Cornbread Zucchini Muffins

ByBrie Updated
11 Comments
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Cornbread Zucchini Muffins are incredibly moist and tender with an irresistible sweet corn flavor. Perfect for a quick breakfast, snack, or dunking in a bowl of vegetarian chili.

A plate with muffins sliced in half and spread with butter.

Of all the zucchini recipes on this site, these zucchini corn muffins might be my favorite. They’re lightly sweetened, super moist, and have gorgeous green flecks of shredded zucchini. 

And there are whole corn kernels! When you bite into one, there’s an unexpected crunch and then the kernel bursts delivering more delicious sweet corn flavor.

Best of all, you don’t even have to turn on the oven to make this small batch recipe. You can use your toaster oven.

Recipe ingredients in ramekins, scoops, and bowls arranged on a countertop.

Ingredient Notes

Small Zucchini: Grated and squeezed/drained to remove excess water before mixing into the batter. This will keep the muffins from having too much moisture and turning into a mushy soggy mess.

Yellow Cornmeal: For tender muffins, make sure to use finely ground cornmeal (not coarse or stone-ground).

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350°F. If using a toaster oven, select the BAKE setting and use either the middle or bottom rack positions. Grease a 6-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or oil.

Cutting board with box grater and shredded zucchini in a towel next to a bowl of green liquid.

2. Slice ends off the zucchini and grate using a box grater. Gather the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and twist to squeeze out the excess water. 

Batter mixed in a glass bowl with a blue rubber spatula.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in the egg, milk, yogurt, and butter. Lastly, add the zucchini and corn kernels, and stir just until combined. The batter will be on the thicker side. 

4. Divide the thick batter evenly between the muffin cups filling them all the way up. 

Batter in a gray metal muffin tin.

5. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached about 14 to 15 minutes. The muffins won’t be browned when they are ready. Instead, look for the tops to be springy and dry to the touch. 

6. Cool the muffins in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely or enjoy warm slathered with salted butter and strawberry preserves!

Cornbread zucchini muffins sliced in half on a plate and spread with butter and strawberry preserves.

Tips and Variations 

  • For the lightest and most tender muffins use All Purpose Flour and plain yogurt (or Greek yogurt) that has some fat in it.
  • Prefer a heartier crumb? Omit the yogurt. 
  • For a more savory flavor, add a few tablespoons of grated parmesan, cheddar, or crumbled feta cheese.  

How Should I Store Leftover Muffins?

After the first day, store leftover muffins covered in the fridge for 2 to 3 days or freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

When ready to eat, thaw the frozen muffins on the counter for 30 minutes or pop them in the microwave for a few seconds. For next-level muffins that are warm and lightly toasted, follow this quick guide on how to reheat muffins in a toaster oven. 

Muffins stacked on a plate on top of a blue paisley napkin.

More Tasty Zucchini Recipes

Closeup of half a warm corn muffin spread with butter.

Cornbread Zucchini Muffins

Yield: 6 Muffins
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

These tender muffins have a savory-sweet flavor that tastes great paired with butter and honey or a hearty bowl of vegetarian chili.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium Zucchini Squash, (6 to 7-inches long, about 7 ounces or 1 cup shredded)
  • 1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup White Whole Wheat Flour or All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 large Egg, beaten
  • 1/4 cup Whole Milk
  • 1/4 cup Plain Low Fat Yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled
  • 1/4 cup Canned Corn, drained

Instructions

  1. Adjust the toaster oven cooking rack to the middle position and preheat to 350°F. Grease a 6-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or oil.
  2. Slice ends off the zucchini and grate using a box grater. Gather shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and twist to squeeze out excess water. You should have around 1 cup of shredded zucchini.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the egg, milk, yogurt, and butter. Add the zucchini and corn kernels, stir just until combined.
  4. Divide batter evenly among cups in the prepared muffin pan.
  5. Bake muffins until a toothpick inserted in the center come out clean, about 14 to 15 minutes.
  6. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm with salted butter and strawberry preserves.

