Made entirely with healthy ingredients, like beans, peanut butter, and no added sugar, these beet muffins can be enjoyed as breakfast, snack, or added to lunchboxes!
Moist Beet Muffins
Beets are one of those vegetables that I learned to appreciate in my late 20s. My 6 and 2 year olds learned to enjoy them over the years while my 40-year-old husband continues to be on team "they taste like dirt."
No matter where you are in your learning to appreciate beets journey, these beetroot muffins are sure to be a hit! When I offered one to my hubby, I conveniently left out the part that there were beets in there.
And guess what?! The man actually really enjoyed it! When I told him, he said, "ah now I can taste it. But hey! I will happily eat these." Enough said.
Have extra beets? You should totally try these beet pancakes, pink hummus, and beetroot pesto pasta sauce.
Jump to:
Ingredients
The inspiration for these muffins came from one of our favorite dips, which contains beets, peanut butter, and chickpeas. I simply added some banana for extra sweetness and oats for texture, flavor, and extra fiber!
If you've never baked with beets before, I hope this recipe inspires you to do so! The beets add both sweetness and moisture, and of course nutrition!
Here's how to to cook:
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add oats into the food processor or blender and pulse until flour-like consistency.
- Place the rest of the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth.
- Spoon batter evenly into a muffin pan, about ½ full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until inserted toothpick in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. See storage tips in the notes section below
Substitutions
- No chickpeas? can use other white beans, like cannellini
- No peanut butter? Can use other nut or seed butter
Tips for Success
- Use over ripe banana as it is the only sweetener. It will also make the muffins moister.
- Depending on your oven, you may need to cook more than the suggested time. Insert a toothpick in the middle. If it comes out clean, you are done! The cakes will be soft but will firm up as they cool.
- Just like these blueberry muffins and spinach cakes, these muffins will not rise much. And the texture is quite soft and moist, making them perfect for babies from 6 months and up!
Is your baby 6 months old and up?
Learn all the secrets to starting solids safely while optimizing nutrition!
Equipment
I've had my blender for over 7 years and use it for everything as I don't own a food processor. It is well worth the investment.
I use it to make all my blender muffins, dips/sauces, smoothies, veggie nuggets, pancakes..It's so fantastic, I can't recommend it enough!
I also love using this silicone muffin tin because nothing sticks!! There's no need to grease or use muffin liners.
Storage Suggestions
- On the counter: in an airtight container for up to 1-2 days
- In the refrigerator: Store in an airtight container up 3-4 days
- In the freezer – freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, leave out on the counter for 30 minutes or so or thaw in the fridge overnight. There’s no need to reheat
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Store and Freeze Muffins
More Muffins for Babies and Toddlers
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Healthy Beet Muffins for Babies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup (50g) rolled oats
- 3 small or 1 to 1 ½ medium (170g) cooked beetroot
- ¾ cup (120g) no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup (125g) smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
- 1 ½ medium (170g) ripe banana
- 1 teaspoons baking powder, aluminum-free
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add oats into the food processor/blender and pulse until flour-like consistency.
- Place the rest of the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth.
- Spoon batter evenly into a muffin pan, about ½ full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. See storage tips in the notes section below
Notes
- On the counter: in an airtight container for up to 1-2 days
- In the refrigerator: Store in an airtight container up 3-4 days
- In the freezer – I like to use the flash freeze method and freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, leave out on the counter for 1-2 hours or thaw in the fridge overnight. There’s no need to reheat. If you choose to do so, reheat for no more than 30 seconds in the microwave or toaster oven.
Hadas says
Are the chickpeas cooked? Out of a tin?
How should I prepare it from scratch if I have dried chickpeas at home? How much should I prepare?
Thanks in advance
Min says
Yes I normally use canned. You will need to cook about 1/2 cup of dried beans which will yield 1 1/2 cups cooked
Ashlee says
Hi, we love these and have made them a few times. Any suggestions on what I can use the leftover chickpeas for? ☺️
Min says
So happy to hear that! Go to the search bar and type in chickpeas. You will find a ton of ideas :).
