Spinach Banana Muffins
on Sep 26, 2021, Updated Feb 16, 2024
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These spinach banana muffins taste like banana muffins and have a bright and vibrant green color from the spinach. They are sweetened just with overripe bananas, making them a great naturally sweetened treat. They are great for baby-led weaning, freeze well, and make a great breakfast or snack!
Spinach contains so many health benefits making it great to add to different foods. Spinach gives baked goods a naturally bright green color that adds a fun twist to normal muffins! There are so many ways to incorporate spinach into both sweet and savory recipes like in these simple spinach recipes for kids.
If you have some leftover spinach after making these muffins, make sure to also try out these spinach banana waffles, spinach crepes, and these homemade spinach apple puffs!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need to make these spinach banana muffins:
- Spinach: For added nutrients and vitamins. The main star ingredient that gives these muffins that bright green color. Use leftover spinach to make this creamy spinach banana smoothie!
- Rolled Oats: I love baking with rolled oats as they are packed with nutrition! Gluten-free rolled oats make these spinach banana muffins gluten-free.
- Cinnamon: Warm spice for added flavor.
- Baking Powder/Soda: Leavening agents to help the muffins rise.
- Salt: To preserve the freshness of the muffins and balance out the flavors.
- Bananas: The main source of sweetness for these muffins. Try to use bananas that are very ripe with several brown spots. The riper the bananas, the sweeter the muffins!
- Milk: I used whole milk in this recipe, but dairy-free alternatives work as well.
- Egg: Used as a binder to help hold the muffins together.
- Vanilla: To enhance the natural sweetness in these muffins.
- Oil: I used extra light-tasting olive oil, but any mild-tasting oil works as well.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Substitutions & Additions
- Milk: You may substitute the milk with any dairy-free alternative such as oat milk or coconut milk.
- Eggs: You may replace the egg with a flax egg. To make a flax egg, combine 3 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed. Let the mixture sit in the fridge for about 15 minutes until it forms a gel-like texture. The muffins will be slightly more moist on the inside using a flax egg, but will still have a similar taste. You may also replace the egg with a liquid egg replacer like the brand Just Egg.
- Oil: I used extra light-tasting olive oil in this recipe, but it may be replaced with coconut oil or any other type of mild-tasting oil. It may also be substituted with equal parts melted butter.
- Salt: The salt is an optional ingredient and may be omitted. I find that including it helps preserve the freshness of the muffins at room temperature, but it is not needed.
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Blend oats into a flour and combine in a bowl with baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (Image 1).
STEP 2: Blend the milk, spinach, vanilla, oil, egg, and banana until combined (Image 2).
STEP 3: Pour the spinach mixture on top of dry ingredients and stir until combined. Do not overmix the batter, just mix it enough until it is all incorporated (Image 3).
STEP 4: Pour into a mini muffin pan and bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If using a normal-sized muffin pan, bake a few minutes longer (Image 4).
Storage Instructions
Let the muffins completely cool and store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. To freeze, store in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag once cooled for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply microwave the muffins for 20-30 seconds, or until warmed through!
Tips For Success
- This recipe makes 24 mini muffins. You may make regular-sized muffins by adding a few more minutes to the total bake time.
- I like to use a silicone muffin pan to bake these muffins as they pop out easily without any sticking. If using a regular mini muffin pan, be sure to coat it with a cooking spray beforehand.
- I love using this nutribullet blender to blend the ingredients into a smooth batter!
- I like to use very ripe bananas with several brown spots, The riper the bananas, the sweeter the muffins. If you prefer a sweeter muffin, add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup to the batter.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe requires the use of a blender so that the spinach can be fully incorporated into the batter. Be sure to blend well on high speed so that there are no chunks and the batter is smooth.
Yes! If you are baking full-sized muffins, bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
These muffins were designed for babies to eat, but if you are making them for a toddler or adult, feel free to add in 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey for added sweetness! Note: Honey should not be offered to babies under the age of 1.
Other Muffin Recipes You’ll Love
Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins
Cinnamon Muffins (Apple Donut Muffins)
Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffins
Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins
If you tried these Spinach Banana Muffins please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing from you!
Spinach Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup spinach, packed
- 2 large overripe bananas
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp oil, mild tasting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Blend oats into a flour and combine in a bowl with baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Blend milk, spinach, vanilla and oil, egg, and banana until combined.
- Pour the spinach mixture on top of dry ingredients and stir until combined. Do not overmix the batter, just mix it enough until it is all incorporated.
- Pour into a mini muffin pan and bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool for at least 5 minutes before removing them from the silicone pan. Transfer to a wire rack to fully cool.
Notes
- This recipe makes 24 mini muffins. You may make regular-sized muffins by adding a few more minutes to the total bake time.
- I like to use a silicone muffin pan to bake these muffins as they pop out easily without any sticking. If using a regular mini muffin pan, be sure to coat with a cooking spray beforehand.
- I love using this nutribullet blender to blend the ingredients into a smooth batter!
- I like to use very ripe bananas with several brown spots, The riper the bananas, the sweeter the muffins. If you prefer a sweeter muffin, add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup to the batter.
How do we store these and about how long do they last?
Hi Jasmine! You can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. To freeze, store in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag once cooled for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply microwave the muffins for 20-30 seconds, or until warmed through😊
Am I blind or is there no flour measurement?
Hi Tracy! There is no added flour in these muffins, just the blended rolled oats which serve as a “flour”😊
Could I add blueberries to these? would I need additional cook time?
could I add blueberries into these muffins? would I need additional cook time?
Hi Mary! You can definitely add in some blueberries! Bake time would be the same, I would just suggest not adding too many so that they don’t add too much extra moisture to the muffins when baked😊
Can these be made egg free?
Hi Jaqueline! You can either use a liquid egg replacer or try swapping it with some extra mashed banana (the texture may be a little different but will have the same taste). I hope that helps!
I made these today for my twin toddler grandsons and they are delicious! I did add in a little real maple syrup that we picked up on our last trip to Vermont and it was the perfect sweetness. I’ll definitely be making them again…and not only for them, but my husband and me too! I love trying out your different recipes as I want to feed my grandsons healthy options and everything we’ve tried we’ve loved so far. Can’t wait to find the next recipe to make. Keep up the great work!
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed them! Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, Melissa!😊
I make these every week for my toddler — I even enjoy them myself. So good and easy!
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoy them, Kelly!😊
My baby has dairy sensitivity – what would be a good swap for the milk??
Hi Julianna! A dairy-free milk like oat milk would work in place of whole milk in these😊
My picky 2 year old loved them! They were super easy for my 9 month old to eat too. I halved the recipe, but at the rate they’re eating them I should’ve made the bigger batch!
I’m so glad to hear that your little one enjoyed them, Caitlyn!😊