Name: Chai Courgette Muffins
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 75 ml pear nectar; 75 ml vegetable oil; 225 g dark brown sugar; 4 large eggs; 0.5 tsp vanilla; 350 g courgette (zucchini) grated (liquid squeezed out); 2 heaped tsp baking powder; 300 g plain flour; 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground cardamom; 3/4 tsp ground ginger; 1/4 tsp ground cloves; 1/8 tsp ground black pepper; Salt

Today is all about how to make these seriously addictive chai courgette muffins.

I have a healthy obsession with courgettes. Luckily so do Freddy and the mini chefs which, translates to 10 lovely courgette plants in the vegetable patch this year. Oh the joy of the plants that just keep giving.

Since I am also obsessed with chai spices, adding these to my breakfast muffins seemed like the right thing to do. And it was. Think lovely moist (in a good way) muffins with layers of flavour from the cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. These courgette muffins are officially my new favourite muffins.

How to make Courgette Muffins : step by step

The key ingredients for these Courgette Muffins are grated courgette. Also feel free to add different or more spices to your taste. Note you can make these as gluten free Courgette Muffins by using gluten free flour instead.

Mix together the pear nectar, vegetable oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla.

Then stir in the courgettes.

Then mix in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves and of salt until just combined. Make sure not over mix the batter.

Fill the muffin cases with the batter and bake in the oven for 25-30 mins or until cooked.

Let the muffins cool a bit on a wire rack before serving (if you can wait that long).

Courgette Muffins for toddlers

So these Courgette Muffins are very tasty for toddlers. However, if you have a fussy eater (aren’t they all) then I suggest you make these muffins with about half the spices. Then slowly increase the spices to their taste. Happy eating.

How to grate courgette for baking

Using a hand grater

Wash the courgette clean and cut off the rounded end.
Stand a box grater on a rimmed plate and grate the courgette using the large holes.
Continue till you reach the other end you are holding.
Then you can discard that second end.

Using a food processor

Wash the courgette clean and cut off both ends.
Cut the courgette into small pieces that will fit into the food processor.
Add the grating attachment to your food processor and switch it on.
Add the courgette into the feeding tube of the food processor and let it grate.

How to dry grated courgette for baking

Add the grated courgette to a clean kitchen towel, wrap it up and wring the moisture out of it.
Or you can grab handfuls of the courgette at a time, shape into a ball and squeeze the liquid out over the sink.

Please do squeeze all the liquid out of the grated courgette before you add it to any baking batter. Otherwise, you will end up with a very wet mixture and unpalatable baked treat.

What is the difference between a zucchini and a courgette?

Zucchini (in the USA) or Courgette (in Europe) is the same thing. It is a summer squash. Courgettes can be green, green and white, yellow or orange. Whilst commonly thought of as a vegetable, courgettes are actually fruits (amazing).

Health benefits of courgettes

Courgettes have a high water content and are low in calories (about 50% fewer calories than vegetables like broccoli). There are 17 calories per 100g of courgette. So this low-calorie veggie is commonly spiralised and substituted for pasta in dishes such as this courgette spaghetti recipe. Courgettes also contain vitamin C and dietary fibre.

Can you eat a raw courgette?

Yes, you can eat raw courgette as well as cooked courgette such as in this raw courgette salad, Spiced Courgette Soup, Roasted Courgettes and this Courgette, Yoghurt and Mint dip. Oh and just so you know, you can eat the courgette flowers too (fried or stuffed).

As you can see from the recipe below Courgette Muffins are easy to make and very easy to customise. I love the spices coming through in my version but feel free to amend the quantities to your taste. A handful of chopped nuts would also add a lovely crunch to these muffins. For more treats why not see this horsebread recipe from Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary.

Here is how to make Courgette Muffins. Please do try them and if you do make them then please do tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or Twitter so that I can pop over and have a look. It is really, really awesome for me when you make any one of my recipes. You can also share it on my Facebook page.

Thank you for reading my easy Zucchini muffins recipe. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you.

The original post was published July 2014, text and images for the Courgette Muffins updated Jan 2018.

Don't forget to tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or Twitter if you try Chai Courgette Muffins! It is really, really awesome for me when you make one of my recipes and I'd love to see it. You can also share it on my Facebook page. Please pin this recipe to Pinterest too! Thank you for reading Recipes from a Pantry.

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5 from 6 votes