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    Home » Blog » Whole Food Recipes » Canning & Preserving Recipes » Freezing Produce

    August 11, 2020 | By Jami

    Zucchini Cinnamon Freezer Muffins

    Jump to Recipe

    My favorite way to preserve zucchini is with these easy to make zucchini cinnamon freezer muffins. You mix up the dough, portion it out, freeze, and then bake right from frozen for warm muffins anytime. Talk about convenient!

    After you've made these muffins, try one of our other Best Bread Recipes.

    zucchini cinnamon freezer muffins

    Are you ready to meet your newest favorite recipe for preserving zucchini? I think you will LOVE having this frozen muffin dough ready to be baked whenever you want - it's super convenient for quick, but warm breakfasts and snacks.

    Freezing breads and muffins after they have been baked is nothing new to me and, in fact, is the way I traditionally like to use up garden zucchini.

    I found that we actually ate preserved zucchini if I made it into loaves, cookies, cupcakes, cake, and froze them for use throughout the winter rather than grating and freezing the zucchini itself. I just don't find zucchini as easy to use once it's been frozen, so grated zucchini just tends to sit in my freezer.

    zucchini freezer muffin close

    But this recipe for zucchini cinnamon freezer muffins is a revelation! You freeze the muffin dough before it's cooked and then just cook as many as you need (no thawing needed) when you want fresh-from-the-oven muffins. 

    After adapting this recipe to use zucchini, I cooked one muffin right away to see if I liked the muffin itself and I did, but I waited to see how they baked up from frozen before sharing the recipe with you.

    All I've got to say is...find some zucchini and try this as soon as you can!

    They are so good and so easy, and actually, I think these may be the best zucchini muffins I've had.

    Imagine having warm muffins in 30 minutes without dirtying a bowl or even the muffin pan they cooked in!

    Zucchini Cinnamon Freezer Muffins

    frozen zucchini muffins in bag

    Ingredients

    • whole wheat pastry flour (or half whole wheat/half unbleached all purpose)
    • brown sugar & white sugar
    • baking powder & baking soda
    • salt
    • cinnamon
    • yogurt or sour cream
    • egg
    • zucchini

    Directions

    After making the simple muffin batter, divide it into lined muffin tins and freeze for 30 minutes, or until firm. (You can, of course, bake some right away if you'd like.)

    Then separate the frozen dough cups into baggies based on the number you'd like to cook at one time. For me that is six to fit a six-cup muffin tin.

    Label the bags, remove as much air as possible (you can use the straw trick) and throw them back in the freezer. I like to add the directions to each bag so I don't have to look it up each time - and it also makes it easy to gift a bag of these muffins to friends and family.

    frozen zucchini muffins ready to bake

    To bake when you want warm muffins:

    Plop the frozen muffins in their liners into a muffin tin and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned.

    zucchini freezer muffins in pan above

    Sometimes I like to sprinkle the tops with cinnamon-sugar before freezing and sometimes with a bit of raw sugar for crunchy sweetness. But they really are just as good plain, too.

    You can also add chocolate chips or dried fruit to the batter before freezing, as well as gently mixing in fresh fruit like blueberries or raspberries. It's fun to experiment!

    It's that simple. Can you believe it?

    Oh, where have these muffins been all my zucchini-growing life?

    Need more zucchini recipes?

    • Zucchini Feta Fritters with Lime
    • Whole Wheat Dark Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
    • Glazed Zucchini Lemon Bread Recipe (Whole Grain, Dairy Free)
    • Garlic Cheese Zucchini Bread Recipe (100% Whole Wheat)
    zucchini freezer muffin close
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    4.56 from 18 votes

    Zucchini Cinnamon Freezer Muffins

    Easy muffins you mix up, portion out, freeze, and then bake right from frozen for warm muffins anytime (or eat right away, of course!). A great way to preserve seasonal zucchini!
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Freeze Time30 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Course: Breads
    Cuisine: American
    Yield: 12 -14 muffins
    Author: Jami Boys

