Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins with a Crisp Sugar Top

Cinnamon zucchini muffins are a one-bowl bake that makes 12 and ends up with a crisp cinnamon sugar top that survives a lunchbox. The zucchini keeps the crumb moist, and the high oven heat gives you a real dome instead of a flat top. Prep is 15 minutes and the whole recipe takes 35. Two medium zucchini from the supermarket are enough, so the recipe fits an October school morning as well as a summer harvest. They freeze whole, which makes them one of the easier things to stock ahead for the week.

Why this works

• Baking at 375 F sets the dome fast, so the muffins rise instead of spreading flat.
• Squeezed shreds add moisture without making the batter wet.
• Folding only 12 to 15 strokes, until the last dry patch disappears, keeps the muffins tender.
• A cinnamon sugar topping bakes into a crunchy crust.

A wet batter wants to spread flat, and that is why so many zucchini muffins come out dense with a sunken top. The answer here is heat and speed: a hot oven sets the outside quickly, so the batter has no choice but to rise. The mixing is short for the same reason. Overworking the batter builds gluten and turns tender muffins into chewy ones, so stop when the last dry patch is gone.

What to know about the ingredients

You need 2 cups of shredded zucchini, from 2 medium zucchini, squeezed dry in a clean kitchen towel. The batter is built from 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 2 large eggs and 1/4 cup of milk. Both baking soda and baking powder are used, 1 teaspoon each, along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of vanilla.

Cinnamon is used twice: 2 g (1/2 teaspoon) is mixed with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar for the top, and the remaining 6 g (2 teaspoons) goes into the batter. Measure carefully, because that split is what gives you both flavor and crunch.

Brown sugar adds moisture and a mild caramel note that pairs well with the cinnamon. Vegetable oil keeps the crumb soft for days, which is why it is used instead of butter here. Because the cinnamon is split between the batter and the topping, the muffins taste of it throughout without any bitterness. Use fresh baking soda and baking powder if you can, since old leavening is one of the common reasons muffins fail to dome.

Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins

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One bowl, 12 muffins, and a cinnamon sugar top that stays crisp in a lunchbox.

Prep15 min

Cook20 min

Total35 min

Serves12

Scale1x2x3x

Ingredients

• zucchini, shredded and squeezed dry — 2 cups (2 medium) (240 g)
• all-purpose flour — 2 cups (240 g)
• brown sugar, packed — ¾ cup (165 g)
• granulated sugar — 2 tablespoons (25 g)
• vegetable oil — ½ cup (120 ml)
• eggs — 2 large (100 g)
• milk — ¼ cup (60 ml)
• ground cinnamon — 2½ teaspoons (8 g)
• vanilla extract — 2 teaspoons (10 ml)
• baking soda — 1 teaspoon (5 g)
• baking powder — 1 teaspoon (4 g)
• salt — ½ teaspoon (3 g)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375 F (190 C) and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Shred the zucchini and squeeze it dry in a clean kitchen towel. These are the shreds, 240 g (2 cups).
3. Stir the granulated sugar with 2 g (1/2 teaspoon) of the cinnamon in a small bowl. This is the cinnamon sugar. Set it aside.
4. Whisk the eggs, brown sugar, oil, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl for 45 seconds, until smooth. Stir in the shreds.
5. Add the flour, the remaining 6 g (2 teaspoons) cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Fold 12 to 15 strokes, only until the last dry patch disappears.
6. Divide the batter between the 12 liners, about 70 g (1/3 cup) each. They fill nearly to the rim. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the tops.
7. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, until the tops dome and spring back when pressed lightly and a pick in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then move to a rack. Cool completely before bagging or the tops go sticky.

Nutrition per serving

243Calories

4 gProtein

32 gCarbs

11 gFat

Estimated per serving from standard nutrition reference values; will vary with brands and substitutions.

Tips for getting it right

1. Heat the oven to 375 F (190 C) and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners before you mix.
2. Whisk the eggs, brown sugar, oil, milk and vanilla for 45 seconds, until smooth, then stir in the shreds.
3. Add the dry ingredients and fold 12 to 15 strokes. Stop when the last dry patch disappears.
4. Fill each liner with about 70 g (1/3 cup) of batter and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the tops.
5. Bake 18 to 22 minutes. The tops should dome and spring back when pressed lightly, and a pick in the center should come out clean.
6. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then move to a rack. Cool completely before bagging.

Use paper liners, since the batter is moist and can stick to a bare pan. Fill each cup evenly so every muffin bakes at the same pace, and a cookie scoop or a measuring cup helps. The liners fill nearly to the rim, and that is intended, since it is what gives the tops room to dome. Avoid opening the oven door early, because the sudden drop in heat can deflate the rising tops before they have set.

How to store, freeze and make ahead

Keep the muffins airtight for 3 days, or freeze them for 3 months. They freeze whole and thaw by lunch, so put one in a lunchbox in the morning and it is ready by noon, with no microwave needed. Let them cool all the way before you bag them, or the tops go sticky.

What to serve with it

Split and butter them for breakfast on a school morning. They also suit an afternoon snack with coffee or a glass of milk. For a weekend brunch, set them next to Banana Zucchini Pancakes and a bowl of fruit.

Variations

• Add a handful of chopped walnuts to the batter.
• Fold in raisins or chocolate chips for a kid-friendly version.
• Bake the same batter idea as a loaf, following Classic Zucchini Bread.
• For a brighter, glazed take on the same vegetable, see Lemon Zucchini Cake.

For more recipes that fit every season, see Zucchini Recipes and Small-Batch Preserving.