These Healthy Toddler Friendly Mini Muffins are a great snack for kids because they’re sweetened only with fruit and they’re full of vegetables and whole grains! They’re the perfect healthy snack for on the go and they make a great addition to healthy school lunches!
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As a mom, I’ve had to learn to pick my battles. I’ll admit, with an almost-4-year-old and an almost-2-year-old sometimes I just have to let things go even when they bother me because if I don’t my life will turn into one big battle of the wills. And really, who has the energy for that?? Not this girl!
That’s right, I’m THAT mother who lets her child wear their favourite shirt again, even though they pulled it out of the dirty clothes hamper that morning. I’m also the mother who lets my kids empty all the bottom drawers in the kitchen while I’m making dinner, just to keep the peace for 30 glorious minutes…now you see why I love one-pot meals so much!
It’s just no fun being the mom who feels like “no” is the full extent of her vocabulary. Don’t get me wrong, everyone needs a good dose of Vitamin-N every now and then and just as there are some battles that aren’t worth fighting, there are some that totally are! For us, one of those battles is nutrition. While there are many things I’m happy to compromise on, like the state of my kids hair and whether they eat off the pink plate or the purple plate, sugar is the one area where I stand my ground.
That’s not to say my kids don’t ever eat sugar. Now that they’re getting a little older it’s almost impossible to cut it out completely and you certainly won’t find me being the only mom who won’t let her kid eat a cupcake at her best friend’s birthday party. Treats are okay sometimes, but because I stay home with my kids every day and I make most of our food from scratch, I’m able to be in control of the foods I offer to my kids, making sure their diet is healthy and full of the nutrition they need without all that added sugar that makes up most food products marketed to young kids these days.
And that’s why I love recipes like these Healthy Toddler Friendly Mini Muffins! My kids adore muffins and so I was determined to come up with a recipe that was not only free of sugar but also full of healthy ingredients! These muffins are packed with shredded vegetables and sweetened only with bananas, making them a great snack for kids of any age! My kids can’t get enough of these, and I know your little ones will love them too!
Need a mini muffin tin? This mini muffin tin is my favourite! (affiliate link)
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I hope you enjoy this recipe for Healthy Toddler Friendly Mini Muffins ! Let me know in the comments below, what’s your kids’ favourite healthy snack? I’d love to know!
Looking for more healthy kid-friendly snacks? Try the recipes below!
- Crispy Sea Salt and Garlic Kale Chips
- Easy Ranch Roasted Chickpeas
- Zucchini Blueberry Muffins
- Apple Carrot Ginger Muffins
- Homemade Apple Chips
- Peach Cobbler Muffins
Recipe Video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I make this recipe. You can find more delicious recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
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Healthy Toddler-Friendly Mini Muffins
Recipe: Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 large carrot approximately 3/4 cup grated
- 1/2 cup grated zucchini
- 1/2 cup grated apple
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 3 mashed bananas (approximately 3/4 cup) or 2 mashed bananas and 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
Recipe: Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin.
- Add the whole wheat flour, rolled oats, baking soda and salt to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- To a separate bowl add the eggs and whisk them with a fork to break up the yolks. Add the canola oil, the grated carrot, the grated zucchini, grated apple, and the mashed bananas and mix with a spoon until all the wet ingredients are combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and fold everything together using a rubber spatula just until no streaks of flour remain.
- Drop about a tablespoon of the muffin batter into each of the prepared mini muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for about 18-22 minutes or until the muffins are a nice golden brown.
- Remove them from the oven and from their tin and let them cool completely on a cooling rack before enjoying!
- This recipe makes about 30 mini muffins, but I usually make 24 mini muffins for the kids and 3 regular sized muffins for my husband and I to enjoy.
Recipe: Notes
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
The store was actually OUT of zucchini the other day. What would you use to replace that in this recipe if needed (I mean, I like zucchini in baking too, but disparate times…) another cup of carrot?
Also, how long would you bake it for all regular sized muffins?
Great questions! I'm sure it would work with another cup of grated carrot, but grated apple might also work since it has a similar water content to zucchini (and it would increase the sweetness of the muffins too). As for baking time for larger muffins, start by adding 3-5 minutes to the baking time and go from there (I'd say no more that 5-7 minutes more, but it will depend on your oven). As soon as the tops develop that golden colour and spring back to the touch, they're done! I hope you and your kiddos enjoy this recipe!
