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.
Make these all the time, because they’re so easy!!! My toddler requests them frequently, and I’m happy to bake something healthier than what is in the stores.
Excited to make these! Would this recipe work with old fashioned oats instead of rolled oats?
Old fashioned oats and rolled oats are the same thing, so yes.
Delicious, and I love the fact that no extra sweetener is added. Toddler LOVES them
I want to make these for my baby, but he has an oat allergy. How can I get around this?
Use additional whole wheat flour.
We love these! They have landed a permanent spot in our meal prepping routine for over a year now, are so easy to freeze and reheat, and the kids love them. I even bake a batch and bring them on trips with us so kids have a healthy snack to grab while we’re away.
maybe I did it wrong because I have two small kids under my toes and it was hard to tell how much 1 cup of bananas was as whole bananas. But mine turned out gluggy on the inside and they weren’t nearly sweet enough (I am not a big sweet tooth either).
I do recommend mashing the banana and measuring it out next time, but I get the reality of baking with kids underfoot.
You are amazing and extremely inspirational. These recipes have motivated me to bake again and start recipe testing. Thank you for the work you do.
My three-year-old loves these…but even more so, my husband will snitch them for midnight snacks and I’ve found these to be one of the only baked goods I can have after being diagnosed with gestational diabetes. So it’s not an exaggeration to say these save my sanity! My daughter and I loooooove to bake, so this gives us something to be able to make AND eat together. And these have so much more staying power than my weak little low-carb toast slices, so I can actually feel FULL for once in my day. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I love to hear that, thanks so much for commenting!
If it matters for feedback purposes, I did another batch over the weekend but was too lazy to portion the batter into my muffin pan (I usually get 48 mini muffins in a recipe, because I keep them pretty small so it takes twice the time to bake them) so I dumped it all in a single pan, sheet pan pancake style. I baked it for 12 minutes at 375 and it came out perfect! So easy to cut into little squares or sticks, my daughter can dip them in a little syrup while I can spread a bit of cream cheese or peanut butter on if I want, and that pan is way faster to clean than a little muffin tin. Totally recommend that method for a change of pace!
These muffins work for my diabetic husband but are so tender and tasty that my entire family devours them!
Should I make any adjustments if using white flour? Thank you.
You’ll want to reduce the amount of milk. I haven’t made them that way so I can’t say for sure, but I’d start with 1/2 cup and if the batter is super thick, add 1/4 cup more.
These are perfect for my toddler. Love the ingredients!
Could i use buckwheat flour?
I haven’t made them that way but it might work similarly!
These are my go-to banana muffins for my kids (okay, and me too)! I add chocolate chips to half the batter for my 4-year old. They never last more than two days! Thank you!!
Can I use instant oats or should I use old fashioned?
I usually use old-fashioned but you can use either.
Do these freeze well?
Yes, that’s mentioned in the Notes at the end of the recipe.