Vegan Blender Zucchini Muffins
Vegan Blender Zucchini Muffins- made with mostly pantry ingredients, these muffins are a delicious and healthy way to use up extra zucchini! (gluten-free)
If you’re like me and still have plenty of zucchini on hand then you’re going to want to whip up these muffins ASAP. My blender muffins have always been some of my most popular recipes and I frequently get requests for making them without eggs. I wish it was as simple as throwing a few tablespoons of flax in the mix but it just doesn’t work like that in these recipes.
With a base of rolled oats, the ingredients are very dense and while ground flax helps bind it doesn’t do much in the leavening department. So you’re often left with sunken muffins that have a gummy texture.
Thankfully I’ve found with a few liquid adjustments (and the power of apple cider vinegar), you can have vegan blender muffins that actually have nice round tops with a texture that doesn’t stick to the roof of your mouth. It’s the little things.
Vegan Blender Zucchini Muffin Ingredients
As I said above, there’s a good chance you have everything you need in your pantry to make these. Old Fashioned Rolled Oats make up the bulk of the ingredients and I highly recommend Bob’s Red Mill because they go the extra mile to test their oats to assure they are truly gluten-free. In addition, they are certified organic which is something that is very important to me.
- Applesauce- Unsweetened applesauce is ideal if you want to keep the sugar content down. If you have cinnamon applesauce on hand that could work but I don’t recommend adding more cinnamon on top of that. Yogurt might work in its place but keep in mind the acidity is different so it might affect the leavening process. For best results I recommend sticking with applesauce.
- Plant Milk- I prefer soy milk as it is highest in protein which works well for baking purposes. However, any kind of plant milk should work.
- Vanilla Extract- Just a hint of vanilla is ideal for the best flavor.
- Pure Maple Syrup- This is our only sweetener in this recipe so you don’t want to skip it. I haven’t tested them with honey or agave but it’s likely they will work. The batter may be thicker and more difficult to work with if you’re using honey, depending on the texture.
- Apple Cider Vinegar- ACV reacts with the baking powder and soda to produce some major lift. If you don’t have vinegar you could also use lemon juice.
- Cinnamon and Salt- While totally optional, I recommend both for adding that extra oomph.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder- Without eggs we need all the help we can get and these are both necessary to help lift those tops! Make sure your ingredients are fresh as stale soda or powder can cause the recipe to fail.
- Rolled Oats- I tend to go for old fashioned rolled oats as they are easiest to find. Make sure yours are certified gluten-free if necessary!
- Melted Unrefined Coconut Oil– I’m sure some of you will want to make these oil-free and while it can be done, the texture is much better with oil. I have tested them with almond butter and the texture is fine but it is a tad gummy. Unrefined coconut oil doesn’t have that strong coconut flavor so you don’t have to worry about tasting coconut. If you’re not into coconut oil you could try using melted vegan butter instead, or your favorite neutral flavored oil.
- Zucchini- As much as I hate doing it, we have to squeeze our shredded zucchini dry for this recipe. Make sure to do that step prior to measuring out 1 cup. I find this is about 1 medium-to-large size zucchini for me.
- Dairy-free Chocolate Chips- Using dairy-free chocolate chips helps to keep this recipe vegan. Feel free to use your favorite chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips!
Do I Really Need a High Speed Blender?
While I find it easiest to make these using a Vitamix you do have options if you’re not in the market for a super expensive blender.
- Using oat flour in place of rolled oats, you can combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet (and the coconut oil last) then stir everything together. Lastly, stir in your zucchini and chocolate chips then distribute the batter in your muffin tin and bake. Note that I add the coconut oil last in case your wet ingredients are cold as it will solidify if you add directly to the wet ingredients.
- You can also make these using a NutriBullet instead of a high speed blender. Follow the recipe as directed and there should be enough space to stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips. If not you can transfer the batter to a bowl then stir them in. Just make sure you are using a spatula to get all of the batter out of the blender and that you work quickly as the batter will thicken the longer it sits.
Want More Vegan Blender Recipes?
- Vegan Banana Nut Blender Pancakes
- Vegan Pumpkin Blender Muffins
- The Best Vegan Oatmeal Blender Pancakes
- Vegan Double Chocolate Banana Blender Muffins
- Vegan Spinach Blender Muffins
- Vegan Banana Oatmeal Blender Muffins
Vegan Blender Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup plant milk, I like soy milk for it's high protein content (which is ideal for texture)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 cups rolled oats, certified gluten-free if necessary, such as Bob's Red Mill
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons melted unrefined coconut oil
- 1 cup shredded zucchini, measured after squeezed dry
- ½ cup chocolate chips, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F then grease or line a muffin tin for 8 muffins. You can also make 12 but they will be very small.
- In a high speed blender, start by layering wet ingredients (minus the coconut oil) closest to the blade. Add the dry ingredients next and the melted coconut oil last. Blend on high for about 20-30 seconds, until smooth.
- To the blender, add the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips. Stir together by hand until evenly combined.
- Scoop out the batter into the muffin tin so that each is a little more than 3/4 full (if making 8 muffins). Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown on the edges. Allow to cool for several hours. I know it will be hard to wait that long but the texture improves the longer they cool.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was created in partnership with a brand that I have used and loved for years, Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions and text are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make it possible for me to bring you quality content. For more delicious recipes and a coupon for $1.00 off any product, please visit Bob’sRedMill.com.
These were good and super easy….I used a little more zucchini and didn’t squeeze it too dry but then I forgot to add the oil and guess what?! I didn’t need it, it was still super moist. Your blender muffins are all good and so easy.
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