Butternut Squash Yogurt Muffins Recipe

You're probably wondering why I'm sharing a recipe for a hard winter squash when spring is right around the corner, but butternut squash is almost always present at Chez Gallary. My daughter loves soups and purées, so it's an easy thing to throw into the shopping cart and whip up. However, there's a limit to how much squash the rest of the family can eat, so I decided to treat it like carrots or zucchini and bake it into a muffin. I've long admired French yogurt cakes, a simple mixture of flour, sugar, eggs, and yogurt, since the cakes are easy to bake and delicious. The yogurt provides moisture and tenderness so you need less fat, and it's chock full of sweet butternut squash and warm spices. Since it's not too sweet, it can do double duty as a grab-and-go breakfast or snack for later in the day. (Click "Read More" below for the full recipe.)

Butternut Squash and Yogurt Muffins

Makes:                   12 muffins
Total Time:            40 minutes, plus cooling time    
Hands-On Time:    20 minutes

Nice to Know: You can grate butternut squash on the large holes 
                                of a box grater or process it through the shredding 
                                disc of a food processor.

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INGREDIENTS
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup plain whole or low-fat yogurt (not Greek)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups grated peeled butternut squash (about 9 ounces), see Nice to Know

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Arrange a rack in the middle and heat the oven to 400°F. Line a standard 12-muffin baking pan with paper cupcake liners; set aside.
2. Place the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.
3. Place the yogurt, sugars, eggs, butter, and vanilla in another large bowl and whisk until smooth and combined. Stir in the butternut squash.
4. Pour the yogurt mixture over the flour mixture and stir until just evenly mixed, about 20 strokes. (A few lumps will remain, but don't overmix- the batter will be thick but the ingredients should be evenly incorporated.) 
5. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups (they will each be very full). Bake until a toothpick or tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and let cool at least 15 minutes more before serving.