No-Oven Zucchini Muffins | Easy Stovetop Muffins
These easy no-oven zucchini muffins are baked on the stovetop using affordable muffin tins and a gas burner. The grated zucchini is used without squeezing out its liquid, giving the muffins a soft and moist texture. At the end of this recipe card, I've also included the RHC vlog where I captured myself making these muffins as part of a Saturday at home.
Equipment
- 14 small muffin tins
- 2 large stovetop baking pans, approximately 10 inches in diameter
- Baking Paper
- Muffin liners
- mixing bowls
- Wooden Spoon
- grater
- Gas stove or other stovetop heat source
Ingredients
- 1½ zucchini courgette, grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 egg
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla flavouring or extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar or according to your preference
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Preparing the Muffin Tins
Grease the muffin tins and dust them lightly with flour.Line the bottoms of the two larger baking pans with baking paper. Arrange the small muffin tins inside the pans, placing about seven tins in each pan. Then place a muffin liner inside each small tin.I use inexpensive jua kali muffin tins, which do not have a bottom of their own and therefore need to be arranged inside a larger pan.Kenya: If you'd like to get similar tins, you can order them from Topserve.Prepare the dry ingredients
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, mixed spice and cinnamon to a bowl.Mix the dry ingredients together well and set aside.Prepare the wet ingredients
In another mixing bowl, add the grated zucchini, lemon zest, egg, vegetable oil and vanilla flavouring.Mix until the ingredients are well combined.Do not squeeze or drain the grated zucchini. Zucchini contains a lot of water, and we want to retain that moisture in the batter.Combine the wet and dry ingredients
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.Mix with a wooden spoon until everything is well incorporated.The mixture will be fairly moist because of the liquid released by the zucchini.Let the batter rest
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow the batter to rest for about 10 minutes.During this time, the zucchini will release more of its natural moisture and the batter will soften.After 10 minutes, give the batter a quick final mix with your wooden spoon.Fill the muffin tins
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin liners.I find that when the batter comes to about halfway, or just slightly above halfway, in each tin, it is enough to fill all 14 muffin tins.If you don't have two large baking pans, you can bake the first seven muffins, then use the same pan to bake the remaining seven.How to Bake Zucchini Muffins on the Stovetop
Place the prepared baking pans on the smallest gas burners on your stove.If you are using a small burner, allow the pan to heat on full flame for about 30 seconds.Then immediately reduce the flame to the lowest possible setting.Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the muffins are cooked through.If using a wider gas burner:
If your burner is wider, it may still be possible to bake the muffins, but you need to be especially careful with the flame.After heating the pan on full flame for approximately 20–30 seconds, reduce the flame to an extremely tiny flame—almost as though you are switching the burner off.On some stoves, the lowest setting designed by the manufacturer is still too high for stovetop baking and may cause the bottoms of the muffins to burn before the centres are cooked.Watch your flame carefully and adjust it according to your particular stove.How to Tell When the Muffins Are Done
The muffins should be risen and cooked through.Insert a toothpick or skewer into the centre of one muffin. If it comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached, the muffins are ready.Remove them from the heat and allow them to cool before serving.How to Serve
These zucchini muffins make a lovely breakfast or snack. I especially like preparing them the day before when I know the following morning will be busy.They can be served on their own with tea, coffee, milk or your favourite breakfast drink.
Video
Notes
Tips for Successful Stovetop Muffins
- Don't squeeze the zucchini. Its natural moisture is important for the texture of these muffins.
- Don't skip the resting period. The zucchini releases more liquid while the batter rests.
- Use a very low flame. Stovetop baking requires gentle heat so that the bottoms don't burn before the muffins are cooked.
- Preheat only briefly. About 20–30 seconds on full flame is enough to get the pans started.
- Know your stove. Different burners produce different amounts of heat, so you may need to adjust the flame.
- Bake in batches if necessary. You don't need two pans to make these muffins.
- Prepare them ahead. These are particularly handy when you want breakfast ready for the following morning.