Refined Sugar Free Banana Muffins topped with oats, a delicious afterschool snack for older kids, but also great for babies and toddlers. The muffins have no refined sugar added, their sweetness coming from the ripe mashed banana. Fluffy and moist, and so easy to make, these banana muffins are great for any time of the day.
Feeding our kids can be pretty overwhelming. From the moment you start the weaning journey, you constantly worry about the quality and quantity of food that is offered to them.
Later on, when they discover the sweet taste, it becomes quite though to still get them to eat healthy food, and that's when the hunt for healthier recipes starts. With my first daughter I started the traditional way with pureed food, and she was not really the best eater ever.
By the time I had my second, I relaxed a bit and I started with the baby led weaning, which proved to be a lot less stressful, and a lot more successful. And although the main meals are pretty good, I still want to offer them healthy snacks in between meals. And that's when these sugar-free muffins come to the rescue.
As with my Baby Led Weaning Savoury Muffins, these banana muffins are a nutritious breakfast or snack not just for little ones, but even for grown-ups too. You can't tell that these muffins are refined sugar-free, because they are sweet and simply delicious!
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Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
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Is refined sugar bad for kids?
Yes, without a shadow of a doubt! While we can't expect kids to go on diets like adults do, limiting the amount of refined sugar is the best you can do for them. Kids need carbs for energy and growing nicely, and a balanced meal is all they need. Fruit and veggies have plenty of naturally occurring sugar, thus no need for extra one.
My banana muffins have absolutely no refined sugar added, not even brown one, which people swear is healthier (is it, though?), and I did not sweeten them with honey or maple sugar either. If you really want to go for honey though, please be mindful that honey is a big no no for children under one year, but the older kids can safely consume it.
But they are just perfect if you choose a well-ripen banana which is naturally sweet. Mash it with a fork, and add it to the other ingredients, and you get the best muffins ever.
As a grown-up I might think they are not sweet enough for my taste, but that's because I am so used to the sweet taste, where a baby can't tell the difference. You can add any pieces of fruit to the muffins, nuts or seeds for extra goodness (again, careful with bigger pieces of nuts, as kids can choke on them).
Ingredients overview
- flour - self-raising flour makes the muffins lighter
- banana - a large banana that is ripe and sweet
- yogurt - I prefer Greek yogurt for its creaminess, but plain yogurt can also work
- baking powder - it helps with the fluffiness
- egg - at room temperature
- butter - salted or unsalted
- oats - for topping the muffins, they are optional though
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- In a bowl, sift the flour, add the baking powder and mix.
- Beat the egg until frothy, add the yogurt and cooled melted butter, and gently fold everything together.
It's best to use a silicone spatula, and mix the ingredients gently before adding the batter to the muffin tin. It does not have to be beaten to perfection, even a few lumps here and there are ok.
- Grease a 6-hole muffin tin with butter, then divide the batter between the 6 muffin holes, and sprinkle some oats over.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- To remove the muffins from the tin, use a sharp knife to loosen the edges, the muffins should pop out easily.
Expert tips
As with all muffins, there is one big tip when it comes to great taste and texture.
- always pre-heat the oven before baking
- have the ingredients at room temperature
- DO NOT overbeat the batter, the muffins will become too dense and unlikely to rise as nicely.
- weight the ingredients, as otherwise the batter will not have the right consistency
Another tip is never to open the oven before the muffins are baked, and that is true for baking in general. I know the temptation is great, but better check nearer the time, and not too often.
Also, make sure the bananas are fully-ripen, the ones starting to brown are actually the best, as they are very sweet, and thus the muffins won't need extra sweetness.
Recipe FAQs
Adding too much flour will result in the muffins being too dense and dry. Also, make sure that you use heaped tablespoon of yogurt, so the batter is too very thick.
My healthy banana muffins do not use any refined sugar, their sweetness comes from the banana only. If the banana is not ripe, the texture of the muffins will be wrong, and they will taste bland.
Other refined sugar free banana recipes
If you’ve liked my NO SUGAR BANANA MUFFINS FOR KIDS or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.
Refined Sugar Free Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 125 g self-raising flour ( 1 cup)
- 1 large banana
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 65 ml Greek yogurt ( ¼ cup)
- 1 large egg
- 30 g butter (1 oz)
- oats for topping (optional)
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Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).
- Sift the flour and add it to a bowl together with the baking powder.
- Beat the egg until frothy, then add the yogurt and mix together until you get a smooth paste.
- Add the melted and cooled butter to it, then mash the banana with a fork and add that too.
- Mix everything together, then add this mixture to the bowl of flour and baking powder.
- Use a silicone spatula to gently mix the ingredients together, making sure you don't overbeat.
- Grease a 6-hole muffin tin with butter, then divide the batter between the 6 muffin holes, and sprinkle some oats over.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- To remove the muffins from the tin, use a sharp knife to loosen the edges, the muffins should pop out easily.
Video
Notes
- always pre-heat the oven before baking
- have the ingredients at room temperature
- DO NOT overbeat the batter, the muffins will become too dense and unlikely to rise as nicely.
Frances says
Can I use almond flour? And vanilla Greek yogurt?
