Cora's Cottage

Ever feel like store-bought snacks are either too pricey or packed with stuff you can’t pronounce? I created these homemade toddler snack puffs when I started looking for snack options for my daughter. I am conscious about what goes in and on her body and many of the snack options for toddlers on the market simply didn’t meet the basic guidelines for our family.

While you can find some better options on the market, it can be like looking for a needle in a haystack, especially if you don’t live in a well populated area and when you do find them they are often expensive.  This is exactly the problems our family faced living over an hour from the nearest Walmart or Hy-Vee.

But what if you could make these snacks for your toddler at home, in just a few minutes with wholesome ingredients that are toddler-approved, easy to find and source and make it easy to whip up a quick batch?

This easy toddler puff recipe is just that! It replaces the store-bought puffs, but allows you to control not only the ingredients but the quality of ingredients that are being used.  You can mix and match flavors to fit your baby or toddler’s preferences and what you have on hand. 

The options for flavors could truly be endless with this healthy homemade puff recipe framework for toddlers.  Not to mention, it can easily be scaled so that you can do a bulk baking day and store the extra puffs in the refrigerator or freezer to use later.  This is perfect for a busy family and to allow a variation of puff flavors for your toddler!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple Ingredients You Already Have

The ingredients are simple and likely things you already have on hand or can easily source, even if you live in the boonies like I do.  Not to mention they are clean ingredients with no questionable preservatives or flavors helping to make this a healthy snack option for your toddler.

Easy to Make (Even with Your Toddler!)

This recipe is simple and straightforward with just a handful of ingredients and no complicated steps. In fact, it is so simple you can make it with your toddler which is perfect when they are wanting to “help”!

Versatile Flavors for Every Palate (Even the Pickiest Toddler)

With one recipe, you can create endless puff flavors for your baby or toddler.  Simply turn the fruit or vegetable into a puree and you have a new flavor!  You can even sneak in fruits or vegetables that may not be your toddler’s favorite to help get extra nutrients into their diet.

How to Make Toddler-Approved Homemade Snack Puffs

Tools

• Blender
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Scraping spatula
• Ziploc bag (or pastry bag)
• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper
• Kitchen Timer

Ingredients

• Oats (or other oat flour alternative)
• Fruit/Vegetable Puree (see ideas above under “Swaps and Substitutions”)
• Baking Powder
• Spices (optional – ideas above under “Swaps and Substitutions”)

Instructions

1. Blend the Oats: Measuring out your oats into the blender and blending until you have a powder.  If you are using an oat flour alternative, you can skip this step and use a bowl instead of the blender.

2. Mix the Batter: Add your additional ingredients (fruit or vegetable puree, baking powder, oil, and spices if you are using them) and blend or mix all the ingredients until well combined.  If your toddler is helping you, letting them help by pushing the button on the blender or mix the batter in the bowl! You want a runny batter similar to a cake batter. 

3. Pour this batter into a pastry bag or a Ziplock bag with a small corner cut off. If you use a pastry bag, be sure to use a larger tip.

4. Pipe the Puffs: Onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, drop dime-sized circles of batter. Think bite-sized for a toddler. They can be close but try not to let them touch.  Any puffs that are touching will bake together and need to be broken apart.  If they are all too close and run together when baking you will need to bake them for slightly longer.

5. Bake: Bake the puffs at 350°F for 10-15 minutes (shorter if batter is thicker and longer if batter is runny – will vary with the fruit and/or vegetable puree used) before shutting off the oven and allowing the puffs to cool. 

6. Store:After the puffs have cooled, remove them from the oven and baking tray.  Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for longer term storage or on the counter if the will be consumed in a few days. They can also be stored in the freezer for extra long storage if stored in an airtight container.

Tips For the Perfect Toddler Snack Puffs

Bake Time

The bake time can vary depending on what you use for your puree.  For example, when using something like apple sauce or pear sauce, the bake time needs to be a bit longer.  However, if you are using something like bananas that are a thicker puree, the bake time can be a bit shorter.

Storage Hack

These toddler-approved puffs can be kept in the refrigerator or freezer for more extended periods of time, but can store on the counter for a couple of days.  For our family, it works best to make a large batch and store them in the refrigerator in a mason jar.  I will add them to a snack cup as needed to throw into the diaper bag as I leave the house.  If we are traveling for the weekend, I can leave the snack cup in the diaper bag without having to worry.

Batter Thickness

The thickness of the batter will be slightly different depending on the type of fruit or vegetable puree used.  For batter that is runnier, you can add additional flour or increase the baking time slightly.

Allergy Friendly

Used certified gluten-free oats or almond flour a gluten-free option.

Flavor Ideas for Homemade Toddler Snack Puffs

Puree Options

The options here are truly endless. Some of our favorites are

• Banana
• Pumpkin
• Apple
• Pear
• Peanut Butter

We also like to make combinations of these flavors.  Other flavor options you could use include

• Peaches
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Mango
• Carrots
• Avocado,
• Spinach
• Sweet potatoes

You can get creative and use pretty much any other fruit or vegetable you can turn into a puree.  You could even add peanut butter to add some extra protein.

Add Some Spice

Add spices to give these healthy snack puffs more flavor.  Some options include

• Cinnamon
• Pumpkin spice
• Nutmeg
• Ginger
• Cumin
• Cloves
• Cardamom

I like to add a little pumpkin spice when I use a pumpkin puree and will occasionally add some cinnamon to the pear or apple puffs.

Flour Swaps

While I like to make my own oat flour, you can swap this out for almond flour or another type of flour.  If you don’t have a blender, swapping it out for a pre-made flour is a good option.

FAQs About These Homemade Toddler-Approved Snack Puffs

Can I make these puffs gluten-free?

Yes! Use certified gluten-free oats or almond flour to ensure they’re safe for gluten-sensitive toddlers.

How long do homemade snack puffs last?

Store on the counter for 2 days, in the fridge for 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Can I freeze them?

Absolutely! Freeze in an airtight container and when you are ready to use them thaw them in the refrigerator until softened.

Why I Love This Recipe for My Family

I love these puffs for a quick snack when we are on the go.  To make them a fast option, I keep a snack cup in the refrigerator that I can throw in the diaper bag on the way out the door.  This allows me to have the best of both worlds. A healthy homemade snack my toddler loves where I can control the ingredients, and a snack that works when we are on the go.

With these puffs, I don’t have to worry about pouring over labels to ensure the ingredients are safe for my toddler to consume.  Instead, that work is already done when I source ingredients to bring into my home.

And, my daughter loves them!  She gets so excited when she sees her snack cup.  They are an easy toddler snack that she can do completely on her own (if you are a toddler mom, you know the struggle of “I do”) and isn’t super messy, making it one of the snacks I reach for most often.

Let me know below what flavor is your toddler’s favorite!