I also didn’t have Zuc. the first time I did this recipe and I ended up replacing it with beet and a bit of apple sauce (maybe a half cup or less). It worked out well and also had even more nutrients! Baby loved them. I’m actually doing them like that again now! 🙂
Thanks for the feedback Jenna!!🙂
It's always great to have a healthy "treat" recipe that you can make and the kids love! I'd enjoy these muffins too!
Yes! I enjoy these almost as much as my kids do!
Do you recommend squeezing the water out of the zucchini?
If you’re using frozen and thawed zucchini than yes.
The recipe mentions apple but there is no apple in the instructions. Should it be included?
The grated apple gets added with the grated veggies.
Would quick oats work with this recipe instead of rolled oats??
Yes, absolutely! I've used quick oats as well and they work great!
I just made this and they were delicious! I added cinnamon, too.
That's great! Cinnamon would be a great addition!
Could this be made into a cake?
Yes, but you’d have to adjust the baking time!
Do you think I could use an equal amount of applesauce instead of the oil??
Yes, you could definitely use applesauce, just use about a tablespoon less applsauce than the amount of oil the recipe calls for. Hope you enjoy the muffins!
Is there anything I can switch out instead of canola oil like olive oil or coconut oil or more applesauce?
Coconut oil will work perfectly.
I’m trying to add a little extra fat to my toddlers diet. Do you think I could add peanut butter to these?
Yes, you probably could! A good start might be to add half the amount of applesauce and replace half the applesauce with peanut butter. Good luck!
I make these once a week. My daughter thinks they’re cupcakes and my husband and I shovel them down as well. You wouldn’t have any clue that there’s no sugar in them. Score!
Love this! So glad you like them!! 🙂
This is the second time I’ve made them and each time they like don’t get done in the middle! I don’t know what I’m doing wrong!
Are you by any chance baking them in regular sized muffin tins? If yes, you should bake them for 32-35 minutes at 350 Fahrenheit. I hope this helps. Happy baking ☺️
Thanks for posting a recipe that actually has healthy ingredients! I’ve been looking for healthy muffin recipes for my toddler and keep coming across recipes that include a cup or more of sugar, white flour, etc., and are being titled “Healthy”.
You’re welcome! So glad you like them!
How many cups approximately does 1 large carrot grated yield?
about 2/3 cup to 3/4 cup is what I usually use 🙂
Is it 4 cup mashed bananas or 4 mashed bananas? Thanks
It’s 4 mashed bananas, or 3 mashed bananas and applesauce 🙂
The idea is nice, but as a busy Mom it took me quite awhile to actually find your recipe. This webpage is covered in too many ads and promotional items. Maybe put the recipe at the top?
Thanks so much for your feedback Jessica. I completely understand your concerns, however because I offer all my recipes for free to my readers the ads on my blog provide me with the revenue required to continue offering my readers recipes free of charge. I will definitely take your feedback into account, however, as I regularly monitor and manage the ads and ad placement on my site. Cheers!
I agree. Your site has way too many ads. I had to scroll through twice to be able to find the recipe.
Thanks for your comment Beth. While I appreciate your feedback, I offer my recipes for free which means the ads on my blog are necessary in order to allow me to keep offering my readers 3 free recipes each week. My recipes are always found in the same place, right at the end of the blog post in a big yellow box.
Hi Christine
Don’t worry about the ads. People have to learn to get over it. If we want no ads then we should be buying cook books. Thank you for this recipe it’s on the oven now. With everything currently going on it was very difficult to find wheat flour organic or otherwise so I added a ground superseed blend hoping that ads some bulk to the organic all purpose flour. Seems like a great recipe though can’t wait to see how it comes out!!!! Thank you for the great recipes.
Thank you!! Yes, I totally agree with you, but not everyone knows that. Hope the recipe turned out delicious!🙂
Is there a substitute for the canola oil? I saw replacing it with applesauce, but what other oil can I use?
Yes! Feel free to use any oil you wish: any neutral-tasting vegetable oil would work, and melted coconut oil works great too!
Followed the recipe except that I didn’t add any salt (used sodium bicarbonate, salty enough), and it’s perfect! Cooked a tiny bit longer (20 minutes) as I didn’t squeeze the water out of the veggies, it turned out perfectly moist but not mushy, and my 15 months old daughter loved it! Kept a few in the fridge and froze a batch, will surely redo the recipe regularly!