    Ingredients

    • 2 ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour or half whole wheat and half unbleached
    • 1/2 cup brown sugar
    • 1/4 cup white sugar
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
    • 2/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
    • 4 tablespoons butter melted
    • 1 egg
    • 2 cups shredded zucchini peeled if you prefer
    • cinnamon-sugar or raw sugar optional for topping

    Instructions

    • Place liners in cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin.*
    • Stir together the flours, sugars, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
    • In a smaller bowl (a 2-cup measure with pour spout is perfect), mix the yogurt, butter, and egg. Add to the flour mixture, along with the zucchini and stir just until mixed.
    • Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Freeze for about 30 minutes until firm and then transfer the individual cups to freezer bags or containers, label and freeze until ready to bake (or bake immediately - see note**).
    • When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees and place as many frozen muffins as you want back into a muffin tin (to keep their shape). Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Remove baked muffins from the tin and transfer to a baking rack to cool.***

    Notes

    *This recipe really makes more than 12- you can get two or three more from one batch and 6 more from a double batch. Just freeze the extra in lined cups or small ramekins if you don't have more muffin tins.
    **You can bake them right away, as well: Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.
    ***They tend to stick to the paper wrapper after being frozen and baked - you can let them cool fully or use easy-release muffin liners.
    Variations (add all to batter before freezing):
    • 1/2 cup of chocolate chips
    • 1/2 cup of dried fruit like cranberries or blueberries
    • 3/4 cup of fresh berries - mix in very gently
    • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 221mg | Potassium: 287mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @anoregoncottage or tag #anoregoncottage!
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    zucchini cinnamon muffins-bake from frozen

    This recipe has been updated - it was originally published in October of 2010.

    About Jami

    Since 2009 Jami Boys has been helping readers live a simple homemade life through whole food recipes, doable gardening, and easy DIY projects on An Oregon Cottage. From baking bread, to creating a floor from paper, to growing and preserving food, Jami shares the easiest ways to get things done. She's been featured in Cottages and Bungalows, Old House Journal, and First for Women magazines as well as numerous sites like Good Housekeeping, Huffington Post, and Apartment Therapy.

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Wendy says

      March 28, 2020 at 7:03 pm

      These sound perfect for this crazy time.
      Could I use all purpose flour or cake flour?
      Not many choices left on the shelves right now,
      Thank you.

      Reply
      • Jami says

        March 30, 2020 at 1:45 pm

        Yes! You can also make these with grated carrots. 🙂 All purpose will work well. Not sure about cake flour - maybe there are recommendations on using instead of all purpose (add more/less, etc.) you can find?

        Reply
        • Wendy says

          March 30, 2020 at 2:08 pm

          Thank you. Will try with the all purpose and let you know.

          Reply
    2. Marie-Elena Baker says

      October 20, 2017 at 3:21 pm

      LOVE the hints and suggestions! WOW ! Basil to put up in freezer and these freezer Zucchini muffins! FAR out! Thank you so much !!! Great ideas!

      Reply
      • Jami says

        October 23, 2017 at 12:19 pm

        You're welcome - I hope you enjoy them!

        Reply
    3. Nancy says

      September 28, 2017 at 7:39 am

      Just found your blog and am loving you already! Would the freezing ahead work with banana and pumpkin muffins as well? And would there be any adjustments if using sprouted whole wheat flour? Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Jami says

        September 29, 2017 at 11:41 am

        I'm so glad you found me, Nancy. 🙂

        Yes, you can use this method with any muffins - so convenient!

        So, the thing with sprouted flour is that it's 'rustic' and could probably be substituted 1:1 with regular whole wheat flour, though the bread would be denser. This muffin is meant to be lighter and so I use whole wheat pastry flour (made with a soft white wheat). I think a 1:1 ratio would make a pretty dense muffin. But here's the thing - you may like it that way! Experiment and see what you like best. 🙂 The technique would remain the same either way.

        Reply
        • Nancy says

          September 29, 2017 at 12:39 pm

          I used the sprouted flour and, as you predicted, it made a denser muffin but my family liked them just fine 🙂 I made pumpkin muffins also, doubled the batch and froze half I'm thrilled to have this option for ourselves as well as for delivering to friends for ministering. Can't thank you enough 🙂 Blessings!

