Description
Simple Banana Oat Zucchini Muffins are a family favorite! Moist, wholesome, and easy to bake, these muffins are perfect for breakfast or a healthy snack.
Ingredients
Scale
- Muffin Base:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup rolled oats (old-fashioned, not instant)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2–3 medium)
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- The Star Veggie:
- 1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 medium, squeezed lightly)
- Optional Add-ins:
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Prep Your Dry Mix:: First things first, get your oven preheating to 375°F (190°C). Then, in a big bowl, whisk together your flour, rolled oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Make sure it’s all nicely combined; you don’t want a pocket of just baking soda in one muffin, trust me. This is where I always take a deep breath and enjoy the spices mingling. It’s the calm before the banana storm!
- Mash Those Bananas:: In another bowl, grab those super ripe bananas and mash them up with a fork. You want them mostly smooth, but a few small lumps are totally fine – adds character, right? Then, stir in the brown sugar, egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk it all together until it looks like a happy, golden-brown mixture. This step always smells so sweet and promising!
- Combine Wet and Dry:: Pour your wet banana mixture into the dry ingredients. Now, this is important: mix it *just* until everything is combined. Overmixing is the enemy of tender muffins! A few streaks of flour are okay. Honestly, I used to mix until it was perfectly smooth, and my muffins ended up tough. Oops! Gentle is the key for tender muffins.
- Fold in the Zucchini:: Gently fold in your grated zucchini. I sometimes add a handful of chocolate chips or chopped walnuts here too, if I’m feeling extra. The zucchini just melts away into the batter, adding moisture without being noticeable. It’s like magic! You won’t even see the green once they’re baked, I promise.
- Fill Those Liners:: Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well. Divide the batter evenly among the cups. I like to use an ice cream scoop for this; it makes things so much tidier, or at least, tidier for me! Fill them about two-thirds full for nice, domed tops. Don’t be afraid if it looks a little messy; that’s just homemade charm.
- Bake and Enjoy:: Pop the muffin tin into your preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a Banana Oat Zucchini Muffin comes out clean. The tops should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched. The smell that fills your kitchen at this point? Unbeatable! Let them cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Try not to eat them all at once, I dare you!