I went through a phase a while back where I was baking a LOT of muffins, but then for whatever reason I didn’t make any all summer long. A few old wrinkly zucchinis in my fridge suddenly inspired me to break out my muffin pan for its glorious return.
These muffins don’t taste like they are filled with vegetables, but they most definitely are. The flavor reminds me of carrot cake, but the veggies allow me to eat them three at at time.
Zucchini, Sweet Potato, and Raisin Muffins
Ingredients: (makes 16 muffins)
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/3 cup sucanat or cane sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (or canola oil)
- 1/3 cup non-dairy milk
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed (+4 tbsp water)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- 1 cup grated sweet potato
- 1/3 cup raisins
Instructions: Start by preheating oven to 400 degrees F. These muffins are the perfect way to use up a few old end of summer zucchinis you might still have lying around.
Using a box grater (or food processor attachment if you are fancy), carefully grate 1 cup of fresh zucchini. For me it took three small zucchinis to yield a cup.
Peel 1 medium sweet potato and do the same. Set your grated veggies off to the side.
Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, combine 2 tbsp ground flax with 1/4 cup water and set aside to thicken into a “flax egg.” Once thickened, combine all wet ingredients and add to the dry mixing bowl.
Add zucchini, sweet potato, and raisins, and fold in using a spatula or mix in with your hands. Even though it’s messy, I found using my hands to be the most effective way to get everything thoroughly combined.
Grease your muffin pan and spoon batter into muffin cups. I apologize in advance that this recipe doesn’t make a yield that fits the standard muffin pan (12), which means you’ll have to bake in two batches. Don’t hate me.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
Allow muffins to cool on a cooling rack before storing. But make sure to taste at least one piping hot out of the oven. That is always how a muffin tastes best.
I can totally see myself being that mom who gets her kids all excited about baking muffins full of vegetables. I will fill their little lunchboxes with zucchini muffins and notes that say “mommy loves you.” And then I will find the notes crumpled up in coat pockets because they were embarrassed when they found them, and I will shed a little tear.
But there will be no tears over the muffins. At 165 calories a piece, they are most definitely something to smile about.
Slathering with Earth Balance is optional, but highly recommended.
Enjoy! And have a great weekend!
63 Comments so far
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As long as the muffin doesn’t wind up crumpled in the pocket, I think it’s fine. These look delicious…
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Elisabeth Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 12:15 pm
Ha ha ha! :)
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Ooh Emily I love this recipe. It looks fantastic. For whatever reason I can’t eat cooked raisins so I’d leave them out… but I bet I could even get the boyfriend to eat zucchini this way! ;)
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Emily Malone Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 5:37 pm
Raisins are definitely optional.
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I’ve made muffins with carrots and muffins with zucchini but never together! Great way to get in some veggies ;)
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These are so tiny and cute! They’d be good for a little brunch, tea, or shower type event.
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Yum! These sound great. We still have zucchinis coming in the garden everyday, so this would be a great way to use some of them. Thanks for the recipe!
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I want to be one of those moms, too!
Looks delicious! Muffins are my favorite dessert, and yes, I consider them to be desserts.
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These look great! Do you think they would freeze well?
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Emily Malone Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 5:37 pm
I don’t know why not!
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these sound like something I could make and take to work for my break! all we have is junk foods :-/
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Beautiful recipe!
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hot muffin + earth balance = perfection!
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Emily Malone Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 5:36 pm
agreed!
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Looks great! I almost made zucchini/carrot muffins the other night, but I think sweet potato brings way more to the table than carrot.
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yum! i love baked goods that sneak in some veggies :) come to think of it, i just noticed some dwindling zucc’s in the fridge. perfect timing!
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Thanks SO much for this recipe! Looks amazing- can’t wait to try it!!
Love the blog!
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Yummy! I’m sure these freeze well for those who don’t want to eat a whole batch in one week :) Now that I think about it, I might have some zucchini in the fridge ;)
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OMG I love this, the muffins look FANTASTIC and I will be baking these ASAP!!!
This reminds me of when my kids were young… I used to put notes in their lunches and one day while cleaning my sons room I came across a basket in his closet… filled with all the notes I had put hin his lunches!! LOVE that kid!! He turns 22 next week, what I wouldn’t give to have one more day of that little boy… enjoy EVERY minute of it!!
xoxo
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Emily Malone Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 5:36 pm
OMG I love that so much.
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Oh yum! I’m going to make these tomorrow. Ooo I can’t wait to taste these. Funny about the note. I sent a note in my older daughter’s lunch box. She came home and let me know she was embarrassed. I told her too bad because I love her and I wanted her to know it. You’re going to be a great mom.
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These muffins sound wonderful. I love the part you included about kids being excited about baking veggie muffins and packing their lunchboxes with little notes. So cute! :)
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YUM! I love squeezing in as many fruits & veggies as possible. Mission accomplished here!
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I love sneaking veggies into baked goods…and its very useful with the kids. ;)
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these look great! Ruffins!
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These look like something I need to make asap! I’m new to baking with coconut oil though and I have a, probably really silly, question. Is it 1/2 cup coconut oil measured at its solid state or liquid state? Maybe it’s the same, but I know how technical baking can get sometimes and didn’t want to mess up the consistency. Anyways, thanks for another great recipe I can’t wait to try them!
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Emily Malone Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 7:45 pm
Not a silly question! You’ll want the coconut oil to be liquid so that you can mix it into the batter easily. It was 80 degrees here in Seattle today, so mine was already nice and runny. :)
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kate Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:10 pm
Thank you! That’s funny because I’m not far away from Seattle over in Redmond, WA and mine is still solid. Well, have a great weekend! Enjoy the sun because who knows when it will be back again :) Although typically we do get some nice autumn weather.