          Reply
    4. Mindy says

      August 26, 2014 at 7:30 pm

      This is friggin' genius.

      Reply
    5. Jaime Lynn says

      December 11, 2010 at 3:22 pm

      I just made these for breakfast and they are AWESOME! Thanks so much for sharing! I am going to share them on my blog and link to you!

      Reply
    6. Lisa @ Fern Creek Cottage says

      November 07, 2010 at 11:15 pm

      I have made the Martha Stewart version of this recipe many times and enjoyed it, so I was excited to try your zucchini version. I made them this week and they were wonderful!! I baked some immediatly and froze the rest. I baked the ones that I froze today and they are just as good! Thanks for a yummy, healthful, recipe!!

      Reply
    7. Nikki (Coupon Cookin) says

      November 03, 2010 at 4:04 pm

      Thanks for sharing this recipe. It's a good one to use for Freezer Day Cooking which I need to plan for this month. Great idea and healthy recipe. Have a great day!

      Reply
    8. daphne says

      October 30, 2010 at 3:37 am

      What a creative idea. it's making me hungry! freezing goodness. .

      Reply
    9. Nancy says

      October 30, 2010 at 2:56 am

      I can smell them from here! I think I will love these! Making them soon!
      Thanks!
      Nancy

      Reply
    10. Katie says

      October 29, 2010 at 8:34 pm

      smart! I'm hoping for some zucchini in my co-op basket tomorrow!

      Reply
    11. Lisa says

      October 29, 2010 at 7:26 am

      What an amazing recipe. This way you can always have freshly baked muffins warm out of the oven. I love it. Thanks for sharing this recipe. By the way, I'll be holding a CSN giveaway on my blog next week Monday, so be sure to check back then for a chance to enter.

      Reply
    12. Caroline Mukisa says

      October 29, 2010 at 7:12 am

      This is so great for those last minute visitors who sometimes pop by. I also love zucchini cakes and muffins so this recipe is perfect for me! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    13. Carol H. says

      October 29, 2010 at 4:07 am

      Thanks for this recipe. I've still got lots of zukes lurking in the refrige. (Visiting from WFMW).

      Reply
    14. Shirley says

      October 28, 2010 at 5:43 pm

      I can't wait to try this recipe! I love your blog and have found so much inspirational information and excellent recipe ideas here! I am awed by your preserving list!

      Reply
    15. Jaime Lynn says

      October 29, 2010 at 12:14 am

      Ok thanks for the info!

      That is so cool that we are both Jami(or Jaime) Lynns!!!!!!! 🙂

      Reply
    16. Jami @An Oregon Cottage says

      October 29, 2010 at 12:04 am

      Jamie- Yes, you can use regular whole wheat with the unbleached white flour- pastry just makes a lighter finished product, but it's not a huge difference. Grate zucchini with a cheese grater or in a food processor fitted with the grating attachment.

      Hey- btw, have I told you that my middle name is Lynn, too? What are the chances...

      Reply
    17. Blonde Ambitions says

      October 28, 2010 at 9:56 pm

      Yum! Looks good. Can't wait to try them!

      Reply
    18. Jaime Lynn says

      October 28, 2010 at 7:57 pm

      I am SOOO making these! Two questions though...

      Can I just use regular (not pastry) whole wheat four and unbleached white flour?

      How do you shred zucchini? Like with a potato peeler or a cheese grater???

      Help! I've only baked and roasted it!

      Reply
    19. Jaime Lynn says

      October 28, 2010 at 7:57 pm

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Reply
    20. April@The 21st Century Housewife says

      October 28, 2010 at 4:05 pm

      I love this idea! How wonderful to have those yummy muffins just waiting to be baked in the freezer. The recipe itself sounds really delicious - especially with the cinnamon. I'm bookmarking this one!! Thanks for sharing it.

      Reply
    Newer Comments »

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    Hi, I'm Jami and I'm so glad you're here! My desire is to help you live a simple homemade life through delicious whole food recipes, easy organic gardening and preserving your harvest.

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