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.
This is a keeper!! I’ve made four batches of this in the last week! I will say… i did not go 100% sugar free. I subbed honey vanilla Greek yogurt and heavy cream in place of the milk.
My toddler and 4 year old have loved these. I eventually added brewers yeast to other bathes as I’m nursing a newborn. It does take away some of the sweetness but it’s still so yummy. They’re ridiculously moist. I added blueberries to the last dozen. It needed an additional 2 minutes (22 for full size) writing this recipe down and keeping it for good!
I didn’t have enough rolled oats so I used almond flour. I started with 1 cup but then just kept adding more until the batter was a good consistency. These were so delicious I think I would try making and entire birthday cake from this recipe!
Love this recipe! Also great to change it up by adding some peanut butter or small pieces of apple rolled in cinnamon or blueberries. Such a hit!
I make these muffins every single week for my toddler! Such an easy snack or breakfast.
These were delicious. We didn’t miss the added sweetener, and I can give them to my baby who has started solids. Thank you!
So yummy! My 9 month old ended up eating the whole mini muffin in one go! It was super quick and easy to make too.
Just wondering about how to properly freeze them? I’m definitely new when it comes to cooking foods in bigger batches so want to make sure it can last properly. Any tips?
Hi- You can find the full info on how to freeze muffins here: https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/how-to-freeze-muffins/
I tried making these muffins but had trouble with the melted coconut oil, solidfying and was not able to mix in properly. Wondering any tips on how to mix it in better. I let it cool some before adding but I did not stir right after adding and then added the milk. Please help! Thanks!
Maybe let it cool a little longer so it’s not warm when it hits the other ingredients.
Baby loved them and they were so easy and fast to make!
Thanks for including the cooking time for full size muffins 🙂 I was grateful for that
is all the fat in these muffins from the coconut oil or sunflower oil?
Yes, and also egg and milk
Absolutely love this recipe for my little, and sometimes if I have leftover batter I bake a loaf for my husband and I. I serve it up with peanut butter and we all LOVE it. It’s such a nice treat! I also use butter instead of coconut oil for some full fats, as well as oat flour instead of whole wheat flour. They come out perfect! They freeze really well, too!
Hi! How long do you bake the loaf for? Planning to make a couple of muffins for the little one and the rest into a loaf for everyone else. 🙂 Thank you!
These are in my regular meal prep rotation—and a favorite snack for myself and my 11m old! I don’t buy pre-packaged snacks, like pouches or puffs, so I find these to be a SUPER easy, portable snack!! I’ve added blueberries, grated apples, and shredded coconut to the batter to switch up the flavor!
Omg these are AMAIZING! My baby is 11 so I avoided the milk and salt but these are the best muffins I’ve ever had!
I am glad you both enjoyed them!