Banana Carrot Mini Muffins for Babies & Toddlers
Soft, moist banana carrot mini muffins made with ripe bananas, finely grated carrots, and oat flour. These easy one-bowl baby and toddler muffins are freezer-friendly and perfect for breakfast, snacks, and school lunchboxes. Makes 24 mini muffins, with options for no added sugar, gluten-free, and dairy-free preparation.
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INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium bananas (about 3/4 cup mashed)
- 1 large carrot, grated (about 1 cup)
- 3-4 tbsp butter (melted, / use vegan butter or oil for dairy free version)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup all purpose flour (or a suitable gluten-free flour blend)
- ⅓ cup oat flour (finely ground rolled oats; certified gluten-free if needed)
- ¼ cup maple sugar (optional; omit for babies and children under 2)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
- ¼ tsp sea salt (omit for babies and younger toddlers)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Finely grate the carrot, grind the oats into flour if necessary, and mash the bananas in a large bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Add the melted butter and egg to the mashed bananas. Stir with a fork until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients. Stir in the grated carrot, all-purpose flour, oat flour, optional sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until just combined.
- Add the leavening. Add the baking soda and lemon juice. Gently fold into the batter without overmixing.
- Fill the muffin pan. Divide the batter among approximately 24 mini muffin cavities, filling each about three-quarters full. Lightly grease the pan if necessary.
- Bake. Bake for approximately 24–27 minutes, until the muffins are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out without wet batter.
- Cool and serve. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing. Serve warm or cool completely before storing.
NOTES
For babies: Omit the added sugar and salt. Serve only when the muffins are soft, fully cooked, and prepared in an appropriate shape for your baby's eating skills.
Gluten-free: Replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking blend and use certified gluten-free oat flour. Texture may vary with the flour blend.
Dairy-free: Substitute the melted butter with dairy-free butter or a suitable oil.
Baking powder option: You can try 1½ teaspoons baking powder instead of the baking soda. The lemon juice may be omitted in this variation.
Regular-sized muffins: Use a standard muffin pan and start checking after approximately 30 minutes. Baking times and yield will vary with muffin size.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for approximately 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months for best quality.
Helpful Tip: Finely grated carrots and ripe bananas help produce a tender crumb. Avoid overmixing the batter.
Nutrition: The existing estimate is approximately 53 calories per mini muffin, based on the original recipe. Omitting sugar or changing ingredients will alter the nutritional values.
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