Fresh Milled Einkorn Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
These tender, moist zucchini muffins are a delicious way to use up a summer garden harvest. Freshly milled einkorn gives them a naturally buttery, slightly nutty flavor, while Greek yogurt adds moisture and protein. Honey provides gentle sweetness, and plenty of dark chocolate chips create little pockets of melted chocolate throughout.
Ingredients
Wheat Berries for Freshly Milled Flour
- 210 g about 1¾ cups whole einkorn berries
Wet Ingredients
- 120 g ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 125 g ⅓ cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 55 g ¼ cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp allspice
Mix-Ins
- 175 g about 1½ cups finely shredded zucchini, lightly squeezed
- 140 g 3/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips, reserving 2-3 Tablespoons for topping the muffins
Instructions
- Mill the Einkorn. Measure 210 g (about 1¾ cups) einkorn wheat berries. Mill the einkorn berries on a fine setting and set aside.
- Prepare the Zucchini. Finely shred the zucchini in food processor. Place it in a clean kitchen towel and gently squeeze out some of the excess moisture. Do not wring the zucchini completely dry. The remaining moisture is important for creating soft, tender muffins. Measure 175 g (about 1½ cups) after lightly squeezing.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the freshly milled einkorn flour, baking soda, baking powder, fine sea salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Combine the Wet Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, honey, eggs, avocado oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- Make the Batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Using a spatula, gently fold the mixture together just until the flour is incorporated.
- Do not overmix. Einkorn has a delicate gluten structure, and gentle mixing helps keep these muffins tender.
- Rest the Batter. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes. This allows the freshly milled einkorn to absorb the moisture and helps create a more cohesive, tender crumb. After resting, the batter should be thick and scoopable. If it seems unusually stiff, gently stir in 1–2 tablespoons of milk.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Add Min-Ins. Stir in the prepared zucchini. Fold in the dark chocolate chips, reserving about 2 1/2 Tablespoons for the tops.
- Fill the Muffin Pan. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease the cups. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups, filling each about 5/8 full. Press a few additional chocolate chips into the tops.
- Bake the Muffins. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 13–17 minutes, or until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Be careful not to overbake. Einkorn muffins are best when they remain soft and moist in the center.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Serve. These muffins are delicious slightly warm while the chocolate chips are still soft, but the flavor and texture are even better once they have cooled completely.
Notes
Choosing Your Chocolate
For a completely refined-sugar-free muffin, choose chocolate chips sweetened with an unrefined sweetener or omit them.Don’t Over-Squeeze the Zucchini
The zucchini provides important moisture. You want to remove excess liquid, but not squeeze the zucchini until it’s dry.Why Einkorn?
Einkorn’s naturally tender texture and subtle buttery flavor make it especially delicious in these muffins. Because einkorn behaves differently from modern wheat, avoid overmixing the batter.Storage
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. To serve from frozen, thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave or oven.Sourdough Sidenote
Want to make these with sourdough? Replace 60 g (½ cup) of the freshly milled einkorn flour and 60 g (¼ cup) of the Greek yogurt with 120 g (½ cup) active 100% hydration sourdough starter. Use a recently fed starter for the mildest flavor and best rise. Let the batter rest for 15–20 minutes before baking. For sourdough discard, use fresh, mild discard for the best flavor. The muffins may have slightly less lift than those made with active starter.