Chocolate Chip Banana Zucchini Muffins are simple, satisfying and SO delicious! They are made with no flour, oil or refined sugar, but with wonderful flavor and the perfect texture, you’d never guess it. They are easy to make with wholesome ingredients and are naturally gluten free. Perfect for a grab-n-go breakfast or after school snack!

Banana zucchini muffins topped with chocolate chips.

Today’s banana zucchini muffins are hands-down one of my favorite muffin recipes I’ve ever baked. They are naturally sweetened with honey, and despite the fact that they contain no butter or oil, they are marvelously moist, thanks to the addition of almond butter, mashed banana and zucchini.

Even my picky kiddos loved these and ate them up! I’ve been enjoying them for a quick grab-n-go breakfast and as an afternoon snack. Keep a batch in the fridge or freezer for busy mornings when you don’t have time to cook breakfast.

I made these two times now because they are SO GOOD and the first batch was gone within 24 hours at my house. highly recommend them!

— Debi

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Easy: These are easy to make and require only 10 minutes of prep time. You can mix everything together in your blender or food processor!
  • Moist and delicious: Thanks to mashed banana, zucchini and almond butter, these are perfectly moist and packed with flavor.
  • Nutrient-rich ingredients: This muffin recipe is filled with fiber from the zucchini and oat flour, they have healthy fats from the almond butter and the zucchini adds a boost of veggie goodness!
  • Perfect for on-the-go: Make these ahead for the week and you’ll have a ready-to-go breakfast for busy mornings.

If you love this recipe, try my Carrot Banana Muffins next! It’s a very similar recipe using oat flour, ground flax, almond butter, and mashed banana.

Ingredients needed

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this easy banana zucchini muffin recipe:

Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

Small bowls with oats, shredded zucchini, honey, salt, mashed bananas and almond butter.
  • Rolled oats: Instead of flour, this recipe uses ground up rolled oats.
  • Ground flaxseed: Adds an extra boost of fiber and healthy fats.
  • Ground cinnamon: For a warm, cozy taste.
  • Baking staples: Baking powder and baking soda are added to ensure proper baking and plenty of lift. Salt will enhance the overall flavor.
  • Eggs: Two large eggs give these stability, and structure and adds richness.
  • Almond butter: This is the healthy fat that takes the place of any oil or butter. It adds moisture, richness and delicious flavor.
  • Honey: To naturally sweeten the banana zucchini muffins.
  • Vanilla extract: Brings out the delicious sweetness of the muffins.
  • Overripe bananas: Make sure your bananas have plenty of brown spots to add the right amount of sweetness.
  • Zucchini: One of our fav vegetables for baking! Grated zucchini adds wonderful moisture to the batter.
  • Chocolate chips: Optional, but so good! Feel free to use any chocolate chips that you like. You can even use dairy-free chocolate chips to keep the muffins completely dairy free. Be sure to sprinkle the tops with some extras before baking!

Variations and substitutions

Here are some substitutions and ways to customize this recipe and make it your own:

  • Nut butter: Instead of using almond butter, feel free to use any nut butter you like best. Peanut butter, cashew butter or even sunflower seed butter work!
  • Sweetener: You can swap the honey for maple syrup. However, the muffins won’t be quite as sweet.
  • Extra mix-ins: Make these your own by stirring in other ingredients such as chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, toasted coconut, blueberries or almond extract.
  • Mini muffins: To make these into mini muffins, use a mini muffin tin and bake 12-14 total minutes at 350°F.

How to make this recipe

These flourless muffins are so easy to make in a blender or food processor. If you don’t have a blender or food processor, you can mix this recipe by hand, but you’ll want to use oat flour. Here is how the recipe comes together:

Flour mixture in a blender.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare a muffin pan by lining the cavities with parchment paper liners or spray the muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Then, add all dry ingredients (oats, flaxseed, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt) to a blender or food processor, and blend until the oats become flour-like, about 10 seconds.

Blended egg with almond butter in a blender.

Step 2: Add wet ingredients – eggs, almond butter and honey and blend until the mixture is well combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. You may need to stop the blender to scrape down the sides and then continue.

Muffin batter with zucchini and chocolate chips in a large bowl.

Step 3: Pour the batter into a large bowl and stir in the mashed bananas, shredded zucchini and chocolate chips.

Uncooked chocolate chip muffins in a muffin pan.

Step 4: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about 3/4 of the way full and add the additional 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips to the tops of the muffins.

Chocolate chip banana zucchini muffins in muffin liners.

