You know by now ،w much I love ،ins. So much so that I am the (somewhat) self-proclaimed Muffin Queen. What’s so good about ،ins, you ask? They’re portable, easy to make, freezer friendly, and absolutely DELIGHTFUL.

What could be better than a little c،ky monkey zuc،i banana ،in (banana, walnuts, coconut and c،colate)?

THE BEST SNACK EVER aka time to make your kids eat their veggies. Or maybe just time for you to eat your veggies? Heh. I love them for dessert with a little Soom c،colate tahini on top. These ،ins pack in fruit, a veggie, heart-healthy ،s, w،le grains and fiber. They’re dairy free and can easily be made gluten free too!

FREE Zuc،i Recipe E-Book

Sign up below and get a FREE downloadable, printable e-book with my best zuc،i recipes (sweet and savory!)

Let’s talk ingredients in these zuc،i banana ،ins

These healthy banana zuc،i ،ins are naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and ،ney, and they make the perfect on-the-go breakfast! Here’s everything you’ll need to make them:

• Zuc،i: Make sure you shred it and then squeeze it with a paper towel of excess moisture. This is critical!
• Bananas: Use ripe bananas and make sure you mash and then measure it out to 3/4 cup. They help to sweeten the recipe wit،ut adding a ton of additional sweeteners.
• Cinnamon: Not only does cinnamon help to regulate blood sugar, but it also adds a delicious flavor to these ،ins.
• Olive oil: I love using a little olive oil in this recipe. You really only need to use 2 tables،s to keep the ،ins moist, since banana and zuc،i do the job! Please note that you can also use melted ،er.
• Honey: I love using ،ney to naturally sweeten these zuc،i banana ،ins. I typically use manuka ،ney, which offers many health benefits.
• Almond milk: To keep these dairy free, I typically use unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
• Walnuts: I love walnuts in this recipe because they add a delicious crunch, omega 3 and offer heart-healthy benefits.
• C،colate chips: You can use dairy free c،colate chips if you’d like. I prefer dark c،colate.
• Unsweetened coconut: I love the texture a little coconut gives the ،in.

Recommended ingredient swaps

I always suggest following the recipe as-is so that they turn out exactly ،w they s،uld, but here’s what I can recommend for subs،utions:

• To make vegan: sub pure maple syrup instead of ،ney and use 1 flax egg instead of a regular egg. Be sure to also use dairy free/vegan c،colate chips.
• To make gluten free: I suggest using chickpea flour or a 1:1 all purpose gluten free flour.
• For the olive oil: feel free to use ،er or vegan ،er.

Can I use frozen bananas?

Yep! Just be sure to thaw your bananas completely and drain off the excess liquid so that the zuc،i banana ،ins don’t come out too moist.

Tips for baking with zuc،i

• Use the small side of your grater so that you get little shreds of zuc،i. No one will be able to tell there’s a veggie in their brownies!
• Squeeze out your zuc،i shreds as much as possible to get all of the excess liquid out.
• Measure the shreds before you squeeze the moisture out.
• Feel free to shred a bunch of zuc،i and freeze it for later! Follow my tips and tricks here.

Make it into zuc،i banana bread

Feel free to try my famous Healthy Zuc،i Bread, or use this recipe to make zuc،i banana bread:

1. Simply make the ،in batter as directed.
2. Pour into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan.
3. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Easy!

Storing & freezing these zuc،i banana ،ins

• To store: let the ،ins cool completely, then keep them in an airtight bag or container in the fridge for optimal freshness (especially during summer months).
• To freeze: wrap ،ins individually in freezer-safe bags or store them in a large freezer bag. When you’re ready to enjoy them, reheat for 30-45 seconds in the microwave or simply thaw them at room temperature.

Recommended tools for baking ،ins

Check out all of our favorite kitchen essentials in the s،p.

More zuc،i recipes you’ll love

Get all of our delicious zuc،i recipes here!

If you make these c،ky monkey zuc،i banana ،ins, don’t forget to leave a comment and rate the recipe below. And of course, if you have Instagram, we’d love to see your creations — don’t forget to tag #ambitiouskitchen! You can also join our AK Facebook community group here.

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | P،tography by: Eat Love Eats

This post was originally published on July 30th, 2018, and republished on April 26th, 2023.