Sweet Potato Muffins

Muffins for babies and toddlers should be packed with healthy ingredients, contain no added sugar, be small in size and be easy to store and transport. These Sweet Potato Muffins tick all the boxes. Although perfect for babies, they are great for kids of all ages and make a great after-school snack or lunchbox filler.

Why These Muffins are Good for Babies, Toddlers & Big Kids. 

• They are mini in size (perfect for little hands and little appetites or if you are looking for healthy lunchbox ideas)
• Packed with healthy ingredients (sweet potato, banana, oats...)
• Sweetened only with fruit
• Freeze well, meaning you can always have a freezer stash to hand. 
• Transport well, perfect for taking out and about. 

Adapting the Muffins for Different Ages and Stages

• Babies - If making for babies you may wish to skip the sultanas, they are included for sweetness only. 
• Big Kids - Both my boys (age 8 & 4) are happy to eat these muffins as per the recipe. However, they don't eat a huge amount of sweet treats and so find the sultanas provide enough sweetness. If your kids are used to sweeter foods then these muffins may have to be adapted slightly to appeal to their taste buds. Add a little extra sweetness (e.g a little sugar, maple syrup, honey, choc chips, extra sultanas etc) to taste.

How to Make Sweet Potato Muffins 

Ingredients, Alternatives and Cooking Tips

• Sweet Potato Puree - You can use your preferred method of making sweet potato puree or you can use well mashed sweet potato. I prefer to roast my potato before pureeing but you could steam / microwave. Learn more about making and storing sweet potato puree here. 
• Banana - The banana provides sweetness and I don't get a strong taste of banana from the muffin. If you would prefer not to use banana then you could replace it with extra sweet potato puree. The muffin will not be as sweet and you may wish to add a little sweetener to compensate. 
• Egg - If your child has an egg allergy then you can replace with a flax egg. I have tested the recipe with a flax egg and it produced good results. You can find other egg substitutions here but I have not tested any others in this recipe.
• Milk - To make the recipe dairy-free you can replace with plant-based milk. I tested the recipe with almond milk and it worked well. 
• Whole Wheat Flour - I used plain wholemeal flour, I am currently living in Australia and find their wholemeal flour whiter in colour and it appears more processed than the wholemeal flour I was used to in the UK. I can not guarantee what the results will be like with less processed wholemeal flour as I haven't tested. The recipe will also work well with plain/all-purpose flour or a mix of both if you prefer. 
• Oat Flour - Can easily be made by blending rolled oats in a food processor/blender until they are a flour consistency. I usually make a large batch to store and use as needed. 
• Spices - Spices are for flavour and can be adjusted to taste. Don't be scared to add spices to the food you serve your baby. It is good to introduce a range of flavours from an early age. 
• Baking Powder - Make sure you are organised (have baking tray prepared and ready & sultanas drained) before you add the dry ingredients to the wet. Once the baking powder in the batter is activated, you need to capitalise on this chemical reaction quickly so that the heat of the oven can set the air bubbles in place.
• Sultanas -  The sultanas are the main source of sweetness so if you would prefer not to add them then you would need to replace them with something sweet, a different dried fruit, choc chips, a little sugar or maple syrup/honey etc. Soaking is importing to rehydrate the sultanas. Skipping this step will result in the sultanas on top to burn and give a bitter taste to your muffins.

Cooking Equipment

This recipe uses a 24 mini muffin tray and the cooking times reflect this. If you do not have a mini muffin tray you can use a standard tray but will have to cook the muffins for longer (Bake for 20-22 minutes (or more depending on oven) until golden brown and a toothpick in the centre comes out clean.)

How to Store Sweet Potato Muffins

Before you store your muffins you need to make sure they are completely cooled down. If you pack them away when they are even a tiny bit warm, it will result in condensation and soggy muffins.

• Cool on a wire rack. Transfer your muffins to a wire rack as soon as you can.
• Storing at room temperature – Store in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
• Refrigerating – Personally, I do not recommend refrigerating these muffins as I find that it alters the texture.
• Freezing – If properly frozen, in an airtight container, then the sweet potato muffins will be good for 2-3 months. To reheat – just pop them out of the freezer and place them back in the muffin tin. Cover with foil and reheat at 170c /350f until heated through. Alternatively, reheat them in the microwave.

Is your child muffin daft? Then they may like some of my other muffin recipes

• Zucchini Muffins
• Savoury Vegetable Muffins
• Carrot and Apple Muffins
• Mini Blender Muffins
• Baby Blueberry Muffins