Easy to make Zucchini Bran Muffins are deliciously soft, moist, and flavorful. They are packed full of zucchini and bran cereal and lightly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Great for nutritious grab-n-go breakfasts or energy-packed snacks.
I love the fall season but things really get jumping at my house and I don't always have time to cook up a nice breakfast for my hubby and me. That's why I like recipes like Egg Cups with Hash Browns, Pineapple Carrot Muffins, and these easy-to-make healthy zucchini bran muffins. I can bake them up when I have some free time and freeze them for later.
When I need a quick, easy and nutritious breakfast, I just pop them into the microwave for 30 seconds and I'm ready to go. They're great to stuff in lunch boxes too to help everyone in the family get some of those all-important veggies.
Frequently Asked Questions
These bran muffins are amazingly good for you. They're low in sugar and stuffed with zucchini, which is rich in B-complex vitamins and Vitamins A, C & K, folate, zinc, magnesium, and a little protein. The bran cereal itself is a good source of dietary fiber.
There are so many bran cereals on the market but I suggest either Raisin Bran (aka Zucchini Rasin Bran Muffins) or Fiber One. I would stick with a cereal with flakes rather than one like All-Bran.
There are many alternatives to butter in baked goods. Try replacing the butter, in a 1:1 ratio with mashed bananas, yogurt, or even avocado. You can also replace it with ¼ cup applesauce and 1 Tablespoon of oil.
Yes, in fact I do it all the time. I allow the muffins to cool then freeze in resealable plastic bags and take them out as needed. You can take the muffins out the night before and let them thaw on the counter or take one right from the freezer and pop into the microwave for 30 seconds and serve warm.
Variations
- Gluten-free: Change out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free 1:1 flour or almond flour and make sure the bran cereal you choose is gluten-free as well.
- Dairy-free cereal muffins: Use an almond or cashew milk in place of regular milk
- Add more fiber by using whole wheat flour or oat flour
- Zucchini Muffins with applesauce (low-fat version) - add ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce and 1 tablespoon of oil in place of butter for a low-fat version
- Low Sugar or no refined sugar muffins - you can substitute ⅜ cup of maple syrup for the ½ cup of sugar and reduce milk by 3 tablespoons
- Buttermilk Zucchini Muffins - trade out the regular milk for buttermilk for a richer muffin
- Lemon Zucchini Muffins - add 1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice and 1-2 teaspoons lemon zest to batter
- Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins - substitute ¼ cup pumpkin for the butter
- Blueberry Zucchini Muffins - add 1 cup blueberries or you can even try raspberries
- Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins - Add in ½-3/4 cup of chocolate chips
How to Make Zucchini Muffins
- Grate one large zucchini.
- Wrap in paper towel and squeeze excess liquid from zucchini.
- Combine bran cereal with sugar, zucchini, milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract. Stir.
- Combine flour with baking powder and spices and add to liquid ingredients.
- Stir well.
- Use a ¼ cup measuring cup and fill 12 muffin cups about ¾ full.
- Bake them for 25-30 minutes. If you added mashed bananas in place of butter they may take slightly less time.
Don't those just look scrumptious?! I could eat these every day of the week. My husband likes them with butter, my girlfriend puts peanut butter on hers but I eat them just as they are. As an option, you can also sweeten these easy bran muffins with a little powdered sugar on top. Plus they look super pretty that way.
How about a dessert? Try my zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting.
Take a bite of all that moist zucchini bran muffin deliciousness and decide for yourself. By the way, you don't have to tell the kids about the veggies part, that can be our secret. But it's nice knowing that you're giving them something healthy to start their day. Enjoy!
More delicious muffin recipes
Savory Cheddar muffins with green onions for a delicious muffin to enjoy with soup, stew, and chili.
Streusel Coffee Cake Blueberry Muffins are soft, moist lemon flavored muffins filled with blueberries and topped with crunchy pecans and plenty of sweet crumbs.
Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins are like a cup of coffee and a muffin all in one. Moist, dense coffee-flavored muffins studded with sweet chocolate chips are a great way to start the day.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins are a must-have for fall! They're moist, delicious and full of chocolate chips, nuts, and, of course, plenty of pumpkin flavor. Bonus - they're topped with loads of sweet crumbs too!
Find even more healthy muffin recipes here on 2CM!
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Healthy Zucchini Bran Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups raisin bran cereal (or other flaked bran cereal)
- 1 cup zucchini shredded & squeezed dry
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 egg
- ½-3/4 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin by spraying with a nonstick spray or by inserting paper muffin liners in cavities.
- In a large bowl, combine cereal, zucchini, milk, egg, butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
- Sift flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon together and add to cereal/zucchini mixture. Stir well.
- Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, fill each muffin cavity with batter, a little over ¾ full.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and place on wire rack. Allow muffins to cool in pan for 10 minutes then lift out of pan carefully and set on wire rack to cool completely before storing.
Notes
- Gluten-free: Change out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free 1:1 flour or almond flour and make sure the bran cereal you choose is gluten-free as well.
- Dairy-free cereal muffins: Use an almond or cashew milk in place of regular milk
- Add more fiber by using whole wheat flour or oat flour
- Zucchini Muffins with applesauce (low-fat version) - add ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce and 1 tablespoon of oil in place of butter for a low-fat version
- Low Sugar or no refined sugar muffins - you can substitute ⅜ cup of maple syrup for the ½ cup of sugar and reduce milk by 3 tablespoons
- Buttermilk Zucchini Muffins - trade out the regular milk for buttermilk for a richer muffin
- Lemon Zucchini Muffins - add 1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice and 1-2 teaspoons lemon zest to batter
- Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins - substitute ¼ cup pumpkin for the butter
- Blueberry Zucchini Muffins - add 1 cup blueberries or you can even try raspberries
- Add in ½-¾ cup of chocolate chips
Nutrition
This post has been updated with new photos and an updated recipe. The original post was published first on April 25, 2014.
Cristi says
I added 1 cup frozen blueberries, as one of the suggestions noted. They took ten extra minutes to bake through, which could have been due to the blueberries. However, these ended up so dense and unpleasant, I followed the recipe closely and was thorough in ringing out as much water from the zucchini as possible. It looks like others were happy with their outcome, so it could have been the addition of blueberries which threw this off for me. I don't recommend adding blueberries
Linda Warren says
I'm sorry the recipe didn't work for you. When you add blueberries, they should be thawed so as not to release extra water into the batter. You should also toss fresh blueberries into a little flour to help them distribute evenly throughout the muffin. Did you use a bran flake cereal? Those work the best and help to give the muffin more body. I hope you'll try them again as they are a healthy muffin with a spice cake flavor that is great for a grab-n-go breakfast.
Barbara Stinson says
I made these muffins and they turned out fantastic! I used all bran cereal because of the amount of fibre it has in it but let it soak in the liquid for about 5 minutes to soften. I will make these again and freeze them while I have plenty of zucchini. So glad I tried the recipe. I will check out your site! Thank you🤗
Linda Warren says
Aren't they just a great use for zucchini! Glad you liked them!
Amanda Finks says
Love all the healthy ingredients going on in these muffins. They are a perfect healthy breakfast for busy mornings!
Linda Warren says
I grab one on my way out the door more often than not. And they freeze well too so I can make a bunch all at once.
Jennifer Farley says
These are the perfect way to use up the last of my zucchini!!!
Linda Warren says
Most definitely! Hope you get a chance to try them.