Zucchini Muffins
In my garden, the zucchini is starting to come in. I always end up with more zucchini than I can eat, and one of my favorite ways to use it up is to make my mom’s zucchini muffins.
This recipe takes 2 cups of zucchini, which is a lot, and because of this, it’s probably fairly healthy, as far as cakes and muffins go. If you are the type to trick your kid into eating vegetables through baking them into sweets, this is a good way to go. And anyway, these muffins taste great with coffee in the morning.
Also, this is a fairly versatile recipe. For example, you can use this same batter to make zucchini bread. All you have to do is pour it into a loaf pan and cook it a bit longer–see note at the end of the entry. Or you can use other types of squash in this recipe. I have tried it with pattypan squash and it came out great. It tasted basically the same, just a bit more tender.
Here’s the recipe:
Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients:
-
2 c grated zucchini, about 2-3 zucchinis
3 eggs
1 c oil
1 1/2 c sugar
1 Tbs vanilla
3 c flour
1 tsp salt
1tsp baking soda
1 Tbs cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
Directions:
Grate the zucchini using a food processor or box grater. I leave the skin on, since it has extra nutrients in it. Once you grate the zucchini, put it in a strainer over the sink and massage it so that the water drains out. Since squash has a lot of water, this step will keep the muffins from getting mushy.
Leave the zucchini in the sink to drain. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and oil in a bowl. Add in the sugar, vanilla, and zucchini. Mix together.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix together until you have a batter.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a muffin pan. With an ice cream scoop or spoon, fill the muffin pan with the batter. Bake until you can insert a knife into a muffin and it comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Makes about 12-16 muffins, depending on size.
Enjoy!
* Alternately, if you want to make this into zucchini bread, pour the batter into two greased 9″X5″ loaf pans and cook at 325 degrees for about an hour.
** Some people like nuts in zucchini muffins. I don’t. However, if you do, add 1/2 c chopped walnuts or pecans right before you pour the batter into the pan.