Thank you for sharing this, will check your other recipes 🙂
Thank you for your feedback! My kids love them too ☺️
Hi! I didn’t have any canola oil or other neutral-tasting oil so I used the equivalent measurement of full-fat greek yogurt. It worked really well! Thanks for the recipe!
Great substitution! This recipe is incredibly forgiving, and I’m glad it worked so well for you! Thanks!
I only have 2 bananas. Could I do 1/2 Cup of applesauce instead of 1/4 Cup, to make up for it? What would you recommend? Thanks!
You could try that, however since I haven’t done it myself I can’t say exactly whether or not it would work!
Thank you for this! I so appreciate finding a healthy recipe that doesn’t just use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar!! My almost two-year old twin toddlers LOVE them. I added cinnamon & vanilla and went with coconut oil – they came out super delicious! Thanks!!
I’m so glad you and your kids loved them! Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
Gluten free version?
I’ve never made these with gluten-free flour so I can’t say exactly what would work, but if you have a reliable one you use I’m sure it would work. Another option would be to try oat flour. Good luck!
Hi. I use 0.5 cup of normal gluten free flour and 0.5 cup of buckweat flour. The muffins are slightly sticking to the paper, but it doesn’t matter. My 3.5 year old loves them and ask for them on regular basis …. and daddy keeps helping himself as well :-).
Great recipe, thanks
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Thanks for this recipe. Can’t wait to make these.
You’re welcome!Let me know how you liked them!
You’re welcome.Let me know how you like them!
Excellent! Replaced the canola oil with coconut oil and added some cinnamon:)
So glad you liked the recipe!!
Hi there . .. my daughter is sugar restricted . .. even in fruit so do you think I could use some avocado to reduce the bananas to 2 bananas? Also would flaxseed work as an egg substitute??
Thanks!!
I’ve never substituted the egg in this recipe, but you could probably make both those substitutions successfully. This is a very forgiving recipe 🙂 Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
These look great! Do you think I could add some chia/flax/pumpkin seeds for some extra fiber? Or would I need to add extra liquids as well? Thanks!
I think if you added only a few tablespoons it shouldn’t affect the batter too much. This recipe is pretty forgiving 🙂 Enjoy!
So I just made these and they have an omelet texture. Should they be more dense? I have them stored in my fridge for now. I shouldn’t have any issue with placing them back in the oven tomorrow if I need to, right?
I’m sorry the texture was off for you…they definitely shouldn’t have an omelette texture. It sounds like the measurements may have been off a little bit. 🙁
Hi, just wondering if you squeeze some of the moisture out of the zucchini before adding it to the recipe, or is it fine just grated? I was also hoping to add some spinach or a little extra veggies to this, should I add more flour to compensate for the extra veggies? Thanks!
Great question Karen! Yes, I do squeeze a bit of the moisture out, but if you’re grating fresh zucchini it’s usually ok. If you’re using shredded zucchini that you’ve frozen, then it definitely needs to be drained!
Hi, just wondering if the recipe would turn out ok if I used regular all purpose flour instead of the whole wheat flour?
Yes! It will work almost the same 🙂
These are awesome!!! I added a little bit of cinnamon, and they were delicious. My 8 month old twins loved them! Great recipe, thank you!!
I meant to give these 5 stars!! Accidentally posted before I pushed them all. 🙂
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rate the recipe! Glad you loved them!
Iv made these once before and my 1 year old loves them. This time they came out a bit soggy even tho I left them in the oven for a little over 30 mins because I felt like they were not done every time I checked. They are a dark brown color and a bit heavy and soggy. I tasted one- still delicious. It could be because I finely grated the zillion and there was quite a bit of zukkini “juice” from that. Do you think that’s the reason? Are they still safe to eat and to give to my toddler or should I pop them in the oven for a bit longer?
Yes, it does sound like there was too much zucchini juice. If they’re dark brown and you baked them for the full amount of time at the correct temperature they’ll be safe to eat. Next time try straining your zucchini (I squeeze out some of the juice with a kitchen towel). That will definitely help!!
Hi there,
I’m excited to make this recipe for my 18 month old. Would it change the texture to puree the veggies instead of shred them? If my son sees the clumps, he may not eat them. Thanks!
Rather than puree them, could I suggest processing them a little more finely in the food processor? Pureeing can make them more liquid and therefore would change the texture of the recipe for sure. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for this recipe! My 12 month old has become increasingly anti-veg lately so I’ve been trying to incorporate veggies in a more tasty way! I just tried this recipe and the muffins came out amazing! Just waiting for my son to wake up from his nap so he can try them. Fingers crossed!
