Easy Toddler Muffins

I wanted to called this recipe ‘Healthy-ish Muffins That My Toddler Actually Eats’. But I felt it was a bit long-winded 😂 Truthfully though, these sugar-free Toddler Muffins are sort-of healthy and my two toddlers DO eat them.

They’re made with healthy ingredients like wholewheat flour and instead of refined sugar, we use maple syrup for sweetness.

Filled with fresh or frozen blueberries (whatever you have on hand), I also sometimes add a few chocolate chips for a special treat.

But you can customise these muffins however you like! Add your favourite mix-in’s for a sweet baked treat. I’ve even included a dairy-free option too.

We make a batch of these muffins a week and I freeze them. I put them in the kids’ lunchboxes and offer them for breakfast or morning tea when we are in a hurry.

Why you will love these muffins

• Quick and easy: You don’t need an electric mixer to make a batch – just a bowl and spoon!
• No fancy ingredients: These health-ish muffins uses wholesome ingredients and you can easily customise them using what you have on hand.
• Freeze well: They freeze so well! Make a batch and have the whole week’s snacks sorted.
• Taste great: I love my sweets, but even I enjoy these Toddler Muffins as great snack. They’re also great for the lunchbox or for make-ahead breakfasts!

Recipe testing

You know I love my real deal baked goods, so for me to publish a healthier muffins – you better believe these are half decent.

While I absolutely LOVE my White Chocolate Raspberry Muffins and my Double Chocolate Muffins, I know they are a treat.

Since I now have TWO toddlers at home with me, I need to make SO many snacks in a day. So I’ve been working on a refined sugar-free muffin recipe for a while now.

I wanted a muffin that tasted great (toddlers are the harshest critics right?), could be made without an electric mixer (so the kids can help too) and was customisable with what I had on hand.

Thankfully, this final Toddler Muffin recipe ticks ALL the boxes. In fact, the whole family loves them as an easy snack or healthy breakfast idea – even big kids!

You won’t need to break the bank to make a batch of these moist muffins. You only need simple ingredients and I’ll show you how to make do with what you have on hand.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the key ingredients you’ll need, and any substitutions you can make.

• Wholewheat flour: To make these muffins a touch healthier, I’ve swapped almost half the plain or all purpose flour with wholewheat flour. I find this is the best ratio to ensure the muffins still have a lovely texture and still pass the ‘toddler test’.
• Flavourless oil: You can use any kind of flavourless oil you prefer in this recipe. I like to use grapeseed oil in my baked goods as it has virtually no taste. But for a more nutritious choice, try a mild olive oil or avocado oil.
• Maple syrup: Maple syrup provide a small amount of sweetness to the muffins seeing as there is no refined white sugar or brown sugar in this recipe. I haven’t tested this recipe with any other sweetener. But if you try try one, let us know how it goes in the comments below.
• Buttermilk: I tested this recipe multiple times and found that buttermilk yielded the best results for a light and tender muffin. However, full fat Greek yogurt or natural yogurt also works really well. I just prefer to add a little milk to the yogurt to thin it out – so 3/4 cup yogurt and 1/4 cup of milk. For a dairy-free muffin, use unsweetened almond milk and add an extra 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (2 and 1/2 teaspoons total).
• Blueberries: I usually make these using frozen blueberries which work well. Don’t thaw them before folding them into the muffin batter, just add them frozen. You could also use fresh blueberries. Or you can use other mix-in’s like raspberries. 
• Chocolate chips: I don’t always add chocolate chips, but they do make for a special treat – particularly for picky eaters! Even if you just add a couple of top of each muffin before baking. You can find sugar-free chocolate chips at most supermarkets or online. 
• Storage: Muffins are best eaten on the day they are made. After we eat a few, I wrap the leftovers straight away in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container in the freezer. To defrost, you can simply leave them at room temperature or I prefer to microwave them for 15-20 seconds until warm. 

Variations to try

My favourite way to enjoy these healthy muffins is using blueberries. Sometimes I throw in chocolate chips for a special treat!

However, you can really make these Toddler Muffins your own by changing up the mix-in’s. Here are some lovely variations you could try:

• Berries: You could substitute blueberries for raspberries (fresh or frozen).
• Chopped fruit: Chopped apples or pears make for a great addition. Just chop and stir through the batter.
• Dried fruit: You can add sultanas, cranberries, dried cherries or flaked coconut.
• Chocolate chips: For a treat, add a handful of your favourite chocolate chips like white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips.
• Spices: Instead of or as well as cinnamon, you could try adding your own spices like nutmeg, ginger or even pumpkin pie spice.