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 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 healthier than the many of the ones in coffee shop display cases. They’re lightened up, made with no refined flour or refined sugar, and have lots of hearty oats and protein-packed Greek yogurt to help you feel full all morning long!
KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY ZUCCHINI OATMEAL MUFFINS
Let’s talk about the key ingredients that you’ll need to make these healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins! There’s a good chance that you have many of them in your kitchen already.
Oats. More specifically… Instant oats! They’re also called “quick cooking” and “one minute” oats. They’re not the ones sold in individual brown paper packets with flavors like apple cinnamon and maple brown sugar!
Just like old-fashioned rolled oats, instant oats contain just one ingredient: oats. However, they’re smaller and thinner than 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 a really soft and tender texture in these healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins!
Hint: You can usually find instant oats right next to the old-fashioned rolled oats at the grocery store. If you don’t see instant oats, look for their other names: “quick cooking” and “one minute” oats!
Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins gluten-free, then substitute certified gluten-free instant oats. They work perfectly!
Bonus Tip: 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!)
Flour. To make these healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins, I opted for white whole wheat flour. Yes, it actually exists — and it’s not just a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour!
Here in the US, white whole wheat flour is 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!
When I tried regular whole wheat flour, it masked a bit of the spice flavor of these oatmeal muffins. They still tasted cozy and delicious — I just preferred the white whole wheat flour version more!
Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins gluten-free, then see the Notes section of the recipe. I’ve included how to do so there!
Spices. 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, 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!
Tip: If you’re a cinnamon fan like I am, I highly recommend Saigon cinnamon! It tastes a bit stronger, sweeter, and richer compared to regular cinnamon. Many stores have started stocking it, but I typically buy it online here. It’s really affordable — and practically the only kind I now use in my baking!
Leavening agents. For the best texture and rise, you’ll use both baking powder and baking soda in these healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins.
Unsalted butter or coconut oil. Whereas traditional muffin recipes often call for ¼ to ½ cup of oil, you only need ½ tablespoon of melted butter or coconut oil to make these. 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. It’s one of my favorite healthy baking ingredients! In this recipe, 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!
Egg whites. The egg whites act like the glue that holds together the other ingredients, and they also play a structural role. The white contains the majority of an egg’s protein, and that protein helps prevent your muffins from collapsing while cooling. It enables them to stand nice and tall, just like bakery-style muffins, and contributes to their soft and fluffy texture.
Vanilla extract. Just a splash! It adds to the warm and comforting background flavor.
Sweetener. You’ll sweeten your healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins with another one of my favorite ingredients: liquid stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, sugar-free, 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 they’re not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for each other. I highly recommend using the same one that I do for the best results! I buy it 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!
Milk. Almost any type will work, so feel free to reach for whatever you already have stashed in your fridge! I typically use nonfat milk or unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and both work beautifully.
Zucchini. 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??
As tempting as it may be to reach for the pre-shredded variety at the grocery store, that tends to be stiffer, drier, and less flavorful. It’s absolutely worth taking the time to freshly grate your own!
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY ZUCCHINI OATMEAL MUFFINS
Let’s go over how to make the best healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins! As I promised earlier, this recipe is easy and straightforward to make. I also have a few tips to ensure your muffins turn out beautifully soft, moist, and flavorful.
Measure correctly. Although I sound like a broken record… It’s extremely important to measure all of the ingredients properly.
For the oats and flour, use 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 because they act like little sponges and soak up lots of moisture from the batter.
For the zucchini, measure it right after grating with either cups or grams — but not by the number of zucchini. Not all “large” zucchini are the same size! If yours is on the extra big side, you might end up adding too much grated zucchini… And that would impact the texture of your muffins. It’d prevent them from baking properly, and it’d also make them collapse while cooling and turn out noticeably denser. But if you add the proper amount, your muffins will turn out perfectly moist and flavorful!
So in a nutshell… 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!
Prep the muffin cups. 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!
Tip: If you use muffin liners like I did for these photos and forget to generously coat them, seal your muffins inside of an airtight container or zip-topped bag and refrigerate them for 24+ hours after they’ve cooled to room temperature. That’ll help loosen the liners so they peel away better!
Soak the oats. I already built this into Step 2 of the recipe, but I wanted to explain why you’re doing this! 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. Like we just covered, 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 soft and tender 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!
Hint: This is also how my high protein overnight oats recipes work! You soak the oats in a mixture of Greek yogurt and milk overnight, and that softens them as much as if you cooked them in the microwave or on the stove.
