Name: Mini Glazed Banana Muffins For Kids (Soft, Moist and Freezer-Friendly)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3 large ripe bananas; 15.25 oz yellow cake mix ((1 box)); ¾ tsp banana extract; ¼ cup powdered sugar ((plus more if needed)); ½ tsp banana extract; 3 Tbsp whole milk ((plus more if needed)); pinch of salt

Jump to Recipe

These Hawaiian Banana Muffins are basically what happens when those forgotten bananas on the counter meet a tropical vacation. Soft, sweet, and loaded with pineapple and coconut, they’re giving major “1990s bake sale” energy—minus the awkward folding tables.

Like our Kid-friendly Oatmeal Snack Bites, they’re a breeze to make. They fit perfectly into your brunch lineup or snack stash. Honestly, it’s got all the retro-bake-sale charm without needing to dig out your old mixtapes.

Mini glaze in a muffins on a cooling rack on brown parchment paper on the white counter.

Serves: Approx: 40-48 muffins
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients:

3 large ripe bananas
yellow cake box mix
¾ tsp banana extract for the batter & ½ tsp for the glaze
¼ cup powdered sugar (plus more if needed)
3 Tbsp whole milk (plus more if needed)
pinch of salt

White bananas, banana extract milk in a glass jar, a small white bowl with powdered sugar and a yellow cake box mix. On a brown cutting board on the white counter.

Get the full printable instructions with measurements at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

Why This Recipe Works:

Kid-friendly size
Uses ripe bananas (natural sweetness)
Freezer-friendly
Perfect for lunchboxes

Step-by-Step Directions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or use an electric hand mixer. Add the cake mix and only ¾ tsp of banana extract, then thoroughly combine the banana and cake mix using a fork or an electric mixer.

Three large ripe banana bananas in a clear mixing bowl on the counter.

Mashed bananas in a mixing bowl in the white counter.

Cake mix on top of mashed banana bananas in a clear mixing bowl in the white counter.

Step 2: Line a muffin tin with mini muffin liners. Using a cookie scoop, form about one heaping tablespoon of dough into the muffin liners. Bake for 10-12 minutes and remove from the oven and let the mini muffins cool on a wire rack or plate for 10 minutes before glazing.

Powdered sugar in a white bowl and milk in a glass container on a brown cutting board on a white counter with too many muffin trays that are lined with mini paper muffin liners one of the trays already has the banana batter in the mini muffin liners and then beside that is a clear glass bowl with a cookie scoop with the raw banana muffin batter all on the white countertop.

Cooked and glazed mini banana muffins on a cooling rack on brown parchment paper beside a brown cutting board with bananas on a white counter top.

Step 3: To make the banana glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, ½ tsp of banana extract and salt until combined. Drizzle the mini muffins with the banana glaze and place them back onto the cooling rack. Let them sit for 5 minutes or until the glaze has set. Enjoy!

Pouring banana extract over powdered sugar and a large white mixing bowl on the counter.

Pouring milk into a white mixing bowl with icing sugar and banana extract on the counter.

Drizzling banana extra glaze over the mini banana muffins on a cooling rack on part of paper on the counter.

Tips:

If you can’t find banana extract, simply leave it out, and the recipe will still work well. Try our other kid-friendly snacks, like our Apple Spice Donuts and Chocolate Cherry Muffins.

FAQ:

Can you freeze mini muffins? (Yes—mini muffins freeze well for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely first, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag, and reheat in the microwave for 10–30 seconds.)
How do you keep muffins moist? Store cooled muffins in an airtight container with a slice of bread to help keep them soft. If glazed, skip paper towels since they can stick.

🍌 Before You Go…

If you’re leaning into tropical flavors, don’t stop here! Our easy Hawaiian Tropical Recipes for summer have plenty more where this came from.