These Oatmeal Green Smoothie Muffins are so easy to make and so delicious! Perfectly sweet, soft and packed with healthy greens! They are naturally gluten free, dairy-free, naturally sweetened, and loved by all…especially kids!
Spinach Muffins
We are a smoothie-lovin’ family. And I am a smoothie lovin’ girl. But, to be honest with you, if I have to drink another green smoothie in the near future…..I might cry.
Don’t get me wrong. I have a mega soft spot for green smoothies. However, as amazing as smoothies are…they can get old. Real old. Just like any other food you eat day in and day out. Variety is the spice of life, and smoothies are no exception to this rule.
I didn’t really think about this fact until one day, I found myself glaring at my morning smoothie.
“You again,” were the words running through my head as I forced myself to gulp down the sweet green blend.
Made these muffins but now you have leftover spinach? Check out How to Store Spinach (and keep it fresh all week long).
Force. In my book, that is never something that should be part of eating.
Healthy or not, you should never force yourself to consume something. Eating is the act of nourishing and fueling your body, but there are so many emotions tied into the act as well. When you force yourself to consume something that brings you zero joy, you leave the meal hungry….not unfulfilled food wise…but still hungry and looking for more.
In my personal experience, the days that you force yourself to eat something that brings you no joy are also the days you tend to go grazing on things that are less than nourishing…..
Green Smoothie Muffins
It was one day when I was making a batch of my Flourless Peanut Butter Muffins in my blender that the idea of a green smoothie muffin dawned on me. I made muffins all the time during my meal prep or quickly the night before an exceptionally busy day…. why not throw greens into the mix?
I really feel like having veggies in every meal is an important part of healthy living and green smoothie muffins would fill the easy healthy void my temporary smoothie break left in the morning.
So, that day…Oatmeal Green Smoothie Muffins were born.
Loaded with nutrient-dense greens, naturally sweetened with bananas and a little honey/maple syrup, and packing an extra punch of fiber-rich rolled oats for good measure…a new breakfast favorite was born.
In true mommy blogger form, I tested this recipe out on my daughter and her friend that was over for a play date (don’t let me babysit your kids unless you are willing to let me feed them weird healthy things in the name of recipe development) before I even considered bringing this recipe to the rest of you. And it passed….with flying colors.
In fact, when I caught the kids stealing more green smoothie muffins off of the cooling rack, I knew I had just made a recipe that would make a lot of families’ lives healthier and tastier!
Fun names for Green Smoothie Muffins
Over the years, my readers and their kids have given these spinach muffins so many different names to help add fun to the veggie-loaded baked good! Simply changing what you call these muffins (and maybe adding some fun decoration!) might be just the ticket for helping your child get excited about eat them!
Some other names:
- Monster Muffins
- Ninja Turtle Muffins
- Hulk Muffins
- Gecko Muffins
- Power-up Muffins
Tips for making Green Smoothie Muffins
- If you don’t have a high-speed blender, blend your oats alone first. Then add the other ingredients! This will help them to have a smooth texture!
- Adjust how much spinach you put in to fit your taste/needs. The more spinach = the darker the shade of green these muffins turn out. The less spinach = the lighter shade of green.
- Let them cool completely before eating. You CAN eat them still warm, however, they may be a little bit soft in the middle and stick to your liners. Baked goods continue cooking when hot out of the oven and firm up as they cool.
- Store in the fridge or freezer! They will last much longer!
Suggested Adaptations
- Skip the sweetener! If you are looking for a little less sugar in your life, either reduce the amount of maple syrup/honey you use or let the banana do all the sweetening and leave out the honey/syrup all together! I do this often!
- Make it egg-free! Sub the eggs in this recipe with 2 “flax eggs“.
- Want to try them Paleo? I’ve got you covered! Try this Paleo version of the these awesome muffins!
Other veggie-loaded muffin recipes you are going to love
- Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Muffins
- Almond Butter Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
- Nut-Free Paleo Chocolate Butternut Squash Muffins
- One-Bowl Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Kid-friendly Vegan Spinach Muffins
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Oatmeal Green Smoothie Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin tin
Ingredients
- 2 eggs can sub with 2 "flax eggs" to make egg-free
- 1/4 cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup milk of choice I used unsweetened almond milk, but you can use whatever your family prefers
- 2 bananas, very ripe about 1 cup mashed. Can sub with applesauce
- 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 handfuls baby spinach depending on how green you want them. Just don't go crazy, as too much spinach adds too must moisture to the recipe and muffins will turn out wet.
