These easy Chunky Monkey Banana Zucchini Muffins are moist, fluffy, and naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup and ripe bananas — no refined sugar needed! Made with shredded zucchini, a wholesome blend of flours, warm cinnamon, and vanilla, these homemade banana zucchini muffins are packed with crunchy pecans and delicious chocolate chips. A healthier twist on classic banana muffins, they're perfect for a quick breakfast, weekend brunch, or wholesome afternoon snack. Can be made dairy free and gluten free!
If you love chocolate chip banana bread and zucchini muffins, this delicious combination is sure to become a new favorite! To learn how to make this yummy banana zucchini recipe, see the printable recipe card below or take a look at the recipe video. For other recipe variations (including dairy free and gluten free), please visit the Pimp My Recipe section in my Blog Comments & Tips below.
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RECIPE
(Printable recipe card below.)
CHUNKY MONKEY BANANA ZUCCHINI MUFFINS
These easy Chunky Monkey Banana Zucchini Muffins are moist, fluffy, and naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup and ripe bananas — no refined sugar needed! These homemade banana zucchini muffins are packed with crunchy pecans and delicious chocolate chips. A healthier twist on classic banana muffins, they're perfect for a quick breakfast, weekend brunch, or wholesome afternoon snack.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place oven rack in the middle of your oven, and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with baking cups/cupcake liners (see Note #3), and lightly spray cupcake liners with avocado oil spray (or your favorite cooking spray), and set aside.
- To a medium mixing bowl, add white and whole wheat flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, and whisk until combined. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, add bananas, and mash well with a fork. Add coconut oil (or olive oil), maple syrup, egg, drained & squeezed zucchini, milk, and vanilla bean paste. Whisk until combined. Add flour mixture, and using a silicone spatula, mix until almost combined (some flour should be visible). Add chocolate chips, and pecans, and fold until just combined.
- Scoop, and distribute evenly into prepared muffin tins. Top with additional chocolate chips and pecans (or walnuts), if desired. Bake for 20 - 22 minutes (do not overbake - see Note #4), and test for doneness by inserting a toothpick and it comes out clean. Set muffin pan on a wire cooling rack, and cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes. Transfer muffins onto the wire cooling rack, and cool completely. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days (see Note #5). Enjoy!
Notes
- To find out the best way to aerate flour, just watch the how to video on my Tips & Tricks page for TIP #1 - Aerate & Measure Flour.
- Although toppings are optional, please note that omitting the chocolate chip and nut toppings will produce a less chocolatey and nutty flavored muffin. If you prefer no toppings and more banana/zucchini flavor, just omit the toppings and use only ½ cup chocolate chips and ½ cup chopped pecans (or walnuts) in the batter. If you want more chocolate and nutty flavor as the original recipe intended but don’t want melty chocolate tops, just add all the chocolate chips and nuts (i.e., mix-ins & toppings) into the batter.
- For an easy cupcake hack, just watch the how to video on my Tips & Tricks page for TIP #18 - Easy Baking HACK for Grease-Free Cupcake Liners & Perfect Cupcakes Every Time!
- Baking time will vary depending on your oven and the type of muffin tin you use. To get the perfect moist crumb, I baked these muffins for only 20 minutes in an OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro muffin pan, which tends to cook quicker and conduct heat more evenly.
- Best stored at room temperature in large Rubbermaid airtight containers for up to 1-2 days. To extend freshness, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
- Makes 12 servings (1 muffin per serving).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
221Fat (grams)
11 gSat. Fat (grams)
6 gCarbs (grams)
28 gFiber (grams)
2 gNet carbs
26 gSugar (grams)
12 gProtein (grams)
4 gSodium (milligrams)
162 mgCholesterol (grams)
17 mgNutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods. Nutritional calculations do not include optional ingredients, and are based on the exact ingredients and brands noted in this recipe.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Best stored at room temperature in large Rubbermaid airtight containers for up to 1-2 days. To extend freshness, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
VIDEO
How to Make these Yummy Chunky Monkey Banana Zucchini Muffins!
Blog Comments & Tips
Chunky Monkey Banana Zucchini Muffins – A Wholesome, Naturally Sweetened Treat!
If you love banana bread, chocolate chips, and moist zucchini muffins, these Chunky Monkey Banana Zucchini Muffins bring all three together in one delicious bite! Made with very ripe bananas, freshly shredded zucchini, a combination of flours, warm cinnamon, vanilla, and pure maple syrup, these homemade muffins are naturally sweetened with no refined sugar. Crunchy pecans and rich chocolate chips add the perfect combination of texture and indulgent flavor. For those that love coconut, I added it as an optional ingredient.
These healthy banana zucchini muffins are wonderfully moist, tender, and naturally sweet, making them perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunchboxes, or an afternoon snack. Even better, this versatile banana zucchini muffins recipe can easily be adapted to be both dairy-free and gluten-free with a few simple ingredient substitutions. Visit the Pimp My Recipe section below to find out how.
Whether you're looking for a healthier chocolate chip muffin, a delicious way to use up ripe bananas and fresh zucchini, or a wholesome homemade breakfast treat, these Chunky Monkey Muffins are sure to become a family favorite!
How do you ensure the best results from this recipe?
My 4 tips to making these Chunky Monkey Banana Zucchini Muffins:
Using a combination of unbleached white and whole wheat flours give these muffins a healthier option with a heartier texture that is still moist and delicious.
Use very ripe bananas. Bananas with darker brown and/or mostly spotted peels are much sweeter and offer a naturally sweet element to this recipe.
Allow the shredded zucchini to naturally drain in a strainer before squeezing out the excess water. This may take some time, so shred the zucchini first and drain over a bowl or sink. After about 25-20 minutes, squeeze and blot excess water with a paper towel, then fluff the zucchini to separate the shreds. It doesn’t need to be bone-dry, but it should not be dripping with water.
Do not overbake these muffins, or they will become dry. When using the toothpick test for doneness, it’s okay to have a few crumbs, as long as there is no wet batter left on the toothpick.
It’s time to customize and Pimp My Recipe.
Pimp My Recipe:
Make it Gluten Free: Replace the unbleached white and whole wheat flours with 1 ½ cups of Bob’s Red Mill gluten free 1:1 baking flour. They will be slightly more dense than the wheat flour version, but will still be delicious!
Make it Dairy Free: Replace the whole milk with vanilla unsweetened almond milk; however, you’ll need to include an acid in order to activate the baking soda.
To a measuring cup, add almond milk, and 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar), stir and let sit for a few minutes (about 2-5 minutes). This will create a dairy free buttermilk that will activate the baking soda in the recipe.
Make it Without Nuts: This is an easy one. Just omit the nuts!
Enjoy and let me know what you think by commenting below, rating my recipes, subscribing, following, and liking Prep My Recipe on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to shred the zucchini first and give it time to allow it to naturally drain in a fine mesh strainer. Then squeeze and blot the excess water with paper towels.
Adapted from the Chunky Monkey Zucchini Banana Muffins recipe by ambitiouskitchen.com. I changed up the ingredients and quantities to make these muffins extra moist, delicious, and extra chunky!
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