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. There’s a vegan option too!)
Sugar-Free Banana Muffins
When we’re feeding babies or toddlers (or ourselves) 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
To make these healthy banana muffins you’ll need:
- mashed banana
- egg
- 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
To make these egg-free, you’ll simply omit the egg and add additional oil. So easy and delicious!
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.
- Gluten-free: Swap in gluten-free flour blend for the whole wheat to make them gluten-free.
- Egg-free: Omit the egg and use ½ cup total coconut oil.
- 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!
Sugar-Free Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed very ripe banana
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 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
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
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 14-16 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.
really enjoyed these! Nice and soft flavour and well measured ingredients – would recommend cooking bit longer if using gluten free flour (5 mins approx)
I have made this recipe so many times! And have changed it up with additions like strawberries, peanut butter, blueberries directly into the muffin tin. Best recipe ever!
Can you sub almond or regular flour for the whole wheat flour?
No, they will likely be mushy if you do that.
Great recipe! So easy to do even with a not-yet-two year old who got stuck in
them as soon as they were cooled enough.
Our double metric dose made 48 minis and 18 big muffins. (Not sure how we did that!)
I made the mistake of using pan papers instead of greasing. Don’t do this! (Half the minis go with the paper). Lesson learnt.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thanks for the great recipe. My 94 year-old mom and I both love them. You don’t miss the sugar. I feel good about eating and sharing these. what do you think about adding chopped nuts?
I think you can add 1/4 cup chopped nuts or so. Enjoy!
It was great. Light and fluffy and it was so easy and budget friendly. The only thing is that I think is not sweet at all. Maybe I will add a tad of sweetener next time to make sweeter
Could I add PB2 peanut powder to these without causing any issues?
I haven’t tried it but it may work. I would just try not to add more than 1/4 cup to start and test for doneness on the earlier side of the baking time to make sure they don’t turn out dry.
What should we do for bake time or other alterations if we just have a regular muffin pan?
Use 1/4 cup batter in a standard muffin cup and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out cleanly.
These were so easy to make and my grandson (age 17 months) absolutely loves them!
pretty good considering no sugar
Pretty darn good considering there’s no added sugar. Obviously you can tell the difference – it’s not quite as yummy as muffins with sugar (FYI in case anyone was wondering).
I would take care to mix the butter in well and to leave the milk until last. I found that the cold milk from the fridge instantly re-solidified the melted butter!