Chocolate Cranberry Zucchini Muffins

Fresh cranberry recipes that go beyond sauce

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This absolutely Splendid Chocolate Cranberry Zucchini Muffins are from a new cookbook that I’m really enjoying right now. It’s called the cranberry cookbook, and it’s from none other than Sally Vargas, one of our Simply Recipes contributors!

Didn’t you think you needed so many cranberry recipes? Think again! As usual, Sally made it out of the park and gave us a collection of recipes that are sure to become favorites.

Get the book! The Cranberry Cookbook by Sally Pasley Vargas

Most of us probably associate cranberries with Thanksgiving dinner, but Sally makes a compelling case for paying attention to cranberries year-round.

The frozen and dried varieties are readily available any month of the year, she reminds us, and you can use them in savory recipes just as easily as you can in sweet recipes.

To prove her point, her cookbook includes recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and for every season.

Here’s a sample: Cranberry Chocolate Babka, Grilled Beef Skewers with Cranberry Barbecue Sauce, Turkey Sliders, Pickled Cranberries, Dark Chocolate Gelato with Bourbon Infused Cranberries, and Cranberry Lime Ricky.

And of course these chocolate cranberry zucchini muffins.

Flipping through Sally’s book, these chocolate cranberry zucchini muffins kept coming back to me. They looked so rich and decadent — the kind of muffins that walk the line between breakfast and dessert. And so pretty!

I’m happy to say that they deliver what they promise. The zucchini keeps the muffins incredibly moist and rich, and the cocoa makes them feel like a real treat.

I was surprised by all the cranberries called for in the recipe – I’m used to seeing dried fruit in muffin recipes like this one. But they were perfect. They melted into jelly pockets as they baked, providing the perfect contrast to the muffin’s richness.

Oh, and don’t skip the pistachios! They add just the right amount of texture and crunch to each bite.

Convinced you need more cranberries in your life? Hopefully! Check out Sally’s book and make sure your pantry is stocked!

Get the book! The Cranberry Cookbook by Sally Pasley Vargas

preparation time
15 minutes

cooking time
25 minutes

total time
40 minutes

portions
12 muffins

From Sally Vargas: “These muffins prove that any time of day is a good time for chocolate. Use an ice cream scoop to fill the muffin liners for nice rounded tops. Almond flour gives them a rich flavor and moist texture; they are simply finely ground almonds that you could make yourself in a food processor. To add shine and color to these muffins, sprinkle them with caster sugar and a few pinches of chopped pistachios.”

Sally also mentions that if you’re having trouble finding frozen cranberries at the store, frozen raspberries would be a good substitute.

If your grated zucchini seems very soggy, use your hands to squeeze out the excess.

1 cup (150 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (110 g) almond flour
1/3 cup (28g) unsweetened Dutch Process cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup (113 g) honey
1/4 cup (50g) olive oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups shredded zucchini (3 to 4 medium zucchini; see recipe note)
1 cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries
2 tablespoons coarse sugar, e.g. B. Turbinado sugar
3 tablespoons chopped green pistachios

Set a rack on the middle position of the oven and preheat the oven to 400F
Prepare the muffin pan:

In a standard 12-cup muffin tin, grease the liners and sides generously with butter, or line the tin with paper muffin liners. Have a 21/2 inch ice cream scoop handy.
Combine the dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Add the wet ingredients

Make a large well in the center of the bowl and crack in the eggs. Add honey, oil, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat with a fork to mix thoroughly. Stir with a spatula until the flour is well incorporated.
Stir in the zucchini and cranberries
Pour into the muffin cups

Using the ice cream scoop, fill each muffin cup, rounded side up, with about 1/3 cup of batter.

Sprinkle the muffins with turbinado sugar and pistachios and place on a baking sheet.
Bake 23 to 25 minutes

or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with only a few crumbs.
Set the muffin tin on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.

Remove the muffins from the pan and let them cool on the wire rack.

Chocolate Cranberry Zucchini Muffins

Get away with chocolate for breakfast with these Chocolate Cranberry Zucchini Muffins! Ideal for using up excess zucchini. The cranberries are tart and a perfect contrast to the chocolate.