoons Ener-G + 2 tablespoons warm water for each egg white (and you’ll need an additional ½ tablespoon of butter or coconut oil {or Earth Balance, if you’re vegan!} for each egg yolk, although that doesn’t apply to this particular recipe!). 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these muffins if you try making them!
It’s TOOOOOO hard to look at a reciipe. Don’t have copier so deon’t want all that extra stuff or to reade for an hour. WHY can’t you just tell the recipe & let us decide if it’s what we want or can make? So frustrating!! Ive asked before & thought you saied I could just jump to end & get the recipe. mjgross@mchsi.com
I really appreciate your interest in my recipes Marla! If you click on the blue printer icon in the top right corner of the recipe box, a printable PDF should appear in a new browser tab or browser window. It doesn’t include my story or my tips that I share above the recipe, so you won’t end up printing out all of that other text — just the recipe! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these muffins if you try making them!
Wow! Do I really need to read a whole novel before I actually get to the recipe? Ain’t nobody got time to read a novel just get to the recipe, that’s why one click to see and read the recipe not to read a novel.
Can I use almond flour?
I’m honored that you’d like to try making these muffins! I typically don’t recommend almond flour. This is because gluten is the protein in wheat-based flours that helps baked goods rise and maintain their shape while cooling. Almond flour lacks that, so when you substitute it for wheat-based flours in my recipes that rise (like cupcakes, cakes, muffins, quick breads, etc!), your baked goods will often turn out denser and may collapse while cooling. Does that make sense? 🙂
However, if you don’t mind that texture difference, then the flavor of these muffins will remain the same if you substitute almond flour. I know it can be hard to find regular flour in grocery stores right now! 😉 I’d love to hear what you think of these muffins if you try making them!
Hello,
What brand use for liquid stevia?
I’ve actually linked to the exact product that I use in my blog post, the Ingredients list, and the Notes section underneath the Instructions! My links are the pink-colored font. I know it can be easy to miss that! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these muffins if you try making them, Reem!
I made these, used white sugar as directed, & I had no greek yogurt. I split the recipe in 2 (carefully weighing my ingredients!!) using full fat sour cream for half and buttermilk powder + water to reconstitute for the other half. I used my America’s Test Kitchen homemade gluten-free flour blend, + 1/4 t xanthan gum. GF Test Kitchen tip: let the batter rest, 15 to 30 minutes to let the liquid absorb into the dry ingredients all but eliminates that gritty texture that GF baked goods can have. Verdict: Hubby & I prefer the sour cream ones. All had a slightly gummy texture, but it’s better than dry! I only baked for 20 minutes and they were done!!
I’m honored that you tried making these muffins, Beth! That’s really strange that they finished baking in so little time and that they were all gummy… That’s not how these muffins are supposed to turn out at all, so I’d love to work with you to figure out why that was! 🙂
Did you happen to use a hand-held mixer or stand mixer to make the batter, by any chance?
Did you use a kitchen scale to weigh all of the ingredients, including the milk? What flours are in your gluten-free flour blend, and how much of each? How much sour cream did you use, and how much buttermilk powder and water?
I know I just asked a LOT of questions, but once I know your answers to all of them, I should have a much better idea of the potential culprits! 🙂
I love questions!!
The ATK Flour Blend has 24 oz White Rice Flour, 7 1/2 oz. Brown Rice Flour, 7 oz. Potato Starch, 3 oz. Tapioca Starch, 3/4 oz. nonfat milk powder. It makes a ‘batch’ and works well for most baked goods.
Because there is not xanathan gum in it, I added the 1/4 t. to the recipe.
I used a kitchen scale for the dry ingredients for the muffins (and the flour blend too).
1/4 c Sour cream same as yogurt for half of the recipe
1 T Buttermilk powder + 1/4 cup water added to wet ingredients (following directions on Saco package, I have used this product for years.
Not sure why they cook in only 20 mins, I find that any muffins I make are done in 20-22 minutes. Toothpick comes out clean.
Update: these were much less ‘gummy’ the next day.
Hope this is helpful!!
Thanks for all of your great recipes.
You’re welcome, Beth! Thanks for sharing your answers; it’s all very helpful to know. That’s great news that your muffins are less gummy the next day too — hooray!! 🙂
I seem to be missing the answer about how you mixed together the batter. Did you use a hand-held or stand mixer? Or did you use a whisk, wooden spoon, or something else?
I’ve never used a gluten-free flour blend that includes nonfat milk powder. Did America’s Test Kitchen give a reason for why they included that in their blend? (I have an amazing cookbook by them, and I love how they write out very detailed explanations about their recipe testing process and reasons for including certain ingredients!)
I should’ve asked before — how long did you let your muffin batter rest (I’m assuming at the end of Step 2)? You mentioned America’s Test Kitchen recommends 15-30 minutes. I’ve mainly heard it’s good to do that for GF flour blends that include coconut flour, but not for blends that include only the flours you mentioned. If you let the batter rest for a while, that may be why your muffins baked in less time… That would’ve let the oats soak up more moisture from the batter, which would mean there was less “liquid” in the batter and it was much thicker by the time you put your muffin pan in the oven, which would definitely contribute to a shorter baking time!