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.
I made these but used melted unsalted butter instead of coconut oil. i didn’t taste them but my 2 1/2 year old loved them. Now the best part is my mom always says she doesn’t like banana bread but she gave them a try and ate 5 of them!! 5 year old niece also ate 2! that’s a huge! thank you for such an easy and nutritious recipe.
Hey Amy!
I don’t have oats on hand, is it possible to just sub it out for equal parts flour?
Thank you !
Hi- yes, you can use all purpose flour instead. Enjoy!
What could I use as a replacement for the coconut oil? Thanks!
Melted butter or any other neutral oil you like to use for baking.
I make these all the time, and I make them with avocado oil instead of coconut oil and they’re perfect!
We love this recipe so much. I have a lot of full-fat Greek yogurt to use up. Would it work if I subbed yogurt for the milk? Thanks!
I haven’t made them that way so I can’t say for sure, but it might work!
I made these with eikorn flour and added chopped pecans and chocolate chips. They turned out great! Very yummy! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I don’t normally leave comments, but I had to for this recipe- my two year daughter and I made these muffins this morning – and I have to say, they were moist and so delicious. They were sweet from the bananas, and I blended up some dates with milk and used 1 cup in the recipe. You don’t miss the sugar at all! And the BEST part… I didn’t have to feel guilty about giving my daughter so delicious and we were both able to take part in making this. Thank you!
I have made these twice, both times they turned out very oily. My baby doesn’t seem to mind but its just weird how oily they are.
Me too! I used the airfryer instead of the oven and i thought it was my problem. It was bubbling with oil/water in the muffin tins and steam were coming out from my airfryer. Afterwards, my airfryer basket was lined with oil. I have no idea where the oil came from?! I used the same amount of coconut oil as instructed in the recipe. The result was great though, super moist inside and my 1.5 year old loved it! Just gotta make sure I pat the muffins with paper towel to soak up some oil before giving to my baby.
Can you add sprinkles?
Sure
Love these muffins. It’s so nutritious and tastes delicious. Soft and fluffy. I add in grated zucchini and carrots and not much adjustment to the recipe and it turns out perfect.
My baby is obsessed with these muffins! We also tried swapping applesauce for the bananas because my baby is sensitive to bananas and they were still amazing! I’m wondering if I can use this recipe to make her mini smash cake for her first birthday?!
We love your recipes! Thank you for everything!
I’m so glad to hear that!
Can I use organic non bleached flour too ?
It works best with whole wheat flour. From there, you can use any type you like.
My 70 year old hubby diabetic hubby enjoyed these
Thanks for the recipe
How much butter would you use in place of coconut oil? I don’t have any coconut oil on hand.
Thanks!
Looking forward to making these!
You can use the same amount. Enjoy
These are amazing and you’d never know there is no sugar! So moist and delicious and both my toddlers love them
My toddlers loved this! I used vanilla non-dairy unsweetened yogurt instead of milk bc that’s all I had and they were moist and not too sweet. Thank you!!