These mini zucchini muffins made with banana and zucchini have no added sugar and are great for babies and toddlers. Whip up this one-bowl recipe ahead of time for quick and healthy snacks or breakfasts for your little one!
When you want a nutritious breakfast with added veggie power for your baby or toddler, these zucchini muffins are perfect! They are incredibly easy to make (no squeezing and just one bowl!) and easy to customize for your family's tastes. Let's make them!
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Why You'll Love These Zucchini Muffins
Mini zucchini muffins check all the boxes for busy mamas who also care about feeding their little ones a nutritious breakfast or snack. They are made with wholesome ingredients like banana, zucchini and whole wheat flour, and no added sugar. They sneak in a little veggie goodness and are super easy to make and keep on hand. You don't have to fuss with special equipment or squeezing out the zucchini - just mix and bake! These are great to keep on hand for breakfast or quick, on-the-go snacks for babies, toddlers, and BLW.
Ingredients
- A ripe banana - Medium to large in size; the riper (more brown) the better as it will be sweeter!
- Egg
- Unsweetened applesauce - Adds moisture and sweetness. You can swap it for prune puree or plain yogurt (Greek or regular) if you'd like.
- Oil - I use avocado oil. You can also use another neutral-flavored oil, or melted butter or coconut oil.
- Vanilla
- Flour - I use whole wheat, but all purpose works well, too.
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon & nutmeg - These add a little flavor since the muffins are not super sweet, but feel free to leave one or both out.
- Zucchini (also called courgette) - You could also use a yellow summer squash if that's what you have.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Full the full recipe and detailed amounts, see the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Mash the banana in a large bowl, then add the egg, applesauce, oil and vanilla. Whisk them to combine well.
- Add the flour, baking powder and spices. Stir until just combined, careful not the over-stir. If there are still a couple of small streaks of flour that's okay.
- Grate the zucchini using a course grater, but don't squeeze out the moisture.
- Gently fold the zucchini into the batter to combone.
- Scoop the batter into a silicone mini muffin pan or a mini muffin tin lined with paper liners.
- Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a couple of crumbs. Cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes before removing.
Tips and Recipe Variations
- Careful not to over-mix the batter, as it will give you tough, dense muffins.
- I like to use a 1-tbsp cookie scoop to quickly and evenly portion the batter.
- To make full-sized muffins (standard 12-cup pan), increase the baking time to 16-20 minutes. Make sure to test for doneness with a toothpick!
- These muffins are not super sweet. To make them sweeter for older kiddos, you can stir in mini chocolate chips with the zucchini, or add up to ¼ cup brown sugar OR maple syrup.
- For ingredient substitutions, see 'Ingredients' section above.
Storage
Because these have no added sugar, they don't keep well at room temperature for long. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving To Babies
- For BLW babies with a palmar grasp, give whole muffins or cut in half.
- For BLW babies with a pincer grasp or babies in the finger food stage, cut into small bite -sized pieces.
- For toddlers, use either method above, depending on your child's eating skills.
More Baby Friendly, Sugar Free Muffin Recipes
- Baby Banana Oat Muffins (No Added Sugar)
- Baby Pumpkin Muffins (No Added Sugar)
- Baby Applesauce Muffins (No Sugar)
- Healthy Strawberry Banana Yogurt Muffins
- Baby Veggie Quinoa Egg Muffins
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Zucchini Muffins for Babies (No Sugar)
These mini zucchini muffins made with banana and zucchini have no added sugar and are great for babies and toddlers. Whip them up ahead of time for quick and healthy snacks or breakfasts for your little one!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: about 15 mini muffins 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 medium very ripe banana
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce, store bought or homemade
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, melted coconut oil, or melted butter
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour (or all purpose)
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 small zucchini, grated
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F. Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners, or use a silicone mini muffin tray (no need to line).
- In a large bowl, mash the banana. Add the egg, applesauce, oil and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir until just combined, careful no to over mix. If there are still traces of dry flour, that's okay.
- Fold in the grated zucchini.
- Scoop into the prepared muffin (I use a 1-tbsp cookie scoop). Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a couple of moist crumbs.
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature, 4 days in the refrigerator, or 3 months in the freezer.
- Applesauce swap: You can replace the applesauce with plain Greek yogurt or prune puree.
- Spices: Feel free to leave out the cinnamon and/or nutmeg. I find they add a little more flavor since the muffins are not super sweet.
- Sweeter muffins: These muffins are not super sweet. If you have toddlers or older kiddos and would like a sweeter muffin, feel free to stir in some mini chocolate chips with the zucchini. You can also add up to ¼ cup brown sugar OR up to ¼ cup maple syrup.
- Regular sized muffins: Bake for 16-20 minutes.
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