Jenny says
These are so good! My son isn't yet a fan of straight beets so this is a nice way to ensure he still gets the nutritional goodness. The beet flavor of these lightly sweetened muffins is mild (and I weigh my ingredients to ensure exact proportions). My 16 month old LOVES them. On his first bite he smiled and flapped his arms - he does this when he really enjoys his food 😀 - and looked for more. I am freezing the extras and considering making another batch with the beets I still have left over.
Min says
Aww! Wish I could see him flapping his arms happily too! How adorable!
Leanna says
I love this recipe. It reminded me of a soft peanut butter muffin. I couldn’t taste the beets at all. Great way to add extra nutrients.
Min says
It really is! Thanks for sharing!
Carly says
Soon delicious and both my kids love them which is a win considering I have to selective eaters
Carly says
Sorry for my auto corrects, I meant soooo* delicious and that I have two* picky / selective eaters.
Min says
Makes me so happy to hear! Thank you for sharing!!
AD says
For anyone else wondering, I didn’t have any beans on hand so I subbed in 3/4 cups of milk and 1/4 cup of flour. I also added a tsp of maple syrup since my 1 banana wasn’t overly ripe. Every other ingredient was kept the same. It turned out great!
Min says
I'm so glad you shared this! Thank you!
Lora says
Can you use canned beets?
Min says
I haven't tried but if that's all you have pat dry as the extra liquid will make the already soft muffins too moist
RK says
My one year old loves them. This is the first recipe of yours that I tried and it was an instant hit. She is a good eater in general, but she is absolutely crazy about these muffins, starts whining if she sees them on the counter and I don't give them to her at that exact moment 😀 I like that they are made of healthy ingredients and are so yummy and moist. Great recipe, will try more of your muffins for sure.
Min says
This makes my heart sing! And I'm so glad you are here :).
Liz says
Hi! Hoping to try this recipe soon, but we have to avoid bananas for our little one. What would you recommend as a substitute? Love the look of this recipe and hoping there's a way we can still enjoy it. Thanks so much!
Min says
Hi! I haven't tried but I believe applesauce will work!
a says
if I skip the peanut butter its okay or I need to add any butter ?
Min says
I would add other nut or seed butter!
Andres says
I have made these muffins several times, and my son loves them. This last time I only had black beans in the cabinet so I made them with black beans, sunflower butter (so he can take to but free daycare), and added 1/2tsp of maple syrup due to the bananas not being extremely ripe and the addition of black beans. He loves them! The ingredients that I substituted I use the exact measurement of what you have listed on your recipe. They turned out perfect.
Min says
Ooh! Glad to know that this recipe works with black beans too! Thank you so much for taking the time to share. I'm so glad these muffins are well loved by your family ;).
Jeanie says
Been making these muffins regularly for over a year for my toddler and now for lunchboxes. I've used a variety of nut/seed butters, as well as a variety of beans (white, black, chickpea), and all turn out great. I usually bake for 30 minutes.
I also love that the recipe is pretty flexible. I've tweaked the ingredients amounts (e.g. 2 bananas instead of 1.5, and 1 cup beans instead of 3/4 cup) and all batches get devoured!
Min says
I ALWAYS have these in my freezer too! So glad you guys are enjoying them as well!
Jessica says
I just made these.... so good! I used frozen bananas and was worried about the consistency and it was fine, I drained off some of the water from them once thawed. I also used all natural chunky pb and left in the blender a bit longer and it was also fine 🙂 I subbed the chickpeas for white beans as well as that's what I have on hand, I love them as they leave no bean flavour.
Thank you!
Min says
Ooh! Good to know that it works with frozen bananas! And you're right! can't taste the beans at all! You should try my pumpkin banana muffins too ;). Of course I snuck in some beans there as well haha
Chris says
My 1 year old grandson loved this but should I be concerned about them containing baking powder and bicarbonate of soda? I’m not a dietician but read up about it on-line and it states babies under 1 should not consume it as it’s high in sodium.
