Easy Banana Muffins For Baby: No Added Sugar

Banana muffins for baby are my go-to for using old, overripe bananas before they go bad. I make my banana muffins with no sugar because babies aren’t supposed to have refined sugar before the age of 1. 

I love these muffins because they take me less than 30 minutes to make and only 5 minutes to prep the ingredients.

It’s truly one of my favorites for baby-led weaning.

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Important Recipe Notes on Sugar-free BLW Banana Muffins 

You can use butter in place of oil 

My banana muffins for baby-led weaning use canola oil because that’s what is easily available in my home. 

I have used melted butter in the past to make this recipe, and it has come out great. Butter definitely makes the banana muffins more moist. 

I don’t like how long it takes to melt and cool the butter before using it. That’s why I use canola oil instead.

Use overripe bananas for the best results

I’ve found that overripe bananas taste sweeter, so they produce better banana muffins for baby. If you don’t have that, you can use whatever banana you have on hand. 

Did you run out of baking soda or baking powder? Here’s a quick tip

To make my no-sugar BLW banana muffins, you’ll need both baking soda and baking powder. If you run out of one or the other, here’s a good rule of thumb to remember. 

According to Arm and Hammer, 1 teaspoon of baking soda = 3 teaspoons of baking powder. So if you’re ever in a bind, just use this rule.

Why Bananas Are Good For Babies and Toddlers

Bananas contain lots of nutrients that babies need to grow.

Bananas contain potassium which helps regulate heartbeat and muscle contraction. They also contain fiber which is important in maintaining regular bowel movements.

Other vitamins that bananas contain include vitamin B6, vitamin A, magnesium, and vitamin C. (Source)

Looking for more muffin recipes? Try these!

• Sweet Cauliflower Muffins For Baby-led Weaning (dairy-free)
• Fluffy Sweet Potato Muffins For Baby & Toddler (3 ingredients)
• Carrot & Apple Muffin For Baby-led Weaning (dairy-free)
• Simple Baby Oat Muffins with apples (No Banana) 

What To Serve With Banana Muffins For Baby-led Weaning

Serve it with some protein 

If you’re serving these banana muffins for baby during lunch, you can serve them with some protein.

Some good proteins for babies include beans, string beans, chickpeas, shredded pork, chicken, and tofu.

Serve it with fruits

Since these banana muffins for baby has no sugar, it would help to serve it with some more fruits.

This will help enhance the sweetness of the muffins.

How to serve Banana Muffins For Baby-led Weaning

6-9 Months old

To serve banana muffins to babies between 6-9 months old, cut the muffins in half.

Serving it like that will allow your baby to easily pick it up to feed themselves.

9-12 months old

Babies between the age of 9-12 months can have muffins cut into quarters or chunks. 

Since the muffins will crumble in their mouths, it will be completely safe to eat this way.

12- 24 months and older

Around 12-24 months, toddlers can be served whole muffins. At that age, they’ve developed the ability to eat independently.

Tips for Picky Eaters

Don’t pressure

Give your baby or toddler a chance to say no. It’s okay if they don’t like what we serve them. Keep trying. 

It takes at least 30 exposures for a baby to begin liking a food, so don’t give up.

Make it into a game

Sometimes I create games around the food I serve to get my kids interested in eating. 

A game we’ve played in the past is called “Here comes the airplane… open the garage”. This encourages them to open their mouth as I bring the food in like an airplane.

Sometimes my kids will try new foods this way.

Ingredients For BLW Banana Muffins

Bananas 

The riper the banana, the sweeter your muffins will be. Since these banana muffins have no sugar, we must try to make them sweet using other natural means.

You can also add other fruits of your choice to the muffin batter if you desire.

Eggs

Eggs act as a binding agent to make the muffin stick together.

Spices

I used cinnamon, and vanilla for this recipe. In the past, I’ve added a dash of nutmeg and allspice as well. 

You can use whatever spices you prefer. Try experimenting by adding a quarter teaspoon of your preferred spices and see how it turns out.

Flour

You can choose to use whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour. I prefer to use a mix of both for most recipes.

This time I just used all-purpose flour. 

Oil 

Oil helps make the BLW banana muffin moist. Without it, your muffins will be very hard and dry. 

Trust me, I know. I’ve accidentally skipped the oil before and it was inedible.

Baking soda and baking powder 

These are called leavening agents. They help make your baked goods rise. 

Cooking Directions For Banana Muffins For Baby

• Set the oven to 370 degrees 
• In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon)
• In another bowl combine all the wet ingredients (banana, eggs, oil, and vanilla)
• Combine both the wet and dry ingredients by folding one into the other with a rubber spatula.
• Grease a muffin pan with cooking spray. Scoop the muffin batter into each well. 
• Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Remove from the heat and serve when cooled.

Mix all the wet ingredients together

Mix all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl

Combine wet and dry ingredients

Add to muffin tin

FAQs About BLW Banana Muffins

Why are my banana Muffins so hard?

If you overmix the batter then the banana muffins will be gummy and hard. Hard muffins can also result from not adding oil to the batter.

Banana muffins For Baby Storage Tips

Can I refrigerate this muffin?

Yes, you can refrigerate banana muffins for up to a week in the fridge. 

I usually make my muffins in batches and refrigerate them for use throughout the week.

Reheating Banana Muffins for Baby

To reheat BLW banana muffins, cut it in half and place it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes or until it’s hot.

You can also reheat it in the microwave on high for 2-5 minutes until it’s hot.

Can I freeze Banana muffins for baby-led weaning?

This banana muffin can be frozen for as long as you want. 

How to reheat frozen banana muffins 

You can reheat frozen banana muffins the same way you would reheat cold muffins from the fridge.

Did you make this baby-led weaning lunch recipe? 

Let me know in the comments how it turned out!