these easy chocolate chip zucchini walnut oat bites come together quickly and make for an easy make-ahead meal or snack during the week!
I’ve been wanting to mix up Owen’s snacks a bit (we normally rely on the same graham crackers, fruit, smoothies, larabars, etc.) so this week we made some pumpkin muffins which I popped in the freezer and can pull out as needed.
Then this past weekend during his nap I whipped up these easy chocolate chip zucchini walnut oat bites which can also be frozen and pulled out as needed.
Truthfully, I also made them for easy snack or meal options for me too. It’s so nice to have something pre-made that I can just heat and eat.
Entering the third trimester means I’m all about things I can make ahead of time that I can just pair with a piece of fruit, some yogurt or ice cream and be on my way!
If you’re not a chocolate fan or don’t want to include it, you can swap it out instead for some raisins or just omit it all together.
For me personally, nothing beats the zucchini/walnut/chocolate chip combo so that’s what I went with!
chocolate chip zucchini walnut oat bites
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 oat bites 1x
- Category: snack
Description
these easy chocolate chip zucchini walnut oat bites come together quickly and make for an easy make-ahead meal or snack during the week!
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips (or raisins if you prefer)
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped walnut halves
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon (more or less to your liking)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely shredded zucchini that has had some of the excess moisture squeezed out (*see instructions)
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375’F
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Grease a mini muffin pan with cooking spray (you can also use a standard 12-cup muffin pan).
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Shred a small zucchini onto cheese cloth or some paper towels and set aside.
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Combine oats, baking powder, cinnamon, chia seeds, salt, brown sugar and walnuts in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
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In a separate mixing bowl combine egg, vanilla and milk.
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Add wet to dry mixture stirring to mix, then gently fold in shredded zucchini and chocolate chips (or raisins) and stir to combine well.
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Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop into greased muffin pan (making sure to scoop up a little moisture that may have sunk to the bottom with each spoonful) filling to the rim of each cup.
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Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown (because every oven is different, I recommend plunging a knife or cake tester into the center of the dish to test if it’s done, if it comes out clean or just a bit wet, it’s done).
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Allow to cool completely before removing from the muffin pan or they may crumble.
Notes
-
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freezer for up to 2 months.
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Reheat in the microwave right before eating. If it seems dry upon reheating, you can add a drizzle of maple syrup after heating for extra moisture.
Keywords: oatmeal, zucchini, chocolate chip, walnuts, baking powder, milk, vanilla
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