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.
Made these exactly as written and they are amazing! Will be on repeat here. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
I’m so glad you love them – we make them a ton in the summer, especially!
Should you drain the zucchini after shredding?
Hi Hanna! I usually do not for this recipe. That said, water content in zucchini can vary widely, so if you feel your shreds are super wet, feel free to squeeze between paper towels or a kitchen towel.
Made these yesterday and they turned out delicious! I did not have the following ingredients on hand: coconut oil, applesauce, or the flour mentioned. So I substituted in what I had: olive/sunflower seed oil, 1 extra egg, 3 tbsp of ground flax, 1 cup cassava flour, 1/2 cup almond flour. The texture is like how something baked with cake flour tastes. The muffins are super moist too. Can’t tell they are GF. Great recipe, thanks!
I’m so glad you were able to make this recipe work with what you had on hand! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
These were amazing !
Could you sub honey for the maple syrup? Also, my gf flour blend doesn’t have a binder so I usually add a 1/2 tsp (or so) of xanthum gum to the recipe depending on what I’m baking.
These turned out great. Thanks! FYI I used a gluten free blend without a binder and it was perfect. I did find my batter a little runny so I added half a cup of almond flour for some protein. Will definitely make again!
I used a fresh apple in place of apple sauce and I removed the excess moisture from the Zucchini (squeezed in a kitchen towel) I also used a flax egg in place of egg and also doubled the recipe. The flour I used was Namaste Organic 1:1 GF flour I found that the recipe had more moisture than I would have liked to next time I will omit the oil as I don’t believe it is necessary for the muffin to turn out tasty! The is a great base recipe that I will continue to use. As a General Rule with my GF baking I find that the pre baking consistency needs to be more like a cookie dough than a cake or muffin batter or else the end product can be a little chewy/gummy!
My boys (almost 8 and 5.5) have a rating system for new foods they try- thumbs up, thumbs middle, or thumbs down. These muffins inspired an addition to the system… thumbs off the charts! They loved them. Yay for making a trest healthier and sneaking in some veggies!
We have been gluten free for 2 months and have relied heavily on your recipes. Thank you so much!
Thanks for posting this recipe. I have been looking for a zucchini banana muffin (gluten free) recipe. I am wondering if you can substitute either ghee or butter for the coconut oil. Do you think it would still work? Thanks!!
I think that could work! Watch them more carefully at the end if using butter as they’ll brown up faster on top.
Do you know how long to bake if I make in a loaf pan??
Thank you. Can’t wait to try this recipe
Hi Lori! I haven’t tested this in a loaf pan so I can’t say for sure. Let me know if you give it a try though!
These were incredible. Closest thing to regular flour muffins I’ve ever tasted! My almost two year old approves. He has a coconut allergy so I subbed canola oil.
These are seriously AMAZING! My 18 month old son can attest to this statement as he is currently devouring his second muffin. :) The only thing I did differently with this recipe was swap out the regular sugar for coconut sugar just to make it a little bit healthier for my toddler. The best part though??? He doesn’t even realize he’s eating veggies. Love it! Thanks Iowa Girl Eats for another delicious recipe that we will definitely be making again.
Hi! Looking for a recipe like this so I’m excited to try it. Was hoping to on Sunday (26th of August) and would be super grateful if you could let me know how to adjust the recipe so I can leave out the straight sugar. Thanks so much!