These healthy spinach muffins with banana are super fluffy and moist in texture and packed with nutrition. They are perfect for babies and kids of all ages.
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Spinach Muffins for Babies and Toddlers
Whenever I develop recipes, I always keep in mind the nutritional needs and eating skills of babies and toddlers in mind.
Made with simple ingredients, these bright green muffins are naturally sweetened with banana and contain healthy doses of protein, fiber, and fat.
They are soft and easy for little ones to eat, just like these spinach cakes!
Enjoy for a quick and easy:
- breakfast
- snack
- or pack for school lunch box
But these hulk muffins are not just for the little one(s)!
If you’ve tried any of my recipes, you might be nodding your head up and down at this - While you might’ve made it thinking it would all be for your little one, before you know it, a lot has made its way into your belly ;).
And that delights me because creating wholesome baby and toddler-friendly meals that the ENTIRE family can enjoy truly is my passion! I truly hope these will become one of your family's favorite muffins!
Healthy Baby and Toddler Muffins ALL in one place!
Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Fresh baby spinach - Mild in flavor, it's perfect for muffins and smoothies. I don't recommend using frozen spinach. Not only will the muffins not be this vibrant in color, but they will also turn out too soft.
- Banana - be sure to use very ripe banana with many brown spots
- Greek yogurt - use plain and preferably whole fat for best results. If dairy-free, you can use any Greek-style plant-based alternative.
- Eggs - use room temperature
- White whole wheat flour - It's the same nutritionally as whole wheat flour but is lighter in texture and a little sweeter in flavor. It's a great way to incorporate whole grains into your child's diet.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.
- Add all the wet ingredients into a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- At this point you can stir in the optional sweet potatoes or carrots.
- Divide batter evenly into the muffin cups.
- Bake until the inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooking rack to cool completely.
Tips for Success
- Use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup rather than scooping the flour out of the container or bag with your measuring cup. Using the latter method, you could end up with a lot more than what you need.
- Take eggs and yogurt out of the refrigerator at least 15 minutes prior to baking. This will help the muffins rise more.
- Use over ripe bananas - Your muffins will turn out sweeter and moister.
- After combining the dry and wet ingredients, do NOT over-mix the muffin batter. Mix lightly with a spatula until just combined. Otherwise, you will end up with dense muffins.
- I highly recommend using a silicone muffin pan! It makes it SO much easier to remove the muffins from the pan and makes cleanup EASY.
- If looking to add more flavor and nutrition, try adding grated sweet potatoes or carrots. Just be sure to squeeze out as much liquid from the vegetable as possible.
Serving Suggestions for Babies and Toddlers
These tender muffins are not very sweet. So if you desire a pretty sweet muffin, add the optional honey, maple syrup, or date syrup (a great no added sugar option). Chocolate chips are a tasty addition, too, for older kids.
But do try serving them plain at first. My kids love these without any added sugar. You can always drizzle the suggested sweeteners or spread some fruit purées on top.
Enjoy as is or with nut butter, mashed fruits, more yogurt, etc.
Substitutions
- No white whole wheat flour? You can use All purpose flour or a combination of 1 cup all purpose flour and ¾ cup whole wheat flour. I don't recommend substituting entirely with whole wheat flour as the muffins will turn out more dense
- Gluten-free? Use a 1:1 gluten free flour or oat flour. Almond flour will not work.
- Dairy-free? Any plant-based Greek style yogurt and milk (e.g. unsweetened almond milk) will work.
- Egg-free? In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed) and 6 tablespoons of warm water. Allow the mixture to sit for 8-10 minutes until thickened like gel-like consistency.
- Don't like bananas? you can use applesauce, although I haven't tried it. The general rule is ½ cup applesauce to replace 1 medium banana. let me know if you try it!
Storage Tips
Store the muffins in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Enjoy cold, at room temperature, or microwave briefly.
To freeze, I recommend flash freezing. Transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Fan Favorite Muffins
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!
Moist Spinach Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour (245g) or rolled oats (200g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- a pinch of salt
Wet ingredients
- ¾ cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt (170g)
- ⅓ cup milk of choice
- 2 medium very ripe bananas (240g weighed weighed without peel)
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional (for added nutrition and texture): ½ cup raw grated sweet potatoes or carrots, see note and/or ⅓ cup finely chopped walnuts
- Optional for additional sweetness: (3-4 tablespoons maple syrup, honey, or date syrup)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add all the wet ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Be careful not to over mix. Use a spatula (instead of a whisk) to gently stir together until all the flour is wet. The less you stir the mixture, the lighter and fluffier your muffins will be. At this point you can stir in the optional sweet potatoes/carrots and/or nuts.
- Divide batter evenly into a greased, lined or silicone 12-cup muffin pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup rather than scooping the flour out of the container or bag with your measuring cup. Using the latter method, you could end up with a lot more than what you need.
- Take eggs, milk, and yogurt out of the refrigerator at least 15 minutes prior to baking. This will help the muffins rise more.
- Be sure to squeeze out as much liquid from the sweet potato/carrots as possible, if using.
