Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

If zucchini bread and banana bread had a cinnamon-y baby, these Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are it! All you need to make these delicious muffins is one bowl and some healthy, nourishing ingredients, like banana, zucchini, Greek yogurt, olive oil, and whole wheat flour.

Why You'll Love These Muffins

• These Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are super flavorful with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate. They make a delicious part of a meal, snack, or treat!
• It's an easy, one-bowl recipe. Hey, let's keep life easy when we can!
• These Banana Zucchini Muffins are quite nutrient-dense, loaded with whole grain white whole wheat flour, fruit, and vegetables. We've swapped traditional butter for Greek yogurt and extra virgin olive oil, creating a muffin that is lighter, lower calorie, and has less saturated fat than similar muffins.
• They're family-friendly and (at least in my house!) 100% kid-approved.

Featured Ingredients

• Zucchini: 2 small zucchini turn into about 2 cups freshly grated zucchini or 1 cup grated zucchini after all the moisture has been wrung out.
• Banana: Mash two medium bananas. You can use previously frozen bananas that have been defrosted.
• Greek Yogurt: Using Greek yogurt instead of the butter used in most recipes leads to a lighter muffin with less saturated fat.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Olive oil is an oil with numerous health benefits. Including a little olive oil instead of all Greek yogurt gives a much better texture and crumb.
• Eggs: Eggs help provide structure to the muffin. They have not been tested with flax eggs or any other egg substitutes, just a head's up!
• Vanilla: Adds a homey, delicious flavor.
• Sugar: At the end of the day, added sugar is added sugar no matter the source. This recipe uses a little less regular sugar, but you can use any granulated sugar substitute (like coconut sugar, maple sugar, allulose, stevia, etc.)
• White Whole Wheat Flour: White whole wheat flour is a 100% whole grain, just like regular whole wheat flour. It just uses a slightly different variety of whole wheat.
• Cinnamon: Adds the best flavor to both banana bread and zucchini bread, so obviously it's delicious here!
• Chocolate Chips: Can't go wrong with some chocolate chips! I love using semi-sweet, but you can use milk chocolate or whatever you prefer. If you're looking for a lower added sugar option, I recommend Lily's stevia-sweetened chocolate chips -- they're delicious! (If you can't find Lily's on Amazon, check your local store or order from Thrive Market - and get 40% off your first order with my affiliate link!)

Tips to Make Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

• All you need is one bowl and a spoon. But hot tip - if you prefer to use a stand mixer or a hand mixer, let the beaters or paddle mash your bananas for you.
• Zucchini can vary greatly in size (especially if picking from your garden - they can vary greatly from morning to night!). Measure by cups, and use two cups freshly grated, or about one cup once all the liquid has been wrung out of the zucchini.
• Using a cheesecloth bag, or nut milk bag, or a kitchen towel is an easy way to contain the zucchini while you're wringing it out.
• Like most quick bread recipes, all you need to do is mix the wet ingredients, stir in the dry ingredients, then fold in the chocolate chips.
• Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Recipe Q&A

Should I measure my zucchini before or after I wring out the moisture?

You can do either. The recipe calls for about two cups of zucchini measured before straining, or about 1 cup after all liquid has been squeezed out.

How can I get rid of any green so my kids will eat them?

I definitely don't recommend hiding food from your kids. My kids aren't into eating zucchini by itself, but they're all about grating zucchini, making these muffins, and of course, eating them.

To make the green less obvious, use a smaller-hole grater, or peel the green away from the zucchini before grating.

Does the Greek yogurt change the texture?

Nope! Because there's a little bit of olive oil, too, it helps preserve a texture more similar to traditional muffins, while allowing them to be a bit lighter.

Can you taste the olive oil?

No, the amount used is small enough it doesn't affect the muffin's flavor. Extra virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest oils you can use, and it works beautifully in recipes like these!

Can I make these without added sugar?

Yes, swap sugar for a non-nutritive sweetener, like allulose (my personal favorite), monk fruit, or stevia. Then use a stevia-sweetened or other sugar-free chocolate chip (like Lily's).

Can I use honey instead of sugar?

I don't recommend using honey, maple syrup, or another liquid sweetener. It adds too much moisture and negatively impacts the texture of the muffin.

What other mix-ins can I use?

Whatever you'd like! Chocolate chips, nuts, seeds, dried cranberries or raisins - make them fit your preferences and needs!

How should I store the muffins and how long do they last?

Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

Can you freeze banana zucchini muffins?

Yes, muffins can be frozen and stored up to three months in the freezer.

More Zucchini Recipes

• Mushroom Zucchini Pasta
• Chocolate Zucchini Smoothie
• Antipasto Zucchini Noodle Salad
• Zucchini Corn Chowder
• How to Freeze Zucchini

More Healthy Muffin Recipes

• Spinach Banana Muffins
• Savory Spinach Feta Muffins
• Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins

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