Healthy Banana Zucchini Muffins

Healthy Banana Zucchini Muffins with whole wheat flour, shredded zucchini, ripe banana and studded with dark chocolate chunks for decadence! Made in one bowl and baked in 20 minutes for perfect wholesome snacks and busy mornings.

Love the combination of fruit and veggies in your baked goods? Make healthy zucchini muffins or healthy zucchini banana bread next!

Healthy banana zucchini muffins are a good reason to turn on your oven this summer. So are lemon zucchini muffins and healthy zucchini bread.

No refined sugar, whole grain, low oil plus filled with fruits and veggies. Sign me up for a double batch!

I know there are many muffins out there but mine are the best! I swear, just check 5 star reviews! The world’s most delicious zucchini banana bread muffins.

These healthy muffins are so moist and fluffy! They will become a regular in your healthy breakfast rotation. The ratio of everything is just spot on.

I promise, you just need to turn on the oven and make them.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The combination of mashed ripe banana, zucchini, plus dark chocolate will have you loving eating veggies for breakfast!

• Bananas: Ripe bananas to overripe. The uglier bananas, the sweeter the muffins.
• Zucchini: Shred on medium size hole grater and pack in the measuring cup. Do not squeeze.
• Dark chocolate bar: 100 grams or 3.5 oz dark chocolate bar. My kids loved muffins with 70% dark chocolate, I found them a bit too sweet and prefer unsweetened chocolate or 90% dark chocolate. You can use 1/2 cup chocolate chips, if preferred.
• Whole wheat or spelt flour: These are only 2 flours I would recommend to use because other flours act differently. Baking is a science and it is best to follow the recipe for favorable results.
• Maple syrup: Any liquid sweetener like honey, agave or brown rice syrup works. As long as it’s not sugar. Dry sweetener will offset the ratios and batter won’t work.
• Egg: Room temperature for best results.
• Oil: Any mild tasting oil works.
• Baking staples: Baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt.

How to Make Healthy Banana Zucchini Muffins

Made in one bowl these zucchini and banana muffins couldn’t be easier to whip up!

Prep: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line muffin tin with parchment paper liners.

Chop the chocolate bar by running a chef’s knife through it on a cutting board. You want some small pieces but otherwise keep chocolate to larger chunks.

Also now it’s time to grate zucchini on a medium size hole of a box grater.

Make batter: In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk the egg. Add bananas and mash well, using a masher or a fork.

Add grated zucchini, maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine, you can also use same masher to stir the liquids. Now add flour and gently stir with spatula until well incorporated.

Last, add your reserved chopped chocolate and give a few more gentle stirs.

Fill muffin tin and bake: Fill tin almost full with batter. I like to use a trigger ice cream scoop as it distributes the batter evenly, quickly and without a waste.

Bake for 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remember all ovens vary, so just check and play it by ear.

Then cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then on a cooling rack for as long as you can resist. And enjoy!

Variations

• Make it egg free: Omit the egg and learn how to make a flax egg or chia egg for vegan banana zucchini muffins.
• Mini muffins: Set the time for 12 minutes, then test. If mini muffins are not done, add 3 minutes and so forth. Mini muffins can take anywhere from 15-18 minutes.
• Loaf: Reduce oven temp to 350F degrees and bake 50-60 minutes for a full sized 9×5 loaf or 25-30 minutes for miniature loaf.
• Oil free: You can try half oil and half applesauce to lower the amount of oil. This has only been reader tested. You may like these almond flour zucchini muffins which contain no oil.
• Yellow summer squash: Could be used instead of zucchini. Carrots could be tried, or make my healthy morning glory muffins instead.
• Swap berries for chocolate: I recommend fresh or frozen blueberries, or just make these healthy blueberry banana muffins.

Can I Substitute the Whole Wheat Flour?

Baking is a science and the only flours I tested in this recipe are whole wheat flour and spelt flour.

You may try to use all-purpose flour or gluten free flour blend with a total amount of 1 cup. You just need a tad less of it than of whole grain flour to avoid dry muffins.

I think you can get away with half whole wheat flour and half white flour, for sure.

White whole wheat and whole wheat pastry flour more likely will work 1:1 ratio. Please let me know if you try.

Coconut flour will not work as it is very “thirsty”. And almond flour is basically ground up almond and has no gluten, so it acts very differently too. Try my reader favorite almond flour banana muffins instead.

More FAQs

How to Store

I like to store muffins covered with a towel on a kitchen counter for the first 2 days.

Since these are healthy muffins and contain minimal oil and natural sweetener, I transfer muffins to an airtight container and refrigerate for another 3 days.

Refrigeration helps muffins to retain moisture. If there are any leftovers, of course.

How to Freeze Banana Zucchini Muffins

Place cooled muffins in a gallon size Ziploc bag, let as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months. Mini quick breads take about 3 hours to thaw on a counter, muffins will thaw in less time.

More Healthy Muffins to Try

• Healthy banana chocolate chip muffins
• Healthy carrot muffins
• Healthy banana muffins
• Healthy banana oatmeal muffins
• Healthy chocolate chip muffins
• Healthy pumpkin muffins

You may also love these healthy zucchini recipes!