Combine three types of produce in a batch of Banana Zucchini Muffins with Blueberries. It’s the best of all the baked goods in one convenient (and nutritious) package! P.S. They store well for days!
Banana Zucchini Muffins with Blueberries
When my middle kiddo was one, she struggled with bread—which means she had a hard time chewing sliced bread as well as muffins and pancakes. I worked hard to make her nutritious, moist options to help her practice and these muffins were one of our favorites.
These also happen to be perfect to make in the summer when you have zucchini and blueberries at the ready—and any bananas in the house might turn brown fast due to the heat!
Healthy Zucchini Muffins
These muffins have a base of whole wheat flour and get their moisture and flavor from three types of produce. Combine that with low added sugar and protein from eggs and milk and you have a healthy muffin for kids that’s great any time of the day. (See below to adjust these for food allergies.)
Ingredients in Banana Zucchini Muffins
To make these muffins you’ll need:
- very ripe banana
- zucchini
- milk (dairy or nondairy)
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- butter
- whole wheat flour
- brown sugar
- baking powder
- cinnamon
- fresh or frozen blueberries
How to Make Banana Zucchini Muffins with Blueberries Step by Step
Here’s a look at the process of making these muffins for kids.
- Gather your ingredients. (photo 1)
- Grate the zucchini into a wide bottom plate or bowl. (photo 2)
- Use your hands to squeeze as much liquid out of it as you can. Measure out the zucchini needed, packing it tightly into the measuring cup. (photo 3)
- Mash the banana well and measure out the amount needed. (See the recipe at the bottom of the post for full info!) (photo 4)
- Add the wet ingredients to a medium bowl. (photo 5)
- Stir together. (photo 6)
- Stir in the dry ingredients. (photo 7)
- Fold in the blueberries. (photo 8)
- Portion into a muffin tin. (photo 9)
- Bake! (photo 10)
TIP: Squeeze the zucchini really well to ensure that the batter isn’t too wet. You can even squeeze it with a towel after you get most of the moisture out if you want.
Can I make these Banana Zucchini Muffins gluten-free?
Sure, just use cup for cup gluten-free flour instead of the whole wheat flour.
Can I make these healthy muffins dairy-free?
Yes. Use plain unsweetened nondairy milk instead of dairy milk and melted, slightly cooled coconut milk (or canola oil) instead of butter.
Can I make them egg-free?
Yup! Just omit the eggs and add an additional 1/4 cup milk.
Egg-free banana zucchini muffin with chocolate chips.
Banana Zucchini Muffins with Chocolate Chips
If your family prefers chocolate you can substitute 1/2 cup chocolate chips for the blueberries!
Can I leave out the sugar?
If you’re making these for a baby who’s eating finger foods or just want to reduce added sugars, you can skip the brown sugar. Be sure to use very brown bananas though since they will be the main source of sweetness. With the sugar, each muffin has about 3 grams of added sugar, which is a low amount for a healthy snack.
Can I use frozen blueberries in this recipe?
You can use fresh blueberries or frozen ones, depending on what you have access to and the time of the year. Either way, stir them into the batter gently to avoid breaking them up.
Tips for Making the Best Banana Zucchini Muffins with Blueberries
- To make these gluten-free, use cup for cup gluten-free flour blend.
- To make these dairy-free, use nondairy milk and melted coconut oil instead of butter.
- Use very ripe bananas with brown spots for the best flavor.
- Squeeze the grated zucchini well with your fingers to release as much liquid as you can.
- Use fresh or frozen blueberries. Fold them in gently to the batter.
- These muffins are not very sweet. If you prefer sweeter baked goods, consider using 1/3 cup brown sugar or topping with a drizzle of honey.
I’d love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe, so please comment below with feedback!
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PinDescription
These muffins make for a delicious breakfast, snack, or lunchtime component. This recipe was updated June 2019 to improve the texture and streamline the ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed banana (from 2 very ripe bananas)
- 1 cup grated zucchini, packed and squeezed very dry (about 1 medium zucchini)
- 1/2 cup milk (dairy or nondairy)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and grease a standard muffin tin well with nonstick spray.
- Add the mashed banana, grated zucchini, milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla extract to a medium bowl. Stir gently with a spatula.
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir gently to combine.
- Stir in the blueberries gently.
- Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tin. You’ll use about a heaping 1/4 cup in each muffin cup.
