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Toddler Muffins with Banana, Cream Cheese and Oatmeal

a cooling rack filled with banana cream cheese oatmeal muffins for toddlers. the rack is black.

 My recipe for The Best Toddler Muffins is one of my most viewed recipes. Apparently making muffins for toddlers is more fun than making them for adults. So here is another one of my favorite toddler muffin recipes. Just don’t be surprised when the whole family loves them.

These tasty toddler muffins are packed with bananas, cream cheese, wheat germ, ground flaxseed, coconut oil, oatmeal, and whole wheat flour. They are delicious and so good you and your toddlers will never guess you are eating so many healthy ingredients–so many good things to cram into your kiddos (and yourself.)

The cream cheese is a fantastic addition and gives the muffins a unique and delicious texture. They’re the perfect snack or breakfast on the go.

This recipe makes two dozen normal-sized muffins or four dozen mini muffins, and they freeze really well.

More Delicious Muffins

A toddler cream cheese muffin cut in half with butter smeared on it sitting on a stack of small white plates. Several muffins surround the plates along with two ripe bananas.how to make toddler muffins with banana, cream cheese and oatmeal

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Grease or put liners in muffin tins.
  • With a hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream softened cream cheese, coconut oil, and sugar.
  • Add eggs one at a time and continue mixing.
  • Next, add bananas and vanilla.
  • Add wheat germ, ground flaxseed, oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until well combined.
  • Fill muffin tins 2/3 full, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if desired, and bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until top springs back or toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a muffin.
  • If using mini muffin tins, bake at 350 degrees for 12-16 minutes.
  • Remove the muffins and let them cool on a cooling rack.
  • Enjoy!
A banana toddler muffin sitting on several small white plates. In the upper background are two very ripe bananas and a muffin. A muffin is in the bottom right-hand corner.Tips for making Toddler Muffins with Banana, Cream Cheese and Oatmeal
  • Make sure your bananas are really, really ripe to give the muffins optimal sweetness!
  • If you only have whole flaxseeds on hand, you can grind some up in a coffee grinder, pepper mill, or food processor. Store remaining ground flaxseeds in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • To quickly soften the cream cheese, remove the foil wrapper and set it on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave the cream cheese for 15-20 seconds. To test its softness, place your finger on the middle of the cream cheese. It should feel softer but not hot.
  • The muffins stay fresh 2-3 days covered on the countertop. If you have leftovers, freeze them in an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag for up to two months.

Pinterest image of Toddler Muffins with Banana Cream Cheese Oatmeal Muffins there are two images, one is muffins on a cooling rack the other is a muffin split in half with butter on it.

baker’s tools:

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5.0 from 10 reviews
Toddler Muffins with Banana, Cream Cheese and Oatmeal
 
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Lightly sweetened and packed with healthy ingredients. Even the pickiest toddlers will be begging for seconds.
Author:
Recipe type: Muffin
Cuisine: Breakfast
Serves: 24
Ingredients
  • 1 (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup coconut oil
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 really ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp wheat germ
  • 3 tbsp ground flaxseeds
  • 1 cup quick oats
  • ¾ cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease or put liners in muffin tins.
  3. With a hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream softened cream cheese, coconut oil, and sugar.
  4. Add eggs one at a time and continue mixing.
  5. Next, add bananas and vanilla.
  6. Add wheat germ, ground flaxseed, oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until well combined.
  7. Fill muffin tins ⅔ full, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if desired, and bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until top springs back or toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a muffin.
  8. If using mini muffin tins, bake at 350 degrees for 12-16 minutes.
  9. Remove the muffins and let them cool on a cooling rack.
  10. Enjoy!

