Spinach Banana and Oat Donuts

Spinach Banana Oat Muffins (Toddler and Baby Snack)

These adorable Spinach Banana Oat Muffins are the perfect toddler-approved bite-sized snack to pack in...

These adorable Spinach Banana Oat Muffins are the perfect toddler-approved bite-sized snack to pack in a diaper bag. They’re only six ingredients, dairy-free, gluten-free, and full of the nutrients that kids need. 

Spinach Banana and Oat Donuts

My kids cannot get enough of these healthy muffins. This recipe with spinach is actually based on these Beet and Oat Banana Muffins that Luca devoured as a baby. They’re so packed with whole grains, protein, iron, and veggies that it’s truly a winning meal for everyone.

I decided to add spinach to these muffins for added leafy green benefits like fiber, calcium, and iron. And just like the beet muffins for baby, these healthy green banana oat muffins were a hit. And that’s not to mention how easy they are to make. You only need six ingredients and a muffin tin!

How to Make Spinach Oat Muffins for Kids

You can make these healthy muffin bites in a few different ways:

I’ve made them every way. But for Luca, the larger muffins have always been a favorite. When he was younger, he could hold on to it so I didn’t even have to cut it up. And the texture is soft enough for little teeth too.

Tip: be sure to spray or grease the baking tin before adding the muffin batter. We use olive oil spray for our tins. 

The only difference if you change your pan is that larger muffins may need a few extra minutes in the oven. Check after 17 minutes with a toothpick. If it’s not clean, continue baking for another 2 to 5 minutes, until the muffins are cooked through.

It’s easiest to make the spinach oat muffin batter in a blender. That way, you can ensure everything is totally smooth and easy for kids to sink their teeth into. You could also do this in a food processor.

Ingredients

These green muffins are packed with nutrients from just six whole-food ingredients:

  • Baby spinach. I doubt I need to explain the many health benefits of leafy greens like spinach. Plus, in this recipe, baby spinach gives the donuts a fun green color.
  • Banana. Choose a very ripe banana that’s easy to blend and has a natural sweetness. Bananas are also an excellent source of potassium and fiber for kids.
  • Rolled oats. These are whole-grain oats also labeled “old-fashioned oats”.
  • Cinnamon. This superfood spice not only tastes warming and deliciousness, but it also is full of antioxidants.
  • Ground flaxseed. Flax is a great source of healthy fats that kids need to support their growing brains. If you don’t have flaxseed, you can replace it with chia seeds, which are also high in fiber and healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Eggs. This is an easy way to add extra protein to kids’ meal times. Plus, eggs help keep these muffins light, fluffy and soft.

Storing Spinach Oat Muffins

This is a great make-ahead recipe for babies and toddlers. You can bake up a double (or triple!) batch. Then let the donuts or muffins cool completely and place them in an airtight bag or container in the freezer. They will last for up to four months frozen. You can thaw them in a few hours on the counter or zap them in the microwave in 30-second intervals until thawed.

For shorter storage, keep the muffins in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days.

Can I Make Egg-Free Muffins for Toddlers?

If you’re avoiding eggs, one reader had success making these spinach oat muffins with a vegan egg substitute. You can also omit the eggs and replace them with two flax eggs. Otherwise, this recipe is allergy-friendly! It is nut-free, gluten-free and dairy-free.

At What Age Can I Serve Muffins to Baby?

I started feeding homemade muffins to Luca at 6 months old.

More Healthy Snack Recipes for Babies & Toddlers

If you have little ones at home, treat them to these other nutrient-packed recipes next:

Watch our video to make Spinach Banana Oat Muffins and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more!

Spinach Banana and Oat Donuts

4.88 from 8 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1.5 packed cups baby spinach
  • large ripe banana
  • 2 large eggs
  • tablespoons rolled oats
  • 1/4  teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a regular donut tin.
  • Add all of the ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. Pour the batter into the donut cavities (or a muffin tin) and bake for 17 minutes (for donuts) or 23 minutes (for muffins) or until the donuts/muffins are firm and browning on the edges. Pop out of the cavities and enjoy. 

Recipe Notes

This makes 4-6 regular donuts.

 