- 2 cups rolled oats, uncooked Gluten Free option, use gluten free oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Line a 12-hole muffin tin with liners.
- Combine all ingredients in your food processor or blender starting with the wet ingredients. TIP: If you are not using a high-speed blender, consider blending the dry ingredients into a "flour" first and pouring into a bowl. Then blend wet ingredients and pour into the bowl with dry ingredients before mixing together with a spoon. This batter is thick and can be taxing on some blenders.
- Blend until the batter has a smooth consistency and even color.
- Portion batter out between the 12 muffin tin liners.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool in a pan for 10 minutes before transferring the muffins to a cooling rack.
- Enjoy warm or allow to cool completely before storing in the fridge for up to 5 days or in a freezer for up to a month.
Nutrition
The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!
Comments
these are so good! my ten month old son really likes these and so do I! great healthy snack. I also love that you just through everything in the blender and mix it up and right into the oven. quick and healthy so helpful for me.
Yes! Blender recipes are my favorite too! Glad they were a hit with all.
This recipe has been part of our weekly muffin rotation for a couple years now. I love them, my husband loves them, my toddler loves them…total winner! They’re easy to throw together, healthy, and delicious. We enjoy them slathered with peanut butter 🙂
I am so happy to hear that! And ! love them with PB too!
I’ve been on a kick of making these weekly! My 2 yr old, 6 yr old and myself LOVE them! I add a few mini chocolate chips on top of some for an extra sweetness.
I am so glad!
Can you make these in a bread loaf tin? Thank you!
Yes! I do that and bake it for about 40 minutes
Thank you!!! I’m going to try that today. Do you spray the bread loaf tin? (sorry if it’s a silly question – I’m not much of a baker!
I usually line it with parchment paper but would certainly grease or spray the pan if you are opting not to line it!
This are easy and delicious. I have made them dozens of times. I sometimes add chia and hemp hearts on top before I bake! My kids cannot get enough of them. Thank you so much!
Yay! I am so glad Ashley!
Unless you have a Vitamix this is the worst recipe ever. Turns into a thick tummy mess in the blender that won’t blend. I didn’t think to do in batches to save my blender- a good one at that. Total waste of time and ingredients.
Sorry to hear that, Anna. I actually originally made this with a blender that wasn’t high-speed, like a Vitamix. The high speed does make it faster, but it can be done in a traditional one. While in the post I did mention how to handle this recipe if you don’t have a high-speed blender, I have updated the recipe card with those tips
What can I sub for the coconut oil?
Whatever oil you like to use for baking will work great
Another winning TNN muffin recipe! I had been calling these “Leprechaun muffins” ahead of making them for the first time with our 3-year-old before I saw Taesha’s suggestion of “Gecko muffins,” which was perfect for our new PJ Masks fan. He helped put the bananas and spinach into the blender and was so eager to eat one after they came out of the oven. He gobbles them up! Definitely adding to our rotation. Thank you!
I LOVE this so much!! Bravo to you for including him in the kitchen (I know cooking with kids isn’t always easy!), but clearly he felt invested in his veggie-loaded connection and I love that you were able to connect them to something is is passionate about! Cute names go far with kids
These are so easy and SO delicious. I made them in a regular blender- all the liquid ingredients and bananas first, then the spinach then the powder then mixed on high and added the oats gradually and it worked perfectly. Used coconut milk instead of my usual almond because my friend has a nut allergy. I was planning to give away as a St Patrick’s Day treat but they’re so good it’s gonna be hard to give them away!💚🍀
I am so glad you enjoy them so much!!
This recipe is a family favorite. Only had one banana left. Added grated zucchini, extra honey and dried apples instead and they came out as delicious as always. These are THE best. Thank you!!!
Have you added berries? Would you need to decrease the banana to account for the extra moisture? Thanks!
I have added blueberries at the end and haven’t felt the need to adjust anything in the recipe.
Love these muffins– lightly sweet and full of healthy oats and some greens. Great fuel for the day, and it’s so nice to be able to eat a muffin for breakfast with zero guilt.
These are a regular in our house and have been for about 3 years. We almost always have the fixings! My 3.5 and 2 year old love helping, and it’s so easy (and such a forgiving recipe) that I don’t mind. I usually aim for a deep green with lots of spinach, and to counteract the wetness, I add about 1/4 cup of chia seeds. I tell myself I’ll remember to ground them with the oatmeal, but they usually get added at the end. Thanks again for a yummy recipe that have seen my kids through even their pickiest phases!
Hi Heather! I am SO glad this recipe helps you feed your kids the way you want and helps your children to love their veggies. These kinds of reviews and comments make my job so extra special.
