Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Tender, fluffy pumpkin zucchini muffins topped with a luscious cinnamon cream cheese frosting. These easy pumpkin zucchini muffins are made in one bowl, are naturally sweetened, and are filled with cozy pumpkin pie spices! Truly the perfect breakfast or snack to enjoy during the fall months.
Servings 12 muffins
Calories 247cal
Ingredients
- For the wet ingredients:
- 1 cup shredded zucchini, from 1 medium zucchini*
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled (or sub melted butter/vegan butter)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the dry ingredients:
- 1 cup oat flour (I used store bought oat flour)
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour*
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- For the optional mix-ins:
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- For the frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese or vegan cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1-2 teaspoons milk of choice, to thin glaze
- For the topping:
- Extra chopped nuts
- Cinnamon for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin liners and grease the inside of the muffin liners with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking. This is critical to making sure the muffins don’t stick to the liners.
- Mix together the wet ingredients: shred and measure out zucchini, then place in a paper towel or cheese cloth and squeeze out all the excess moisture. Add zucchini to a large bowl, along with pumpkin puree, pure maple syrup, eggs, coconut oil (or sub melted butter/vegan butter) and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- Mix in dry ingredients: Add oat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Fold in nuts, if using.
- Time to bake: evenly divide batter into prepared liners. Bake for 23-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. After 5 minutes, remove muffins and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Make the cinnamon cream cheese frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and milk together on medium speed for a minute or until smooth. Spread over the muffins. Sprinkle chopped nuts and a little cinnamon, if desired to make them pretty. Enjoy!
Notes
To make gluten free: use all purpose gluten free flour in place of the whole wheat pastry flour. I haven’t tested this option but I think it should work well.
To make nut free: leave out the nuts and use melted butter or vegan butter instead of coconut oil.
To make dairy free: use a vegan butter stick such as Miyokos or Earth Balance and a vegan cream cheese for the frosting.
If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice: you can sub 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground ginger and ½ teaspoon allspice.
If you don’t want to use frosting: feel free to use chocolate chips instead! Simply add 1/2 cup chocolate chips in step 3 and bake as directed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1muffin (with frosting, without nuts) | Calories: 247cal | Carbohydrates: 32.6g | Protein: 4.5g | Fat: 11.3g | Saturated Fat: 7.3g | Fiber: 2.8g | Sugar: 17.5g