Zucchini Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup (5.75 ounces) granulated sugar (can use 1/2 cup for a less sweet muffin)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup canola, avocado, vegetable or melted coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (6.25 ounces) white whole wheat flour (can sub all-purpose)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups finely shredded zucchini lightly squeezed of excess water (see note), about 10 ounces (measured after wringing)
• 1/2 cup (3 ounces) milk chocolate, semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (plus more for tops of muffins, if desired), optional
• Raw or coarse sugar for sprinkling on top, optional
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DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla until well-combined.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula 3-4 times until the batter starts to come together but there are still streaks of flour throughout.
5. Stir in the shredded zucchini and chocolate chips, if using, until the batter is just combined. Don’t overmix! It’s ok if the batter is still slightly lumpy.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin tin. Add a few chocolate chips to the top of each muffin for a prettier chocolate chip appearance (totally optional). If making the batter without chocolate chips, sprinkle a bit of raw or coarse sugar over the top of the muffins (again, optional, but super delicious).
7. Bake for 19-22 minutes until the tops spring back lightly to the touch.
8. Let cool for a few minutes in the muffin tin before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. These taste best once cooled, in my opinion (and are delicious the next day, as well).

NOTES:

You don’t need to go crazy wringing the water out of the zucchini here. I simply shred the zucchini finely and then take handfuls and give the zucchini a good squeeze over the kitchen sink (with no extra tools like a kitchen towel, etc). A good, healthy squeeze will do just fine. No need to squeeze the guts out of the zucchini for this recipe. I’ve given a weight and general cup measure for the zucchini once it is lightly squeezed. 

Want another delicious variation? Sub in 1 cup finely shredded apple (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp are tasty here) for 1 cup of the zucchini (no need to squeeze water out of the apple). So yummy!

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

• Doubled:
• 1 1/4 c sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 c oil
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 c zucchini, lightly squeezed
• 1 c chocolate chips plus a few on top