These easy and healthy Baby Muffins are mini in size, soft in texture and naturally sweetened with banana and cinnamon. The perfect first muffin for babies.
Why these Muffins are Great for Babies
- Fruit Sweetened - It is recommended that children under two should not consume any added sugar. Most muffin recipes are packed with sugar, maple syrup or honey. These are sweetened with banana and cinnamon - perfect for little ones.
- Texture - A very soft, spongy texture easy for babies to eat.
- Mini in Size - Making them perfect for little hands.
- Freezable - Who doesn't love a puree/finger food freezer stash, ready for their babies at any time?
When Can Babies Eat Muffins
This will really depend on you and your baby. Once your baby has progressed onto finger foods then they should be able to manage these muffins.
Personally, I recommend focussing on offering your baby lots of iron-rich food and cooked vegetables before moving on to muffins.
Although these muffins are healthier than most recipes I would still consider this an occasional food and not something you allow your baby to fill up on every day.
Banana Baby Muffins Ingredients
This is what you need to make banana baby muffins...
Cooking Steps and Tips with Photos
- Mix together the lemon juice and milk - this is to add more acidity to the recipe for the baking soda to work. If you prefer, you can replace with buttermilk.
- Mix together wet ingredients - mix until combined.
- Add mashed banana and gently stir.
- Mix together the dry ingredients - It is important to distribute the baking soda and cinnamon evenly throughout the flour before adding to the wet ingredients. Sifting the dry ingredients helps with this.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients - do not be tempted to over mix, the mixture will be thick and lumpy (see picture)
- Transfer to Muffin Tray - work quickly and fill each muffin cup, to the top, with the muffin mixture.
- Bake - in a pre-cooked oven (160C/320F ) for 13-15 mins.
Not Just For Babies!
Of course, just because our kids are older doesn't mean we stop looking for healthier versions of recipes. These muffins are perfect for children of all ages and adults too.
They travel well and are great for popping into a lunch box or taking out and about for day trips.
If your children are used to sweeter foods then you may need to slightly adapt the recipe to appeal to their taste buds. You can add a little extra sweetness by adding some
- Dates - Blend a couple of dates with the milk (see this banana bread recipe for more detail) or finely chop the dates and stir through.
- Sultanas/raisins - Soak approx ½ cup sultanas in boiling water for a couple of mins. Drain and stir through just before transferring the mixture to the muffin tray.
- Honey/maple syrup - Replace a little of the milk with some honey or maple syrup
- Chocolate chips - A few chocolate chips can really increase the kid appeal!
Storage Instructions
- Cool on a wire rack. Allow to cool in the muffin tray for a couple of mins and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Before you store your muffins you want to make sure they are completely cooled. Packing them away when they are still warm will result in compensation and soggy muffins.
- Storing at room temperature – Store in an airtight container for 1 day.
- Refrigerating – Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I personally do not recommend this method of storing as it can change the texture of the muffin, making them a little dry for babies.
- Freezing – Freeze in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Allow to thaw on the counter or defrost in the microwave.
Other Baby Muffin Recipes
Your baby may also enjoy
- Sweet Potato Muffins
- Zucchini Muffins
- Fruity Egg Muffins
- Mini Blender Muffins
- Blueberry Baby Muffins
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Banana Baby Muffins
Equipment
- Mini Muffin Tray
Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- 125ml (½ cup) Milk
- 80ml (⅓ cup) Coconut Oil
- 60g (¼ cup) Natural Yoghurt
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 250g (1 cup) (around 2-3 ripe bananas) Ripe Banana, mashed
- 215g (1¾ cup) Plain Wholemeal Flour
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160ºC (320ºF) and grease a 24 cup mini muffin tray with coconut oil or butter.
- Add the lemon juice to the milk and allow to sit for 5 mins.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the milk & lemon mixture with the coconut oil, yoghurt, vanilla and eggs. Mix together with a whisk.