These are a new family favorite! We tweak slightly…I slightly reduce the oats (I use oat flour that’s already ground) and add some dark cocoa powder. My kids find them sweet enough without the maple syrup and with a few chocolate chips throughout. They feel like it’s a special treat since it looks like a cupcake. I am a nurse and often have just a few minutes for lunch, so I pack 2 of these and feel like I’m getting good nutrition/ protein/fiber without much sugar.
So can these be made with frozen spinach as opposed to fresh or would that taste weird? (Just asking because it’s what’s in the fridge!)
Thanks!
It can be! I suggest thawing the spinach first and draining off the extra water.
I made these with frozen spinach last night actually and they came out ok, the texture was a bit heavy and dense – but I did not squeeze the spinach after I thawed it (I only drained it)I would say ring the spinach out really well or maybe omit the additional milk/milk alternative. They aren’t terrible, just definitely not light and fluffy like the written recipe above comes out (we’ve made these many times as they are a constant staple in our house along with the butternut squash chocolate muffins, those are awesome too!). I hope this helps a little 🙂
Thank you for sharing that, Theresa!
I have made these a ton with frozen spinach and love them i put like 1/2-1 cup frozen right into the high speed blender and i think it comes out fine (granted I may have stranger taste buds than most.) i also throw 2 big handfuls of fresh spinach in when i have. I love these right out of fridge all week and don’t mind when they are a bit dense or anything also.
I can’t wait to try this! Could protein pancake/waffle mix be subbed in place of the oats? Looking for a way to add a bit more protein… Thanks for any help!
I love these muffins! They’re so healthy but at the same time super delicious. A great breakfast and/or snack. I used oat flour instead of grinding rolled oats and I added a little coconut flour, since my batter was so wet from all the spinach I put in xD This is the second time I’ve made them and I have a feeling I’ll keep coming back to make these again and again. Thanks, Taesha!
These are a huge hit with my 4yr old! We’ve also added blueberries to them. Great way to get some spinach in her. She doesn’t won’t eat it any other way right now.
Hello! Can I use something other than oats? My son has an allergy to oats
Hi Victoria! I have a flour based version of this recipe! Hope this helps https://thenaturalnurturer.com/kid-friendly-vegan-spinach-muffins/
We are out of apple cider vinegar. Do you recommend a substitute or what does the vinegar do?
You can use any vinegar or acid (like lemon juice) to activate the baking soda
We make these all the time and LOVE them! So easy that my kids can make them independently, and great with breakfast or as a school snack. These are one of my top 3 muffin recipes to make!
Wooohooo! I love everything about this, Bonnie!
My five year old loves these muffins!
I am so glad, Dannielle!
Any substitutions for the coconut oil? When I set it out to cool, I oftentimes forget to add it later and make the muffins without it. This has happened to me probably 5 times now. They aren’t nearly as good without it, as you would probably imagine. I want a substitute, I am sick of getting mad at myself every time I do this, which is all too often.
I totally get the frustration, Stacey! You can use whatever oil you enjoy in baking. I often use avocado oil or olive oil in these
I look forward to making these! If I’m batch cooking and want to keep them in the fridge for the week, how best should they be warmed up for daycare? Do they need to be warmed by the daycare provider (in the oven?) or can i just take it out of the fridge at 8am to put into the lunchbox and by noon will it be OK to eat?
Hi Anthea! They are fine at room temp for a day or so. I suggest keeping them in the fridge just to keep them fresh longer since they have so many fruits and veggies in them. I throw them in my daughter’s lunch box all the time and they are just fine to eat as is.
Those are so delicious. Kids love them.
I’m so glad, Lily! Thanks for sharing!
They were described as, “Perfectly sweet, soft and packed with healthy greens!” Hmm. Ours were barely sweet — even after I added extra honey/maple syrup. They were gritty/grainy vs. soft. And a handful or two of spinach across 12 muffins leaves you with maybe 3-4 spinach leaves in each muffin — better than nothing, but it does not make them “packed with healthy greens” by any means. My kiddo rejected them flat out after one bite, so now I am left either eating them myself or throwing them away. If you like the idea like I did, then maybe modify to use a flour for a softer feel? I pureed the oats for 15 minutes in a high grade food processor and it still never became smooth. Or, like one other reviewer said, maybe add some chocolate chips to coax kids into eating? Again, I like the idea but, sadly, it ended up being a waste.