Notes

For cornbread muffins with a heartier crumb omit the yogurt.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 Muffin
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 157Total Fat: 5.8gSaturated Fat: 3.1gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 280mgCarbohydrates: 22.6gFiber: 2.6gSugar: 4.6gProtein: 5.1g
© Brie Norris
Cuisine: American / Category: Toaster Oven Bread Recipes

Looking for more small-batch muffin inspiration?

We’ve got a bunch of toaster oven-tested recipes that you can check out here: Toaster Oven Muffin Recipes.

These easy Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins from Food With Feeling are another great option. They’re light, and fluffy, and you can whip up a batch in less than 30 minutes!

If you’re new to baking muffins in a toaster oven take a peek at Our Big Fat Toaster Oven Muffin Experiment. It’s got everything you need to know for baking full-sized and mini muffins in a toaster oven or countertop convection oven.

Happy Baking!

11 Comments

  1. I wanted to have a savory snack, so I decided to make these muffins savory. These are the changes that I made:

    – I skipped the sugar.
    – Added grated fresh ginger, grated cheddar cheese, lemon juice, a sprinkle of red chilli powder, a chia egg and a sprinkle of coriander powder.
    I poured the mixture into a mini loaf pan. I sprinkled some grated cheese on the top of the batter and baked it.

    It was very delicious. I have made this recipe many times, alternating between muffins and a mini loaf. We put a few slices in the toaster and have a delicious snack. Heavenly. I hope you don’t mind me changing your recipe.

    Reply

    1. That sounds delicious, Fareeda! Especially the chili powder and cumin, and of course the cheese 🙂

      I think it’s great that you’ve made this recipe “your own” and love the idea of baking it in a mini loaf.

      Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!

      Reply

  2. I would like to make these for a celiac guest of ours. Can I use all cornmeal? Or would another gluten free alternative work better in this recipe? I want to serve them with the Burrito Stuffed Spaghetti Squash. (As an aside: I would add into the stuffing, Trader Joe’s “Beefless Beef”–a soy product– which would amp up the protein and make the texture more “meaty” for my meat loving guests.

    Reply

    1. Hi Michelle!

      I’m thinking all cornmeal would be super grainy. We haven’t tried making this recipe with anything but the flour. You might do okay substituting a gluten-free flour blend for it? If you give it a try I’d love to hear how it goes!

      Thanks for the great suggestion on the beefless crumbles for the burrito bowls , that sounds delicious 🙂

      Reply

  3. Hi Brie, I haven’t tried these yet but the recipe looks great. Thank you for a recipe with low sugar and fat, so hard to find. Looking forward to checking out your other recipes.

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much Diana! It’s great to hear that not everyone is looking for keto, lol. I hope you enjoy the recipes and if you’ve got a craving for something special that you don’t see, let me know we’re always looking for recipe suggestions 🙂

      Reply

      1. Hi Brie, I did make them and they were wonderful. I used the regular oven as I stretched it out to make 12 muffins (just so my husband wouldn’t eat them so quick). Very tasty and easy to do. Maybe you could add in the ingredients the 1 cup of zucchini alternative. I wasn’t going to read the instructions and was trying to figure out how much zucchini to add. You know, think we know it all and don’t need to read. Always love finding recipes that are healthier and with lower fat and sugar. Can’t wait to check out your other recipes. thanks and well done, Diana

        Reply

        1. I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins, Diana! Sounds like you nailed it and I love your idea of making the recipe as 12 smaller muffins, Tim goes through them quickly too, lol 🙂

          Reply

  4. I would love to try this recipe for cornbread zucchini muffins. Since this is supposed to be a savory muffin, Is the sugar necessary?

    Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi Fareeda,

      If you mean baking-wise, the sugar isn’t necessary. You can leave it out and the muffins will bake up fine though they might dry out faster as sugar adds moisture to baked goods.

      Flavorwise, it depends on your preference.

      I like a little sweetness in my corn muffins. It highlights the flavors of the other ingredients and is a nice balance to the salt.

      Without the sugar, you may find the muffins a bit bland and too salty. I’d recommend trying it with the sugar first.

      Also, we have made these successfully using a sugar-replacement called Swerve. If you’re trying to avoid regular sugar you might want to check it out.

      Thanks for stopping by and happy baking!

      Reply

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