How to Make Alaskan Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
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There are some smells I associate only with Alaska: the crisp fresh smell of birch trees putting out their leaves in spring, bug spray in the peak of summer when the mosquitos are at their worst, and fresh breakfast wafting down to my bedroom from the kitchen on the second floor of my childhood home.
For those not familiar, I grew up in Alaska – and my mom was (still is) an amazing cook. I was fortunate to grow up eating delicious homemade food regularly, much of it made with Alaska Grown ingredients. That includes today’s recipe: Alaskan Blueberry Zucchini Muffins.
(Wait, Valerie, you think, aren’t you a travel blogger? Why are you sharing a recipe on your site??? Great question: I’ve decided to share some amazing Alaska recipes I know and love because food is a critical part of travel, and sometimes you want to experience it from home.)
I started with today’s recipe for Alaskan blueberry zucchini muffins because I think we should all start the day with a good meal made with real ingredients. What better way than a tasty breakfast that you can enjoy at home, or throw in your bag for a day of hiking in the Alaskan wilderness? Read on to learn why blueberry zucchini muffins are distinctly Alaskan to me, and how to make them at home.
This post was originally published in August 2020, and was updated most recently in September 2023.
All About (Alaskan) Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
One of my biggest pet peeves about food bloggers is when they tell their entire family story before getting to the recipe. So let’s stay focused – this is all about re-creating a recipe I loved while growing up in Alaska!
Why blueberry and zucchini in muffins? Blueberry muffins are an obvious delight, but why add zucchini? Well, maybe you’re a parent who needs to get more veggies in your kid; maybe you’re an adult who needs a slightly healthier breakfast option. Maybe you just want to make muffins with a bit more texture and moistness. No matter the reason, these two ingredients work really well together in muffins, bread, and more.
What makes these blueberry zucchini muffins an Alaska recipe? Both blueberries and zucchini actually grow in Alaska! While I was a kid in Alaska, my family occasionally went blueberry picking with other families – they’re delicious little alpine blueberries that can be so sweet if you pick them at the right time of the year.
As for zucchini, we actually grow incredible – and huge! – produce in Alaska. The record-setting zucchini was over 29lbs (13kg)… that could make 58 batches of this recipe – or 696 muffins! 😂 My mom used to use the more normally-sized (though sometimes large!) zucchini from the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box we received from the Matanuska-Susitna Valley (where most produce is grown).
How to Make Alaskan Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
Even if you can’t get your hands on fresh alpine Alaskan blueberries and ginormous zucchini, you can still make this recipe at home.
To start you’ll need a muffin tin with muffin/cupcake paper cups – so it’s best to prep that first. Also be sure to start your oven pre-heating to 350°F (175°C).
Note: You can use paper baking cups, or try these silicone baking cups to reduce waste!
Next combine the eggs, sugar, and baking powder in a bowl. Mix together the oil, vanilla, cinnamon in a mixing cup, then add them as well. Stir it all together.
After that, it’s time to add the flour. You’ll want to do this while mixing so that the flour gets fully ‘integrated’ and makes a nice batter.
Next, it’s time to add the zucchini and blueberries, the main stars! Gently ‘fold’ them into the batter using a spatula. This is a step where it helps to be careful, so you don’t break open a bunch of the blueberries – you want them to be delicious little treats within the muffins.
After that, use a spoon to add them to each muffin cup. You’ll want it to fill the cup plus a little extra – not too heaping though, or they’ll overflow and bake/burn onto your muffin tin!
After that, it’s oven time! Bake these beauties for 25 minutes, or until crispy and golden on top.
As you can see, it’s a pretty simple recipe that takes no more than 40 minutes, depending on how fast you are combining the ingredients! I used to think my mom slaved over them for ages; now I can see it’s a pretty great way to make a healthy, filling breakfast without a ton of time, ingredients, or effort.
To enjoy these tasty (possibly Alaskan, depending on your ingredients) blueberry zucchini muffins, you can let them cool a bit, or enjoy them hot from the oven. They’re an easy breakfast option that everyone will love, just like I did as a kid.
Dietary Modifications
If you need to modify this recipe for dietary restrictions, here are my tips. Let me know in the comments if you need it a different way!
To make Gluten-Free Blueberry Zucchini Muffins with this recipe: You can use almond flour for the whole amount of flour (like in the Keto version, below). Or, you can use Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour to replace the white flour.
To make Vegan Blueberry Zucchini Muffins with this recipe: Use vegetable oil instead of butter, and Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer.
To make Keto Blueberry Zucchini Muffins with this recipe: Use 2¾ cups of almond flour instead of the mix of flours. This makes them 3.5 carbs per muffin.
My Alaskan Blueberry Zucchini Muffin Recipe
Without further ado, here’s the recipe! You can print it, rate it, or save it for later.
Alaskan Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 Eggs
- 1¼ Cups Sugar
- ½ Cup Vegetable Oil or Melted Butter
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tsp Cinnamon
- 2 Tsp Baking Powder
- 2½ Cups Grated Zucchini
- 2 Cups White Flour
- ¾ Cups Almond Flour
- 1 Cup Blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Prepare a muffin tin with paper cups and set aside.
- In a bowl whisk together the egg, sugar, and baking powder.
- Add the oil, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
- Slowly mix in the flour until fully incorporated.
- With a spatula, fold in the blueberries and zucchini.
- Divide the batter between the muffin cups and take to the oven.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until done.
2023 Update: Remaking this Recipe
As part of my August 2023 trip, Mr. V and I spent some time blueberry picking in Arctic Valley near Anchorage. We brought back a few cups of blueberries and I used them to re-make this recipe – it’s interesting how it has changed over the years!
Here’s how I modified the recipe this time, and it turned out just as well as when I first published this episode:
- I used 1 cup of Cane Sugar instead of “1¼ Cups Sugar” – I didn’t realize we had granulated sugar, and also knew the berries were quite sweet. You can definitely play around with the sugar types and amounts to your own preference.
- I used 2½ cups of white flour instead of the mixed flour suggested in the original recipe – We didn’t have any almond flour, and the recipe turned out just fine with this modification.
- I did not include zucchini in this latest version – We didn’t have any! Instead, I added ¼ cup of water, since the zucchini does add moisture to the original recipe and you’ll end up with super-dense muffins if you don’t make up for that.
- Lastly, I use silicon muffin cups instead of paper – This can absolutely affect the moisture in the muffins since silicon doesn’t allow any moisture to pass through, but I love using a sustainable option.
All this to say, you can still make this recipe, and can modify it, and it will still be delicious. Enjoy, and let me know in the comments if you’ve made any modifications too.
If you love this recipe, be sure to check out my other Alaskan recipe for strawberry rhubarb crumble!
If you try this recipe at home, I’d love to know: what did you think? How did your blueberry zucchini muffins turn out? Let me know in the comments!
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Valerie
I was born on the East Coast and currently live in the Midwest – but my heart will always be out West. I lived for 15 years in Alaska, as well as four years each in California and Washington. I share travel resources and stories based on my personal experience and knowledge.