Hi Nancy. Sorry to hear these muffins didn’t work for you, but I totally get that not every recipe is going to be for everyone. I (and many other readers) do find these muffins perfectly sweet, though they are milder in sweetness than a typical muffin recipe. Were your bananas very ripe? A lot of the sweetness comes from the bananas and if they were just barely ripe, that might have been part of the issue.
And this recipe IS packed with healthy greens, but you are right…it does work out to a small amount of spinach per muffin. However, that is better than nothing and adds up to a lot more than most kids would eat of spinach, period. Plus, my goal is help people warm up to veggies, so if a kid enjoys these (and many do, I’m bummed to hear your’s did not), it is a step in helping them be open to other green veggies.
The oat flour does make for a dense muffin, but I still find them soft if they are not over blended (something noted in the recipe). But oat flour recipes are not to everyone’s liking. I heard my readers and created another version of this recipe using whole wheat flour for a fluffier bake. I will ink it here for you or others who might be curious
https://thenaturalnurturer.com/kid-friendly-vegan-spinach-muffins/
The entire family loves these!! Made my first batch and two days later my kids were fighting over the last one. So made another batch tonight. But since they went so quick I made a double batch- which was not a good idea on my blender. Oops
I am so glad they were such a hit, Kristy! Yeah, a double batch can be a tall order for a blender. You could do that by pulsing the dry ingredients into a flour first and then dumping into a bowl. Then blending the wet ingredients and pouring into the dry and mixing by hand. Much easier on the blend and prevents over mixing!
This are so good! Like, way better than I feel like they have any right to be for not having flour or sugar, lol. My one year old and husband even enjoyed them! Definitely going to keep this recipe, and maybe even add a liiiittle bit kore spinach next time (I was worried the taste would come through too much so I was a little conservative with it). They did seem to stick to the liners a bit though so I might try just spraying the pan next time to see if that helps them keep their shape better. Definitely a winner though, thank you!
Ha! I love this! So glad you enjoyed them so much. As for the sticking to the liners, I find that they do stick to some cupcake liners and then don’t to others. These muffins do have less oil than a traditional muffin recipe, so spraying the pan certainly couldn’t hurt!
If I use gluten free whole grain 1 minute oats, do I still cook as directed? They are rolled oats. Thanks so much! This looks delicious!
Those should work!
I made these this afternoon! I’m always trying to get my toddler to eat green veggies. I brought her into the kitchen and she helped me make them! I followed the instructions by mixing the oats, baking soda, etc. first, pouring into a bowl, and then blending everything else and adding to bowl. The texture was great. I got 15 muffins out of my batch (used a cookie scoop). I did the applesauce sub for banana since that’s all I had. I also made them vegan by subbing 2 flax eggs (I made them together – 2 tbsp flax to 6 tbsp water). They are the perfect amount of sweetness! We also added some (or in my 2 year old’s case A LOT! Lol) chocolate chips on top. I’ll definitely be making these again!
I love using the applesauce sub! So glad these were such a success, Kayla, and thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
My toddler loves these! I had asked you if your veggie loaded chocolate muffins could be made as mini muffins & you said yes, just cook for 13 minutes – I did that and sent the batch to my son’s pre-school with rave reviews from the class! I want to now try this one – is this one also ok as mini muffins with a cook time of 13 minutes? Can all your muffin recipes be made as mini muffins or are there any type that don’t work as well as minis?
THanks!!
I am so glad it was a success! And I haven’t run into any of my muffins that can’t be made as minis yet! I actually made a version of the green smoothie muffins as minis with traditional flour! Here is the link to the post with the recipe and the how to!
https://thenaturalnurturer.com/9-healthy-after-school-snacks/
I have made this muffin probably 100 times. I have tried so many thing like replace spinach with frozen butternut squash with apples, raisins, ive done flax eggs, I’ve thrown walnuts and raising in the blender, i generally do apple sauce in place of banana (always ripe!) and reduce syrup to 1/4 cup and always add blueberries, and strict GF oats …they are the most versatile things ever. I needed/wanted to try a lower fat version and was wondering what to replace some or all of the oil with and tried aquafaba. Not knowing much about the science around baking i just went on a whim because i had it in front of me. It is delicious! The muffins had full flavor and moist and all the things. I love these muffins so much! Thank you for this game changing recipe in my household!
Yes! I love this, Molly! This recipe is so forgiving and I have used it as a base recipe for so many other veggie-loaded muffins.
You can replace the oil in these with applesauce or even pumpkin, but I would bake them in silicone muffin liners or grease your muffin tin well to prevent sticking. I’ve never tried replacing oil with aquafaba, but not I want to try!
