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Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins

Apple cinnamon zucchini muffins with warm spice and a cinnamon-sugar top, baked until the tops turn golden and the crumb stays tender. Zucchini shreds and diced apple fold through the batter for moist muffins with visible fruit chunks.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 0.3333333333 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.25 cup applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Fruit and zucchini
  • 1 cup zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
  • 1 cup apple, peeled and finely diced about 1 large apple
Topping
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Visual cue: the oven should fully reach temperature before baking.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Mix until the spices and leaveners are evenly distributed with no dark clumps.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Beat the eggs, brown sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until smooth. Visual cue: the mixture should look glossy and uniform with no streaks of sugar.
Combine batter
  1. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. Stop as soon as no dry flour remains to keep the muffins tender.
Add apple and zucchini
  1. Fold in the grated zucchini and finely diced apple. Visual cue: you should see zucchini flecks and apple chunks throughout the batter.
Fill and top
  1. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each ¾ full, then sprinkle cinnamon sugar topping over each. Visual cue: the topping should lightly cover the tops without sinking in.
Bake
  1. Bake for 20–22 minutes at 375°F until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are golden. Visual cue: the edges will look set and the domes will spring back slightly when touched.
Cool
  1. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Visual cue: muffins should release easily without tearing.

Notes

Key pro tip: squeeze the grated zucchini dry so the muffins bake up with a tender, not gummy, crumb. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days; rewarm briefly for best texture. Freezing is yes—freeze muffins once cool for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, replace the vegetable oil with an equal amount of neutral oil or use unsweetened Greek yogurt (keeping the applesauce) for a slightly tangier, higher-protein batter.