Min says
Hi! Unfortunately they are necessary in baked goods. Otherwise they won't rise properly and be quite dense. They do contain sodium BUT remember it's for the entire recipe and your baby is only eating a small portion at a time.
Megan says
My one year old loves them 😊
Min says
I'm so glad!!
Charlotte says
I don't have chickpeas or any other suggested substitute on hand but I do have some homemade hummus in the freezer - would this work?
Min says
hi! No, you definitely want to use chickpeas or white beans.
Courtney says
These are delicious!! The flavour combinations work so well and I’m surprised!! I made them for my 11 month old twins and I can’t stop eating them myself haha.
My one question is… in your photo they turned out more peanut butter colour. Mine turned out beetroot colour. Any idea why?? I do like the colour, as it looks like red velvet cake so I’m going to use this as the base for their smash cake and put cream cheese icing!!
Min says
I'm so glad! The muffins turn darker over time and I took the photos several hours after baking (my baby woke up from her nap earlier..of course). Did yours turn red the whole time?
Candace says
My toddler loves these. He’ll ask for more. I tried serving him beets in stews or as is but he spits it out. So happy I found something he’ll actually eat. always good to sneak in those veggies. For beets, I used the LoveBeets precooked beets then I just weighed it according to the recipe.
Min says
Thank you for sharing, Candace! Even my beet hating husband likes these too hehe
Sim says
I tried these today. I had to add milk to work the blender so the batter was runny. The muffins puffed and then sank. I am guessing it's the extra moisture from the milk.
I'll try and create a paste of each Ingredient individually next time and then mix together in a bowl Vs the blender. Hoping it works as the taste is amazing even for half baked ones that I tried today.
Will be exploring other recipes on your site....
Thank you!!
Min says
You added cooked beets, right? Yes depending on the blender may be challenging to puree until smooth. I would try blending the chickpeas first and then add the rest of the ingredients. Also be sure to use room temperature peanut butter
Becca says
My toddler enjoys all of your muffins, but these are probably her most consistent favorite! And I always end up eating at least as many as she does (same with all your recipes)! Thank you for making such nutritious and convenient recipes—I’ve been making your recipes since she was under a year old, and it’s been such an amazing resource.
Min says
You are so sweet, Becca, for taking the time to write this super encouraging comment! Thank you for trying out my recipes and for being here ;).
Ariella says
These muffins are absolutely delicious and my kids adore them! I ended up using tahini instead of peanut butter so they would be school classroom safe, and the mild sesame flavor complemented the muffins beautifully. I’d highly recommend these!
Min says
Yay!! This one's most definitely our freezer staple too!
Erica says
You should say cooked beetroot in the instructions so people know to cook them first. I made the whole recipe without realizing they needed to be cooked!? I thought it was odd but you have to read all the way down in the notes to say how to cook beets.
Min says
Just added! Thanks for the input! And sorry the muffins didn't turn out this time..
Amy says
Is there a way to eliminate the chickpeas or any beans. I’m on an eating plan and this recipe would be perfect without the chickpeas. Would that work?
Min says
I haven't tried so I'm not sure
Amy says
My toddler loves these!
Vera says
I made these muffins today and they are absolutely delicious! I love beets, peanut butter and chickpeas so I was curious about the recipe. Thank you, my little one loved it for a snack too. Next time I will make more, I had hard time to share😂
Min says
haha I feel you 😉
Hayley G says
Tasty and love the protein in them!
Rachel says
Awesome! I've made this recipe several times in a mini muffin pan, (he's not great with portioning his bites yet) and the little man gobbles them up. We've tried some of your other blender muffins as well, and he enjoys them too, but these are his favorite.
Min says
I want to say these are my baby's favorite too followed very closely by the blueberry ones
Valerie Birkey says
Thanks to Min my toddler loves beets. I would have never thought to give him beets had it not been from her influence. This muffin was a win because of the beets. Love the added fat and beans. I can feel confident when feeding this to my child.
