Banana Zucchini Muffins

These banana zucchini muffins are made with half oat flour and half whole wheat white flour for a healthy bite-sized end of summer snack and perfect for back to school lunch boxes.

I know, I know…how many recipes for banana bread and zucchini bread can there possibly be in this world?

From paleo chocolate zucchini bread to almond coconut banana bread and even savory cheesy zucchini bread, I’m definitely already contributing my fair share of banana and zucchini baked goods.

But these cute bite-sized healthy banana zucchini muffins fit perfectly into the “back to school” craze already upon most of you (although schools here in NY don’t start until after Labor Day). And, if sharing this super easy recipe with you helps swap out a processed snack in just one lunchbox somewhere in America, I’ll feel validated.

How Do I Make Zucchini Banana Bread Muffins?

This muffin recipe uses the simple method of combining the dry ingredients below in a large bowl.

• oat flour
• whole wheat white flour
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• baking powder
• baking soda
• salt

Then, the wet ingredients are whisked together in a separate bowl:

• mashed ripe banana
• grated zucchini
• eggs
• Greek yogurt
• vanilla extract

The wet ingredients are added to the large bowl with the dry ingredients and then scooped into a mini-muffin tin. I like to use a cookie scoop to ensure an even amount of batter in each muffin.

Banana slices are gently pressed into the tops of each muffin before baking. While optional, it’s a fun topping idea and makes for a prettier appearance.

The muffins are baked at 400°F for the first five minutes and then the temperature is lowered to 350°F for another 10 minutes. Starting the muffins at a higher temperature helps create a bigger rise for higher muffin tops! 

ps- love muffin tops? Try this recipe for chocolate cherry muffin tops.

Can I Use Different Flours?

Oat flour and whole wheat white flour bring a nice heartiness to this banana zucchini muffin recipe but you can definitely make some swaps if you’d like.

Whole wheat pastry flour could be used in place of the whole wheat white flour. You could also use all-purpose flour.

If you don’t have oat flour on hand, you can easily make your own by grinding oats in a food processor until they reach a fine flour consistency. That’s actually what I do and make all my own oat flour instead of paying more for pre-made store bought flour.

For more ideas on how to use oat flour, check out my sweet potato bran muffin recipe, these sweet potato oat bars or these cinnamon raisin oat bran pancakes

Can These Muffins Be Made Gluten-Free?

Along the same lines, you could use all oat flour in this recipe and make gluten-free banana zucchini muffins.

Alternatively, try these banana nut almond pulp muffins or these peanut butter jelly muffins for a gluten-free muffin recipe.

Can I Make Full Size Zucchini Banana Muffins Instead of Mini Muffins?

You can easily bake these in a regular size muffin tin if you prefer a larger muffin. I like the mini-size in particular for snacks and lunch boxes but a full size muffin would make a great breakfast option along side an egg or two.

For regular sized muffins, you will have to increase the baking time. I would bake at 400°F for 5 minutes and then lower to 350°F for another 15 minutes. Start checking the muffins a few minutes before the end to make sure they don’t over bake. One of the best parts of these healthy banana zucchini muffins is how moist they are!

Can I Add Other Ingredients?

This is a great recipe to add in your favorite muffin mix-ins!

You could make these banana zucchini chocolate chip muffins with some mini chocolate chips or, add in chopped walnuts for a banana zucchini nut muffin.

Other mix-in options ideas:

• hemp seeds
• pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• chia seeds
• grated carrot
• frozen wild blueberries

Are These Muffins Sweet?

These zucchini banana bread muffins are not overly sweet at all. The only sweetness in the muffins comes from the banana itself, there is no added sugar in this recipe.

If you like a sweeter baked good, I suggest adding a couple tablespoons of maple syrup/honey or, brown/white sugar to the recipe. Another option is to use vanilla Greek yogurt instead of plain.

The ripeness of your banana will also affect the level of sweetness in the final product along with any mix-ins you choose to use. 

Adjust according to your family’s preference. It’s a pretty forgiving recipe so a couple tweaks here and there shouldn’t adversely affect the outcome.

Alternatively, if you want a slightly sweeter, more dessert-like recipe, try these healthier zucchini bars with cream cheese frosting. They’re lightened up and beyond delicious!

If you want more back to school snack ideas like these zucchini banana mini-muffins I have plenty of other recipes too!

Kids love bite-sized ball snacks like these Apple Cinnamon Cookie Bites and Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookie Bites. If you don’t have to worry about nut allergies at your school, No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Balls are always super popular as well. You could try these with a different nut butter too to avoid peanuts!

Banana Chia Bites and Sweet Potato Oat Bars which can also be made with pumpkin and chocolate chips for a more kid-indulgent spin are two other great back to school snack ideas that would hold up well in a lunch box.

And if none of those sound good – you can search all my snack recipes!

What I love best about these oat and whole wheat banana zucchini muffins is how they weave seasonal abundance and necessity into a delicious baked good. 

They’re the perfect way to use up the end of summer zucchini and that ripe, almost brown banana on your counter and turn them into something healthy, nourishing and tasty.

And don’t worry, these taste just as good as a snack with a slather of your favorite nut butter or crumbled into a yogurt bowl as they do in a lunch box so adults can enjoy them just the same!

Try more banana and zucchini recipes like one of these too:

Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Paleo Almond Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Buckwheat Breakfast Bake

Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Banana Muffins

Cinnamon Sugar Banana Pecan Bread with Raspberry Butter