More Great Toddler Snacks

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake with Oatmeal and Whole Wheat FlourPumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack CakeGranola Bar Bites RecipeGranola Bar BitesZucchini-Chocolate-Chip-Snack-Cake-kids-LOVE-this-stuffZucchini Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

pinterest image for toddler muffins. the muffins in the picture are on a cooling rack

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50 Comments

  1. Julie Sanders

    I did not have any wheat flour on hand, nor wheat germ, nor flax seeds. I simply left all of that out and just used regular flour and added chia seeds. My 19 month old loves them and so do I. I love the fact that they aren’t too sweet and really enjoyed the light crunch from the chia seed. I froze them and just pull them out and heat as needed. Thank you for a delicious recipe! Oh….my toddler had her first experience in the kitchen watching the mixer. She poured in the sugar, wiped the counter down, and even dried a few dishes. We had a great time in the kitchen together!

    reply to this comment

  3. Karen

    I made these and I didn’t have quick oats so I ground rolled oats, and used a mixture of whole wheat with a touch of spelt (I didn’t have white flour) instead of white sugar half a cup honey half cup brown. (Apparently I need to grocery shop was missing a lot lol). Even and didn’t have wheat germ of flax but the are DELICIOUS!! The cream cheese just makes them so tasty! Even my husband (harder than the toddler to please) loves them. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.

    reply to this comment

    • Maria

      Hi Karen,
      Sounds like you made some great substitutions. I am glad they turned out delicious. I am so glad your husband and toddler love them too. I love the flavor and texture the cream cheese gives them and it’s nice to know there is a little extra protein in there. 🙂
      Maria

      reply to this comment

  9. Leanne

    My 4 year old and 22 month old just devoured their muffins! Not only are these muffins tasty, the house smells glorious! The smell of cinnamon is one of my favorites. The only ingredients I didn’t have on hand were the wheat germ (I substituted oat bran) and whole wheat flour. I just used regular flour and they turned out great! I like how these muffins hold together nicely and your little ones won’t make a big crumbly mess out of them (for the most part, ha!)

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  10. JoAnna

    I was looking for a nutritious muffin recipe that I could make for my 14-month-old daughter to send with her to daycare, and I stumbled across your recipe… They are phenomenal! I made mini muffins that can fit in her little lunch box, and I know she is going to love them just as much as me. Thanks so much for sharing!

    reply to this comment

  11. Shauna Kelley

    My kiddo devours these! I have my second batch in the oven now. They have made day care snacks so much easier than me trying to cut up and transport fruit and other things. I freeze them and then pull 3-4 out at a time. They thaw in a few hours and he seriously cannot get enough of them. I am happy knowing that he is getting something nutritious, and he is happy getting to eat these. Thanks so much for sharing!

    reply to this comment

  12. Cindy G

    I absolutely love this recipe! I have made it several times and it comes out so moist and I love that it has alot of healthy ingredients…alot of other toddler muffin recipes are more like regular muffins but this is so nutrient dense..and tastes great too. I never have wheat germ so I just put some extra flax seeds. Thank you for sharing.

    reply to this comment

    • Maria

      Hi Cindy! I am so glad you love this recipe and have made it many times. That makes me so happy! Flax seeds are a great substitution. That’s one of the best things about this recipe. You can play around with what you have on hand and it still comes out great!

      reply to this comment

  13. Desiree

    I usually make your other “best toddler muffin” recipe with pumpkin purée/sweet potato with veggies and those are my kids favorite. I decided to try this recipe and after they came out of the oven, they were good. I made them at night and stored them in the freezer (as you suggested) and a few in the fridge for the morning, but this made them hard and dense as opposed to how soft they were coming out of the oven. I let them thaw and my toddler is not too picky of an eater and he took one bite and left it on the counter 🙁 Are they supposed to be so hard/dense? Do you have to store these in the fridge/freezer? I’m tempted to microwave them for a few seconds when ready to eat in hopes to make them more appealing.

    reply to this comment

    • Maria

      Hi Desiree, No you do not have to freeze or refrigerate them. That was meant as advice if you are not going to be eating them in a day or two. The muffins should not be hard and dense once they are thawed. You can put them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds if you are pulling them out of the freezer. Hope that answers your questions.

      reply to this comment

  14. Nancy

    Thank you so much for this recipe!!!
    My little one loved them ? And even my husband (who never cares for any healthier recipes) loved these as well!
    These muffins are a very good choice to add to any lunch box.

    reply to this comment

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