These Zucchini Banana Bread Muffins are the perfect use for that garden zucchini! A healthier muffin, packed with 1 zucchini, 2 bananas, plus almond flour, oats, walnuts and maple syrup for the perfect breakfast or snack! Topped with mini chocolate chips, they are a kid favorite!
- We Love Muffins! - A batch of muffins fresh from the oven are the handiest thing to have around! Zucchini Banana Bread Muffins are perfect for garden zucchini and put your over-ripe bananas to good use!
- Healthier Swaps - With nutrient dense ingredients, these muffins are delicious in lunchboxes, breakfast with a smoothie, or as a healthy snack/treat! Plus they freeze well and are great any time of year! Try these Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins too!
- If you Love Zucchini Muffins, try my Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins or this Chocolate Chunk Protein Banana Nut Bread!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
These protein zucchini muffins swap some of the flour with oats and almond flour, plus egg, milk, walnuts and lots of fruits and veggies make them a pretty healthy snack!
- Flour, Almond Flour and Oats - I love this combination of all three in these zucchini almond flour muffins! The flour makes the texture feel like a regular muffin, not a baked oatmeal cup, but with added protein and nutrition!
- Maple Syrup - A healthy sweetener to eliminate refined sugar, just a hint of maple syrup gives great flavor while not being too sweet.
- Banana - Over ripe bananas are just fine, these banana zucchini oatmeal muffins are a great alternative to regular banana bread! Just mash them up, frozen bananas slightly thawed enough to mash are fine too. Try these Apple Banana Bread Muffins and these Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins too!
- Zucchini - These muffins are great with garden zucchini or regular zucchini from the store any time of year. Garden zucchini will contain a lot more water. Shred 1 medium zucchini, it will measure about 1 cup when packed. Gently press most of the water out of it with the back of your fingers. You don't need to wring it in a dish towel, just pressing it is enough. If you have a garden full of zucchini, check out these 15 Ways to Use Garden Fresh Zucchini too!
- Walnuts - I love the walnuts for a little bit of protein and extra substance! You could substitute pecans or other nuts if you like.
- Mini Chocolate Chips - The mini chocolate chips are really the best for this recipe! They evenly distribute through the batter without having to use as much. Plus a good sprinkle over the top feels like a generous addition to the kids!
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
A simple batter made all in one bowl, no mixer required!
Step 1 - Chop the walnuts, mash the banana and shred the zucchini.
Step 2 - Add the shredded zucchini to a measuring cup, it should be about 1 cup from 1 regular sized zucchini.
Press and pour off the extra water.
Step 3 - Add the dry ingredients to a bowl and mix.
Step 4 - Add all the ingredients to the bowl, saving half the mini chocolate chips to add to the top.
Step 5 - Mix to combine.
Step 6 - Evenly add the batter to 12 lined muffin cups, filled about ¾'s full and sprinkle with the remaining mini chocolate chips.
Step 7 - Bake at 375°F for about 25 minutes.
Helpful Tips
- Squeeze the Water from the Zucchini - This is really going to vary from garden zucchini to grocery store zucchini! Use a regular sized zucchini which shreds into about 1 cup. Press it with the back of your fingers to squeeze most of the water out and pour it off. You don't need to wring it in a towel or pat it with paper towel, a little moisture is ok. If all you have is a large zucchini, just measure 1 cup shredded.
- Don't Peek in the Oven - This is always a mistake in muffin making! Allow the muffins to cook, unchecked at least 20 minutes, unless you know your oven runs hot! If you open the oven too early or too often, the muffins can sink in the middle.
- Liners - I love reusable silicone liners or the parchment paper style liners that are often compostable. I haven't tried these muffins with just spraying the muffin tin.
- Use Mini Chocolate Chips - The mini chocolate chips give you the perfect distribution in each bite! Plus they feel like more to the kids as a topping!
- Let them Cool - The muffins hot from the oven will continue to carry-over cook as they cool on the stovetop. Let them! This will firm up the muffins.
- Storage and Freezing - Muffins can be kept on the counter for a day or two, but it's best to keep them in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. They can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Recipe FAQs
The maple syrup can be substituted with brown sugar or honey.
I have not tried it, but I think these muffins would be fine by replacing the regular flour with a gluten-free flour mix.
Yes, you could simply substitute the almond flour with regular flour, leave the walnuts out, or substitute ¼ cup of raisins or sunflower seeds.
More Favorite Zucchini Recipes!
This recipe is also included in my healthier baking ebook!
If you love this style of baking with healthier swaps like oats, nuts, yogurt, and maple syrup, this ebook is for you!
If you made this recipe, I'd love to hear how you liked it! Be sure to leave a star rating by clicking the stars in the recipe card, or leave a comment below!
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Zucchini Banana Bread Muffins
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Print Pin RateIngredients
- ¾ cup flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil or butter melted
- 1 egg
- 2 bananas mashed
- 1 zucchini shredded, some water pressed out (about 1 cup packed)
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips half in the batter, half for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients with a whisk.
- Add all other ingredients and mix until combined. (Grate zucchini with a box grater, put into a measuring cup and press with your hand to pour out excess water, no need to twist in a dish towel).
- Scoop batter evenly into 12 lined muffin cups, filled about ¾'s full, and top with remaining mini chocolate chips.
- Bake at 375℉ for 25 minutes, do not open the oven door to peek at until at least 20 minutes.
- Cool and enjoy with a great deal of butter!
Notes
- Garden zucchini will have more water in it than grocery store zucchini. Shred the zucchini, put it in a measuring cup and press it to pour off excess water.
- Maple syrup can be subbed with brown sugar or honey.
- Walnuts can be subbed with pecans.
- Mini chocolate chips distribute nicely through the muffins and are a generous topping. You can use any type of chocolate chips or white chocolate chips if you like.
- To make nut-free for school, substitute the almond flour with regular flour, leave the walnuts out, or substitute ¼ cup of raisins or sunflower seeds.
Micaela says
This is such an easy and delicious recipe. I’ve made these muffins 3 weeks in a row, toddler and mom approved.
Meryl Downing says
Thanks Micaela! I'm so happy to hear that, my kids love them too! And I like the healthy ingredients!
Storm says
The best muffin recipe!! We adjust and make differently depending on what we are wanting but it’s so simple to make this your own! Add some unsweetened cocoa powder to make them extra chocolatey!!
Susan says
Used whole wheat flour instead of regular. Otherwise followed recipe. Doubled it because, you know, summertime there’s always a mountain of zucchini and overripe bananas. Oh man, these are sooooooo good. Dense, moist and disappearing fast!
Meryl Downing says
Thanks Susan, I'm so glad you liked them!