Looking for a delicious way to use up ripe bananas and extra zucchini? This banana zucchini bread recipe is moist, naturally sweet, and easy to adapt to your needs, whether you’re going gluten-free, vegan, or baking muffins for toddlers. It’s a go-to for anyone craving a better-for-you bake with rich flavour and a tender crumb.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Combines the natural sweetness of bananas with the moisture of zucchini
- Easy to make in one bowl
- Naturally sweet, can be made refined sugar-free
- Adapts well to gluten-free, vegan, and kid-friendly versions
- Freezes beautifully for future snacks or breakfast
Whether you want a simple banana zucchini bread or a decadent chocolate chip banana zucchini bread, this recipe is your starting point.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Base Ingredients:
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 bananas)
- 1 cup grated zucchini, moisture squeezed out
- 2 eggs (or flax eggs for vegans)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/3 cup oil (coconut or vegetable)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or almond flour for paleo/gluten-free)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Optional Add-ins:
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1/4 cup blueberries
This forms the base for everything from healthy banana zucchini bread to banana zucchini bread muffins and even banana zucchini bread with almond flour.
How to Make Banana Zucchini Bread Recipe (Step-by-Step)
- Prep oven and pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk mashed bananas, zucchini, eggs (or flax), sugar, oil, and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients: Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Don’t overmix.
- Fold in extras: Gently add chocolate chips, nuts, or berries.
- Bake: Pour into pan. Bake 45–55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool & slice: Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Muffin Option (Kid-Friendly)
Want mini portions? This recipe makes banana zucchini muffins easily:
- Use a greased or lined muffin tin
- Bake at 350°F for 20–22 minutes
- Great for toddlers, snacks, or lunchboxes
Search-friendly variants include banana zucchini bread recipe, toddler, and zucchini banana muffins.
Texture Tip: Moisture Matters
If your goal is a moist banana zucchini bread, here are your key moves:
- Don’t skip squeezing out the zucchini
- Use very ripe bananas (dark spots = flavor)
- Don’t overbake
- Consider adding sour cream or Greek yogurt for extra richness (as in banana zucchini bread sour cream recipes)
Diet-Friendly Variations
Gluten-Free Banana Zucchini Bread
- Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or almond flour
- Add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum if your flour doesn’t include it
Vegan Banana Zucchini Bread
- Replace eggs with flax eggs (1 tbsp flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water per egg)
- Use dairy-free chocolate and oil instead of butter
No Sugar Banana Zucchini Bread
- Replace sugar with mashed dates, applesauce, or banana purée.
- Great for toddlers or low-sugar diets
Delicious Add-ins & Flavor Twists
Chocolate Lovers
- Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips or cocoa powder to the the banana zucchini bread recipe.
- Try banana chocolate chip zucchini bread or banana chocolate zucchini bread variations.
Fruity Spins
- Add blueberries for a banana blueberry zucchini bread
- Go autumnal with banana pumpkin zucchini bread
- Stir in shredded carrot for a banana, a carrot, and zucchini bread
Nutty Options
- Add walnuts for a classic banana nut zucchini bread
How to Store & Freeze
- Room temp: Wrap tightly and keep for up to 3 days
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for 5–6 days
- Freezer: Wrap in foil and a freezer bag. Thaw at room temp
- Slice before freezing for single-serve use
Perfect for meal prep or freezing muffins for kids’ lunches!
Nutrition Snapshot (Per Slice, Based on Base Recipe)
- Calories: ~180
- Protein: 3 g
- Carbs: 22g
- Fat: 9 g
- Sugar: 7 g
Lower sugar and fat versions can reduce the calorie count even further. This makes it a go-to for healthy banana zucchini bread needs.
FAQs
Q: Is banana zucchini bread healthy?
Yes! It uses fruit and veggie fibre, can be low in sugar, and is easily adapted to dietary needs.
Q: Can I freeze banana zucchini bread?
Yes. Slice, wrap, and freeze for 2–3 months. Thaw at room temp.
Q: Is this banana zucchini bread gluten-free?
It can be. Just use almond flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Q: Can toddlers eat this?
Absolutely. Just make a muffin version with less sugar.
Final Thoughts
Whether you want a classic loaf, a muffin batch for the kids, or a gluten-free treat with almond flour, this banana zucchini bread recipe delivers. It’s endlessly flexible, freezer-friendly, and always moist.
Use it as a base to explore combos like chocolate chip banana zucchini bread, banana zucchini bread vegan, or even a cosy fall version with pumpkin.
Banana Zucchini Bread Recipe
4
servings15
minutes1
hour20
minutes180
kcalIngredients
- Base Ingredients:
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 bananas)
1 cup grated zucchini, moisture squeezed out
2 eggs (or flax eggs for vegans)
1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
1/3 cup oil (coconut or vegetable)
1 tsp vanilla extract
- Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or almond flour for paleo/gluten-free)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
- Optional Add-ins:
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/4 cup blueberries
Directions
- Prep oven and pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk mashed bananas, zucchini, eggs (or flax), sugar, oil, and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients: Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Don’t overmix.
- Fold in extras: Gently add chocolate chips, nuts, or berries.
- Bake: Pour into pan. Bake 45–55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool & slice: Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.