It is September 1st, and that means I can officially start breaking out the pumpkin without shame.
It seems to me that there are two camps of people. Pro-GIVEMEALLTHEPUMPKIN and Con-CANSUMMERENDFIRSTYOUCRAZIES. I have to say that if I were forced to select a group I would have to join team pumpkin. It is not that I want to will the summer away because I love summer, but I also love pumpkin (really squash in general). However, this doesn't mean I jump on the Pumpkin Spice Latte train right away either. I love a PSL, but it needs to be a little chilly for me to enjoy hot coffee. I love sipping the cold stuff for another month. That being said I did get a PSL cold foam at Starbucks on the way out of town earlier this week, and I was sadly not a fan of the flavoring in the cold foam coffee! I wanted to like it because I love the cold foam drink, but the flavoring didn't blend well. I normally get the toffee-nut and do not encounter that issue. Now I know to save my PSL drinking for colder weather.
Today, I am sharing a recipe that crossed the boundaries of pro-pumpkin and long live summer. Pumpkin and zucchini. I typically think of zucchini as a summer veggie, but it is delicious paired with the pumpkin in these muffins!
To me, a muffin needs to have enough moisture so it isn't dry, but it needs to stay intact for one handed eating on the go. The texture of these muffins is so incredible. They are light and airy, but still rich in flavor as you expect from a pumpkin muffin. They are not too sweet and will not feel heavy in your belly all morning- also great for kiddos before school for a quick breakfast. The texture is almost like a sponge, and when you take a big bite the muffin doesn't crumble or smoosh to nothing- perfect.
One of the most important parts of baking is not to over-bake goodies. It is easy (like with meat) to worry they are not cooked completely. While a valid worry it can lead to over baked treats. The best method is the age-old toothpick method. Trust it, and over time you will get more comfortable with baking times, and your oven.
I mean, check that fluff. Yum.
We are gearing up for school to start on Tuesday now that we are back from our mini vacation. If you follow me on Instagram (click here to follow), you know that we were at the Wisconsin Dells at the Wilderness Resort. We had a ton of fun splashing in the pool and playing in the arcade. I came back feeling exhausted, but that we ended the summer just right. However, I have heard that we are to expect a warm September so maybe there are a few more trips to the lake in our future!
Similar Recipes:
Strawberries and Cream Muffins
Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup grated zucchini
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 12 muffin tin. Set aside
- Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- Using a hand mixer or a standing mixer, beat the oil, vanilla, sugar, and applesauce together.
- Next, add the eggs, pumpkin, and zucchini. Mix till just incorporated.
- Slowly add flour to batter. Mix to incorporate ingredients together.
- Fill each muffin cup ¾ full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer muffins to a cooling rack to cool.
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