These Banana Blackberry Muffins are a must-try for toddlers and parents alike—soft, moist, and made with whole grain spelt flour for an added boost of fibre. These muffins are the perfect way to use your fresh picked blackberries in the summertime or frozen ones in the winter! Whether you’re packing them in a lunchbox or serving them as a quick breakfast or snack, these muffins are sure to be a hit!
Toddler Tip: Involve your little one!
Get your little one involved in the baking process! Toddlers love mashing bananas, stirring ingredients, and even placing blackberries into the muffin batter. Not only does this make baking a fun activity, but it helps to promote willingness to try new foods. Looking for tips on how to involve your toddler in the kitchen? Check out this blog post on benefits and top tips here!
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Why You’ll Love These Banana Blackberry Muffins
- Nutritious and Delicious: Made with wholesome ingredients that will nourish you and your family. The dietitian in me loves that this recipe uses whole grain spelt flour. This adds a great boost of fibre without compromising the texture or taste!
- Kid-Friendly: Perfectly sized for little hands, with a soft texture that’s easy for toddlers to enjoy.
- Versatile: These muffins freeze beautifully, so you can make a batch ahead of time and pull them out as needed.
Ingredients
- spelt flour or whole wheat flour (I prefer spelt flour!)
- baking soda
- baking powder
- cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- banana
- maple syrup
- coconut oil
- egg
- milk (dairy or plant-based alternative beverage)
- vanilla
- blackberries
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine.
In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and add the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix the batter (being careful not to over stir!). Chop the blackberries into small pieces and then fold in.
Spoon into a muffin pan and bake (see full baking instructions below).
Substitutions
- Gluten-free – spelt flour does contain gluten, so to make these gluten-free, you will need to swap in a gluten-free flour or an oat flour. I have not tested this recipe with these flours, but if you do, please let me know how they turn out!
- Fruit – you could swap in blueberries or raspberries for the blackberries or do a combination of both!
Turn it into a more complete toddler snack or meal!
The great thing about these muffins is they are high in fibre, and depending on the milk you use, will contain some protein. However, if you would like to turn them into a more balanced snack or meal for your child, you could pair them with some Greek yogurt or cottage cheese (to boost the protein) and add some cut up veggies (for added colour). If you are looking for other muffin ideas, you can also check out these apple and pear crumble muffins and ABC (apple, banana, & carrot) muffins here.
Equipment
- muffin pan
- muffin pan liners
Storage
Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm them slightly in the microwave before serving.
Top tip: Don’t overmix!
When combining the wet and dry ingredients, be gentle and mix just until incorporated. Overmixing can make the muffins dense and tough. For the fluffiest results, stir until you no longer see streaks of flour, and then stop.
Bonus Idea: Make Them Mini
For even more toddler-friendly fun, try making these muffins in a mini muffin tin. They bake faster (see notes below for making time for mini muffins) and are perfectly portioned for little hands. Plus, mini muffins are great for snacks on the go or popping into lunchboxes!
FAQ
Yes, you can use regular all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour in place of spelt flour. However, the texture and flavor might differ slightly. Spelt flour has a unique nutty taste and a tender texture that makes these muffins special.
You can, but what makes these muffins extra special are the blackberries. You could swap in blueberries or raspberries if you like.
Recipe
Banana Blackberry Muffins
Equipment
- 1 muffin pan
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups and 2 tablespoons spelt flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- dash salt optional
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas about 3 medium or 2 large
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil (melted) or olive oil
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons milk regular cow’s milk or dairy free alternative beverage (room temperature)
- 1 cup blackberries cut up
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- In a separate medium bowl, peel and mash the bananas. Add the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, egg, vanilla, and milk.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined and no flour is remaining.
- Cut up the blackberries. Fold in the blackberries into the batter.
- Spoon out batter into a greased or lined muffin pan, filling to the top of the pan.
- Bake at 400℉ for 5 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 375℉ and continue baking for 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top and when you insert a toothpick, it comes out clean.
Notes
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