Step 5: Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tops of your muffins begin to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Helpful tips

Here are several tips to ensure these zucchini banana muffins bake up to perfection:

  • If using pre-packaged oat flour: Oats and oat flour are not a 1-to-1 exact measurement. If using already ground oats to make this recipe, you will need a little over a cup of oat flour. A cup and 1 tablespoon will be good. Better yet, use a scale to measure and make sure you get 120 grams.
  • Grating zucchini: There’s no need to peel tender-skinned zucchini. Simply wash the zucchini, big or small, doesn’t matter, and shred it with the smalls holes of a box grater.
  • Draining zucchini: To drain the excess moisture from the zucchini, place about a cup of it between two paper towels or in a clean dish towel and squeeze it over the sink. This drains it of just the right amount of liquid to allow the muffins to cook properly.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats?

Yes, you can use the same amount of quick oats as rolled oats.

Can I make these banana zucchini muffins gluten free?

Yes, these are naturally gluten-free muffins, as long as you use oats that are certified gluten free. Look for the label on the packaging.

How do you grate zucchini for muffins?

I prefer to use the small or fine shred side of my box grater, so that the zucchini shreds are thinner. However, either side will work fine. You can even use your grater attachment and make the shreds in a food processor. If using a box shredder, cut off both of the ends of the zucchini. Hold the grater over a bowl or cutting board with one hand. With the other hand, run one side of the zucchini over the grater. Continue this motion until you’ve shredded as much of the zucchini as needed.

Storage recommendations

Banana zucchini muffins are fantastic straight out of the oven, but they store well too!

Be sure to allow them to cool completely before storing. I recommend you move them to a wire rack for the quickest cooling time.

  • Room temperature storage: These will keep for 3-4 days on the counter at room temperature.
  • Refrigerator storage: When stored in the fridge, they will keep well for up to 1 week. We store them in a large resealable bag or other airtight container.
  • Freezer storage: Freezing these will keep them fresh for up to 3 months. We recommend wrapping them, individually, in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag that has been labeled with the date.
  • Reheating muffins: Frozen muffins will need to thaw at room temperature for 3-4 hours before serving. Or microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Banana zucchini muffin cut in half.

More muffin recipes

If you try this, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.

Banana zucchini muffins topped with chocolate chips.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4.52 from 43 votes
Leave a Review »

Chocolate Chip Banana Zucchini Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Chocolate Chip Banana Zucchini Muffins are simple, satisfying and SO delicious! They are made with no flour, oil or refined sugar, but with wonderful flavor and the perfect texture, you’d never guess it. They are easy to make with wholesome ingredients and are naturally gluten free. Perfect for a grab-n-go breakfast or after school snack!
Author: Kim

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (120g) rolled oats*
  • 2 tablespoons (14g) ground flaxseed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 6 tablespoons (96g) almond butter
  • 6 tablespoons (120g) honey or maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 medium (200g or 1 cup) ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 cup (115g) shredded zucchini, see note below for removing some of the liquid**, excess liquid removed
  • 1/2 cup (80g) chocolate chips + 2 tablespoons for topping***

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF and prepare a muffin pan by lining the cavities with parchment paper liners or spray cavities with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Add all dry ingredients (oats, flaxseed, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt) to a blender or food processor, and blend until the oats become flour-like, about 10 seconds.
  • Add eggs, almond butter and honey and blend until the mixture is well combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. You may need to stop the blender to scrape down the sides and then continue.
  • Pour the batter into a large mixing bowl and stir in the mashed bananas, shredded zucchini and chocolate chips.
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about 3/4 of the way full and add the additional 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips to the tops of the muffins.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tops of your muffins begin to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. As soon as they’ve cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 3-4 days, in the fridge for 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

*Use certified gluten free rolled oats as needed. If using pre-packaged oat flour: Oats and oat flour are not a 1-to-1 exact measurement. If using already ground oats to make this recipe, you will need a little over a cup of oat flour. A cup and 1 tablespoon will be good. Better yet, use a scale to measure and make sure you get 120 grams.
**To drain the liquid from the zucchini, place about a cup of it between two paper towels or in a clean dish towel and squeeze it over the sink. This drains it of just the right amount of liquid to allow the muffins to cook properly.
***Any favorite chocolate chips will work. Mini chocolate chips are also a great choice.
photos by amie of food duchess
Author: Kim
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 197kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 31mg, Sodium: 180mg, Potassium: 244mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 79IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @kimscravings on Instagram and be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy and delicious recipes straight to your inbox!