Kickstart your day with a twist! Discover how leftover zucchini and bran combine to create mouth-watering Zucchini Bran Muffins, perfect for a nourishing and delicious breakfast.
This morning I realized that I had a bunch of zucchini that needed to be used. So I grated the summer squash and used up the last bit of bran I had to make these zucchini bread bran muffins. They’re a spin-off of my whole wheat bran muffins.
Unlike my whole wheat bran muffins, these golden beauties are a little more decadent. Instead of whole wheat flour, I opted for all-purpose; I went with full-fat buttermilk, and I also added some chopped nuts and chocolate. To make these taste a little more like classic zucchini bread, I upped the cinnamon, sprinkled in nutmeg, and added some granulated sugar along with a few more tablespoons of brown sugar. Lightly spiced and ever so slightly sweet.
For additional delicious muffin recipes you have to try my Coffee Cake Muffins, and Jumbo Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Table of Contents
Reasons We Love These Zucchini Muffins
- Zucchini Muffins are packed with vitamins and minerals.
- These Bran Zucchini Muffins are versatile. They’re adaptable to various flavors and dietary needs.
- Zucchini naturally adds moisture to these healthy muffins.
Recipe Ingredients
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract imparts a warm, flavor to the muffins.
- Cinnamon: It offers a sweet and woody flavor, adding a comforting, spicy note.
- Nutmeg: Nutmeg contributes a nutty and slightly sweet flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Nut Variations: I like using pecans for this recipe but you can also use walnuts, peanuts, or any other nuts you prefer for baked goods.
- Dairy-Free: For a dairy-free alternative you can substitute in almond milk.
How to Make Zucchini Bran Muffins
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius). Lightly spray or line one muffin tin and set aside.
Step 2: In a small glass measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, oil, sugars, vanilla, and grated zucchini.
Step 3: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the bran, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Gently fold in the nuts or chocolate.
Step 4: Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, dividing it evenly between the wells. I used silicone baking cups to line some of my muffins. Place in the oven and bake for 14-16 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
FAQs
Absolutely! Raisins, shredded carrot, or chocolate chips make great additions. Stir them in with the dry ingredients to prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking. They’ll add a lovely sweetness and texture to your muffins.
No. Peeling the zucchini is not necessary for this recipe. The skin of the zucchini is not only edible but also beneficial, as it adds extra nutrients, fiber, and vibrant color to the muffins.
Storage Info
STORE these Zucchini Bran Muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. To FREEZE, just wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag, storing them for up to 3 months.
To REHEAT, thaw if frozen, and warm them in a microwave for about 20-30 seconds or in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup sugar - brown
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup zucchini - finely grated *
- 1 1/2 cups wheat bran
- 1 cup all-purpose flour **
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup chopped nuts or chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius). Lightly spray or line one muffin tin and set aside.
- In a small glass measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, oil, sugars, vanilla, and grated zucchini.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the bran, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Gently fold in the nuts or chocolate.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, dividing it evenly between the wells. I used silicone baking cups to line some of my muffins. Place in the oven and bake for 14-16 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
These turned out great. I substituted the oil with unsweetened applesauce and added half a cup of P.C. decadent semi-sweet chocolate chips and a quarter cup roasted pecan and two tablespoons freshly ground flax seeds. These make a great treat on low fat, low sugar diet.
Fantastic, just that I grated my zucchini coarseness used Stevie and Splenda brown sugar, I am so impressed.
The Zucchini really adds moisture to these delectable little delights. I used walnuts today and cant wait to try the chocolate chips next time. Awesome, easy recipe and delicious!
I had some garden fresh zucchini and wanted to try something different. This recipe fit the bill and putting in walnuts means it can be a breakfast to go option!
Love it when you can have a healthy and quick breakfast for busy mornings.
My wife and I have made these several times as we had a lot of zucchini and like bran. We double the batch and freeze them baked, microwaving them to thaw as needed. One change we always do is– bran should be soaked for at least 4 hours before baking so it can hydrate. We mix most of the wet ingredients plus sugars, sans zucchini and vanilla, and let it sit overnight in the fridge. The next day we add the zucchini (fine grate using a Cuisinart shredding disk) and vanilla to the bran mixture ideally brought up to room temp. My gut feeling to add those later.
We often substitute spelt flour which we happen to have on hand.
Sometimes we substitute half the oil with applesauce. We found going above 50% sauce allowed them to stick to the paper cupcake cups.
Thanks for sharing what you do. That sounds great!