Dry the zucchini. 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 soft and fluffy 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 100% worth it!
Mix by hand. Leave your stand mixer and hand-held mixer alone! Those tend to overmix low fat batters, like this one. Overmixing often leads to a tough, gummy, rubbery, or dense texture… Rather than the soft and moist muffin texture that we want.
Instead, use a whisk where explicitly instructed, and use a fork for everything else. That’s right — a fork! It may sound a bit unconventional, but opting for a fork is one of my favorite batter-mixing tricks. The open spaces between a fork’s tines let the ingredients pass through and mix more efficiently, compared to the flat sides of spatulas and spoons, and that helps guard against overmixing… Which then yields really moist and tender muffins!
Bake. Divide the batter between your prepared muffin cups, pop the tray into the oven, and set a timer. If you’re anything like me, you’ll watch it like a hawk… While sitting directly in front of the oven, watching your little beauties magically rise! These healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins are done baking when the tops feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with some crumbs attached.
FAQS ABOUT HEALTHY ZUCCHINI OATMEAL MUFFINS
Are these healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins gluten-free, sugar-free, low calorie, low fat, or clean eating?
Yes — to everything! When made as written, they’re naturally clean eating, low fat, and low calorie (compared to many traditional muffin recipes!). They’re also made with no added sugar, and I included how to make them gluten-free in the Notes section of the recipe.
Can I use old-fashioned rolled oats?
In a pinch — but blitz them first! Add the same amount of old-fashioned rolled oats to a blender or food processor, and pulse a few times until they’re ⅛ to ¼ of their original size. That makes them closer in size and thickness to instant oats, so your muffins will have a similar soft, fluffy, and moist texture.
Can I substitute another flour?
Sure! Regular whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, and all-purpose flour all work.
What about a different sweetener?
Yes again! I know liquid stevia doesn’t work for everyone, so I’ve included multiple alternatives in the Notes section of the recipe.
Could I use another type of milk?
Absolutely! Almost any kind will work, so you’re welcome to try substituting whatever you already have in your fridge.
What’s the best way to store these healthy zucchini oatmeal muffins? And how long will they last?
Store any leftover muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for at least four days (if not longer!). These muffins also freeze really well!
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
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (75g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp (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 (see Notes!)
- 2 ¼ cups (203g) freshly grated zucchini, thoroughly patted dry (see Notes!)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat 13 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. (If using liners, then line 13 muffin 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 or coconut oil, 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.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Zucchini Muffins
♡ Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Muffins
♡ Healthy Carrot Zucchini Muffins
♡ Healthy Zucchini Protein Muffins
♡ Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
♡ Healthy Lemon Zucchini Muffins
♡ Healthy Zucchini Oatmeal Snack Cake
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Zucchini Bread
♡ …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!
Tried one of your recipes with liquid stevia — a chocolate icing. It ruined my cake; no one would eat it. The chocolate didn’t mask the terrrible chemical taste. Not sure if the brand I used was the problem but since I won’t buy from Amazon and shipping costs from most sources are ridiculous for one small item, I can’t shop for brands. Anyway, I won’t be using it anytime soon. I will keep using your recipes without stevia. Thanks for listening.
Oh no!! What’s the exact stevia (brand and product name) that you used to make my chocolate frosting recipe? Since many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, they’re not always a one-for-one substitute for one another. Some brands also have stronger aftertastes than others, but if you’re able to share the details about the product that you have, I’ll try to look into it. With that chocolate frosting experience, I completely understand wanting to stay away from that stevia! 😉
I’ve shared a few sweetener alternatives in the Notes section of this recipe. If none of those work for you, then is there a particular sweetener you’d like to use to make these muffins instead?
It’s a bramd called “Now” Beter Stevia. All Stevia is pricey. I use a powdered form for my tea, coffee, cereal, etc. I haven’t tried it for baking. As I said, I won’t buy anything from or through Amazon (I won’t hold forth on why, but there’s a lot of good information available about their business, laabor, corporate, and political activities). Thanks for your obvious care and concern for all of us.
It’s my pleasure! NOW Foods makes a few different stevia products. Is it the liquid (and if so, the original flavor or another flavor?), powder, packets, or tablets?
Hello Amy. Thank you for your wonderful desserts.
You’re so kind — it’s my pleasure, Elisabeth! If you end up making these muffins, I’d love to hear what you think of them! 🙂
Done and they are super good.
I’m so glad, Elisabeth! Thank you for taking the time to let me know — it really means a lot!