So glad they worked for you! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Could I use almond flour instead?
You definitely could, although I can’t comment on exactly how they’d turn out since I’ve never tried it myself before. But this recipe is very forgiving! 🙂
This is my favourite muffin recipe! Ive made it now so many times and my toddler LOVES them. I tried it once with almond flour and it wasnt so great. Otherwise, each time it’s amazing. Thanks for sharing this with everyone! 🙂
So glad you like them!
Can I omit the oats? I have a child with an oat allergy. If so, what should be added to mae up for it? Thank you!
Great question. If you omit the oats, try adding some extra whole wheat flour, spelt flour, or even almond flour in about the same measurement as the oats. I’ve never personally tried this, however this recipe is very forgiving 🙂
Hi there, my kids and I loved these. As I’m currently counting calories, would you happen to know what the nutrition info for a regular size muffin would be? Thanks in advance!
I’m sorry, I’m in the process of adding nutritional info to my site but I haven’t done this recipe yet. Check back soon! 🙂
Thank you for this recipe! My 8 year old is so picky and I’m tired of him eating carb and sugar laden breakfasts, so this is a great start to our new way of eating! And he loves them!
I’m so glad your family loved the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
How long are these good in the fridge and freezer? Do you pop them in the toaster out of the freezer?
They last for a couple days in the fridge but for a couple months in the freezer. When I defrost them I usually take them out the night before and let them defrost in a container on the counter.
Just made these and wondering if the banana inside is supposed to be still wet or should the muffins be totally dry inside? (wondering if I undercooked them or if they are supposed to look this way). Thanks !
They sound a little undercooked, but this muffin is very moist because of all the fruits and veggies. It should be moist inside, but set. Hope that helps!
My muffins were a bit mushy on the inside. Even after baking them for an extra 10 minutes. Any idea why?
It sounds like maybe there was too much liquid and not enough dry ingredients – my guess is your eggs and bananas may have been too large, or the zucchini wasn’t drained enough. I hope you give them another try!
These look so great! I have been madly searching for healthy snacks to send to school with a picky eater. That has to be nut free, does not have to be refrigerated, isn’t messy, and is healthy! Last year we tried fresh fruits and veggies but they mostly came home, carrots got old quick, apples too, grapes are only good cold…… And if one more person said “Goldfish!” I was gonna scream. This year we are definitely trying these, baked apple chips, roasted chickpeas, nut free trail mix, and air popped popcorn I think. Thanks so much!
So glad you found these! We love them!!
I made these using 3 bananas, 1/2 cup applesauce (no oil), and birchbenders paleo pancake mix in place of the flour. I also realized too far in that I only had one egg. These were delicious! I’ll be making again.
So glad you liked them!
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe with your readers. I made it yesterday and I fell in love hard. Whole grains are good for you and can prevent serious ailments like diabetes and heart disease. I am always in search of some nutritious recipes that go well with my medical condition ulcerative colitis. Thank you.
Thanks so much! I’m so glad you liked them!
I made these for the first time last week and have already made a second batch. My almost two year old is just a terrible eater and I was looking for a way to get more nutrition in his belly. I made several modifications, because I love baking myself too. I only used 3 bananas, replaced half the flour with almond flour, replaced the oil with full fat Greek yogurt, added two tablespoons of peanut butter, added a handful of chia seeds, added 1/3 cup of pumpkin seeds, lots of blueberries, and a little agave nectar. I probably also used a little more carrots and zucchini to make up for the moisture balance of removing that last banana. They were so delicious that the other night baby refused to eat anything else for dinner. My husband and I are also often eating these as breakfast and snacks. Thanks for such a great idea!
I’m so glad you like them! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Hi! Do you think these could be stored in an airtight container instead of the fridge? Trying to find some items to make that we can travel with! Thanks!
Yes they can, although they won’t stay fresh as long that way (they’ll last only 2 days or so). It’s because of the high moisture content because they’re packed with fruit and veggies.
My almost 1 year old loooved these! The only adjustment I made was using unsweetened applesauce instead of the canola oil. He is becoming a more independent eater and prefers food he can pick up and feed to himself, and these little muffins were perfect for that! Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you both liked them! 🙂
Just read through most of the comments to see if I am the only one whose muffins turned out super moist inside. I followed the recipe and directions to a T, and even baked them an additional 5 minutes. They’re golden brown, but seem really undercooked inside. DELICIOUS flavour-wise, and brilliant ingredients (will certainly make them again)! Just disappointed that we may not be able to enjoy them (as a working mom, it’s hard to find the time and energy to bake) Plus I hate the idea that the time and resources put into them are likely going to go to waste this time.
