One Bowl Banana Waffles (Baby & Toddler Friendly)
Naturally sweetened, these one bowl banana waffles for babies and toddlers are a nutritious & tasty breakfast to serve your whole family! These waffles can be easily doubled to freeze additional portions for your future self. They are a staple in our home, making Sunday mornings the best!
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"I love to make a batch of these for eating right away and one for the freezer. They are delicious from frozen and heat up so easily in the toaster!" -Kelsey
Mornings in our homes are a mix of chaos and cuddles. It goes like this. Wake up.
A bit of chaos.
Cuddles.
Then a bit more chaos…with loads of love.
Sound familiar?
Between getting the kids ready for the day and squeezing in a cup of chai, breakfast can feel like a whirlwind. But…our kids all love breakfast. In fact, it's often their *best* meal of the day!
While good ol' frozen waffles are a lifesaver in a pinch and can take you down memory lane, there's something special about serving up a warm, homemade version fresh off the waffle iron. Right? Right!
If we're not serving up easy fruit-pouch pancakes or the two minute apple mug cake, then we're definitely whipping up a batch of these one-bowl banana waffle recipe! It's simple, quick, and a perfect way to use up those overripe bananas sitting on the counter. With minimal cleanup and maximum flavour, it makes our mornings run just a little smoother.
Plus, seeing our kids dig into waffles made with love? Totally worth it.
Why this recipe works
🥣 One bowl recipe, easy clean up
🍌 Naturally sweetened with banana
🔄 Easy to make a double batch
❄️ Freezer friendly
👶 Baby, toddler + family friendly
SUMMARIZE AND SAVE THIS CONTENT ON:
Jump to:
- Why this recipe works
- Key ingredients
- Allergen information & substitutions
- How to make these one bowl banana waffles
- How to serve these banana waffles at each baby stage
- Recipe FAQ
- Play + books that match this recipe
- Other recommended breakfast recipes
- One Bowl Banana Waffles (Baby Led Weaning & Toddler Friendly)
- Feel confident feeding your baby and toddler
Key ingredients
Banana
Overripe bananas not only add a subtle sweetness but also make these waffles moist and flavourful without the need for added sugar.
Got a ton of ripe bananas to use? You could also try our other banana-based breakfast ideas like baby banana custard or a refreshing papaya banana smoothie for babies.
Eggs
This recipe uses two eggs, meaning extra egg nutrition for your little one.
Flour
We're using both whole wheat flour for a fibre boost and all purpose flour. This ratio makes the waffles light and airy!
Ground flaxseed
Flax seeds are a powerhouse ingredient rich in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, making the waffles even more nutritious with little extra effort.
Milk
Milk is necessary. You can use any dairy milk or plant beverage and the recipe will work out just fine.
Pantry basics
You'll also need baking pantry basics like vanilla, baking powder, salt and cinnamon for flavor!
Allergen information & substitutions
This recipe contains three top priority allergens including: wheat, milk and eggs. You could substitute the wheat for a gluten free flour blend you enjoy. For the milk, we suggest using a plant beverage that you know works for your family. To replace the eggs, you can use an egg replacement and we reiview several here.
At Happy Healthy Eaters, we share the most current allergen guidance inside our Start Solids Confidently video lessons.
How to make these one bowl banana waffles
The full recipe is below, but here are a few key steps to visualize the process.
1. Start by mashing the bananas until runny and stirirng in the eggs.
2. In the same bowl, add the dry ingredients. Fold in gently, being sure to not overmix the batter.
3. Pour batter onto a greased and preheated waffle iron.
4. Cook waffles until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes depending on your waffle iron settings.
How to serve these banana waffles at each baby stage
6-9 months: You can slice the waffles lengthwise or in "fingers". Since doughy textures are unsafe for babies, you want err on the side of caution and get the waffle to more of a toast-like texture! Waffles tend to be crisp when you first take them out of the iron, but can soften once they sit on the plate. You can always pop a waffle into the toaster to re-dry it.
9-12 months: As your baby works on improving their pincer grasp, you can serve these waffles by slicing them into very small bite size pieces.
12 months+: For your toddler, slice the waffles into bite size pieces. The size will depend upon your child's unique ability.
Serving suggestion: To build these banana waffles out into a balanced meal you can serve them alongside more fruit and a source of protein such as scrambled eggs! Feel free to serve it with some no-added sugar chia berry sauce instead of maple syrup for a baby.
Recipe FAQ
You're welcome to drizzle the classic syrup on your toddlers, if you've introduced them to added sugar. Remember, for children ages 0 to 24 months, added sugar is formally not recommended. But if you're looking for some low to no added sugar options, here's a bunch!
Spreads
Butter/margarine
Peanut butter, nut butter, or seed butter
Cream cheese
Fruit
Chia Berry Sauce
Sliced bananas
Fresh berries
Jam
Dollops or Dips
Yogurt
Lightly sweetened whipping cream
Applesauce
Sprinkles
Finely chopped nuts or seeds
Icing sugar in a shaker jar*
Mini chocolate chips
*This is a great way to allow your toddler the autonomy of adding something sweet to their own dish while making it difficult for them to go overboard. It can take a lot of shakes for a lot of icing sugar to come out!
