Zucchini Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins + Video
Here's an interesting tidbit of information: today's recipe is the first dessert recipe on the blog that contains zucchini.
Okay, maybe that tidbit of information wasn't so interesting to you. Maybe it was actually a relief. Because maybe you find it horrifying that I'm even posting a single dessert recipe with zucchini. Because maybe you believe that zucchini in a sweet muffin in sacrilegious.
But let me tell you. It is neither horrifying nor sacrilegious to put zucchini in muffins. In any way. It is the opposite. It is divine and saintly.
And let me tell you something else. I also made a video tutorial for these divine and saintly zucchini lemon poppy seed muffins. It's right here:
Or, watch it on YouTube.
Here's why zucchini is an excellent addition to muffins: you get a ton of extra moisture added to your muffins from the freshly grated zucchini. But you get none of that healthy (eeeeeeew gross) zucchini flavor. And you still get all of the nutritional benefits of zucchini.
Is that saintly or saintly??
But, it isn't enough just to add zucchini to your muffins. You need to add freshly grated zucchini to THESE muffins. Because the combination of delicate zucchini and bright lemon zest + lemon extract and woodsy poppy seeds is as close to a perfect combo as you're going to get in this lifetime.
So, we've got the zucchini providing moisture and softness and squishiness to our muffins. And we've also got oil for extra fluffiness and tenderness. And oil means these zucchini muffins are dairy-free.
We're keeping things light and delicate here. There's no dense buttery flavor or texture involved in these lemon poppy seed babies.
And then - brown sugar. Yep, these lemony zucchini muffins have got mostly brown sugar in them. The brown sugar adds an extra depth of flavor. And adds even MOOOOOORE moisture to the muffins.
We be getting crazy with the moistness (what a word - blech) up in here.
And can we discuss the lemon flavor please? Freshly zested lemon rind and a teaspoon of lemon extract are added to the batter of these zucchini muffins. Because lemon flavor is rad. It rules. Dude.
And about the poppy seeds. Their woodsy, nutty flavor and delicate crunch and tiny dotted loveliness are much appreciated in these lemon poppy seed muffins. Mucho, mucho appreciated.
These muffins come together very quickly. Grate the zucchini, squeeze out the excess liquid, whisk together the wet ingredients, mix in the dry, add in the zucchini, and divide the batter between your muffin molds.
And after less than 20 minutes of baking time, these soft, moist, tender, squishy, bright, tangy zucchini lemon poppy seed muffins are ready to be consumed.
Oh yeah - these muffins are awesome the next day too. And the day after that. And that. Is awesome.
Zucchini Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Yield: 9 muffins
1 1/4 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon lemon extract
3 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 cup packed flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 9 muffin molds.
2. Grate zucchini. Hold over sink and squeeze by hand well to remove the excess liquid.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugars, egg, lemon zest and extract, and poppy seeds until smooth,
4. Pour flour, baking powder, and salt over wet ingredients and stir everything together until just combined. Give zucchini a final squeeze and stir in last.
5. Use a large ice cream scoop to divide batter into molds. Bake for 16-20 minutes, until muffins spring back when touched and toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean. Let muffins cool before easing out of molds.
Adapted from Pinch of Yum