Min says
Beets are so amazing, aren't they! Will definitely share more beetlicious recipes 😉
Andrea Jones says
My daughter loves these muffins. My aunt sampled one when she was visiting and she loved them so much she asked for the recipe. Just another home run from MJ and Hungryman (aka Min) 🙂
Min says
Thanks mama!!
Sarah A Arnason says
These are my absolute favorite of all of your muffin recipes! I am always surprised at how yummy they are (i usually sneak one). AND they are so easy to make if you use the precooked Love Beets! Who knew beets and peanut butter worked so well together? My twin girls always eat them, and I always feel good about them eating them. Thank you so much.
Min says
Right? So good together! And you need to sneak more than just one hehe
Laurie says
this recipe turns out every single time and is such a great way to make breakfast easy for busy mornings
Every time I make it, I bake a 2nd batch but instead of beets I use 1/2 cup pumpkin puree-so I don't have any chickpeas leftover!
Ashley says
these turned out delicious! my LO loved them and so did I! Thanks for the awesome nutritious recipe! beets are now one of my favorite veggies to bake with!
Min says
Hope you try my beetroot dip and pasta sauce too!!
Suet Mun says
Been following you since my baby started solid and I love your muffin recipes, there are easy to make. This is one of my baby to go for muffin!
Min says
Makes me so happy to hear!
Mariam Aziz says
What a brilliant recipe! My 1 year old loves loves loves these muffins
Mariam Aziz says
What a brilliant recipe. My 1 year old loves loves these nutritious muffins!
Min says
SO happy to hear!
Sunita H says
This is such an incredible recipe! My 2yr old hates veggies but he devours these muffins so quickly! And I love that they're not overly sweet and so nutritious. Definitely going to try the other ones on the list! Thank you! <3
Min says
Aww yay!!! Love it!!
Hyeon says
Oh my goodness! I had run back to the blog to say thank you!! I’m in the very beginning of my love the beets journey, and I’ve tried beet hummus and beet pancakes so far. My 4yr old would eat the hummus, but my 14mos old was stubborn! I was determined to try all your beet recipes until he gets to enjoy that good nutritional powerhouse! And these muffins were the hit! Even after eating three Asian turkey meatballs for lunch, he ate 2 whole beet muffins too! I’ve got so many thanks to deliver to you. 🙂 Thank you for sharing all these wonderful recipes!!! Happy Beets!
Min says
Aww I'm so so glad to hear this!! Thanks so much for sharing!! I sense your excitement and it makes me so so happy as well 😉
Abi says
My 7 m.o. & 2 y.o. loved it! They kept eating until I had to stop feeding. But I don't like it hahaha. So glad I tried this recipe. My blender couldn't blend it easily so I had to blend a quarter then add in more till its fully blended. Also, I think I took them out too early because the muffins got stuck to the base of my muffin tray - so I only managed to take out 2/3rd of the muffin. Tq for sharing this recipe!
Liz S. says
Hi Min, do you think these would work with tahini instead of peanut butter? Or would that be too savory? Daycare is nut free so trying to sub with what I have on hand 🙂
Min says
I haven't tried but I believe it will work! You can also try sunflower seed butter. Let me know how they turn out ;).
Liz S. says
I ended up using peanut butter. My 14 month old loves them! I did sub more applesauce instead of banana and I think it made the whole mixture pretty wet - it took a while to bake all the way through as mini-muffins, and they deflated a bit once they came out of the oven (which I think is pretty normal for blender muffins, right?). I was pleasantly surprised by the taste and texture, and really think they're good without any added sweetener. They freeze and defrost really well. Thanks for another winner!
Twinkle says
Hi Min! Thanks for the lovely recipe. I subbed yellow lentils for the chickpeas, and I think that may have affected the time taken, but still, flavorful and moist, great for BLW.
Jess says
Excellent muffins! I had a beet that needed to be used up (which weighed in at exactly 170g!) so these were perfect for that. The bananas that I had were just barely starting to get brown spots so I added 1 teaspoon of honey to compensate. My 2 yo loved them! Thank you so much!
