Spinach muffin (for picky eaters!)

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If you’ve tried green smoothies before, it might not be surprising to hear that the same concept can be applied to muffins. I started trying this idea when my son was just a toddler, so we’ve been doing it for ten years!

This is what I learned then:

Eggs = fluffy muffins. I used to make this recipe with fewer eggs, but I found that more not only add more protein, but also make them fluffy. Win-win!
No flour required. Since I started making this recipe for kids, I want them to be as healthy as possible (while still like real muffins). You can use nourishing ingredients such as roasted oats, peanut butter and honey, and still achieve a fluffy muffin texture.

Spinach blends seamlessly into the muffin batter, so you never know it is there except for the bright greens. Give them an interesting name like the Hulk muffin or the Ninja Turtle muffin and they will be swallowed immediately!

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“Super easy to make, every picky eater in the house devours them in two days.” – Dana

Why You Like These Spinach Banana Muffins

They are easy to make. Simply throw the ingredients into the blender and stir until the batter looks smooth. You can pour it directly from the blender pitcher into a greased muffin pan, eliminating the need for extra bowl cleaning.
Their taste is great. These muffins are gently sweetened with honey, so they have a sweet taste without being tasted like spinach. You can add some mini chocolate chips to make them a more attractive snack if you prefer!
They are allergic to them. When you use certified gluten-free oats, these muffins are dairy-free, oil-free and gluten-free.
They are easy to customize. If you want to use other nut butters, such as almond butter or even sunflower seed butter, enjoy!

Spinach muffins come with mini chocolate chips on top of the pan.

Spinach muffin ingredients

Here is what you need:

Fresh spinach. Using fresh baby spinach will produce the most neutral flavor, as frozen spinach is often cooked before freezing and tends to be more concentrated. (If you need to use frozen, use less than what this recipe requires.)
Roll the oats. You can use quick cooking or old-fashioned oatmeal, but if you need gluten-free recipes, make sure they are “gluten-free” to avoid contamination during processing.
egg. This recipe assumes you are using a large egg. Not only do they add protein, they will also create the fluffy texture you like. (Don’t swap them for linen eggs or you’ll end up with a slimy muffin.
banana. Due to its natural sweetness, you don’t need to add too many sweeteners. It also adds moisture so you don’t need to add oil.
Peanut butter. This adds protein and replaces the oil that muffin recipes usually require. If you are willing to avoid peanuts, you can use almond butter or sunflower seed butter as a substitute.
Honey. This natural sweetener is great with the other flavors in this recipe.

Safety Instructions: If you use these muffins for baby-led weaning and your child is under 1 year old, you may want to use maple syrup as sweetener as honey for children under 1 year old is not recommended.

Spinach muffin ingredients labeled in glass bowl.

How to Make Spinach Banana Muffins

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and refuel with cooking spray. (A standard muffin pan can also be prepared if you like.) Plus, you can use muffin liners for easy removal later.

In a high-speed blender, mix together eggs, peanut butter, banana, spinach, rolled oats, honey, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir until the mixture is very smooth and there is a large amount of spinach left.

Stop and scrape the sides of the mixer as needed to keep everything smooth.

Spinach muffin batter mixed in mixer pitcher.

Step 2:

Pour the batter into a muffin cup and add any toppings you like, such as chocolate chips or raisins.

Bake the muffins at 350ºF for 20 to 25 minutes. (The mini muffins should be done in 20 minutes; larger muffins take 25 minutes.) You will know that when the centers blow up and feel firm, you will know they are done.

Spinach muffins in the pan before and after baking.

Step 3:

Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes. If you don’t line the pan, gently run a knife on the edge of each muffin to help them loosen the pan and lift them out.

Serve these spinach banana muffins at room temperature or cool from the refrigerator.

Storage Tips

The remaining muffins will remain in good condition in the airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. (Melt in the refrigerator overnight and serve again.)

1 Ripe bananas
3 Big egg (See the notes for vegan options)
¼ cup Almond butter or peanut butter
⅓ cup Honey
1-2 cup Fresh baby spinach
¾ cup Vintage rolling oats (Gluten-free if needed)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon (Optional)
½ teaspoon Fine sea salt
¼ cup Mini Chocolate Chips (Optional topping)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease the mini muffin with cooking spray or olive oil.
In a high-speed mixer, add banana, egg, nut butter, honey, spinach, curly oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in order. (The liquid at the bottom helps to mix better.) Mix until very smooth, stopping to scratch the sides as needed.
Pour the green batter into a greased mini muffin pan and fill in 24 slots. (Also, you can bake these muffins in a standard muffin pan.
Bake the mini muffins at 350ºF for 20 minutes, or until the top of the muffin feels firm. If you are baking 12 standard muffins, you need to bake at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove the muffin from the oven and allow it to cool and remove it from the muffin tin. Once the muffins are cool, run a knife on the side of each muffin to help pull them out.
The muffins can be stored at room temperature for 24 hours, but I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week to enjoy the best shelf life.

Nutrition information is suitable for 1 mini muffin with no optional chocolate chip toppings. This information is calculated automatically, just an estimate, not a guarantee.
Updates and Eggless Note: This recipe was updated in March 2023 to create muffins with a better, fluffy texture! Hope you can give it a try, but if you like the original recipe, you can find a printable version here. (The original recipe also includes an egg-free option.)
Need a nutless recipe? Try sunflower butter or tahini as exchange. Alternatively, you can try using 2 to 3 tablespoons of mild flavored oil instead of nut butter.
Full size muffin: If you only have regular muffin tin, you need to bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes. I recommend using a muffin liner to remove it easily from the pan.