It's time to make kale muffins! These are sweet healthy muffins perfect for the lunch box, that are bright green from the nutritious green kale. Bananas and honey sweeten these muffins to make all kids, toddlers, and adults smile!
I love adding veggies to snacks and baked goods, like these zucchini bran muffins or carrot pineapple muffins. Green spinach muffins inspired this recipe, but having wilted kale in my fridge, I created this delicious treat!
Jump to:
- You are going to love this recipe because,
- Ingredients needed
- Danika's quick nutrition tip
- Step-by-step instructions for green muffins
- Top tips for vibrant green muffins
- Substitution and variations for green kale muffins
- Can green muffins be made with frozen kale?
- How do you store sweet kale muffins?
- Other healthy recipes to try
- Kale Muffins
- Danika Vanderpyl, C.H.N
You are going to love this recipe because,
- it's an easy recipe where you throw all the ingredients in the blender just like my orange muffins.
- these healthy muffins aren't dry, just moist and delicious!
- the kids will say they are hulk muffins, I call them green smoothie muffins, and everyone is happy!
Ingredients needed
Wet ingredients:
- Kale: The key ingredient for these muffins is fresh kale, making the muffins super green and rich in nutrition. Next try this kale beet smoothie! Read more about the benefits of kale below.
- Oil or butter: You can use any oil (olive oil, coconut oil, canola oil, vegetable oil) in these muffins or melted butter.
- Honey: These muffins are sweetened with honey. If you don't have honey use 1:1 maple syrup or cane sugar. If making these for a child under 1 use more milk instead as honey is not recommended.
- Lemon juice: Adding lemon to green muffins pops the taste and the color!
- Banana: Adding a banana makes these muffins more moist and sweet all while adding another nutrient-dense ingredient to support the body!
- Eggs: The eggs add texture and rise to the muffins.
- Milk: I use almond milk (which makes dairy-free muffins) but cow's milk, or whatever your favorite milk works!
- Optional - hemp hearts: I'm a huge fan of hemp hearts because it's a whole food that's high in protein! Add them if you have them!
Dry ingredients:
- Whole wheat flour: I choose to use organic whole wheat flour and I find the best price to buy it in bulk. However, any whole wheat flour works.
- Baking powder & soda: Using baking powder and baking soda makes these muffins rise high!
- Salt: Adding salt balances the flavor! Use good quality sea salt for nutritional benefits.
See recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities.
Danika's quick nutrition tip
Spinach is great...but kale is incredible!! Rich in fiber, chlorophyll, beta-carotene, vitamins A and C, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Kale helps regulate estrogen and blood pressure.
According to the Prescription for Dietary Wellness by Phyllis A. Balch 'calcium in kale is more absorbable by the body than the calcium in milk.' The calcium in kale will support bone health.
So let's get munching on more kale!!
Step-by-step instructions for green muffins
Follow the photos from my kitchen to make these homemade green muffins. Scroll down to see the recipe card for exact ingredient details. You can use a food processor or blender to make this recipe.
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Wash the kale in cold water, remove the stem and place the leafy part into a measuring cup until you have 3 cups.
2. Wet ingredients in the blender: Place the washed kale, eggs, banana, milk, olive oil, honey, lemon juice, and honey all into the blender container.
3. Blend the ingredients starting on low speed and increasing the blender to high speed until everything is liquidy and there is no stringy kale, about 1 minute.
4. Add dry ingredients by placing the whole wheat flour on top of the green smoothie-like mixture and then the baking soda, baking powder, and salt on top of the flour.
5. Blend again on low speed for about 10-20 seconds only until everything is incorporated, it's okay if you can see a little flour. Over-blending in this stage will decrease the rise of the muffins.
6. Pour muffin batter into a lined muffin tray, filling each muffin cup up. Place the muffins in the preheated oven for 8 minutes then turn the oven down to 375 (without opening the oven) and bake for another 6-8 minutes until they are fully cooked in the center, they will give a slight bounce when touched.
Top tips for vibrant green muffins
For a bright green color use fresh kale.
Don't overmix the batter once the flour is added as this can make them muffins small and dense.
Bake muffins at a high temperature to start (425 F) to create a higher muffin dome, then turn the oven down (375 F) to finish baking them completely.
Let the muffins sit for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan. When muffins are still hot they easily break, letting them cool slightly stops them from crumbling.
Substitution and variations for green kale muffins
- Add berries: Stir in 1 cup of berries before baking them! Blueberries or raspberries work well. You will need two muffin pans or bake them in batches.
- Add mini chocolate chips: Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top before baking them.
- Add matcha: Make green matcha muffins by adding 1-2 tablespoons of matcha to the wet ingredients in the blender.
- Use baby spinach instead of kale, do a 1:1 swap if that's what you have in your fridge!
- Bake them mini for the toddlers! My kiddos eat like 3 bites and move on so mini muffins are a win at our house! Bake at 350 F for 11-13 minutes.
Can green muffins be made with frozen kale?
I haven't tested this recipe with frozen kale or frozen spinach. I think cooked frozen kale would give a stronger kale taste than using fresh kale, however I don't believe it would alter the texture.
How do you store sweet kale muffins?
Eating soonish: These green muffins with banana will last about four days on the counter. If you want to make them last longer place the muffins in the fridge up to a week. Read all the details on storing muffins here.
Freezing: Kale muffins are freezer-friendly. Place muffins airtight bag or container, and freeze, eat within three months of freezing. I've shared all my muffin freezing experience and tips here!
Other healthy recipes to try
Are you looking to incorporate more greens into your everyday diet? Try this strawberry smoothie with a leaf of hidden kale!
I want to hear if you made these healthy green muffins! Please give this recipe a star rating and leave your comments below the recipe to help others find this recipe.
Kale Muffins
Equipment
- 1 blender
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin pan or grease well.
- Place washed kale, eggs, banana, milk, olive oil, honey, lemon juice, and hemp hearts if using into the blender. Blend until smooth about 1 minute, until there are no kale piece and everything is liquidy.
- Add the flour on top of the 'green smoothie' mixture, then place the baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt on top of the flour. Blend on low speed for 10-15 seconds until fully incorporated.
- Pour the muffin batter into the muffin pan, filling each muffin cup full.
- Bake for 8 minutes at 425 F then turn the oven down to 375 F and bake for another for 6-7 minutes until they are not gooey inside and they will spring back slightly from touch.
Notes
Nutrition
Danika Vanderpyl, C.H.N
I create snack recipes with healthy ingredients that are mostly already in your kitchen. I'm certified in Holistic Nutrition and I care about giving my kids real food. Let me share my nutrient-dense easy snacks with you.
Joelle says
I was looking for nutrient dense recipes for my 9 month old, and these are exactly what I was hoping for! Thanks for including all the substitutions, and the suggestion to add berries. I also added a dash of vanilla extract! I had enough for a tray of mini muffins for my daughter and 5 for myself. We both are loving them!
Danika Vanderpyl says
Yay! This is awesome Joelle, I'm so happy you were able to make them just how you needed them. Thanks for sharing.