Daniela Apostol says
Greek yogurt is absolutely fine, I am not sure about almond flour, it will change the consistency of the batter, so the amounts won't be the same.
Ash says
I want to make these for my baby. Is there an egg substitution you would recommend?
Daniela Apostol says
I think usually banana is a good enough substitution, so I would just leave the egg out and add one more banana.
Ale says
I loved this recipe for my 11 months old baby. It tastes really good and it is super healthy. I don’t feel bad for giving him as a snack.
Kiwi says
How many ml/ gram for one cup of flour?
Daniela Apostol says
125 g flour.
Theresa says
Hi...do you think I can use sour cream instead of yogurt?
Daniela Apostol says
Yes, sour cream is a good substitution.
Karine says
They taste very good! My husband loves his cookies and muffins not sweet. However, my only issue was the cooking time. I put them in for the suggested 30 minutes, while we ate supper (which is why I kinda forgot about them and didn't check on them), and they're on the cusp of being burnt on the bottom. I had thought it was long, too, but just did as the recipe called for. I know ovens vary, so I would suggest putting them in for 20 minutes at first, check on them, and add 3-5 minute increments
Daniela Apostol says
Glad you liked them! Indeed, ovens vary greatly. I had to change the glass door for my oven and after the replacement l couldn’t get my time right again, it seems to be a lot hotter at the same temperature and everything bakes faster. So definitely start with less time and increase as needed.
Glykeria says
Can I freeze them
Glykeria says
Can I freeze them freeze them.?..
Daniela Apostol says
They should be ok to freeze.
Michelle Kim says
Best healthy banana recipe out there! Both my 16 month old daughter and husband loves it (hubby was surprised no refined sugar). First time I made it, it was a bit dense but after making some adjustments for the second round, it was perfect! I measured heaping scoops of yogurt rather than measuring exactly (as per another comment about adding yogurt when dense) and since I was thought my 2 overripe bananas weren't large enough, when doubling on the recipe, I added some unsweetened applesauce. I am throwing out my old recipe that has 1/4-1/2 cups of sugar and will use this as a staple for whenever I have overripe bananas. Thanks for the great recipe!
Daniela Apostol says
I am glad you enjoyed the recipe. Sometimes making adjustments is the best way to find the perfect recipe, as some ingredients are not the same (different type of flour, size of bananas, yogurt consistency) and the results can be different. Apple sauce is always a good addition. I never use refined sugar when l make muffins or waffles and l can’t tell the difference.
Rey says
Lovely! We lived it, do you have something healthy like this as a carrot cake?
Daniela Apostol says
I am glad you liked them! Try my banana waffles or banana pancakes too, they do not have refined sugar added. I have some carrot cake muffins, but they have sugar, perhaps you can give them a try but leave the sugar out?
Amy Searle says
Can I use puréed apple instead of yoghurt?
Daniela Apostol says
I am afraid I never tried with pureed apple, so I can't advise you on that. It might be that the consistency changes, I wouldn't want to give the wrong kind of advice.
Kaylee says
Thanks for the recipe! Can we use milk instead of yogurt?
Daniela Apostol says
I haven't tried with milk, but I would think that is possible, perhaps add more flour if needed?
Megan says
Can I use plain yogurt instead of greek yogurt?
Daniela Anderson says
Absolutely! I use Greek yogurt because my daughter likes that one, so we have it in the fridge most days, but plain ones are also good.
Christianna says
Do you have the required time (in oven) if I wanted to make it into a loaf and not muffins?
Daniela Anderson says
I haven’t made in a tin before, l would think they needed about the same time, or about half an hour, but do check them. Once the top is golden, insert a skewer in the middle, if it comes out clean, it’s done.
Yas says
I have a mini muffin tin. Do you know howlong I should cook them as mini muffins instead of full size muffins? The same temp?
Daniela Apostol says
I would cook them at the same temperature, but check them a lot sooner - have a look after 15 minutes I would say.
Reilly says
Could I use whole wheat flour? Any adjustments needed to make that change?
Daniela Anderson says
You might need to use a bit less flour, since is a lot denser than the regular flour, but see how the texture is.
Crystal Puim says
Every time I make it it's really dense and there isn't enough liquid ingredients to not overstir it. It ends up a really think batter. Should I add another egg?
Daniela Anderson says
Add one more tablespoon of yogurt, it will help reach the consistency you need. It really depends on a lot of factors, size of the banana, size of the egg, so if the batter does not seem right, adding more yogurt should fix the problem (see video below the instructions). I hope this helps!
Nicole says
Finding a good no added sugar recipe is really hard, but this is great! I think I would add a few adjustments for my tastes but I recommend trying this recipe for sure! I'm not knowledgeable on how ingredients interact, but could you add salt to this? I love salt, almost in excess. Good thing I'm deficient! It gives me an excuse to eat more, haha!
Daniela Apostol says
Thank you for your feedback, much appreciated! You can definitely add a pinch of salt to the batter, it balances out the naturally occurring sugar in the bananas.
Mary says
This needed more liquid and sugar
Daniela Apostol says
It's a sugar free recipe for babies and toddlers - the banana is enough to sweeten the muffins, as little children are better off without refined sugar. As per liquid, you can add one more tablespoon of yogurt, that should do.