- These muffins are not very sweet. So if you desire a pretty sweet muffin, add the optional honey, maple syrup, or date syrup. Chocolate chips are a tasty addition, too, for older kids.
- Store in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Enjoy cold, at room temperature, or microwave briefly. Can also freeze for up to 3 months.
Sarah says
Hey Min,
My picky baby loved this recipe when I made it. For future, wondering if I could substitute Greek yogurt for kefir?
If I use kefir how much would I put in instead of the yogurt?
Thanks!
Min says
Yes! you can add the same amount 😉
Linh says
Not sure where I went wrong but mine came out on the dry side. I followed your recipe with a substitute of eggs, using the flax seed method instead. I also used whole wheat flour which I'm not sure if that's the reason why mine came out drier. I ended up having to increase the milk to 3/4 cups to make it not dry and a bit soft. Any advice/suggestions? Thanks.
Min says
Yup you don't want to use all whole wheat flour as the muffins will turn out dense. As you can see in the substitutions section, you can use just all regular flour or a combination! Hope this helps!
coco says
Can i use frozen spinach instead of fresh baby spinach?
Min says
I wouldn't as the muffins are already very moist and using frozen spinach may make themm too wet
Tntnguye says
Can I use kale instead? Would the amount be the same as spinach?
Min says
I imagine you could if you don't mind tasting kale..spinach works great in baked goods because you really can't taste. I would use baby kale if you want to try!
Casey says
My toddler LOVED these! They were so easy and fast to make (and, with 2 very ripe bananas, perfectly sweet enough). Min, thank you so much for all of your healthy, nutritious recipes! We've tried lots of them, and they're always a hit.
Min says
Yay!!! So happy to hear! Thank you so much for being here and for trying so many of my recipes. Means a lot!
Nikki says
Can I use frozen spinach and almond flour?
Angela says
Hi Min,
Did this recipe change? I made it a few months ago for my baby and he loved it, but this new batch turned out less soft and moist, and more fluffy and dry like a traditional muffin. Help?!
Min says
Hi! Yes, it did. After hearing so many parents telling me that their muffins came out too dense, I changed the recipe to make them lighter and fluffier. I had 10 families compare the old to this new recipe before updating the recipe and 8 of them liked this one. But now I'm realizing that a lot of families really enjoyed the old one too! I will definitely post the old recipe here soon!!
Seda says
I tried Min’s many muffin recipies. All of them without exception “worked”, that is my now 16 months old enjoyed them all. So to Min: I want to thank you for all the awesome recipies.
Min says
Dearest Seda, thank YOU so so much for such sweet, encouraging words and for trying out my recipes when there are so many amazing ones out there!
Alison says
My 13 mo daughter loves these and so do I! I forgot to drain the excess moisture from the grated carrots so the consistency is a little off, but they still taste great and I will definitely make these again. Thank you for this recipe!
Izzy says
Hi! Can you make these without almonds? Do I have to add anything in place of it?
Min says
you can leave out completely or add any ground nuts or seeds of choice to boost nutrition
Esther says
Did you change the recipe recently? The instructions in the recipe has oats and walnuts in it but the recipe calls for whole wheat flour and no nuts so I was a little confused. Thanks!!
Min says
I did and I completely forgot to remove that step. Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. Fixed now! Hope you enjoy these!
Melinda says
Good for babies, but not for toddlers. Sadly just not sweet enough. 🙁 Maybe a second banana needed? Or super overripe? I'm not sure, but we now have 15 muffins, and only my baby will be eating them - not her older sister or the parents.
Thanks anyway, though! I will check out your other recipes!
Katie M says
My 14 month old LOVES these muffins! He has egg, dairy, and nut allergies so we substituted with flax egg, coconut milk yogurt, and ground pumpkin seeds and they turned out great. We had to bake for a little bit longer so perhaps I didn’t squeeze the sweet potato enough. But they were so easy and delicious!
Min says
SO happy to hear!! Thanks for sharing! Will need to try with pumpkin seeds next time. Thanks for the inspiration!
Joanna says
These are a staple in our freezer! My two year old has loved these for the last 8-10 months or so. Makes me feel a little better knowing she is getting some veggies in on those tougher eating days when she isn’t wanting much!
Min says
Yay!
Valerie Birkey says
This is the perfect recipe for baby’s, toddlers or Adults too! Feels good knowing you are serving whole foods within a muffin!
Alice says
Perfect for babies and toddlers!
Ambre Thomson says
These are my little ones fave muffins! I switch out the spinach for kale and they turn out great. They are a constant in my freezer. Thanks for another great recipe!
Min says
Kale! Love it!
Jennifer says
My son loves this recipe and I always have a stock of these muffins on hand in my freezer!
Yunyoung says
I make these muffins as often as I can as my little just loves them. So easy to make and store. I always flash freeze them and pull a couple from the freezer when I need them.
Min says
So happy to hear!
Veronica Madore says
This is one of the first recipes I tried from Min's selection - my grandson LOVES them - and so do I - super tasty, nutritious and easy to make! Min's recipes are my ONLY go to source since discovering her site and recipes!
Min says
HI Veronica! You are so sweet! Thank you so much for your support!