Min says
Hi! Wow that's crazy that you had just the right amount of beets left! So glad to hear that your toddler enjoyed them! Thanks for taking the time to let me know 😉
Ines says
Hi Min. I’m excited to try this recipe and use up some beets we have at home. We actually have the Love Beets. Would each little ball be considered 1 “medium beetroot” you used in your recipe? I’ve seen larger beetroots than these Love Beets so I wasn’t sure. Thank you.
Min says
Hi! I would weight them if you have a scale. If not, 3-4 of the not so large ones. It doesn't have to be super exact though so don't worry too much ;). Hope you guys enjoy!
Caitlin says
Any suggestions for banana substitutions? I have applesauce on the shelf so I was thinking that plus a little sweetener.
Min says
That should work or even canned pumpkin or mashed sweet potatoes. Let me know how they turn out!!
Caitlin says
I used 150g applesauce and about 2T regular sugar instead and baked for 25 minutes. They were a little underdone in the middle and slightly less sweet than I like but overall taste is good and I think my 3yo is a fan- so I’ll keep playing with it (or save a banana when we buy them next time)
Caitlin says
Revising my previous statement - these were a great texture and the right amount of sweetness once they chilled overnight!
betty says
This recipe was very easy and my kids (8 mo old and 3 yr old) loved it! Thank you!
Min says
Yay! So glad these muffins were a hit! Thanks for sharing 😉
Ashwini says
Should we boil the chikpeas? I have dry chikpeas so asking.
Min says
Yes if you're working with dried beans then def need to cook first
Elina says
Hello, I tried the recipe today and had to add liquid (milk) as my blender was stuck... Also, took me for some reason more time in the oven than stated in the recipe.... However, the taste is very good.
Min says
Hi! I'm thinking the extra liquid may have affected the cooking time..every oven is slightly different too so always good to do a toothpick test ;). So glad you liked the taste!
Hi says
Hi 🙂 what substitutes are there for the peanut butter?
Can we leave it out entirely?
*peanut allergy
Thank you !
Min says
Def need some sort of nut butter. Can you do tree nuts? If so try almond butter. If not, sunflower butter will work here as well!
Keenu says
These are amazing!! My toddler just loves them!! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Min says
Woohoo!!! I'm so glad!!
Annie says
Hi! My son has a chickpea allergy, what do you recommend as a substitute? Or can I leave out the beans?
Min says
Is he ok with other white beans like cannellini or Great northern?
Krystyne says
Hi! I have the Trader Joe’s Frozen beet chunks. Could I substitute these for fresh? If so, how many would you suggest using? And do I cook them beforehand? Thanks in advance! 🙂
Min says
Hi! I want to say it will work but can't say for certain as I haven't tried it myself. I'm assuming they're already pre-cooked in which case no need to cook. Since frozen veggies tend to release out of moisture upon thawing, I would maybe thaw for 5 minutes or so before adding to the blender. Do you have a food scale? I've provided the weight in grams. Let me know if you give it a go and how the muffins turn out! I'm curious to know too!
Krystyne says
Hi again! Thank you for the tips. I just made the muffins using the frozen beets and they turned out great! My son loved them! I didn’t have a food scale, so I just guessed on the amount of chunks to add. Thank you for another great recipe. My son also loves your lentil carrot bars and sweet potato muffins!
Min says
Yay!! Sooo glad to hear they turned out well!! Thanks for letting me know and for trying out my recipes 😉
Jessica says
I don't have any fresh beets but I do have canned. Any idea how much I should use or if it will work?
Min says
I haven't tried but two concerns: the other ingredients, excess liquid. What other ingredients are in the can? If it's just beets, think it will work. Perhaps you can try to rinse and drain really well. Then blot out the moisture as much as possible. I would add less than suggested..just afraid the muffins will turn out too wet...All this to say, I really don't know and I'd be hesitant to give it a try during this time when every ingredient is so precious. I would actually try it with other ingredients like applesauce, pumpkin/sweet potato puree.
Liz says
This looks great! Was looking for something to do with the rest of my beets! Would it be okay to sub almond butter for peanut butter?
Min says
Absolutely! Hope you and your family enjoy this recipe 😉