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These simple Spinach Cake Muffins have the perfect amount of sweetness and an appealing bright green color, but no intense spinach flavor. Kids (and adults) love them! They’re versatile and make the perfect quick breakfast, after school snack or post dinner treat!
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Years ago, a mom sent me a recipe for Spinach Cake Muffins—made with applesauce, spinach, and a boxed cake mix. Intrigued but hesitant, I decided to create a healthier, homemade version without the mix. After plenty of trial and error, I was shocked at how delicious they turned out—naturally sweet, vibrantly green, and kid-approved with no overpowering spinach taste. My kids loved them, and to this day, it’s one of my most popular recipes!
Why I Love This Recipe
- Hidden Veggies, Happy Kids: Getting kids to eat greens is tough, but Spinach Cake Muffins sneak in nutrients while tasting like a treat. It’s a win-win for everyone! Want more recipes with “hidden” veggies? Try Spinach Ricotta Bites, Roast Vegetable Pasta Sauce and Veggie Filled Frittata!
- Healthier Sweetness: Made with applesauce and less sugar, these muffins are a better-for-you option packed with fiber and essential nutrients.
- Perfect Anytime Snack: Great for a quick breakfast, school lunch, or on-the-go snack, plus they freeze well for busy days.
- Fun for Kids to Make: Even my little one, Gemma, got so excited making these that she started snacking on raw spinach! It just goes to show—when kids help in the kitchen, they’re more likely to enjoy their greens in fun, delicious ways. Here’s more Easy Recipes to Make with Your Kids!
The Ingredients
- Unsweetened Applesauce: A natural sweetener that keeps the muffins moist while reducing the need for extra sugar. Make your own Homemade Applesauce if you want!
- Large Egg: Helps bind the ingredients together for a fluffy texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor with a warm, sweet aroma.
- Fresh Spinach: The star ingredient! Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, it gives the muffins their vibrant green color without overpowering the taste.
- Sugar: Just enough to balance flavors and add a touch of sweetness.
- Oil: Keeps the muffins soft and tender while adding a slight richness. Use olive, avocado, vegetable or any oil you have on hand.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the muffins, making them light yet sturdy.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Work together to give the muffins a perfect rise and fluffy texture.
*See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements*
How to Make Spinach Cake Muffins
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease mini or regular muffin tin. You can also use muffins liners. Place the apple sauce, egg, vanilla extract, spinach, sugar and oil in a food processor and puree. Pour the spinach puree in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Place the remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl and combine.
Step 3: Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet until combined.
Step 4: Scoop batter into a greased mini or regular muffin tin, filling each cup 2/3 of the way.
Step 5: Bake for 18-20 minutes (12 minutes for mini muffins) or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t Overmix – This goes for all muffins. Stir just until combined to keep the muffins light and fluffy. Overmixing can make them dense.
- Make Them Mini – For bite-sized snacks, use a mini muffin tin and reduce baking time to 12 minutes.
- Boost the Nutrition – Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed or chia seeds for extra fiber and omega-3s.
- Sweeten Naturally – Swap sugar for honey or maple syrup for a more natural sweetener option. The texture will be slightly different, but still delicious.
More Hidden Veggie Recipes Kids Love
These spinach muffins are a game-changer—packed with hidden veggies but still a delicious treat! Whether for breakfast, a snack, or lunchboxes, they’re an easy way to add extra nutrients without the fuss!
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Spinach Cake Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh spinach, packed
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons olive, avocado, vegetable or canola oil
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Place the first 6 ingredients in a food processor and puree.
- Place the remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl and combine.
- Pour the spinach puree in a large mixing bowl.
- Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet until combined.
- Scoop batter into a greased mini or regular muffin tin, filling each cup 2/3 of the way.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes for regular-sized muffins or 12 minutes for mini muffins.
Notes
- Don’t Overmix – This goes for all muffins. Stir just until combined to keep the muffins light and fluffy. Overmixing can make them dense.
- Make Them Mini – For bite-sized snacks, use a mini muffin tin and reduce baking time to 12 minutes.
- Boost the Nutrition – Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed or chia seeds for extra fiber and omega-3s.
- Sweeten Naturally – Swap sugar for honey or maple syrup for a more natural sweetener option. The texture will be slightly different, but still delicious.
Is there a substitution for the unsweetened applesauce? My toddler cannot have applesauce and I struggle to find healthy recipes that are not sweetened naturally with applesauce or bananas (another thing he cannot have :-(. Thanks!!
I was looking for a muffin recipe for my leftover spinach pulp from my juicer. Would that work with this recipe??
I made these today as mini donuts by using a mini donut mold, cut the cooking time to 5 minutes. They came out great and my 3yr old twin girls loved them! I felt like they left less mess than muffins usually cause.
I made these once before and I thought they were excellent but they turned out too green for my picky toddler. Made them again tonight and added 2 Tbs. of coaco powder and one more Tbs. of sugar to combat any bitterness. Guess who loves them! The picky toddler! And I added 2 extra cups of spinach. Yum!
Tried these with kale (bc I didn’t have spinach), whole wheat flour, and coconut oil.. Needed to add extra apple sauce and oil, but they turned out great! My daughter loves them and so do I!
Can I make these without sugar? Or what can I substitute for sugar? I don’t give my 1 year old anything with sugar in it.
My kids call them Grinch muffins and I make them at least once a month… I also put 4 to 6 cups of fresh spinach and increase apple sauce, use coconut sugar and coconut oil… Love them…thank you for your great recipes
YUM, YUM, YUM!!! So incredibly delicious. Both my husband and four-year old gobbled up two batches of these muffins in less than a week! I made this recipe without any substitutions/modifications and they came out perfectly 🙂
How do you get fresh spinach to purée? Should it be steamed when it goes in the food processor?
My son is allergic to dairy-egg-nuts but loves muffins. Could I sub the egg with butternut squash purée?.
Making these with blueberries for the Super Bowl, Go Hawks!
Catherine,
Could you suggest a healthy icing for these muffins? May sound crazy but my 3 year old has a birthday soon and I’d like to provide these muffins aka “cupcakes” for their morning snack….help!
I increased the spinach to six cups (fresh), and they were still excellent. I added a little orange and greek yogurt.
This is my all time favorite muffin recipe….and I have tried A LOT! I have made these over and over again. Today I was out of applesauce so I threw an apple in the Vitamix, exchanged the flour for almond flour and omitted the sugar for 1/2 c. mini choc. chips. Just when I thought you couldn’t mess with perfection, they still came out great!!!! I love both of your cookbooks. Thank you for your recipes.
My little guy loves these! I blended a little banana in mine.
FANTASTIC!! I’d eat the whole batch if I didn’t have my 4 year old begging me for them. So I guess I’ll share…