This kid-friendly green muffin recipe is packed with protein and kale. It’s sweetened with bananas and maple syrup, so it does not contain much sugar. These healthy green muffins are great for breakfast or snacks; even my pickiest eater loves them! This is a fun way to get kids to eat more greens.
I’m embarrassed to admit that no matter how many healthy meals I cook, my youngest struggles to eat his vegetables. At his four-year well-check, his pediatrician asked me what vegetables he enjoyed, and I seriously couldn’t think of a single one. I know kids can be picky, but sometimes I should work harder to expose him. Enter these Kid-Friendly Green Muffins!
I know my kids love muffins, but I was worried he wouldn’t want to try them because of the color. But we made it fun, and I didn’t even mention there was kale in them. He ate about four of these muffins, and I will make them much more often now!
Green Muffin Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour – I like to use a mixture of white and whole wheat flour for this recipe. The whole wheat flour adds extra nutrients and heartiness. You can also use either whole wheat or white flour. I have made these with good-quality gluten-free AP flour, which worked well.
- Banana – The banana helps add natural sweetness to these muffins, and most kids love the flavor of bananas!
- Milk – I used plain, unsweetened almond milk, but any kind of milk can be used. I’ve also made these muffins using thick canned coconut milk, which worked well.
- Oil – Use a melted neutral-flavored oil for this recipe. I’ve made it using both melted refined coconut oil and canola oil. Both work well.
- Maple Syrup – Pure maple syrup is the main added sweetener to these muffins. Be sure to get pure maple syrup, and not pancake syrup. You can also substitute honey or agave syrup with good results.
- Eggs – I used two large eggs. They add protein and give the muffins a nice texture that I know my kids won’t complain about. You can use a vegan egg substitute if you like; the muffins will have a slightly different texture but are still yummy.
- Flax – I added one Tablespoon of flaxseed to the batter to give my kids a few extra nutrients. You can skip the flax if you don’t have any on hand.
- Kale – I use curly kale for this recipe. It blends up nicely and is lighter in color than Dino kale. Dino kale also works well. Fresh spinach can be substituted for the kale if desired.
- Vanilla Extract and Cinnamon – Both these ingredients help add some sweetness.
- Baking soda, baking powder, salt
How To Make Kid-Friendly Green Muffins
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a standard-sized muffin tin with liners or spray it with cooking spray. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk together until combined. Set aside.
- Add the banana, milk, oil, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, flax seed, and kale to a blender. Turn the blender on low and slowly turn it up to full blast. Blend the mixture until it’s fully blended and has no big visible chunks of kale in it, about 1 minute or so.
- Pour the blended kale mixture into the flour mixture and use a spatula or large spoon to mix the batter until fully combined.
- I like to use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop to scoop the batter into the muffin tin. Fill them nearly to the top. Place the full muffin pan into the oven and bake until muffin tops are firm to the touch and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove muffins and let cool for about 15 minutes before removing from the pan. If desired, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy them as is or with butter.
Hulk Green Muffin Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Can these muffins be made gluten-free? Yes, you can use a gluten-free flour substitute. I recommend a high-quality all-purpose mix that contains xantham gum. You could also use a homemade GF flour mix that you are familiar with.
- Are these green muffins vegan? No, I used eggs in the recipe, but you can make them vegan using your favorite egg substitute. The texture of the muffins may differ, but will still taste good.
- Can spinach be used instead of kale? Yes, you can absolutely substitute the kale with fresh spinach leaves.
- Can you taste the kale in the muffins? I really don’t think you can. I have a very picky 4-year-old who would notice immediately if you could taste it, and he ate four of them!
- Are these muffins freezer-friendly? Yes, they can be frozen for up to three months. For best results, store them in a freezer-friendly airtight container.
- How long do muffins last? If stored in an air-tight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator, muffins should last about 4-5 days.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP.
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Kid Friendly Green Muffins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This kid friendly green muffin recipe is packed with protein and kale! They are sweetened with just bananas and maple syrup so they’re not packed with too much sugar. These healthy green muffins are great for breakfast or snacks and even my pickiest eater loved them! This is a fun way to get your kids to eat their greens.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large banana
- 3/4 cup milk, plant based or regular
- 1/2 cup neutral flavored oil, such as canola or melted refined coconut oil
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 3 cups packed kale leaves
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and line a standard sized muffin with liners, or spray muffin tin with cooking spray. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt to a large bowl. Whisk together until combined. Set aside.
- To a blender, add the banana, milk, oil, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, flax seed and kale. Turn the blender on low and slowly turn it up to full blast. Blend mixture until it’s fully blended and doesn’t have any big visible chunks of kale in it, about 1 minute or so.
- Pour the blended kale mixture into the flour mixture and use a spatula or large spoon to mix batter until fully combined.
- I like to use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop to scoop the batter into the muffin tin. You want to fill them pretty much to the top. Place full muffin pan into the oven and bake until muffin tops are firm to the touch and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove muffins and let cool for about 15 minutes before removing from the pan. If desired, transfer to a wire wrack to cool completely. Enjoy by themselves or with butter.
Notes
*I measured the flour by scooping the measuring up into the flour and then leveling it off, NOT by spooning the flour in and leveling it.
You can use all whole wheat flour or all AP flour, rather than using a cup of each.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Snack, Breakfast
- Method: Oven, Blender
- Cuisine: American
This was delicious!
That is so nice to hear, Alex!!