Description
Whisk up these fluffy Banana Oat Zucchini Muffins! A personal recipe for sneaking veggies into a delightful, wholesome breakfast treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- Wet Ingredients:
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dry Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Fresh Add-ins:
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (squeezed dry)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the Veggies & Oven:: First things first, get that zucchini shredded! I usually use the large holes on a box grater. Once it’s shredded, grab a clean kitchen towel or some paper towels and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze out all that extra moisture. This is critical for avoiding soggy muffins, seriously. Then, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. I always forget the liners, and then I’m frantically greasing the pan while the batter waits – learn from my mistakes!
- Wet Ingredients Whisk-Up:: In a large bowl, mash those ripe bananas with a fork until they’re mostly smooth but still have a few small lumps – that’s what gives them character! Add the eggs, maple syrup, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk it all together until it’s well combined and looks like a happy, golden mixture. You want it smooth, but don’t overmix it, or you’ll end up with tough muffins. I always get a little excited and overdo it, then have to remind myself to chill!
- Dry Ingredients Combine:: In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Give it a good whisk to make sure everything is evenly distributed. This step is important because you don’t want pockets of baking soda in your finished muffin. I once had a muffin that tasted like pure salt because I rushed this part – never again!
- Combine Wet & Dry:: Now, pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a spatula, gently fold them together until just combined. A few streaks of flour are totally fine! Overmixing is the enemy of tender muffins, so stop as soon as you don’t see any more dry flour. This is where I always have to resist the urge to keep stirring – it’s harder than it looks!
- Fold in the Goodies:: Finally, fold in your squeezed shredded zucchini and, if you’re feeling fancy, those chocolate chips! Mix just until they’re evenly distributed. You’ll see the gorgeous green flecks of zucchini, and if you added chocolate, those little melty bits are just waiting to happen. This is my favorite part, it starts to look like actual Banana Oat Zucchini Muffins!
- Bake ‘Em Up:: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. I like to fill mine almost to the top for nice, domed muffins. Pop them into your preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes at 400°F (200°C), then reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 13-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This initial high heat gives them a great lift! The kitchen will start smelling incredible, trust me.