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There can never be too many zucchini recipes, and these muffins use a whopping 12 ounces of grated zucchini compared to the usual 6 to 8 ounces you'll find in other recipes. The trick to packing in all that squashy goodness is grating the zucchini on the small side of a box grater and squeezing out any excess liquid, that way the squash kind of disappears into the batter lending a pleasing savory note and keeping things moist without being soggy. The flavoring is simple—just a hearty dose of our Chai Spice Blend, jaggery, and a couple tablespoons of molasses for rich, caramelly notes that complement the warming spices perfectly. A hefty dose of roasted walnuts brings crunch and toasty nuttiness, but you can also use pecans or pistachios, too.

Ingredients

1½ cups (129g) raw, shelled walnuts
2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
1½ tablespoons (9g) Chai Spice Blend
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1¼ teaspoons Surya Salt
¼ cup (24g) rolled oats
2 tablespoons (24g), plus ⅓ cup (64g) Madhur Jaggery or light brown sugar
1 teaspoon Peni Miris Cinnamon
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
2 medium zucchini (about 10 to 12 ounces or 283–340g total)
½ cup (113g) plain, full-fat yogurt
½ cup (118ml) canola oil, or other neutral oil
⅓ cup (64g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons (30ml) molasses
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Methods

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
Place the walnuts on a sheet tray in a single layer and roast until deeply toasted, 11 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven, leaving the oven on, and let cool for at least 20 minutes while you make the muffin batter. (Alternatively, you can also buy already roasted, unsalted nuts and skip this step.)
Combine the flour, Chai Spice Blend, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and mix well. Then, to make the topping, place ⅓ cup of the roasted walnuts in a mortar and gently crush into smaller pieces, smashing some into a medium-coarse powder and leaving most the size of dried chickpeas. (Alternatively, you can roughly chop the walnuts and place them in a small bowl.) Add the oats, 2 tablespoons jaggery, cinnamon, and ¼ cup (30g) of the dry ingredients to the walnuts and toss to combine. Add the softened butter, and using your fingers, rub the butter into the walnut mixture until all the ingredients are incorporated and it looks moistened and clumps together. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Remove and discard the stems from the zucchini and grate on the small side of a box grater. Then taking a handful at a time squeeze as much liquid as you can out of them, placing the squeezed zucchini back on the plate or cutting board you grated them onto. (Alternatively, you can put them in cheesecloth or a clean kitchen linen to squeeze, but really no need to be too precious about it.)
To finish the batter, combine the yogurt, canola oil, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and remaining ⅓ cup jaggery in a large bowl and whisk until smooth and the sugar is mostly dissolved. Then add the dry ingredients and gently whisk until almost all the dry ingredients are combined and there are only a few streaks of flour. Roughly chop the remaining roasted walnuts and add them to the batter along with the squeezed grated zucchini, breaking the zucchini up with your fingers as you add it. Using a spatula, fold the zucchini and nuts into the batter until fully incorporated and no dry streaks remain.
Fill each muffin cup ¾ of the way full, then divide the reserved walnut-crumble mixture between the 12 muffins (if you want bigger crumbles, you can squeeze the crumble mixture together creating larger chunks). Bake until puffed, lightly golden on top, and a toothpick can be inserted with only a few crumbs clinging to it when removed, 22 to 26 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 15 minutes before removing and serving warm or letting cool completely on a wire rack. Muffins can be kept in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 6 months. (To defrost, just put it in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours.)

This Recipe Features

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Aranya Black Pepper

To elevate the simplest of dishes with a complex, layered heat.

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Chai Masala

Our dream blend, to make a perfect cup of masala chai every time.

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Asha's Chai-Spiced Zucchini Muffins

Asha Loupy

Makes: 12

Ingredients

1½ cups (129g) raw, shelled walnuts
2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
1½ tablespoons (9g) Chai Spice Blend
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1¼ teaspoons Surya Salt
¼ cup (24g) rolled oats
2 tablespoons (24g), plus ⅓ cup (64g) Madhur Jaggery or light brown sugar
1 teaspoon Peni Miris Cinnamon
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
2 medium zucchini (about 10 to 12 ounces or 283–340g total)
½ cup (113g) plain, full-fat yogurt
½ cup (118ml) canola oil, or other neutral oil
⅓ cup (64g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons (30ml) molasses
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Methods

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
Place the walnuts on a sheet tray in a single layer and roast until deeply toasted, 11 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven, leaving the oven on, and let cool for at least 20 minutes while you make the muffin batter. (Alternatively, you can also buy already roasted, unsalted nuts and skip this step.)
Combine the flour, Chai Spice Blend, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and mix well. Then, to make the topping, place ⅓ cup of the roasted walnuts in a mortar and gently crush into smaller pieces, smashing some into a medium-coarse powder and leaving most the size of dried chickpeas. (Alternatively, you can roughly chop the walnuts and place them in a small bowl.) Add the oats, 2 tablespoons jaggery, cinnamon, and ¼ cup (30g) of the dry ingredients to the walnuts and toss to combine. Add the softened butter, and using your fingers, rub the butter into the walnut mixture until all the ingredients are incorporated and it looks moistened and clumps together. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Remove and discard the stems from the zucchini and grate on the small side of a box grater. Then taking a handful at a time squeeze as much liquid as you can out of them, placing the squeezed zucchini back on the plate or cutting board you grated them onto. (Alternatively, you can put them in cheesecloth or a clean kitchen linen to squeeze, but really no need to be too precious about it.)
To finish the batter, combine the yogurt, canola oil, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and remaining ⅓ cup jaggery in a large bowl and whisk until smooth and the sugar is mostly dissolved. Then add the dry ingredients and gently whisk until almost all the dry ingredients are combined and there are only a few streaks of flour. Roughly chop the remaining roasted walnuts and add them to the batter along with the squeezed grated zucchini, breaking the zucchini up with your fingers as you add it. Using a spatula, fold the zucchini and nuts into the batter until fully incorporated and no dry streaks remain.
Fill each muffin cup ¾ of the way full, then divide the reserved walnut-crumble mixture between the 12 muffins (if you want bigger crumbles, you can squeeze the crumble mixture together creating larger chunks). Bake until puffed, lightly golden on top, and a toothpick can be inserted with only a few crumbs clinging to it when removed, 22 to 26 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 15 minutes before removing and serving warm or letting cool completely on a wire rack. Muffins can be kept in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 6 months. (To defrost, just put it in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours.)