These incredibly moist and tender zucchini muffins are packed with blueberries, flavored with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla, and piled with almond and oatmeal streusel. Is there a better way to use up that extra zucchini in your garden or refrigerator? I can't think of one (she says with a mouthful of muffin).

"These are definitely the best use I’ve found for my abundance of zucchini! They’re easy and delicious." - Emily

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

It's zucchini season and if you don't have a garden full of the stuff, you probably know someone who does. The first time I ever planted a garden, I planted, like, 12 zucchini plants because I had NO idea what I was doing. By August, we were eating zucchini everything, and I couldn't give the stuff away fast enough.

That must be how zucchini muffins, zucchini bread, and zucchini cake became a thing in the first place. Thrifty gardeners with mouths to feed and armfuls of zucchini probably just started adding it to everything. Why not?

Also, if you happen to be reading this sometime between July and October, I just love the idea of a late summer lunch of zucchini muffins with several kinds of fresh-from-the-garden salads like Israeli salad with pomegranate vinaigrette and maybe some marinated feta along with a jar of olives. Perfection.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

Additions and Substitutions

Like most muffin recipes, this one can easily be adapted to your personal tastes and dietary requirements. Here are a few suggested additions and substitutions:

• Not a fan of cinnamon? Leave it out entirely or substitute a bit of nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom.
• To make these muffins nut-free, simply leave the almonds out of the streusel and don't add the almond extract to the muffin batter.
• Instead of almonds, use pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts.
• Instead of or in addition to blueberries, toss in some fresh raspberries, blackberries, or any other kind of berry you like in any combination. Aim for about 12-14 total ounces (2 ½ cups) of berries.
• To make carrot blueberry muffins instead of zucchini blueberry muffins, simply swap out the grated zucchini for the same amount of grated carrot. There's no need to squeeze out excess water from carrots.

Recipe: Zucchini Blueberry Muffins

For step-by-step photos and instructions demonstrating how to make these muffins, please see the original recipe: Zucchini Blueberry Muffins

For the Streusel:

• ¾ cup packed (160 grams) light or dark brown sugar
• ¾ cup (90 grams) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon table salt, OR 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅓ cup (30 grams) of old-fashioned oats
• ⅓ cup (50 grams) chopped almonds, roasted or raw
• 6 tablespoons (85 grams/ 3 ounces) salted or unsalted butter, melted

For the Muffins:

• 1 pound zucchini (4 medium zucchini)
• 1 cup (213 grams) packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup (84 grams) honey
• ¼ cup (50 grams) vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract, optional
• ¾ cup (90 grams) plus 1 tablespoon (7.5 grams) of all-purpose flour, divided
• ¾ cup (85 grams) whole wheat flour
• ½ cup (45 grams) of old-fashioned oats, ground in a food processor (measure after grinding)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon table salt, OR 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 12-14 ounces (2 - 2 & ½ cups) fresh blueberries

Make the streusel:

1. Add all ingredients except the butter to a medium size bowl and stir to combine and break up the brown sugar. Pour in the melted butter and use your hands or a rubber spatula to fully incorporate. Cover and set aside.

Make the muffins

1. Heat your oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin pan(s) with 12 paper tulip liners (see link below) or 24 regular paper liners.
2. Grate the zucchini and spread it out onto a clean kitchen towel. Twist the zucchini in the towel, squeezing and pressing to absorb as much liquid from the zucchini as possible.
3. Add the brown sugar, honey, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract to a medium size bowl and whisk to combine.
4. In another large bowl, add the ¾ cup all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, ground oats, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to combine.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the shredded zucchini and stir just until blended.
6. In a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour and blueberries. Toss to coat the blueberries in the flour. Pour the blueberries into the muffin batter and stir gently to incorporate.
7. Distribute the batter amongst the paper-lined muffin pan(s). Top the batter with streusel, squeezing the streusel between your fingers to create clumps.
8. If making 12 large muffins, bake for 35-45 minutes. If making 24 small muffins, bake for 25-35 minutes longer. Test for doneness with a toothpick: stick the toothpick into one or two of the muffins and remove it. Examine the toothpick for signs of raw batter. These are very moist muffins, so crumbs might cling to the toothpick, but no raw batter should be in evidence.
9. Remove the muffin pan(s) to a wire rack and let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan before removing the muffins from the pan.

Recipe notes:

• The instructions for these muffins include a fairly long range for the bake time because the amount of water content in the muffins can vary widely from baker to baker. Even after squeezing the water out of the zucchini, the amount that ends up in the muffin batter can vary. So, watch your muffins as they bake, and be patient if they take a bit longer than usual.

More Recipes for Blueberry Lovers

This delicious Blueberry Loaf Cake is one of the many flavor variations that begin with my favorite Vanilla Loaf Cake recipe. The loaf can be made with fresh or frozen blueberries and has a buttery, tender crumb that practically melts in your mouth.

My favorite homemade double-crust blueberry pie includes a rich blueberry filling that's thick enough to hold its shape when sliced as opposed to a fruit filling that runs all over the place the second you slice it.

Blueberry crumb cake is one of those treats that's just as perfect for breakfast as it is for dessert. The cake includes blueberry sauce swirled into tender butter cake that's topped with a generous layer of New York style crumbs. It's sweet and buttery, and so delicious.

And you simply must try these blueberry corn muffins and thick blueberry pancakes for breakfast at least once this summer. Although, around our house, we're more likely to eat blueberry pancakes and corn muffins for dinner than we are for breakfast because breakfast for dinner is one of my favorite things. ♥️

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

For more of my recipes, visit alittleandalot.com and ofbatteranddough.com.

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