I'm a fan of having muffins tucked away in my freezer. If I have an impromptu brunch, I can set a plate out the night before and be ready to serve them with the sun. If I haven't got anything to have alongside a cup of tea, 30 seconds in the microwave will give me a delightfully warm muffin to enjoy. If I just want a bit of time for myself on the weekend before I fuss with breakfast foods, I can warm some for me and mine, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy a book in the morning sunshine before contemplating bacon and sunny side up eggs.
And this time of the year, there's something lovely about a muffin with a streusel crown! A simple zucchini muffin is packed with lots of cinnamon and a crunchy-sweet sprinkling of streusel that reheats beautifully. As with most baking recipes, I don't recommend tweaking the ingredient list or amounts, though this recipe will easily multiply.
The other thing baking gives you this time of the year is a delightfully warm kitchen that smells like cinnamon. For me, that's a recipe for me opting to bake again and again and again and … well, you get the idea. Enjoy!
Streusel-Topped Zucchini Muffins
- ⅔ c. old-fashioned oats
- ½ c. packed brown sugar
- 2 T. flour
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ c. butter, cold
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ½ c. packed brown sugar
- ½ c. granulated sugar
- ½ c. canola oil
- 1 c. grated zucchini
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 ½ c. flour
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 425°F and spray a 12-count pan with nonstick spray or line with paper liners. Set aside.
Make the streusel by combining the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in a medium-sized bowl. Using a fork or pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
In another medium-sized bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, zucchini, and vanilla until well combined. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full. Press the streusel into the top of each muffin. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F: then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for an additional 14-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. These are great for fresh eating or toss them in a freezer bag and microwave each muffin for 30 seconds to warm individually.
- Yields: 12 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes