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Blueberry Crumb Muffins with Icing

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Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Take your muffins up a notch with these iced Blueberry Crumb Muffins! With a sweet crumb topping, a fresh blueberry icing, and plenty of cozy spice, these muffins are perfect for snacking.

 

Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Okay, so we’ve all had our fair share of blueberry muffins. And I’m sure we all have our preferences for what makes the perfect blueberry muffin. When I set out to create my own version, I knew I wanted a sweet crumb topping on top. My first test batch came out a little plain, so I added cinnamon and nutmeg. And, as I sometimes do, I looked online at other recipe photos to determine how I can differentiate mine from the 100s of other muffins out there…*blueberry icing has entered the chat*. I couldn’t just add a simple vanilla icing on top. No, no. These muffins have a blueberry icing with brilliant color and flavor. Of course, the icing is totally optional (as is the crumb topping!) because these muffins are flavorful, moist, and exactly what you want in a sweet blueberry muffin – even without the bells and whistles!

Why You’ll Love These Muffins

  • Perfectly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg
  • Lots of fresh, juicy blueberry flavor
  • Room for you to make them just how you like (see details below)
  • Moist, tender, cake-like crumb
  • Fulfills your craving for a classic blueberry muffin (these will meet your taste expectations!)

 

How to Make These Your Own

  1. Press extra blueberries into the top of the batter pre-bake for extra pretty muffins
  2. Skip the icing – I’ve made these with and without icing and both ways are delicious!
  3. Leave off the crumb topping – for a less sweet muffin, skip the crumb and go for icing only
  4. Add a simpler vanilla glaze, or a vanilla bean glaze
  5. Use lemon or almond extract for an extra flavorful muffin

 

FAQ

How can I replace the eggs? I haven’t tested this recipe with any egg replacers, but because it’s a quick bread recipe, your favorite egg replacer should work. I know flax eggs are a tried and true egg replacement in muffins – mix 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 3 Tbsp warm water per egg (allow to thicken for 5 minutes).

Can I leave off the icing? Yes, if icing isn’t your thing, you can leave it off. I recommend pressing extra blueberries into the muffin batter after sprinkling the crumb topping on top.

Will frozen blueberries work? Not for this recipe. I find that frozen blueberries tend to turn the batter a funky color and prefer fresh blueberries for these muffins.

What kind of butter did you use? I used the Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks with Olive Oil (this has been my go-to baking butter for the last few years).

Can I make these with coconut sugar or whole wheat flour? Yes. You can replace the sugar in the batter with coconut sugar and up to half of the flour with a whole wheat variety.

 

More Blueberry Recipes

Blueberry Lime Crumble Bars

Healthier Banana Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Hazelnut Galette

Blueberry Thyme Collagen Muffins

Yield: 12 Standard Muffins

Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Take your blueberry muffins up a notch with a sweet crumb topping, fresh blueberry icing, and plenty of cozy spice.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

Muffins

  • 2 cups (260g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup (113g) plant-based butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup (150g) white granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (118mL) almond milk (or regular milk)
  • 1 cup (150g) fresh blueberries (washed and patted dry)

CRUMB TOPPING

  • 3 Tbsp (42g) plant-based butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup (50g) white granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup (43g) unbleached all-purpose flour

BLUEBERRY DRIZZLE

  • 1/2 cup (70g) fresh blueberries
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • 1 1/2 cups (180g) powdered sugar
  • 1-3 tsp almond milk

Instructions

Make the Crumb Topping

  1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and flour. Add the melted butter and use a fork to fluff the mixture together, leaving some bigger chunks of crumb. Set aside.

Make the Muffins

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a 12-count muffin pan with non-stick spray, or line with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar. Whisk in the eggs. And then whisk in the vanilla extract and almond milk.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, along with the blueberries (you want to gently coat the fruit with flour as you mix). Very gently fold the ingredients together until just combined - over mixing muffin batter results in a dense, tough muffin.
  5. Scoop or spoon the batter into the prepared muffin wells, filling ~3/4 full (this made 12 standard muffins for me).
  6. Sprinkle the crumb topping on, using as much or as little as you like. More crumb = a sweeter muffin. If desired, press extra blueberries into the batter/crumb.
  7. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean (do your best to avoid sticking the toothpick into a blueberry).
  8. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before gently removing to a cooling rack. You may need to use a butter knife to loosen the crumb topping from the edges of the pan. Allow the muffins to cool completely before icing.

Ice the Muffins

  1. In a small saucepan, simmer the blueberries and water, smashing the fruit with a fork, until a sauce forms. Strain the sauce into a small bowl, pressing out as much juice as you can; discard the leftover blueberry chunks.
  2. Add the powdered sugar to the blueberry sauce and mix. Add almond milk 1/2 tsp at a time until an icing forms - when drizzled into itself, the icing should take 3 seconds to disappear.
  3. Drizzle the icing over each muffin. Allow the icing to set and enjoy!
  4. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  1. Butter: plant-based or regular butter will work in this recipe. I used Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks with Olive Oil.
  2. Milk: plant-based or regular milk will work in this recipe. I used almond milk, but other plant-based milks also work.

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Muffins

Did you make this recipe? I would love to see!

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Brown Sugar Pumpkin Loaf

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Brown Sugar Pumpkin Loaf

This Brown Sugar Pumpkin Loaf combines my favorite pumpkin cake with a buttery brown sugar icing – like in these reader-favorite pumpkin muffins! The spiced pumpkin base goes perfectly with the cozy brown sugar icing and feels like the ultimate fall loaf.

 

Brown Sugar Pumpkin Loaf

This fall season I knew I wanted to simplify the pumpkin loaf on my blog and present an easier-to-make, lightly sweetened loaf with a simple icing on top. One of the top recipes on my blog every pumpkin season is a brown sugar iced pumpkin muffin, so I thought I’d combine two of my favorite fall recipes in this one delicious, simple loaf. And the result is a quick pumpkin loaf cake topped with a brown sugar icing. The brown sugar adds a lovely rich flavor to the icing, while a little plant-based butter brings a touch of buttery flavor – a huge step up from a standard icing made just from powdered sugar. The icing takes a bit more work as it needs to be heated and then cooled before drizzling over the cake, but I promise the effort is 100% worth it.

Why You’ll Love This Loaf

  • Fluffy and moist cake texture
  • Made with pantry staple ingredients
  • Flavorful icing made with brown sugar
  • Perfectly spiced with autumnal flavors

 

What You’ll Need for the Loaf

  • All-purpose flour makes up the bulk of the loaf cake batter. I like to use an unbleached variety, but any all-purpose flour will work.
  • Whole wheat pastry flour makes this loaf extra fluffy. I highly recommend stocking your pantry with this flour as it makes for wonderfully fluffy snack cakes and muffins. In a pinch, you can use all-purpose flour instead.
  • Baking powder & baking soda leaven this loaf cake.
  • Salt enhances flavor.
  • Spices add the cozy, autumnal flavor we all love. I chose a mix of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, with an emphasis on the cinnamon 😉
  • Brown sugar adds sweetness, of course, and flavor (thanks to the molasses).
  • Olive oil adds moisture to this cake. A regular vegetable oil or avocado oil can be used as well.
  • Vanilla extract adds flavor. You can use vanilla paste or extract.
  • Eggs bind the ingredients together. Your favorite egg replacement should work in this recipe but I haven’t tested this myself.
  • Pumpkin purée adds pumpkin flavor! And moisture, too. I like the Libby brand for my baking.
  • Almond milk also adds moisture. You can use your favorite plant-based milk or regular milk.

 

What You’ll Need for the Icing

  • Light brown sugar brings the rich flavor of brown sugar to the icing. It takes this icing from a standard loaf icing to an out-of-this-world flavorful icing.
  • Plant-based butter adds a light buttery flavor to the icing. Feel free to use regular butter if you aren’t dairy-free. I used the Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks with Olive Oil.
  • Plant-based milk thins out the icing. You can use your favorite plant-based milk or regular milk. I used oat milk.
  • Powdered sugar thickens (and sweetens!) the icing and really gives it that classic icing texture.

 

FAQ

How do I make this vegan? Because this cake comes together by mixing the wet and dry ingredients and then combining them (like a quick bread), you should be able to use your favorite egg replacer (though I haven’t tested this myself).

Can I halve the spice? Definitely. If you prefer a lightly spiced loaf, then halving the spices is totally okay.

Will pumpkin pie spice work? Yes, you can use pumpkin pie spice. I would add 4 tsp of pumpkin pie spice and 4 tsp of ground cinnamon.

Can I use regular butter and milk? Yes, regular butter and milk will work just fine in this recipe and won’t affect the outcome of the loaf or icing.

Yield: 8 Slices

Brown Sugar Pumpkin Loaf

Brown Sugar Pumpkin Loaf

A spiced pumpkin loaf cake topped with a rich, buttery brown sugar icing. This cozy cake is perfect for the fall season.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

Pumpkin Loaf

  • 1 cup (116g) whole wheat pastry flour (see Note 1)
  • 3/4 cup (98g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 3/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar, lightly packed (see Note 2)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil (or other baking oil)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs (cold is fine)
  • 3/4 cup (180g) pumpkin purée (I like Libby's brand)
  • 3/4 cup almond milk (or other plant-based milk)

Brown Sugar Icing

  • 3/4 cup (156g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 6 Tbsp oat milk (or other plant-based milk)
  • 3 Tbsp (42g) plant-based butter (or regular butter)
  • 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

Make the Pumpkin Loaf

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x4" loaf pan by spraying it with non-stick spray and lining the bottom and two long sides with a single piece of parchment paper - fold the excess over the sides and trim.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices; set aside,
  3. In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar, olive oil, vanilla extract, eggs, pumpkin purée, and almond milk until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat until combined and smooth.
  4. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. "Cut" the top of the batter by running a butter knife or chopstick right down the long middle (to promote cracking down the center of the loaf).
  5. Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out with a couple of crumbs. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
  6. Run a butter knife along the edges of the loaf that directly touch the pan. Lift parchment paper and loaf up and out of the pan and transfer to a cooling rack. Peel off the paper and allow the loaf to cool completely.

Ice the Loaf

  1. Once the loaf is completely cool, you can make the icing. In a small saucepan, add the brown sugar, butter, and almond milk.
  2. Place over a medium-high heat and whisk. Bring just to a full boil (bubbles all over the surface) and immediately remove from the heat.
  3. Add in the sifted powdered sugar and whisk until combined. This may take a minute or two. If you see any tiny clumps of rogue powdered sugar that refuse to whisk in, you can remove those with a spoon.
  4. Let the glaze mixture cool and thicken for 10-15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to break the surface of the setting sugar.
  5. After about 15 minutes of cooling/stirring, the glaze should reach a thicker consistency (it should take 2-3 seconds to disappear into itself when drizzled with a spoon).
  6. Prepare to glaze the loaf by placing a baking sheet or paper towels under the cooling rack to catch the excess glaze - if you want to "save" the excess glaze, use a baking sheet.
  7. Slowly pour the glaze straight from the pan onto the loaf, starting in the center of one end and pouring to the other end. Immediately repeat this process, adding two layers of glaze.
  8. Allow the icing to set before slicing. This allows for cleaner slices of cake. Slice and enjoy!
  9. Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator - this ensures the icing won't melt into the cake (which can happen at room temperature).

Notes

  1. Flour: all-purpose flour can be used in place of the whole wheat pastry flour. You'll use 1 cup (130g) of all-purpose flour in place of the 1 cup of WWPF.
  2. Light Brown Sugar: I like to use the measuring cup to scoop the brown sugar directly and then level it off with a butter knife. No need to tightly pack the sugar.
  3. Oil: any baking oil will work in this recipe! I like olive oil, but an avocado oil or vegetable oil will also work.
  4. Eggs: I used my eggs straight from the refrigerator for this recipe.
  5. Plant-Based Milk: any milk will work in both the cake and icing. Feel free to use your favorite plant-based or regular milk.
  6. Plant-Based Butter: I used Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks with Olive Oil for the icing, but any plant-based or regular butter will work.

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cake

Did you make this loaf? I would love to see!

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Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

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Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Fluffy and sweet Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins flavored with pumpkin purée and warm spices. These fall corn muffins are perfect for chili night or as a tasty snack. Top them with butter and honey for the ultimate cornbread experience.

Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

It’s that sweet time of year where the weather is just starting to cool, and we’re all looking for ways to feel a little more fall. The canned pumpkin sitting in our pantries is patiently waiting to be baked into something warm, flavorful, and filled with spice. We all love a good pumpkin cake or pumpkin snacking bread, but have you tried Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins?!

These delightful bites of autumn, are everything you could want in a fall bake, and they go perfectly with your favorite fall chili or soup. With their fluffy texture and flavorful spices, they’re tasty enough to be snacked on, too! Eat these cornbread muffins straight from the pan (after they’ve cooled a little) with a little butter and honey or maple syrup for the ultimate cornbread experience – YUM.

Why You’ll Love This Cornbread

  • Comes together quickly in one bowl
  • Traditional fall flavors and spices
  • Perfect as a snack or a side for chili/soup night!
  • Delicious as-is, but of course butter and honey elevate them 😉

What You’ll Need

  • Yellow cornmeal turns these from standard muffins to cornbread muffins. In other words, you need it.
  • All-purpose flour keeps these corn muffins fluffy. I like to use an unbleached variety, but any AP flour will work. A whole wheat pastry flour would make these extra fluffy, if that’s your thing.
  • Baking powder and baking soda leaven these muffins and create those prefect puffy tops.
  • Salt enhances flavor.
  • Spices add that warm, cozy flavor of fall. I like to use a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. If you’d rather use pumpkin pie spice, I recommend 1 Tbsp of the pumpkin pie spice + 2 tsp of ground cinnamon. 
  • White granulated sugar sweetens these corn muffins. You can use your favorite granulated sugar in place of white sugar (just note the gram weights will vary). I recommend raw sugar, coconut sugar, or unrefined cane sugar.
  • Eggs bind the ingredients together and help keep these corn muffins from crumbling apart.
  • Olive oil adds moisture. I prefer olive oil in my bakes, but a simple vegetable oil will also work. For a buttery flavor, you can also use melted butter or plant-based butter.
  • Almond milk also adds moisture. You can use your preferred plant-based milk or regular milk.
  • Pumpkin purée adds the pumpkin flavor, duh. I like to use the Libby’s brand for my bakes.

FAQ

Can I bake this in a square or circular pan? I haven’t tested this recipe in any other pan. If you prefer sliced cornbread, you can try baking this recipe in a 9″ circular pan or an 8×8″ square pan – but you’ll have to keep an eye on the cornbread as I’m unsure how long it will take to bake.

Do I have to use all of the spices? You don’t have to. If you like less spice, feel free to use less. 

Will pumpkin pie spice work? If you’d rather use a pumpkin pie spice mix, I recommend 1 Tbsp of pumpkin pie spice + 2 tsp of extra ground cinnamon.

Can I use a different sugar? Definitely. Your favorite granulated sugar should work in this recipe. I recommend coconut sugar, raw sugar, or unrefined cane sugar.

Can I use regular milk? Yes, this recipe will work with regular milk.

Yield: 10 Muffins

Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Fluffy and sweet corn muffins flavored with pumpkin purée upand warm spices - an autumnal upgrade to my favorite cornbread!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (146g) yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup (130g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup (100g) white granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup (79ml) olive oil
  • 1/3 cup (79ml) almond milk
  • 1 cup (240g) pumpkin purée (not pie filling)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 12-count muffin pan with non-stick spray. You'll only need to spray 10 of the wells.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices and sugar.
  3. Add in the eggs, oil, milk, and pumpkin purée and gently mix until all the ingredients are combined.
  4. Scoop or spoon the batter into the prepared muffin wells, filling roughly 1/4" from the top (my batter filled 10 wells).
  5. Bake at 350°F for 16-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out with a couple of crumbs (mine took 19 minutes). Allow the muffins to rest in the pan for 3 minutes.
  6. Use a butterknife to gently remove the muffins to a cooling rack, being careful not to burn your fingers.
  7. Enjoy the corn muffins warm with butter and maple syrup or honey.
  8. Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  1. Sugar: you can use any granulated sugar in place of the white sugar. The gram weights will vary depending on the sugar.
  2. Oil: vegetable oil or melted butter/plant-based butter will also work in this recipe.
  3. Milk: any plant-based milk or regular milk will work.
  4. Pumpkin: be sure to use a purée and not pupmpkin pie filling. I like to use the Libby's brand.

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Breads

Did you make these Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins? I would love to see!

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Vanilla Bean Zucchini Muffins

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These cozy, delicious (and EASY) Vanilla Bean Zucchini Muffins are like little bites of heaven – sweet vanilla bean icing sits atop a spice-filled, zucchini-packed mini muffin.

Vanilla Bean Zucchini Muffins

I’ll be honest, a big reason I made this recipe is to confirm that I’m not the only one who frequently forgets about that lone zucchini in the back of the fridge. Now, we love zucchini, and I always buy it with the best intentions. Stir fry with some bell peppers? Yes! Add it to my spaghetti sauce? Of course! Bake it into a sweet cake, cookie, or muffin? OBVIOUSLY. But days go by, weeks get busy, and that one remaining zucchini gets pushed to the back of the veggie drawer to only be forgotten about until fridge clean-out day. Well, not today. I’m here to remind you of that zucchini…and to give you this delicious recipe to fulfill the need to use your produce before it goes bad. You’re welcome. ILY. Let’s bake!

Here’s Why You’ll Love These Muffins

  • Quick & easy to bake
  • Cinnamon + cardamom = a winner every time
  • Mini size for perfect snack-ability
  • Perfect icing to muffin ratio
  • Guaranteed not to last too long in the fridge

What You’ll Need + Possible Substitutions

  • Coconut sugar is a low-GI granulated sugar that can replace white granulated sugar 1:1. It tastes less sweet and is better for you than cane sugar, which is why I love baking with it in recipes that have a sweet icing. For these muffins, you can use raw sugar, unrefined cane sugar, or white granulated sugar in place of coconut sugar (all a 1:1 swap). NOTE: the gram measurement will vary depending on the kind of sugar.
  • Olive oil adds moisture. You can also use melted butter or plant-based butter, avocado oil, or melted coconut oil – if using melted coconut oil, be sure the rest of your ingredients are room temperature so the coconut oil stays liquid.
  • Almond milk also adds moisture to the muffins and gets the icing to the right consistency. Any plant-based milk will work (for both the batter and icing). Regular milk will also work.
  • Eggs help bind ingredients together. I’ve had success making this recipe with flax “eggs” in place of eggs: mix 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 6 Tbsp warm water and allow to thicken for 5 minutes.
  • Vanilla bean paste makes these muffins. There’s just something special about seeing the little specks of vanilla bean…and tasting that classic vanilla bean flavor. This recipe will definitely work with vanilla extract as a 1:1 replacement – just call these Zucchini Muffins with Vanilla Icing instead 😉

Continued…

  • All-purpose flour is my go-to baking flour. Feel free to use a bleached or unbleached variety. For healthier muffins, you can replace up to 1/2 of the AP flour with a whole wheat flour.
  • Baking soda + baking powder work together to lift these muffins to the perfect height. I don’t recommend any substitutes. 
  • Salt enhances the flavor of the muffins. You don’t want to skip it.
  • Cinnamon adds flavor to the muffins. Feel free to add more or less, depending on your taste preferences.
  • Cardamom has a lovely flavor that pairs perfectly with the cinnamon. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use ground nutmeg, or more ground cinnamon, in its place. I highly recommend stocking your pantry with ground cardamom – it’s amazing in so many bakes!
  • Zucchini (duh) really makes these muffins. You’ll need a whole cup and a half of shredded zucchini, and, no, you can’t taste it!
  • Powdered sugar is used to make the icing. I don’t recommend any substitutes. For a slightly healthier muffin, you can drizzle the icing over the muffins instead of dipping them in the icing.

More Zucchini Recipes

Spiced Zucchini Sheet Cake

Zucchini Tahini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Healthier Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Yield: 18 Mini Muffins or 8 Standard Muffins

Vanilla Bean Zucchini Muffins

vanilla bean zucchini muffins

Sweet, spice-filled Vanilla Bean Zucchini Muffins topped with a vanilla bean glaze. These cozy, delicious muffins are like little bites of heaven.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes

Ingredients

Muffins

  • 1/2 cup (83g) coconut sugar (or other sugar - see Note 2)
  • 1/4 cup (45g) olive oil
  • 1/4 cup (60g) almond milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 1/2 cups (195g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups (275g) finely shredded zucchini (~1 large zucchini)

Icing

  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
  • ~4 tsp almond milk

Instructions

Bake the Muffins

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a mini muffin pan (see Note 1 for standard muffins) with paper liners or non-stick spray.
  2. Place the shredded zucchini on a cheesecloth or paper towel and squeeze out as much excess liquid as you can (NOTE: zucchini should be measured pre-squeeze); set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar, olive oil, almond milk, eggs, and vanilla bean paste (or extract).
  4. Whisk in the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom. Add the flour and gently mix with a large spoon until nearly combined.
  5. Add the shredded (and squeezed) zucchini and gently mix, breaking up the zucchini as you mix until all is combined.
  6. Scoop/spoon the batter into the prepared muffin wells, filling to the top. Bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
  7. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Ice the Muffins

  1. Once the muffins are totally cool, you can make the icing. In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste (or extract) and mix.
  2. Add almond milk 1 tsp at a time until the icing reaches the proper consistency - it should take 4-5 seconds for the icing to disappear into itself when drizzled from a spoon.
  3. Carefully dip the top of each muffin into the icing, allowing the excess icing to drip off. Immediately turn each muffin over and onto a cooling rack to set.
  4. Once the icing is set (no longer looks shiny), you can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If left at room temperature, the icing may melt into the muffins.

Notes

  1. Standard Muffins: fill 7-9 prepared muffin wells to the top with batter. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
  2. Sugar: you can use your favorite granulated sugar in this recipe. Find some of the gram measurements below.
  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar = 113g
  • 1/2 cup raw sugar = 107g
  • 1/2 cup unrefined cane sugar = 120g

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Breads

Did you make this recipe? I would love to see!

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Spiced Powdered Donuts

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These cozy and comforting Spiced Powdered Donuts are made with my favorite spiced cake batter. Covered in a spiced powdered sugar, these fluffy, baked donuts are just the dessert you need to brighten your morning!

Spiced Powdered Donuts

I know we’re all chasing after the pumpkin once fall hits, but I promise these Spiced Powdered Donuts bring all of that cozy, fall flavor with zero pumpkin! The base of the donuts is actually my favorite cake batter with a homemade “pumpkin pie” spice mixed in. We’ve got cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice mixed into the batter and the powdered sugar coating. It’s a whole lot of comforting flavor all wrapped up in the fluffiest, most tender baked donuts!

I consider this recipe to be a “small batch” which makes six regular donuts. I find that these donuts are best eaten right after they’ve been coated with the powdered sugar…wait too long and the sugar tends to “melt” into the donuts. So half a dozen seems like the perfect number of donuts to be consumed within a day.

The batter itself comes together just like my favorite cake and cupcake batters. You’ll beat the sugar and egg until fluffy, add a room temperature egg and vanilla extract, and then alternate beating in the dry ingredients and milk (also room temperature) until everything is totally combined and smooth. If you’re not used to making homemade cakes then the process may seem a little finicky or daunting, but I promise that after you do it once, you’ll find it comes easily.

Finally, once the donuts are completely cool (we don’t want the powdered sugar coating to melt!), you can use a fork or spoon to turn them over in a bowl filled with the sugar coating. Get the donuts nice and coated and then they’re all ready to enjoy!

What You’ll Need + Substitutions

All-purpose flour is the base for these donuts. I haven’t tested this recipe with any other flour.

Baking powder & baking soda combine to leaven these donuts to the perfect shape and fluffiness! I tested this recipe with different combinations and found that using both helped get the shape I wanted.

Salt adds depth to flavor and slightly cuts the sweetness of these donuts. 

Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, & allspice combine to bring that cozy, fall-inspired spice we all love. These spices are the main star of these donuts, so I don’t recommend skimping. You can, however, use a pumpkin pie spice in place of all of the spices.

Plant-based butter (or regular butter) is used to give these donuts flavor. It’s softened and then beaten with the sugar to help create a light, cakey donut texture. I only recommend using your favorite softened butter – nothing in liquid form.

Brown sugar has molasses mixed in, which adds a lovely flavor to these donuts. You can use a white granulated sugar or coconut sugar in its place, but the leavening agents may not work properly (the donuts may not rise the way we want them to!).

Egg binds the ingredients and also lends to the fluffiness of these donuts. I haven’t tested this recipe with any egg alternatives.

Vanilla extract adds flavor, and I don’t recommend skipping it. A nice flavor addition would be maple extract if you’re looking to add some extra flavor (replace all or 1/2 of the vanilla extract with maple extract).

Plant-based milk (or regular milk) is used to moisten these donuts. Feel free to use your favorite plant-based milk (almond, oat, etc) or cow’s milk. Just make sure you bring the milk to room temperature before adding it to the recipe.

More Donuts Recipes

Chocolate Coffee Donuts

Lemon Cake Donuts

Pumpkin Collagen Donuts

Chocolate Banana Cake Donuts (vegan)

Chocolate Guinness Baked Donuts

Yield: 6 Donuts

Spiced Powdered Donuts

Spiced Powdered Donuts

Fluffy cake donuts filled with cozy, fall spices! These delicious donuts are covered in a spiced powdered sugar for extra sweetness!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

Donuts

  • 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp (114g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/4 cup (57g) plant-based butter, softened (or regular butter)
  • 1/3 cup (80g) light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (110g) oat milk, room temperature (or other milk)

Sugar Coating

  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 6-well donut pan with non-stick spray. Bring your egg and milk to room temperature - place the whole egg in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes + heat up the milk.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices; set aside.
  3. In a medium or large bowl, beat together the softened butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until all is totally combined.
  4. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and beat. Add 1/2 of the milk and beat. Repeat until, finally, you beat in the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients.
  5. Pipe or spoon the batter into the greased muffin wells, filling to the top. I like to add a gallon ziploc bag to a tall glass, scrape the batter into the bag, snip a hole in the corner of the bag, and pipe the batter into the pan.
  6. Gently wiggle the pan to settle the batter. Bake donuts at 350°F for 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out with a few crumbs.
  7. Allow donuts to cool in the pan for 3-5 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack. I like to wave the upside down pan firmly in the air until all the donuts fall out. Allow the donuts to cool completely.
  8. In a medium bowl, add the powdered sugar and spices and whisk together until well mixed. Take each cooled donut and flip it around in the sugar until well coated. Enjoy immediately.
  9. Store any leftover donuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator - the powdered sugar may "melt" and become absorbed by the donuts.
© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Breads

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