I’m assuming the moisture is from the zucchini. Maybe you could edit the directions to include squeezing excess water out of the zucchini? I know in other recipes with zucchini I’ve done this. I have a towel I use specifically for zucchini (or potatoes, etc) for this purpose. I read and re-read the recipe to make sure I wasn’t missing that step before proceeding, but I’m thinking that’s likely the issue.
Not meaning to be critical! Just a thought.
As I say, I WILL make these again. Love the ingredients and the fact that I can get veggies into my 4 year old with them. He even helped me make them, so he saw what was going in, and was still excited to try them. Win! 🙂
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I appreciate your feedback, and that’s a really great tip about squeezing the water out of the zucchini. The zucchini I use is usually pretty dry because they grow quite large where I live, but smaller zucchinis are often more moist, which could account for the excess water. You could also try adding an extra tablespoon or two of the flour to the batter as well. Because of all the moist ingredients, these are very moist muffins and can sometimes feel undercooked inside although they are not. I hope you give them another try!
Hi. Thanks for posting such nice and healthy recipe 🙂 Zucchini is not so common in my place so I’m thinking what other vegetable could I add in besides grated carrots and bananas required in this recipe.
I’d recommend trying to find zucchini if you can. It’s really the best in this recipe. Try grated apples in a pinch 🙂
Do you peel the zucchini? If not does it get soft enough to him? My son is 10 months and good at gumming food but he does not have teeth yet.
I don’t peel the zucchini, but you can if you prefer. It gets so soft during baking anyway. 🙂
My kids just love these, and I love that they are healthy! I make them regularly. Thanks so much!
You’re welcome! So glad you like them!!
I made these for my 13 month old and she LOVES them!!
So glad you liked them!!
Awesome recipe! Can I use dates instead of banana? My son
I wouldn’t substitute dates for the bananas, although you could add some chopped dates in addition.
My seven year old says “even though I know what they’re made from I STILL like them!” I was so dubious with zero added sugar but it’s a complete win and I’m so pleased that I can be putting veg in their lunch box that will actually get eaten!
So glad your family loved them!! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!! 🙂
Thank you for sharing – I am excited to try this recipe.
However, one of the things you said has hurt my heart a little bit. You stated, “but because I stay home with my kids every day and I make most of our food from scratch, I’m able to be in control of the foods I offer to my kids, making sure their diet is healthy and full of the nutrition they need.” I normally never comment on these things, but I would please urge you to consider your words. I don’t have the choice to stay home right now with my kids, but I carefully control the foods I offer my kids and too am making sure the food they eat is healthy.
Hi Abby, thanks so much for your comment. Staying home with kids is indeed a luxury for many moms, me included. As my kids have grown up I’ve felt the control I once had over their diets slipping away as they’re spending more time in the care of other adults who may not have the same values about food as we do (ex: cookies or candy provided at school or by babysitters). Believe it or not, I have massive respect for all moms who do the daily grind, whether at home full time or part time, or at work outside the home, or even work-at-home moms like me. Perhaps I worded it wrong – what I was truly meant to do is express my gratitude for being able to stay home with my kids during that season of our lives and the benefit of eating with them at home every day. I was speaking only about my own experience, and absolutely not trying to throw shade at other moms!! I love that you’ve found a way to keep your kids eating a healthy diet, and I’d love to hear more about how you do this!
I would love to try this recipe. My daughter has an egg allergy. Do you have any suggestions for a suitable substitution?
The egg acts as a binder in this recipe, but you could try an egg replacer that works well for you in other baked recipes. I’ve never done this, so I can’t comment on how it will turn out, unfortunately! 🙂
Hi there, I was wondering if you could use flaxseed eggs in place of regular eggs?
I’ve never done this with this recipe, so I can’t say. You could give it a try!
How long would you cook full sized muffins for? And how much batter should I fill it with? Thanks!
Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for about 18 minutes (watch the muffins carefully and test with a toothpick for doneness). 🙂
HI there!! I want to make this for my daughter 1st birthday but she is allergic to bananas. What can I use instead? Thanks!
I wouldn’t recommend making these muffins without the bananas as the bananas are what give the sweetness.