• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Runaway Spoon

The Runaway Spoon

Creative recipes with a Southern slant

  • Home
  • The Runaway Spoon Store
  • Contact Us

Zucchini Lemon Muffin Gems

August 15, 2012 by The Runaway Spoon 4 Comments

Classic zucchini bread is a summer staple for anyone who has a garden or frequents the farmers market.  I always seem to have one extra zucchini lying around.  But I find the typical spiced zucchini bread recipe, though delicious, a little heavy in summer, so I adapted a classic English lemon drizzle bread recipe to include zucchini in cute little mini-bite form. These little gems have the summery fresh taste of zucchini and mint nicely balanced with lemon zest and juice.  The muffins themselves are not too sweet, but the zippy, sugary glaze adds a nice touch. Using granulated sugar gives the glaze a little crunch. I grate the zucchini, with the peel intact, on the fine holes of a box grater – thickly grated zucchini turns out too stringy and overpowers the light taste.

Zucchini Lemon Gems

For the muffins:

2 eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

Zest of 1 lemon

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Tablespoon fresh chopped mint leaves

1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the glaze:

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

5 Tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Grease 30 mini-muffin cups.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs then stir in the oil, sugar and buttermilk until well blended.  Add the lemon juice and zest, the zucchini and chopped mint.  Stir until blended.  Add the flour, baking powder and salt and stir until just blended, with no streaks of flour left.

Spoon the batter into muffin tins, filling them almost full.  I think these are cute with a little overflow, and that creates more surface for the sweet sugar glaze.  Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the muffins are cooking, mix the sugar and lemon juice for the glaze in a small bowl.  The sugar should not dissolve completely.

Leave the muffins to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack set over paper or foil to catch drips.  Stir the glaze to blend, then spoon it over the muffins while they are still hot.  Cool the muffins and enjoy!

Makes 30 mini-muffins

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Breakfast And Brunch, Farmers Market, Snacks And Starters, Vegetables Tagged With: breads, breakfast, buttermilk, farmers market, lemon, mint, muffins, zucchini

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shirley H. says

    August 15, 2012 at 4:19 pm

    Oh my! these sound delicious,I can’t wait to try them, and if they are as good as your Goat Cheese, Walnut Muffins with Marjoram they’ll be a winner.

  2. The Runaway Spoon says

    August 16, 2012 at 11:40 am

    Thanks! Enjoy!

  3. flour power says

    September 30, 2012 at 11:57 am

    Love the picture – very creative.

Trackbacks

  1. Zucchini Lime Drizzle CakeThe Runaway Spoon says:
    July 10, 2016 at 12:13 pm

    […] dark and spiced, so with that one lingering zucchini on the counter, I returned to my recipe for Zucchini Lemon Gems to make a loaf cake. I’ve switched to lime for a little difference, and used rich olive oil and […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

More from The Runaway Spoon

  • Fruit and Vegetables
  • Vegetables
  • Fruit
  • Farmers Market
  • Snacks And Starters
  • Southern Specialties
  • Breakfast And Brunch
  • Sweets
  • Meat Poultry Seafood
  • Holiday Cooking

More to See

Garlic Custard and Confit Tomato Charcuterie Board

March 19, 2023 By TheRunawaySpoon

Ricotta Balls in Tomato Sauce

March 12, 2023 By TheRunawaySpoon

Footer

I'm P.C. I think I am like most people. Somewhere in the middle between food snob and food schlub. Just being in the kitchen makes me happy. I live, mostly in my kitchen, in my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

Search

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Menu

  • Home
  • The Runaway Spoon Store
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 The Runaway Spoon