Sweet Potato Zucchini Muffins
These zucchini sweet potato muffins are soft, super moist and made with just 9 simple ingredients. Packed with two veggies and naturally sweetened with dates only, they're a lovely option for baby-led weaning, toddlers, and kids.
These muffins have become a favorite in my house- especially during the colder months.
They're also really easy to make. Simply whisk together the dry ingredients, then blend the sweet potato puree, dates, eggs, and oil until smooth. Stir the mixture together with grated zucchini, spoon into muffin tins, and bake until golden. Easy and fuss-free!
Other toddler-friendly muffin recipes my kids love include these Carrot, Zucchini Banana Muffins or my Cottage Cheese Blueberry Lemon Muffins.
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What makes these muffins "healthy"
I know muffins aren't usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think of "healthy food," but these really do pack in some pretty incredible ingredients.
- Made with 2 veggies: Sweet potato adds fibre, vitamin A, and natural sweetness, while zucchini adds moisture plus a little extra fibre and nutrients.
- Naturally sweetened with dates: Dates are one of the most nutrient dense sweeteners out there. Unlike refined sugar, whole dates also provide fibre, potassium, magnesium, iron, and antioxidants, making them a great option!
- Made with oil instead of butter: Using oil keeps the muffins soft and moist while being lower in saturated fat than butter.
- Whole wheat flour for extra fibre: Whole wheat flour adds more fibre and keeps the muffins a little more filling compared to regular white flour.
Ingredients you'll need
- Whole wheat flour: You could also use regular white flour.
- Cinnamon: You can easily swap it for pumpkin spice if you prefer.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Help the muffins rise and keep them soft and fluffy.
- Eggs: Help bind everything together and give the muffins structure. I use high-quality organic eggs.
- Oil: I usually use a neutral oil like rapeseed or light olive oil. Any neutral oil would work here.
- Sweet potato: If you want to save time you could also use store-bought. I like to roast my own sweet potato and make homemade puree since it's so easy and much cheaper.
- Zucchini: Adds moisture and sneaks in another veggie. No need to peel it first just give it a good scrub or wash before grating.
Step-by-step instructions
Here's a quick step-by-step with photos so you can see exactly how it comes together. You'll find the full printable recipe card down below.
Step 1: Roast your sweet potatoes on a baking tray for 45-60 minutes or until very soft.
Step 2: Add sweet potato puree, oil and dates to a blender and blend until smooth.
Step 3: Whisk together dry ingredients. Then stir in the mix from the blender and grated zucchini.
Step 4: Divide the batter into muffin tins and bake for 20-23 minutes.
Tips for success
- Soft dates: If your dates aren't soft straight out of the package, soak them in very hot water for about 30 minutes first. This helps them blend much more smoothly.
- Use a tamper to push down the ingredients when blending or blend in batches.
- Save time: I usually prepare the sweet potato the night before and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. That way, the muffin recipe comes together super quickly the next day.
Picky eaters tip
Grate the zucchini as finely as possible so they almost disappear into the muffins.
I share more little tips like this in my How to Get My Toddlers to Eat Veggies post.
Serving suggestions by age
Once your pediatrician has cleared mixed-ingredient foods, these muffins can be a lovely option from around 6 months onward, particularly for Baby-Led Weaning.
For more specific age-related serving suggestions- including how to serve muffins for 6-month-olds, 9-month-olds, and 12-month-olds check out our Healthy Muffins for Toddlers & Babies post.
Storage
- To store: Store the muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: These freeze really well too. Let them cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Let thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave for a few seconds until soft again.
FAQs
Yes you could- just make sure that the only ingredient is sweet potato.
If you'd like a sweeter muffin or want to swap the dates, I'd recommend using a granulated sweetener rather than a liquid one. Liquid sweeteners like maple syrup can throw off the balance of wet and dry ingredients and affect the texture of the muffins.
More healthy muffin recipes
- Lemon, Blueberry Cottage Cheese Muffins
- Banana Carrot Zucchini Muffins
- Apple Banana Carrot Muffins
- High Fiber Muffins
Sweet Potato Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup (190 g) whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 large sweet potato (to make 1 cup (220g) puree)
- ⅓ cup (80 g) oil *I used rapeseed
- 24 dates (Deglet Noor) *pitted, see notes
- ⅓ cup (70 g) zucchini *finely shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180℃). Cut the sweet potato in half lengthwise and place on a lined baking tray. Roast for 45-60 minutes, or until very soft. Scoop out the flesh and measure the amount needed for the recipe in grams or cups. (You could also use store-bought sweet potato puree to save time, but it's so much more expensive)1 large sweet potato (to make 1 cup (220g) puree)
- Prepare a muffin tin with liners or lightly grease it.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients until well combined.1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon
- Add all wet ingredients- except for the grated zucchini - to a (high-speed) blender. Blend until completely smooth. The mixture will be quite thick and sticky, so you may need to push it down with a tamper if using a high-speed blender. If using a stick blender, blending in batches works best.2 eggs, ⅓ cup oil, 24 dates (Deglet Noor)
- Pour the blended mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Add the grated zucchini and stir until everything is evenly combined.⅓ cup zucchini
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out mostly clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Try not to peel off the liners too early- they tend to stick if the muffins are still warm.
Equipment
- 1 baking tray + paper
- 1 large mixing bowl + spatula
- 1 muffin tin + 12 liners
- 1 high speed or stick blender
- 1 wire rack
Notes
- Dates: If your dates aren't soft enough, soak them in hot water for about 20 minutes first, then drain well before using. Your blender will thank you.
- Blender: If you're using a high-speed blender, you can usually blend the whole mixture at once. If using a regular blender or stick blender, it's best to blend the mixture in batches to avoid overworking the motor.
- Time-saving tip: Roast the sweet potato the night before and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also use store-bought sweet potato puree if preferred (just make sure that sweet potato is the only ingredient), but roasting your own is usually much cheaper.
- Picky eaters tip: Grate the zucchini as finely as possible so they almost disappear into the muffins.