- Bake for 22-28 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly and the muffins are golden brown around the edges. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, running a knife around the edges to loosen if needed.
- Serve at room temperature, warmed slightly, or chilled.
Notes
TIPS
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer in a zip top freezer bag for up to 3 months.
To make these gluten-free, use cup for cup gluten-free flour blend.
To make these dairy-free, use nondairy milk and melted coconut oil instead of butter.
To make these egg-free, omit the eggs and add 1/4 cup additional milk.
Use very ripe bananas with brown spots for the best flavor.
Squeeze the grated zucchini well with your fingers to release as much liquid as you can.
Use fresh or frozen blueberries. Fold them in gently to the batter.
These muffins are not very sweet. If you prefer sweeter baked goods, consider using 1/3 cup brown sugar or topping with a drizzle of honey.
Squeeze the zucchini really well to ensure that the batter isn’t too wet. You can even squeeze it with a towel after you get most of the moisture out if you want.
I made these for the first time tonight. I had been wanting to for months, but scared myself because I’m not very experienced in baking or cooking. I don’t think mine turned out tuft. They seem a little denser and extra moist, like maybe not cooked enough compared to the photos and other comments. Do you think I didn’t squeeze enough water or if the zucchini? That was a real challenge. Our should I just have naked them longer? They seemed fine when I stuck a toothpick in them. Is there anyway to fix this batch? Thank you for any advice!
Hi- If they are just moist, they should be fine to eat. If they seem raw inside, then yes, you should have baked them a little longer. You can heat them before serving and see what you think if they are just moist. They will be moist due to the zucchini and blueberries, so that is not necessarily a problem!
Fantastic! My 1 year old looooves them…. and so do I! I will be making a double batch next so I can have some too!
★★★★★
I’m so glad!
Made these today (with the help of my 4 year old!) and both she and my 2 year old LOVED them!! Really light and fluffy and full of flavour!
★★★★★
I’m so glad to hear that!
I just love this recipe… third time making these beauties as they are loved by our 16 month old princess of food fuss and 11 yr. old. We make dairy free as our girl seems lactose intolerant… they are so yummy that I almost need a separate batch for the parents!!
★★★★★
Just made these tonight! They came out great – I used half whole wheat flour and half regular white because I ran out of whole wheat. I also didn’t have quite enough butter and topped my measuring cup w canola oil because it’s what I had. I also only put a few blueberries on the tops because I made them for my 17m old who can be picky and also super messy with blueberry muffins. They are delicious! I’ll be making them and more of your muffin recipes soon!
Thank you Amy! Made these tonight and they are delicious! They have a nice nutty flavor and they are bursting with blueberries for a little sweetness. I used 1/3 cup brown sugar and may add a pinch more sugar next time.
★★★★★
I am so glad to hear that!
Hi Amy,
How much coconut oil do I use if I want to make this recipe dairy-free?
1/4 cup melted and slightly cooled
If I wanted to make these as mini muffins, should I adjust the baking temp or time at all?
I think about 16 minutes is likely the time for minis!
These look great, do you think i can sub maple syrup for the brown sugar?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. You might want to reduce the milk a smidge to make sure there isn’t too much liquid. Let me know if you try it!
I decided to stick to the original recipe since I’m planning on taking these on a road trip tomorrow! I did not want to mess with a good thing 😋
Hi Amy, I just made a batch this morning and they were delicious. I used regular all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat (didn’t have) and made sure the grated zucchini was dry. Mine took approximately 23 minutes to bake. They were delicious!!! Will definitely be make a double batch next time. Thanks you.
I’m so glad!
Any adjustments need to be made if you use mini muffin tins?
Baking time is likely closer to the 16-18 minute range for mini muffins
Thank you! Trying these tonight!!
Made these twice now and planning on more. We have to be egg free so I used egg replacer mixed with courgette juice instead of water to boost the nutrition. Since diary is not an option here either I used soya milk for toddlers (with extra iron and calcium) and used coconut butter with sunflower spread (50/50) for butter. We also served it with smooth almond butter. Cannot get enough of them! Saying this, it’s easy to get them soggy so I had to rethink how big are the bananas and how much milk we actually need. Would love to see this recipe with weight and volume measures (g and ml/ to stop battling myself how big your cups are 🙈
Thanks so much for the recipe!
I’m so glad they worked out!