HEALTHY CARROT CAKE MUFFINS

Packed with carrots, whole grains, and protein, these Carrot Cake Muffins are a delicious way to start the day. They mix up in one bowl, can be made ahead, and are delicious for a snack or breakfast. Plus: You can be eating them in about 25 minutes from when you start!

If you’re looking for a fun way to serve up vegetables to kids, muffins are always a good idea. Plus these carrot muffins are a delicious! – and such an easy snack, side dish, or breakfast option to share with the kids. You could tell your toddler they are “cupcakes” regardless of whether they have icing on them, which makes them a little bit special!

These muffins are low in added sugars and contain whole grains from rolled oats and wholemeal flour. They also have a nice amount of carrots for fiber, vitamin A, and flavor. And unlike many traditional muffin recipes, these don’t overly rely on oil for moisture – but use applesauce which adds nutrients too.

TIP: Each muffin has just over 1 gram of added sugar—the majority of the sugars you see in the nutrition info is naturally occurring in the carrots and sultanas, but the muffins still manage to taste pleasantly very sweet!

INGREDIENTS IN CARROT CAKE MUFFINS

You don’t need anything fancy to make these muffins and here’s a look at the ingredients.

3/4 cup wholemeal flour or gluten free cup for cup flour blend
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons canola or melted coconut oil
1 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup sultanas, optional

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C and coat a 24 cup mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.
Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and stir together to combine thoroughly, but gently.
Add a heaping 1 tablespoon of the batter to each prepared muffin cup and bake for 16-18 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out cleanly.
Remove from oven, cool in the pan for 2 minutes, and use a paring knife to loosen the edges as needed. Tilt in the pan to allow air to circulate underneath or transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Serve warm, at room temp, or chilled.

NOTES

To store, place in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat slightly to serve if desired. Or, place cooled muffins into a zip top freezer bag, remove as much air as possible and seal. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or in the microwave in 10-15 second increments.

To make these standard size muffins, follow the instructions, divide batter among 12 standard muffin cups (that will be about 1/4 cup each), and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin.

To make these egg-free, omit the eggs and add 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal and use 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (up from 1/4 teaspoon in the recipe). Let mixed batter sit for 5 minutes before adding to the pan. Bake for about 2 additional minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out cleanly.

To make these gluten-free, use gluten free cup for cup flour and certified gluten-free rolled oats.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CARROT CAKE MUFFINS

For best results with the texture, grate the carrots yourself. OR use kitchen scissors to roughly chop store bought grated carrots into slightly smaller pieces. (Right out of the bag, the grated carrots are often in long pieces that will be hard to fit on mini muffin cups.)
Some babies have to learn to move the texture of bread or a muffin around in their mouths, so offer smaller pieces if needed for a baby just learning this texture.
Be sure to grease the pan well and use a paring knife around the edges as needed to prevent the muffins from sticking to the pan.
When checking for doneness, look for the edges to be golden brown, the tops of the muffins to be firm to the touch, and a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin should come out cleanly—not with wet batter stuck to it.