Healthier Zucchini Banana Bread Muffins are soft, squishy, and just sweet enough. Enjoy as a tasty gluten-free snack or breakfast!
“These are delicious. I don’t love to bake, but the recipe was easy to follow. My husband said they were good without even knowing it had zucchini.”
My kids love to help out in the kitchen and I…like it…too?
To be honest, combining little ones and an open flame isn’t always my favorite, but baking is something we love to do together – especially when Healthier Banana Bread Muffins are on the menu!
Watch How to Make Them
Healthier Gluten-Free Muffin
While my kids love mixing, measuring, then devouring a sweet and tender muffin, I love that the recipe is virtually fool proof, so if half the measuring spoon of whatever ingredient lands on the countertop instead of inside the mixing bowl – it’s going to be ok.
I also love that these muffins contain HALF the white sugar and oil of similar recipes, and are packed with shredded zucchini.
Sweetened and made tender by the addition of mashed banana, pure maple syrup, and unsweetened applesauce, this is a muffin recipe you can feel good about baking and feeding to your family.
Perfect for breakfast, snack time, and every moment in between!
How to Store and Freeze
- To store: Cool the muffins completely then store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. Or, store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: Cool the muffins completely then place inside a Ziplock freezer bag, suck out the air, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Combine the wet ingredients.
Start by whisking together eggs, granulated sugar, and pure maple syrup in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
Add a medium-sized mashed banana, unsweetened applesauce, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract then whisk until smooth. Set the bowl aside.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients.
In another bowl, stir together cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and your favorite gluten-free measure-for-measure baking flour blend.
Step 3: Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients then fold in shredded zucchini.
I use the grating disc on my food processor, but the large side of a box grater works great too!
Step 4: Bake the muffins.
Fill paper-lined muffin tins 3/4 of the way up with batter then bake for 17-18 minutes at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
The result? Soft and squishy, perfectly sweet muffins that nobody will know were made just a little bit healthier! I hope you love this recipe as much as we do – enjoy!
More Gluten-Free Baked Goods
- Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins
- Gluten Free Banana Bread
- Gluten Free Strawberry Muffins
- Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
- Baked Oatmeal Cups
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2-1/2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup
- 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana, ~1 medium-sized banana
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-1/2 cups gluten free baking flour blend WITH binder, see notes
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees then line a muffin tin with liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, and maple syrup until smooth. Add mashed banana, unsweetened applesauce, coconut oil, and vanilla then whisk until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, stir together gluten-free flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt then add to wet ingredients in 2 batches, stirring until the flour is just combined before adding the second batch. Add shredded zucchini then fold to combine.
- Scoop batter into lined muffin tins, filling them 3/4 of the way full (I use an ice cream scoop) then bake for 17-18 minutes, rotating the muffin tin halfway through, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let muffins cool in tin for 3-4 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days and/or freeze in a Ziplock freezer bag.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I used whole wheat flower instead and turned out really really good.
Holy. Smokes! I just made these. They are hands down the best GF baked item I have ever made in my 3 years of life as a celiac. I’m completely mind blown right now. Thank you so much for this recipe!!
Super ! Bsked in toaster oven in papered cups inset 2nd pan to protect from bottom burning. Zuc eas bitter so added a shake of alspice ,mixed with cinnamon etc. Keep apt cool(er) and Happy resurt Thank you!!..[used a 12 item 1;1 flour blend PG PREMIUM GOLDFLAX…MILLER FARM ]
This recipe is amazing! I made them for a baby shower and they were devoured so fast I didn’t get to try them. Then I made another batch for home and my picky 2 and 4 year olds devoured them. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Such great flavor! Thanks for creating this healthy alternative.
I’m so glad you love them, Emily!! They are a huge favorite at my house too. :)
Have you ever tried making this recipe in a 9×5 pan instead of muffins?
Just made these for the first time this afternoon. My five year old and 18 month old devoured them for snack time. This recipe is definitely a keeper for a mama who is always looking for something a little healthier to feed my kids! We may or may not have added some mini chocolate chips to the batter as well, which makes the healthier a bit more questionable this time. :)
I love healthier zucchini banana bread muffins. Thanks this post!
I’d never liked zucchini bread, but decided to try it for some family members, and this is the best recipe I’ve ever tried! The bananas-zucchini combination gives it such a good flavor and they are perfectly moist.
I figured these would taste good but they were REALLY good! So easy to make, my toddler helped. And so so yummy! The batch only lasted two days and I am making them again. Going to try them with white wheat flour and see how they are!
My daughter and I made these muffins and they are awesome!! I added raisins to half of them and liked that addition. Thanks for giving us healthier options that taste yummy!
My daughter made the recipe. They were very addictive! We enjoyed them. She used the zucchini that I shredded from the garden last summer then froze. She drained the zucchini but I think she should have put the zucchini on a paper towel and dried it out. I didn’t think the muffins were ever going to get done. They were almost too moist. However, they got ate up.
I made these over the weekend and they came out awesome!! Thanks for the recipe!
So glad to hear it, Caitlin! Thanks so much for your review!
Hi! Question – do you think I could sub the gluten free flour for regular or whole wheat flour?
I think AP flour would work just fine!