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kate Reply:
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:37 pm
ok just had to let you know that i made them and they turned out DELICIOUS!! thank you so much!
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Those look amazing! I’m making some pumpkin muffins in the morning.. wish I had ingredients to try these though! yummmmm
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These look incredible! I love the idea of a veggie-filled muffin. I am definitely going to have to try these. I love muffins for breakfast or snacks and these look super healthy and YUMMY.
Your remark about the notes made me think of when I was in first grade and still attending school (I was homeschooled from grade 2 on). My lunchbox disappeared so for a while I had paper-sack lunches. My dad would write notes on the paperbags, hiding a pen in his hand so it would look like he was writing with his index finger!
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Wow! These look fantastic. I often make muffins with zucchini and carrot but have never thought of sweet potato. Thanks for the idea – it will be tried!
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Those muffins looks delicious. I think veggie muffins are my favorite, zucchini and carrot for sure. Other muffins sometimes just taste a little too dense/sweet for me.
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Made these muffins this afternoon and they are absolutely amazing! My baby boy loved them as well!
I’ve been following your blog for a few months now and the recipes you come up with are truly amazing and we’re enjoying each and every one of them. I love your nursery as well, it’s just to cute!
Emily, enjoy the last few weeks of your pregnancy, before you know you’re creating recipes for your baby. It’s just lovely! Have a great one!
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Hahahahahaha at ‘and I will shed a little tear’. I am making these for all my vegan employees for thsnksgiving potluck — THANK YOU!!
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I need more veggies in my muffins. These look fantastic!
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Wow these look delicious! I am going to have to bookmark these for later!! :)
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these look FABULOUS i am SOOO making these tomorrow! Do you know the other nutritional stats of these muffins like the protein or fiber? :)
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Emily Malone Reply:
September 25th, 2011 at 9:31 am
I didn’t save the nutritional info, but I always use Spark Recipes’ recipe calculator to get a nutrition facts label.
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I made these DELICIOUS muffins yesterday as I had 2 zucchini in the fridge screaming…dont toss us, dont toss us! My husband thought they were really good and went back for another. I only had golden crimson raisins on hand so I used those…Thanks for posting this fab recipe!!! Hope you are feeling well today :-)
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Emily Malone Reply:
September 25th, 2011 at 9:30 am
Yum! So glad you liked it! I love golden raisins.
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THese look great! I’m forever amazed at how versatile zuchinni is – I mean really!
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These look amazing! I want to make them for our play group tomorrow. Do you think I could substitute apple sauce for the oil without ruining the muffins?
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Emily Malone Reply:
September 25th, 2011 at 11:48 am
I think it’s worth a shot! I didn’t try it, but I think they would probably be okay. The veggies should help with the moisture.
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These look great. If I wanted to use eggs, how many would I use and what would I leave out? Thanks! Elizabeth
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Emily Malone Reply:
September 25th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
I would add 1 egg, and leave out the flax+water
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Wow these look amazing! Since I’m still in that selfish part in my life, I would make these with the intention of sharing and then eat them all myself. I love sneaking veggies into treats!
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Those look so good and are so healthy! i am book marking this and making them this week! I can’t wait!
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I can’t wait to try this! I love this blog and especially love feeling like my comment a few weeks ago was heard. Thanks for keeping the “unrefined” crowd in mind!
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Emily Malone Reply:
September 25th, 2011 at 9:53 pm
Absolutely! :)
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I’m six weeks into a new healthy lifestyle and haven’t broken out the baking tools yet (for fear I’ll eat the whole batch in one sitting) – but this might be just the recipe to start on! Thanks for the inspiration, Emily :-)
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Your muffins are so yummy. No dairy, eggs, butter. Divine.
Thank you for posting this. One will be in my little ones lunch tomorrow. Zucchini is one veg I haven’t been able to get them to eat a lot of. That’s all in the past now.
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These look delicious – I figure if I shred the zucchini small enough I can convince my husband these are carrot cake muffins. ;) Thanks for an inspired recipe for the leftover veggies languishing in my fridge!
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Long-time stalker, first-time commenter. These were absolutely amazing! I even took them to an apartment of my guy friends, and they said they tasted like carrot cake, and couldn’t guess that it had zucchini and sweet potatoes in it.
I did double the spices and sub in rum extract for vanilla though (since I was out). And they taste really good with candied ginger sprinkled on top. Thanks for a delicious recipe!
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Those look so good! I’m all about sticking extra fruits and veggies into baked goods, thanks for sharing the recipe!
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I made this tonight in a loaf pan.. DELICIOUS!
I baked it at the same temp, for 40mins. The edges were crispy with a moist center.. perfection!
You’ve done it again!!!
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Emily Malone Reply:
October 4th, 2011 at 1:44 pm
Glad to hear it works well in a loaf pan too!
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I’ve already made these a few times, awesome recipe!
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[...] Daily Garnish’s Zucchini, Sweet Potato, and Raisin Muffins [...]
These look so yummy! How important is the whole wheat pastry flour? That and the flax are the only thing I don’t have but I saw in the comments you could sub one egg for the flax. Is there something I could sub for the pastry flour?
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[...] Emily’s Zucchini, Sweet Potato and Raisin Muffins [...]
Wow, those look sso good! They will be great for this summer!
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Can I use mashed sweet potato that is already cooked or do I need to shred raw? Also – have you tried this as bread?
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