Yes! In fact, why not take a few extra minutes to make a double or triple batch to keep on hand in the freezer? These will last in your freezer for 3 to 6 months!
This is how we like to freeze waffles:
- Place cooked waffles in a single layer on a baking sheet. Add a layer of parchment on top. Then keep layering waffles and parchment until you've stacked them all.
- Freeze. Once frozen, transfer the waffles to a zip lock bag.
- Now they won't stick together so it's easy to grab whatever number you want to pop in the toaster!
If you don't have ground flaxseed you can substitute in chia seeds. While we haven't tried this ourselves, we've learned from others that it works great to sprinkle them in and let it sit in the batter for about five minutes!
Yes, just replace the milk with any plant beverage that best suits your family.
While we haven't tested this substitution ourselves, from our past experience we believe it would work to substitute a gluten-free flour mix that contains xanthan gum.
If you have leftover and don't want to freeze let the banana waffles cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight reusable bag or container. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat: the toaster is our go-to for reheating homemade waffles, especially from frozen. It helps them crisp up on the outside while staying soft and fluffy inside.
Play + books that match this recipe
Food play is a powerful first step when introducing something new - it helps children feel safe, curious, and more willing to taste. Here are a few ways to try it:
If you tried this one bowl banana waffle recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
One Bowl Banana Waffles (Baby Led Weaning & Toddler Friendly)
Ingredients
- 2 very ripe bananas mashed really well
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup ground flax seed
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt*
Instructions
- Preheat waffle iron.
- Mash bananas in a large bowl until fairly runny.
- Crack the eggs into the bowl and mash until combined.
- Add in milk and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
- Whisk in the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, ground flax seed, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt (omit the salt if your baby will be enjoying some).
- Pour batter onto greased waffle iron and cook until golden.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Feel confident feeding your baby and toddler
To learn how to prepare food to be the right size, shape, and texture for your baby or toddler and reduce the risk of choking, take one of our feeding courses.
I made these this morning and they were delicious! They are perfectly sweet and I love that there is no added sugar. I used 100% freshly milled spelt flour, so I only used half of the flax meal to compensate because fresh flour soaks up more water. They turned out perfectly! Thanks for another great recipe!
You had us at spelt! That sounds wonderful. We are sooo glad to hear you and the family enjoyed this recipe!
I made this for my 18 month old and my hubby and we loved them! In case anyone else is gluten free (my husband and I are celiac) I used 3/4 cup of gluten free AP flour and a 1/2 cup of oat flour and they turned out perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
This is so wonderful to hear! We really appreciate that you gave this recipe a try even though the original is gluten containing - take that leap of faith means a lot to us. We're going to share this with our audience because we know it will be impactful!
Anything with bananas is a hit with my toddler! Thank you for a staple recipe.
We literally make these twice a month. Each time, I double the batch and freeze them. I find my kids reach for these for a healthy snack too.
Glad to hear this recipe worked for you and the whole family. Have you tried having breakfast for dinner with these waffles? It's the best!
love this recipe! make a big batch on the weekend and freeze for easy weekday breakfast! my 13 month old loooooves!
These banana waffles are to die for! So delicious!
We couldn't agree more!
If I could give this recipe ten stars, I would!! Prepared it exactly as suggested. I have a similar waffle iron that makes 4 square shapes and they turned out soft and didn’t even need as much syrup because of the banana.
The feedback we LOVE to hear. This recipe is also a staple in our homes. We double the recipe to freeze.
I love to make a batch of these for eating right away and one for the freezer. They are delicious from frozen and heat up so easily in the toaster!
So glad this recipe has been enjoyed in your home. We love it too!!
Big fan of these! My son(1.5 yrs) recently just crushed 4 while I was cooking them… couldn’t even get a freezer stock! Staple in our house
Wow! Yaay, so glad it your kiddos stamp of approval. After all, we want kids to come to the table enjoying food!
love this recipe! make a big batch on the weekend and freeze for easy weekday breakfast! my 13 month old loooooves!
Right!? So yummy! We really want to spend more time developing even more yummy waffle recipes. But we're not sure we can beat this one!
so quick, so easy! had the intention of freezing some but my kiddos are then everyday for a week!
My trick for making sure there is a freezer stash is ensuring I double the recipe!
Easy and delicious! Kiddos love them. I love making them. Great to make and store in fridge/freezer for meals throughout the week. Love them!
Carly - so glad to hear that is the recipe you enjoy with your family. We love this feedback!
My family loves these waffles; I always make a double recipe so there are leftovers for the freezer. I have noticed that they stick to the waffle iron more than recipes that contain oil, so just be ready to grease your waffle iron in between batches.
Thanks for that tip. We are sooo happy your family enjoys this recipe. It's a great option for breakfast but really any meal of the day.
turned out as expected. I was out of flax so I substituted chia seeds but I didn't blend it up before using. I let it soak with the milk for a few minutes before combining everything. it didn't get a nice crispy Edge like some waffle recipes but it was perfect for my 18-month-old
Ah, love that the chia seeds worked out for you! Thanks for trying the recipe.
Definitely gonna try this!!!
Let us know how it goes!