Tender and moist Carrot Muffins are the perfect way to start the day. They are filled with grated carrots, applesauce, and cinnamon, and they can be topped with a smear of cream cheese frosting or served plain – either way, they’re delicious!
Our carrot cake obsession continues. We’ve shared Carrot Cake Cookies, Pumpkin Carrot Cake, Carrot Cake Cupcakes, and Healthy Carrot Cake. But, it’s time we have carrot cake for breakfast. Don’t you agree? Carrot Muffins it is!
Why you’ll love this recipe
Ease: The muffin batter comes together in under 20 minutes without an electric mixer.
Flavor: The classic flavors of carrot cake! Sweet muffins with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla. Options to add walnuts or orange zest.
Texture: Grated carrots and applesauce help to make these muffins soft and moist.
Versatility: Looking for a slightly healthier muffin? Try the ingredient swaps mentioned below. Want them a bit more indulgent? Top wit our small batch of cream cheese frosting.
Recipe overview
Muffins:
Combine the dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, leavening, and salt.
Whisk the wet ingredients: oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and applesauce.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Add grated carrots and stir until combined.
Scoop the batter into muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Cream cheese frosting (optional):
This small batch of frosting makes just enough for a smear of frosting on top of each muffin. If you’d prefer a more generous amount of frosting, feel free to double the frosting portion of the recipe. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Flavorings: vanilla, cinnamon, or orange zest
Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and the flavoring of your choice and beat until smooth and combined. Spread the frosting onto the tops of each muffin using a butter knife or small offset spatula.
Recipe tips
- Grate the carrots using the small holes of a box grater. Grating the carrots fine allows them to soften and almost melt into the cake while it’s baking.
- To properly measure flour: Fluff the flour with your measuring cup, scoop a heaping portion, and level it off with the back of a knife.
- For a more prominent cinnamon flavor, add extra cinnamon (up to 2 teaspoons total) or use cinnamon flavored applesauce in the muffin batter.
- Flavor your cream cheese frosting with either vanilla, cinnamon, or orange zest. All three flavors pair great with the muffins.
Healthier options
If you’d like to make a few ingredient swaps to make these muffins “healthier” you can do any of the following:
- Reduce the sugar to ½ cup
- Use a heart healthy oil (like olive oil)
- Swap half of the all purpose flour for white whole wheat flour
- Omit the frosting
- Add ¼ cup chopped walnuts into the muffin batter
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Carrot Muffins
Ingredients
Muffins:
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour , see note*
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1-½ teaspoons ground cinnamon , increase to 2 teaspoons, if desired
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1-½ cups FINELY grated carrots, loosely measured, not packed (about 2 medium-large carrots)
Frosting:
- 2 ounces cream cheese , softened to cool room temp
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened to cool room temp
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar, plus more, if needed
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract or ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon, or finely grated zest of ½ a small orange
- ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts, optional garnish
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with 10-12 paper liners or grease the muffin cups. Set aside.
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk oil, applesauce, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined. Add dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until almost fully combined. Stir in carrots.
- Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about ⅔ full (depending on how large your muffin cups are you will fill between 10 and 12 muffin cups). Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting:
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt until combined. Add powdered sugar and flavoring of choice and beat until well combined (starting the mixer slow then increasing the speed). Add a bit more powdered sugar to thicken, if necessary. This frosting can also be placed in the fridge for 15 minutes or so to thicken up. Use a butter knife or small offset spatula to frost the top of each muffin. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Kasia
I am wondering is the nutritional facts are for 1 single muffin or 100 g of it ??
Allison
It’s per muffin.
Nicole
Can I substitute Greek yoghurt for the apple sauce? I don’t have apple sauce at hand but I do have yoghurt.
Allison
That should work. The muffins might be a bit less sweet though. Enjoy!
alexandra dream suckow
It does work and it is a bit tasteless
Cheryl Evans
Can these be frozen
Allison
Yes they can. I typically recommend 2-3 months max for muffins. Enjoy!
Ellen
Thes look delicious! Can brown sugar be used in place of granulated sugar?
Allison
Yes, that should be fine. Enjoy!
Ellin
Oh my, this is the healthiest and most delicious carrot muffin recipe!
My dad hates overly sweet stuff but he loved the muffins. He even took some to work.
It was so moist on the inside and right amount of sweetness.
Thank you so much for this recipe:)
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Pris
Not sure what happened with these, but I’m not too impressed. The muffins turned out rather dense and dry. Not a very nice crumb at all. Flavour-wise they’re alright.
Allison
I’m sorry to hear that. Did you make any changes to the recipe?
Miss
Perhaps you over mixed the recipe and/or possibly over baked it, aswel. Maybe, try again🙂
Julie
My kid’s loved these. Made a few changes,
Coconut oil instead of canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup white sugar (oops it was to be 2/3 cup but it totally worked out)
A pinch of nutmeg and clove.
This will be a regular item for us. I didn’t make the frosting but will make some to try.
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing your changes. 🙂
Miss
👍😃😀 I did the same with a little ginger aswel and they turned out so good!! (Brown sugar makes any muffin/loaf taste better, lol. Unless they are light muffin/loaf, such as lemon etc.)
Happy bakes❤️😃😉
Pat
Excellent! I made this just as printed and they were perfect. My family enjoyed them and want more. This will be a weekly treat. Thank you for sharing your delicious treat
Allison
You’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Xiomara
Would not adding apple sauce make a big difference?
Allison
I’d recommend adding another “wet” ingredient in place of the applesauce. Mashed banana, pumpkin puree, vanilla yogurt, or drained crushed pineapple should work.
Karen
These muffins were delicious. I would definitely make these again and I did not change a thing in the recipe. Made 12 muffins.
Allison
Thanks, Karen! I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