- Add the mashed banana and mix through.
- In a seperate mixing bowl, add the flour cinnamon and baking soda and gently stir to mix through.
- Add the dry flour mix to the wet ingredients and fold in gently until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 24 muffin cups. Bake muffins for approx 13-15 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
Recipe Notes
Nutritional facts
Sue Nicholls says
Thank you for this recipe. I have a very healthy eater and therefore have to be smart when it comes to snacktime. I halved the batter and did one half with currants and the other with a blueberry ontop of each muffin and they turned out great.
Amy says
Thanks Sue, so glad you had success with the recipe. Thanks for the 5 stars 🙂
Stacie Phillippi says
This was great. Made this and subbed the flour for a mixture of oat and AP flour based on weight because it’s what I had. These are very tasty and thank you for the Weight measurements!
Amy says
Thanks, Stacie. I find it a lot more accurate and easier to use weight measurements. Glad you find them useful 🙂
Bonnie says
Thinking of using this great recipe for baby's smash cake. Any idea what size baking pan or time to bake for these amounts. Thanks!
Amy says
Hi Bonnie, without experimenting I can't really say, sorry. I do have a fruit-sweetened first birthday cake on the site, have you looked at it?
Isabel says
Hi, I was wondering if I can substitute yoghurt with something else because i dont habe any at the moment
Amy says
Hi Isabel, you could try milk but as I haven't tried it I can't say for sure how it would turn out. 🙂
Leanne Hughes says
Love this recipe! If using canned coconut milk do you cut out the yoghurt and do you still need the lemon juice?
Amy says
Hi Leanne, I'm so glad you liked the recipe and I apologise for the delay in getting back to you. When I tested it with coconut milk, I replace both the yogurt and the milk with coconut milk (so 3/4 cup). I did still add the lemon juice.
Ella says
Loved this for my 18mo! I substituted the milk for coconut milk, used coconut yoghurt instead and used plain white flour and the recipe turned out fantastic thank you!
Amy says
Thanks Ella 🙂
Mo says
Hi, first time baker! Do I get Bicarbonate of Soda or Baking Powder for this recipe? Thanks!
Amy says
Hi Mo, Bicarbonate of Soda (we call it baking soda here in Aus) 🙂
Brinda says
Tried this for my 11 month old. She loved it! It was so simple to make and came out perfect .
Amy says
Great, thanks Brinda 🙂
Alli D says
I’ve just made these for my 8 Month, she seemed very happy with them and I love that they don’t have any added sugar. Going to make the fruit egg muffins next. Thanks for your healthy recipes
Amy says
Great, Alli! Hope she enjoys the fruity egg ones too 🙂
Amy says
Thanks Alli, hope she enjoys the fruity egg muffins too 🙂
J R says
These sound delicious! Can we use all purpose flour instead of wholemeal ? Does it measure out to be the same amount of flour?
Amy says
Hi, yes you can replace with all purpose (the same amount). Hope your little one enjoys it 🙂
Tiffany says
Hi I was wondering what I can use if I don’t have coconut oil?
Amy says
Hi Tiffany, you could use a different oil (avocado, olive, vegetable etc) or maybe even melted butter. I haven't trialled any substitutes though so can't say for sure how it would turn out.
Susie says
Hello- same question here! What is plain whole meal flour?? Is that whole wheat flour, oat flour, all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour?? Thank you!
Amy says
Hi Susie, Sorry I was supposed to add a comment about the flour. I forget that it is called something else depending on where you are from. It would be white whole wheat flour. Thanks
Susie says
Wonderful, thank you! Can’t wait to try it!! 🙂
Sydney says
Hi. This looks great! What is whole meal flour? I have many different flours - Einkorn, almond, coconut, whole grain, buckwheat, and a few others. What do you recommend? Thank you!
Amy says
Hi Sydney, plain wholemeal flour here would be like white whole wheat. 🙂