Spinach and Banana Oat Donuts

with love, Ali

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Recipe Rating




comments

  • any change if you do muffins instead of donuts?
    • nope! Might want to cook a little longer!
  • My daughter and son Are allergic to eggs. Any suggestions On what to sub the eggs for in the muffins?
    • Hi Lindsay! We haven't tried it, but definitely give these a try with flax eggs and let us know how they turn out!
  • Does this REcipe require a super ripe banana? Or will a regular yellow banana work?
    • The riper the banana the more sweetness you will get out of it!
  • Mine Caved in a bit after they came out of the oven. Is that Ok? They tasted cooked, i would prObably add addi sweetener for my taste. Any suggestions?
    • Hi Liz! Yes! As long as they seemed cook a little caving in is alright! Whatever your preferred sweetener is! We haven't tried anything, nut give it a try and let us know how they turn out!
  • Tried it with Vegan “neat egg” and made 7 REGULAR muffins baking them for 20 min! So yummy and out daughter loved them! We will DEFINITELY be making more of these.
    • Hi Elle! So happy to hear these were enjoyed!
  • Should they be weT inside at all? They seem cooked but a but wet, which im ASSUMING happens with spinach and banana.
    • Hi Sarah! Yes sometimes this can happen with the veggies releasing water! If you are uncomfortable with this you can cook them a little longer!
  • I do not happen to have flax On hand. If i omit the flax, will it effect the end product? Would i need to cook it longer or make any changes?
  • Hello! I love your blog and instagram feed! I was wondering if these should be refrigerated. they are currently baking in the oven and i can't wait to see how it turns out!
    • Yes these can be refrigerated to save for the week!
  • I made these tonight and mine stuck horribly to my nonstick donut pan. I even sprayed the pan too. I followed the recipe so I'm not sure what happened. Any ideas of what went wrong for them to stick so badly?
  • Can these be frozen?
    • Yes definitely!
  • I made these tonight and mine stuck horribly to my nonstick MuFfin pan. I even sprayed the pan too. I followed the recipe so I'm not sure what happened. Any ideas of what went wrong for them to stick so badly?
  • What kind of blender would you recommend for this?
    • Any blender would work!
  • Hi there, what’s the best kind of spray to use for the muffin or donut pans?
    • Hi Anne! Great question. Just use whatever your preference. Olive oil works well!
  • Hi! What can I replace flaxseeds with?
    • Eggs or chia seeds would work!
  • I’m having the same issue as some others who have posted. I have the recommended mini donut pan which nothing usually sticks to but this recipe sticks horribly. I’ve used a ton of spray but it doesn’t seem to work. What do you use to grease your pan? Thanks so much! My son loves the donuts
    • We've used olive oil cooking spray!
  • Yum! I’d give anything to try these donuts right now. They look SO cute. I believe the taste is just phenomenal. Plus, there are indeed so many benefits of spinach. My kiddos would love these. I’m planning to make these next weekend. Gonna follow your recipe, though I’d like to replace eggs. I hope it will work. Thank you A LOT for sharing this idea. Look forward to your new recipes. Best wishes, Ann
    • Thanks, Ann! Let us know how they come out!
  • Hi Ali, What is the best way to store these? I made these Sunday, doubled the recipe and made them as muffins instead. I’ve been keeping them in a container on the counter and they appear to be releasing moisture and getting soggy. I’m wondering if I should have put them in the fridge or freezer? Or maybe cooked them longer?
    • You can put them in the fridge or the freezer!
  • These are a huge hit with my little one! Thanks for the recipe! Any chance you have the calorie count? We are working super hard on weight gain and tracking calories.
    • Unfortunately because this was a sponsored post, we do not! We're so sorry about that!
  • Wondering what can be substituted for banana and the measurement since one banana isn't measured in grams or cups? We have a banana allergy in our house but would still like to try these with another healthy alternative.
  • Are these supposed to have some sort of baking soda or powder? I've made twice (both as muffins and donuts) and both times they came out very flat/sinking. I followed directions exactly.
    • Hi Katie! They will be a little flat due to the fresh ingredients!
  • Hi- can I sub frozen spinach for fresh? Under quarantine and don’t have any fresh spinach on hand. Thanks!
    • Definitely give it a shot! We haven't tried that yet but let us know!
  • I just started BLW with my daughter and it’s just so fun! At what age did you introduce these muffins to Luca and Roma?
  • I love these muffins! They are so easy to make and I love sneaking veggies into them (I don’t have kids and I love veggies but it’s just a nice and easy way to switch up how I’m eating them). I add a little bit more oats to them and I had steamed sweet potatoes on hand and added those too and it made them super moist! I always have a lot of batter so my donuts don’t have a complete hole in them but they are yummy nonetheless, and I absolutely love the color!
    • This is so fantastic! Great job and additions!
  • Thank you for sharing this recipe. I have 5 kids, all teens/young adults and all at home. These spinach donuts are always a hit taste wise and fun wise. They laugh and say I am the only mom that can turn a donut into something healthy. I always have to double the recipe. I also sprinkled with hemp hearts and called them sprinkles. It got a good laugh.
    • We love this so much! That's a total win. So glad they're a hit.
  • How do you keep the leftovers? I made them two days ago and left them out on the counter, lightly covered but they went moldy.
    • Definitely refrigerate in a closed container. The fresh ingredients used make them go bad more quickly if left out!
  • Hi - do you think you could use this recipe and make pancakes out of it?
    • You'd definitely need to thin it out a little. We haven't give it a try but definitely give it a go and let us know how it comes out.