How would I reheat the muffins if frozen? Thanks!
You can zap them in the microwave or thaw them in the fridge or on the counter overnight!
Thank you!
Oh my goodness. These are so good . Again you knocked it out of the park. I think these are my favorite.
I made a batch of these today too! I’m so glad you enjoyed, Karen. They are easily a favorite of mine too and my go-to for when I want to make a healthy snack or breakfast option for the week but don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen.
I love these muffins as written, but I have a couple zuchinni I need to use up and I’m wondering how that moisture would compare to spinach if I swapped the two..? Have you tried it?
Hi Tricia! I’ve never tried these with zucchini instead of spinach but this muffin recipe might interest you since it is made with oats too and zucchini! https://thenaturalnurturer.com/chocolate-chip-zucchini-muffins-gluten-free-dairy-free/
Very excited to try these! Question: if I making mini muffins, how long should I cook them for?
Thank you!
I would say about 13-15 minutes!
This is one of my kids’ FAVORITE muffin recipes!! … do you have a time recommendation to bake the muffins if you’re using a mini muffin tin?!
So glad you enjoy them! I would say 13-14 minutes for mini muffins should do it!
These are a staple in our home! Everyone gobbled them up!
I’m so glad, Krista! They are certainly a staple in our house too and one I lean on when I just want something simple that everyone will eat. Thanks for taking the time to share!
We love these! We call them Grinch muffins this time of year, and throw in some chocolate chips. So easy and delicious, and I appreciate that they’re also gluten free.
I love all the different names these muffins have 😅
I was looking for a healthy muffin recipe for my almost three year old. She loves the store bought muffins and wants to eat them all the time. I knew I had to find a better alternative without all the refined sugar so we could both be happy. These did the trick!! We both love them! I also enjoy that they are gluten free for my gluten free family members.
So glad you found what you were looking for in these muffins, Leah!
Love these so much! Can I use frozen spinach? Would I need to alter anything ?
So glad you enjoy them so much, Tara! You can use frozen spinach, but I would defrost the spinach first and drain off any extra liquid. Also, since greens wilt down considerably when freezing, I would reduce the volume. So maybe start with 1/2 cup defrosted spinach.
My picky kids devour these muffins and they’re so easy to make, my 3 year old loves to help! Do you have any suggestions for adapting them to add protein powder?
I’m so happy to hear that, Danielle! As for adding protein powder, it kind depends on what kind of protein powder you use. Severing sizes for each brand can vary and they do tend to soak up liquid. I would say add the protein powder and a touch more liquid to get the batter to the consistency that you know from previous batches.
This is my go-to simple muffin recipe! It’s a staple in our house with two littles. Made it so many times and I am finally giving it my five-star rating!
That is so awesome to hear, Tanya! I’m honored that it has become a staple recipe in your house and deeply appreciate you taking the time to leave a review!
These came out more grainy than I had hoped. I had a small cuisinart mixer so I mixed the dry first, then the wet and then combine them in a bowl with a spoon. Did I do something wrong?
Hi Julie! I saw the picture you emailed me and it looks like you needed to blended the oats down more before adding them to the bowl with wet ingredients. The oats should almost look like flour and have a very fine texture. An easy mistake to make!
If you prefer to use flour in your next batch, I have a version in this blog post using four instead of ground oats. https://thenaturalnurturer.com/9-healthy-after-school-snacks/
Hello! Love all things NN!!! So appreciate your recipes.
Wondering if I could substitute buckwheat flour for the oat?
Hi Krissa! I’m delighted you are loving the recipes! I haven’t tried this recipe with buckwheat flour but I think it might work! If you give it a go, please let us know how it goes!
Will do! Thanks so much🙂
Finally took the time to make these and now I’m kicking myself for waiting so long. I was a little concerned because my batter definitely was not thick, but these came out so moist and delicious and perfectly sweet. So, so good!! Will certainly make a larger batch to keep in the freezer next time.
I’m so glad you enjoy these as much as we do, Melissa! They are frequent flyers in our house!
These are my go to muffins, everyone loves them. So easy and so good! Thank you!
So glad, Megan! They are a staple in our house too!
How long would you cook in mini muffins pans ? Thanks
I would probably do 11-13 minutes
We substituted 1 banana for 1/2 c. applesauce, and added 1/3 c. sourdough starter to this recipe….they were absolutely amazing! Definitely adding these to our regular rotation! Thank you for such a a plethora of delicious recipes!
Love the idea of the added sourdough starter!!! I need to try that. So glad you enjoyed them, Bethany!