Jane Hong says
These were a hit with my baby and it's so easy to freeze/pack when you need to feed the baby outside the house. It's very moist and doesn't crumble and make too much mess. It has all the nutrition for the meal(protein,iron,fat, vitamins, minerals) that you can literally just pack this to go if you wanted to! Thank you Min for making my life convenient 🙂
Min says
This is so encouraging, Jane! Thank you so so much for trying out my recipes and for your support!
Jenn says
My baby loves these and I love that she is getting spinach and other healthy ingredients.
Min says
I'm so glad!! Thank you for sharing!
Emma says
This is a go to for me and my 2 yo twin boys! Thank you for sharing recipes! On another note, I am on the path to becoming an RD (second career!) I really appreciate your perspective!
Min says
Twin boys!! You are a super mama and yay!! This is my second career too and the best decision I've made! Perhaps we will meet at FNCE some day!!
Kate says
Can never make it the same consistency because maybe I’m not squeezing enough liquid out of the sweet potatoes? Would love a tip about that. But the taste is great. My kid thinks she’s eating cake for breakfast! I’ve snuck in some peanut butter and it tastes good too.
Min says
That would be my best guess and perhaps you may want to try experimenting with baking temperature as every oven is different. Or leave out the sweet potatoes completely! I've been doing that a lot more recently because I don't have time to grate sweet potatoes haha
Mariam says
Thank you very much
My 20 month baby loved it
Min says
yay!!!! So happy to hear!
Stephanie says
Do you serve the leftovers cold straight from fridge? Or do you heat them up again?
Min says
I either bring it to room temperature (so take out about 20 minutes or so before serving) or reheat very briefly (no more than 30 seconds. Otherwise will get too soft). Hope this is helpful!
Jenn says
there a see note comment for the spinach, but there is no note?
Min says
Just added! Thanks so much for the reminder!
Li Ling Cheah says
Hi, if I freeze this what is the best way to reheat them? Thanks!
Min says
I would thaw in the fridge overnight and serve cold or at room temperature. If you do want to reheat do so very briefly (no more than 30 sec in the microwave). otherwise will get too soft
Rosa says
Could you use a sweet potato purée or would that make the mixture too wet?
Min says
I wouldn't!
Stephanie says
My 16 month old just ate 4 of these in one sitting. Thank you! All of your recipes are a hit!
Min says
SOO happy to hear! Thanks for being here and for trying out my recipes!
Jessica says
So you said see notes about carrots but there isn’t one?
Min says
Hi the note was for sweet potatoes or carrots and basically you want to squeeze out as much liquid as possible before adding 🙂
Diana Carr says
Any suggestions for a substitute for the applesauce, as we have an allergy to apples and pears. Thanks
Min says
Try banana!
Neesha says
Hi,
Can I grind flax seeds and add them instead of walnuts?
You are doing great with the tips and substitutes making our life easier!
Thank you
Min says
you bet!
Eileen says
My 20 month old loves these! But mine don’t puff up as much. Any tips? I do leave out the walnuts for allergy reasons. Should I substitute so the muffins are firmer?
Min says
So glad to hear! They do deflate a bit once they come out of the oven. That's normal but shouldn't shrink too much. You can add some seeds for extra boost of healthy fat
Jen says
My baby LOVES these. I was wondering if the batter can be stored in freezer to bake on a later day. I usually have leftover & do not want to waste! My baby has been loving them since 11 months!
Min says
Hi mama! I'm SO glad to hear this! I honestly haven't tried so am interested to hear how they turn out, if you decide to try. I personally would bake it first and freeze using the flash freeze method I talk about in my post - how to store leftovers.
Anna says
Any substitute for rolled oats? My baby and I are both allergic
Min says
I know some have tried with regular flour and spelt flour and said they turned out fine. Might not be as moist though.
Wai Yan says
What would be plant based alternative for Greek yoghurt? My baby is allergic to dairy.
Min says
Any plant-based Greek yogurt will work
Sierra says
I have a 9 month old who LOVES these! He can seriously pack them away, haha! I love being able to have a stash of these in the freezer that I can pull out whenever he needs a quick bite - and it’s so nice to know that they’re full of stuff that’s good for him. I did do the carrot substitution, since he loves to eat sweet potatoes on their own, but is not a fan of carrots - I figured it was a way to get more of a variety of vegetables in his belly. Worked perfectly - will definitely be making these all the time!
Min says
Aww!! So so happy to hear this! Thanks for sharing ;). I'm also in the process of developing a carrot blender muffin so stay tuned!!
Sherry says
Hi. I don’t have any greek yogurt. Can I use regular yogurt like Activia or another substitute?
Thanks
Sherry
Min says
Many readers have told me that regular yogurt worked just fine. Plain, unsweetened will be best!
Dian says
Do you have a recommendation what to use to substitute for banana? My baby unfortunately has banana allergy.
Min says
I haven't tried so I hesitate in suggesting but you could try adding more applesauce. You can run into the problem of making the mixture too wet though so, in that case, I would try adding more flour and/or egg. Sorry that I can't give you a definitive answer!