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Spiced Gingerbread Zucchini Muffins

Lightly spiced with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and molasses, these zucchini muffins are a great way to dip into your summer zucchini glut.

I bring you this zucchini muffin recipe because, in the middle of summer, it’s the time of year when everyone is looking for ways to use up zucchini! Once they start producing in the garden, they don’t stop!

These moist and spiced muffins are like spiced zucchini bread recipes but in muffin form making it a great addition to the lunchbox!

zucchini muffin with lemon glaze on top sitting on wooden bench with tray of cooked muffins behind

Zucchini in baking

Zucchini are a very versatile vegetable. They work great in muffin recipes. They’re mild in flavour which makes them a great vessel for stronger flavours. Zucchini in baking works great for this reason. Shredded zucchini brings moisture and tenderness to baked goods too.

In these gingerbread zucchini bread muffins, I’ve added the flavours of molasses, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. These are super moist zucchini muffins with lots of flavour from the spices and molasses.

The ingredients

The ingredients for these easy zucchini muffins are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but I will do a run-through here so you know what you need!

  • Butter – Melted butter is a key flavour in this gingerbread muffin.
  • Sugar- Both soft brown sugar and granulated white sugar.
  • Eggs + Milk – For structure and binding.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Spices – Cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves
  • Molasses- Unsulphured molasses or blackstrap molasses brings more of that gingerbread flavour to the muffin. You could substitute the molasses with golden syrup, honey or maple syrup but it won’t be near as flavourful.
  • All-purpose flour,
  • Baking powder, Baking soda + Salt.
  • Fresh zucchini – Well, considering this is a zucchini muffin, this obviously needs to be here! You’ll need a cup of grated zucchini (or, marrow if you’ve let yours grow too far!) I use a box grater to grate mine. The zucchini brings the best texture to the muffins. You don’t need to remove any excess water from the zucchini before using it.
  • Lemon Glaze – The lemon glaze on top (for a zesty touch) is lemon juice, icing sugar and a dash of milk.

The method

a bowl with 4 zucchini  on a white bench

Using a box grater or food processor with a shredder attachment, shred the zucchini and set it aside.

Melt the butter, then add it to a large bowl along with brown sugar and white sugar and molasses. Mix it well together then beat in the egg, followed by the shredded zucchini.

In a separate small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices together. Mix well so there are no lumps.

Add half the dry ingredients to the zucchini mix, along with half the milk and fold it gently. Then add the remaining flour and milk. Fold the dry and wet ingredients together very gently until just combined.

Spoon the muffin batter into a muffin tin lined with muffin liners or parchment paper liners and bake until the tops spring back when touched.

Once baked, remove the muffins from their tins and let them cool on a wire rack.

The lemon glaze

a muffin tray of unbaked zucchini muffins

Once the muffins have cooled completely, you can glaze them with a zesty lemon glaze. Lemon goes very well with the flavours of gingerbread.

It’s a very simple glaze of only lemon juice, icing sugar and milk so you can whip it together in a minute or less.

Mix this all into a thick but droppable paste. Use a spoon or fork to drizzle the glaze over the tops of the muffins.

a spoon dripping white lemon glaze on a zucchini muffin

Storing

Leftover muffins can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The muffins can also be frozen. For best results, freeze them without the glaze. Let them thaw in the fridge or on the bench. They can be rewarmed a little in the microwave for an extra fluffy muffin.

close up of a ripped muffin with a zucchini flower in the background

Substitutions and additions

  • The zucchini can be substituted for grated Kamo kamo, carrot, or pumpkin
  • The molasses can be substituted with honey, maple syrup or golden syrup but these won’t add the same flavour to the zucchini muffin
  • Add in chocolate chips or chopped nuts for texture.
zucchini muffins with white glaze.

Gingerbread Zucchini Muffins

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes

Lightly spiced with ginger, cinnamon, cloves and molasses, these zucchini muffins are a great way to dip into your summer zucchini glut.

Ingredients

The Muffins

  • 113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
  • 100g (1/2 cup) soft brown sugar
  • 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp molasses (unsulphured or blackstrap)
  • 1 large egg
  • 125g (1 cup) grated zucchini
  • 250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 120g (1/2 cup) milk

The Glaze

  • 120g ( 1 cup) powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Grease or line a 12 muffin tray.
  2. Melt the butter, then add it to a bowl and let it slightly cool. Add in the brown and white sugar and the molasses and mix them together. Beat in the egg.
  3. Mix in the grated zucchini.
  4. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices so that there are no lumps.
  5. Add half the flour mixture to the zucchini mix, along with half the milk, and fold it gently. Then add the remaining flour and milk. Fold it very gently until just combined.
  6. Scoop the mixture evenly into the 12 muffin tray. Bake the muffins for 16-18 minutes until the top of the muffin springs back when touched, or a skewer inserted in a muffin comes out clean.
  7. Remove the muffins from the tray and allow them to cool.
  8. Once the muffins have cooled, make the glaze by mixing the ingredients together into a thick but droppable paste. You may need to add more icing sugar or milk as needed. Drizzle the glaze over the muffins.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 245Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 151mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 1gSugar: 23gProtein: 3g

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Super simple and delicious. I’ve made a few times with the glut of zucchini from a neighbours garden. Will definitely keep as a go to muffin recipe

  2. I made these yesterday for the first time and they were perfect! Second time I added some raisins and that worked too.

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