Mix up a batch of these easy-to-make Sugar-Free Banana Muffins to share with your baby or toddler come breakfast or snack time. You don’t need any special ingredients and they are super moist and flavorful. (P.S. They’re vegan too!)
Sugar-Free Banana Muffins
When we’re feeding babies or toddlers and looking to minimize added sugars, it can be hard to find homemade snacks and breakfasts for kids that still taste great. So I did my best to ensure that these muffins are delicious in their own right and just happen to have zero added sugars. I’ve made these a handful of times now and both of my girls enjoy them (aged 3 and 7), as well as the baby. And I do too!
Ingredients in Sugar-Free Banana Muffins
Ingredients in Sugar-Free Banana MuffinsTo make these healthy banana muffins you’ll need:
- mashed banana
- coconut oil
- milk
- pure vanilla extract
- whole wheat flour
- rolled oats
- cinnamon
- baking soda
- baking powder
TIP: You’ll want to be sure to use very ripe bananas with a lot of brown spots to ensure that the muffins are flavorful and naturally sweet.
How to Make Sugar-Free Banana Muffins Step-by-Step
Here’s a look at the process involved in making this recipe. (See the full recipe at the bottom of the post for the specifics.)
- Mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher until smooth.
- Add to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
- Stir together.
- Divide among a mini muffin pan and bake!
Dairy-Free Banana Muffins
To make these muffins dairy-free, use nondairy plain unsweetened milk.
Egg-Free Banana Muffins
These muffins are made without egg so you don’t need to do anything to them or add any special ingredients—they hold together really well!
Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
To make these muffins gluten-free, use gluten-free flour blend. I like the one from King Arthur best.
Will my older kids like these too?
I like to make these with half topped with mini chocolate chips and half plain to make them delicious for all ages. My girls love them with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips (and I do too!) though you don’t have to do that—they’re impressively sweet on their own (though clearly not as sweet as a traditional banana muffin with added sugar.)
Baby Muffins with Bananas
Babies and toddlers under two are advised not to have added sugars and while that recommendation isn’t always possible to follow, these muffins are a great option for little ones. The textures is moist, so if you break them up into little pieces, babies eating finger foods can eat them too.
TIP: If your baby seems to have a hard time moving bready textures in their mouths, try topping each bite with a little applesauce or plain yogurt. And offer sips of water too.
Tips for Making the Best Sugar-Free Banana Muffins
- Use very ripe bananas with brown spots for the best flavor and sweetness.
- Swap in gluten-free flour blend for the whole wheat to make them gluten-free.
- Use melted butter or canola oil instead of coconut oil if needed.
- Be sure to stir your batter together thoroughly. If you can see the oil, you need to stir it more. It should be uniformly mixed.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 24 hours or in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To serve from the fridge, warm for 5-10 seconds in the microwave to soften slightly.
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe if you try it, so please comment below to share!
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PinDescription
Be sure to use very ripe bananas (with lots of brown spots!) to ensure the best flavor and natural sweetness.
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed very ripe banana
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, slightly cooled
- 1 cup milk (dairy or nondairy)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degree F and grease a 24 cup mini muffin pan.
- Place all ingredients into a medium bowl. Stir well but gently. Be sure to stir your batter together thoroughly. If you can see the oil streaking through the batter, you need to stir it more. It should be uniformly mixed and look like one consistent color.
- Divide batter among the prepared muffin pan.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly.
- Let cool for a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
Notes
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 24 hours or in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To serve from the fridge, warm for 5-10 seconds in the microwave to soften slightly.
Use very ripe bananas with brown spots for the best flavor and sweetness.
Swap in gluten-free flour blend for the whole wheat to make them gluten-free.
Use melted butter or canola oil instead of coconut oil if needed.
If you can see the oil, you need to stir it more. It should be uniformly mixed without any visible streaks of oil.
Hi! Can this be cooked in a microwave? We don’t have an oven.
I haven’t tried it that way but I think probably not.
These were so good! I actually did add about 1/4 cup of maple syrup to make a little sweeter, and used a cup of gf flour instead of wheat, and used tsp pumpkin pie spice instead of just cinnamon- but they came out perfect and me and toddler both loved them!
I’m so glad!
The sweetness was good, but I followed the recipe exactly, mixing thoroughlt, and using fresh baking powder & soda and they came out flat and way too greasy.
★★
Can you tell me what kind of oil you used? I cannot replicate this issue when I make them and if I cut down on the oil they are very very dry but I would like to figure out what caused this. Thank you
I have tried this recipe soooo many times now, following instructions exactly, and my muffins always turn out flat and completely wet and uncooked inside 🙁 I don’t know what I’m doing wrong…
The most likely culprit would be baking soda not being active or perhaps expired if you could check that?
They taste great but mine deflated and they ended up the shape of a hockey puck. I did add finely chopped walnuts and chia seeds so I’m not sure if the weight contributed to the flat shape? Or chia seeds?
★★★★★
It is possible that those additions would change the shape!
My toddler is going through a very picky phase and has his first molars coming in. So it’s safe to say he’s not eating much lately. However, he is currently enjoying these! They were very easy to bake and quick, too. Thanks for another great recipe! They are a hit!
★★★★★
Hello – I am about to make these but I only have a muffin tin that’s for regular sized muffins. Should I just keep these in the oven a bit longer?
Yes, typically full size muffins take 16-20 minutes to bake.
My little girls love these. I add less milk and put in about 3/4 of a carrot. They are delicious and very nutritious. Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Great!
Just baked a batch! They taste great but they didn’t rise very well. Perhaps my baking powder/soda were too old. I added ground flax and chocolate chips. However, so far my toddler-hating-muffin approves of these! That’s a huge win! She’s not liked all the other muffins I’ve tried! Thanks!
I’m glad she likes them!
Flavour is good, but is the coconut oil ratio correct? Mine turned out verrrry greasy. And I used less than was stated?
Can you tell me specifically what kind of coconut oil you used? I’ve never had this issue and when I tried using less oil they were very hard. Perhaps the batter needed to be stirred together more thoroughly?