Cream Cheese Glazed Zucchini Donuts

Look. More zucchini.

And that’s probably what you’re saying, your family is saying, every time you slop down another “inventive” zucchini dish on the dinner table. You get it, they get it – zucchini is the prolific and ever-versatile workhorse of the summer garden. Really, you get it, but you’re starting to get OVER it.

But, you’re not over pillow-thick, moist, spiced donuts with crispy edges and doughy middles, glazed with a thick, sweet, cream cheese frosting, are you? There’s just enough zucchini in there to use up that half nub you’ve got rattling around the bottom of your vegetable drawer.

Alternatively, there’s just enough zucchini in there to absolve yourself of the guilt you feel over eating 3 of these in one sitting.

Better yet, there’s just enough zucchini in there that I didn’t race after Max, screaming like a banshee, after he stealthily stuck his nose in the refrigerator and snatched one of these glazed beauties off a tray on the third shelf.

Finally, I’m just enough crazy to admit it was so darned cute that it’s totally worth the stray dog hairs I’ve been finding in the fridge this week.

Cream Cheese Glazed Zucchini Donuts
(adapted from the Basic Muffin recipe at Cook’s Illustrated)

1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups zucchini, shredded and squeezed of excess liquid

4 ounces cream cheese
9 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease the wells of a donut pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar until thick and creamy. Add the yogurt and vanilla, stir until homogeneous.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until 80 percent combined. Add the zucchini and fold until the batter is combined.

Fill the donut wells 3/4 full with the batter and bake 18-20 minutes. Allow the donuts to cool completely before removing them from the pan and dipping them in the glaze.

To make the glaze: Heat the cream cheese in the microwave approximately 30 seconds, until warm and melty. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla to the cream cheese and stir until combined. Add the milk and whisk until you’ve reached your desired consistency.

Yields 9 donuts

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5 Responses to Cream Cheese Glazed Zucchini Donuts

  1. So glad you made these Sally.. I’ve been dying to whip out my donut pan again. Love the sneaky zucchini in there! Between that and the greek yogurt, these are practically health food ;)

  2. LOL, these are perfect! My garden is STILL growing zucchini like crazy – I just can’t stop it – and I have definitely run out of steam on creating new recipes, so yours comes at a perfect time! Excited to follow your instruction into doughnuty bliss!

  3. Haha, your “better yet” commentary is great! my boyfriend’s roommate’s cat likes to jump in the fridge. One day they were about to leave on a weekend trip and couldn’t find Maddox — turns out he was in the fridge. Can you imagine if they didn’t do a cat headcount before they left! :-O

  4. Cassie says:

    Zucchini recipes like this should definitely keep coming! Smother anything with cream cheese and I’m in. I love your writing Sally!

  5. aniko says:

    This recipe is a journey to the naughty side of zucchini!

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