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Brown Butter Zucchini Muffins

Brown butter zucchini muffins with a deeply golden, bakery-style crown and a rich nutty aroma. These tender, easy brown butter muffins bake up with a caramelized depth from browned butter and squeezed-dry zucchini.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
cooling 10 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 1 stick unsalted butter for browning
  • 2 count eggs
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Muffin add-ins
  • 1.5 cup zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
  • 0.5 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the butter
  1. Melt butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it turns golden amber and smells nutty—about 5 minutes—then immediately pour into a bowl and cool for 10 minutes.
Preheat and prep the pan
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Whisk the cooled brown butter with both sugars, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
Combine batter
  1. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
Add zucchini and nuts
  1. Fold in the grated zucchini and toasted nuts if using.
Fill and bake
  1. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each ¾ full.
  2. Bake for 20–22 minutes until deeply golden and a toothpick comes out clean, then cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring.

Notes

Pro tip: squeezing the grated zucchini very dry helps the muffins bake up with a tender crumb instead of turning gummy. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months. For a lighter swap, replace half of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour for extra nutty flavor while keeping the texture close.