  • Well, I don't have babies around any more, but I would like to try these as part of my breakfast or as a snack. I am diabetic so I do need to see the nutritional information on these muffins. Thank you in advance.
    • These will be perfect for you!
  • Thank for this quick easy recipe. I tried however even putting in the convention oven for about 50 minutes, it was not cooked from inside. What could have gone wrong?
    • Did you follow it completely or did you make changes?
  • This looks seriously amazing! I want to eat it right now!
  • I’ve followed this recipe exactly twice, and each time it comes out soggy inside. At first, it seemed undercooked and just needed more baking time, but then it becomes dry and overcooked on the outside while the inside remains wet with an uncooked texture. Very disappointed. What am I missing?
  • How would I serve these to a 9 month old? Leave them whole or break them up into tiny bite size pieces for pincer grasp?
    • We would suggest breaking them apart.
  • Love these! They don't crumble so they're really easy for my 9 month old to handle and feed himself. They are plain but I mean that in the best way. Great for my baby. They are the perfect food for him.
  • Beautiful recipe. just want to ask how long we can store it? will it expire after 2-3 days?
    • Because these are made with fresh ingredients, they tend to go bad sooner. Be sure to store in an air tight container in the fridge after you're done enjoying!! They will last longer in the fridge.
  • I made these as muffins and after 30 minutes they were still raw inside. The top was brown, but underneath was still wet. Any ideas of what went wrong?
    • They firm up after baking, so give them a chance, but perhaps your banana was too large or too small? they should be slightly spongey but not wet.
  • What would the cook time be in a mini muffin pan?
    • We actually haven't tried that yet - we would suggest just cutting the time down and keeping an eye on it. If you try it please let us know how it comes out.
  • I don’t have a donut pan. Can you advise adjustments for a muffin pan?
  • My 6 month old Is struggling with constipation. What could I substitute bananas with? Thanks!
  • Can you substitute frozen spinach?
    • This may add a bit too much moisture. We recommend dry!
  • Good for breakfast for adults? Need something quick that’s healthy and filling.
    • You could definitely make these for adults!!
  • I made these today with a muffin top pan but forgot the grease the pan so they fell apart a bit on me when I took them out. So I added a scoop of Oat Haus granola butter (that I saw on your IG stories!) and made them in to muffin balls. SO GOOD! My kids and husband gobbled them all up. Such a great snack for our peanut/tree nut allergy family
    • This is awesome to hear!! Thanks for sharing your tweak.
  • I used to make these all the time for the kiddos. Revisiting now but I don’t see the actual recipe above anymore. Just all the lead-in stuff and a video. Looking for how much oat and flax I need to add
    • Thank you for letting us know! The recipe should be restored now!
  • I also can't find the actual recipe for this!
    • Thank you for letting us know! The recipe should be restored now!
  • I make these all the time but now don’t see the recipe on this page anymore!
    • Thank you for letting us know! The recipe should be restored now!
  • Any luck on finding the actual recipe, I’ve made a few times and my kids love! But now I can’t find it.
    • Thank you for letting us know! The recipe should be restored now!
  • Has anyone ever tried using this as a pancake batter instead of baking in the oven?
  • Hello! Is it possible to bake this by using an air fryer? If yes, could you please let me know the suitable time/temperature? I don’t have an oven to make these. Thank you in advance!
    • We haven't tested them in the air fryer and worry the texture would be a little too hard for little mouths! But give it a try and please let us know!
  • Is this okay without the flax seed? Or could I sub chia seeds?
    • Chia seeds may affect the texture, but give it a try and please let us know!
  • 350 degrees in the oven? Is that temp correct? In celcius? Seems extreme but really want to make these, could someone let me know?
  • We love these! I make them all the time for may toddlers. Especially when we travel, they make a great road or plane snack. We vary the ingredients, but they are a huge hit at our house.
  • Any substitute for banana? Baby can’t have banana. I was thinking applesauce?
    • We haven't given that a shot but we definitely recommend experimenting!
      • I'm in the same boat. Wondering if maybe sweet potato would work.
  • I’m having trouble, I followed the recipe to a T and they came out looking perfect, I did 5 full size muffins but then they feel completely and I sort of blew it off thinking that’s just what happens maybe but then the inside was so mushy and not set at all. They were firm and browning on the outside and left them in for about 25 minutes. Any thoughts on why this happened, how to avoid it happening in the future?
    • From Ali: You'll need to experiment with the banana size, it sounds. A larger banana is best here!
  • My almost 2-year-old is struggling with a food aversion problem that has caused weight loss. These muffins are one of the few foods he will reliably eat at the moment. Thank you so much for putting this recipe out there! What do you recommend for ways to add more fat to the recipe that won't change the look or texture so much that he notices a difference?
  • Omg! Did it to the T, they were SO moist in the center...I have NEVER seen my daughter eat something so fast! Can't praise this recipe enough!
    • This is what we LOVE to hear, Mary!! Such a win! Thanks for giving these a try.
  • Made this today for my toddler and me for breakfast. So quick and easy and absolutely delicious. I used vanilla extract instead of cinnamon and Chia seeds instead of flax seeds. Added a hint of maple syrup because the banana wasn’t too ripe. (it was yellow without many brown spots) Baked it at 350 for 20 minutes as we made six normal size donuts instead of the mini ones. Enjoyed alongside Greek yogurt and almond butter.
    • This sounds perfect, Tess! Awesome job!