Delicious Apple Carrot Muffins are easy-to-make muffins perfect for breakfast on the go. These muffins are also great for packing into lunch boxes.
Whip up a batch and have fresh muffins in just 30 minutes!
A delicious healthy muffin
Muffins really are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast! They are easy to eat and full of flavor. These apple carrot muffins are a muffin you can feel good about!
The muffins are made with white whole wheat flour, oats, shredded carrots, and apples. The muffins have just a touch of sweetness and they last for several days!
There's a whole cup of shredded carrots in these muffins. They are a great way to sneak some extra veggies into your picky eaters. If they cringe at the sight of the carrots in the muffins, just use the smallest hole on your grater and they'll never even notice them.
Key ingredients
This section reviews the best ingredients and substitutions for this recipe. For an exact list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.
- Carrots - You'll need about 3 large carrots. If they are fresh and the skin isn't tough, you don't need to peel carrots. Avoid using pre-shredded or cut baby carrots. They don't have the same taste or freshness as a whole carrot.
- Apples - Any type of apple will work. I used Gala, but Fuji or granny smith would be great too. No need to peel the apple. I grate with the skin on. You'll never even notice it in the muffins.
- Flour - I use white whole wheat flour. White wheat flour is a whole wheat flour ground with white spring wheat instead of the traditional red spring wheat. White wheat flour is lighter in color and flavor and cooks up beautifully light in muffins. All-purpose flour may also be used.
- Oats - Add a bit of texture to the muffins. Use old-fashioned or one-minute oats. The old-fashioned oats will offer more texture.
- Spices - Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg
Making apple carrot muffins
In this section, I share step-by-step photos, cooking methods, techniques, and a general overview. For detailed instructions, temperatures, and timing, check the printable recipe card below.
- Grate the carrots and apples
- In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices
- In a separate bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla
- Add milk mixture to flour mixture. Stir just until most of the flour is mixed in.
- Add carrots and apples. Fold until all flour is fully mixed in.
- Place in greased or paper-lined muffin tins
- Bake in preheated oven
- Allow muffins to cool for 2-3 minutes, remove from muffin tin and continue cooling on a baking rack
Recipe tips
- If you want the carrots to be hidden, use a very small hole when grating
- Don't fully mix the batter together until after you add the carrots and apples. They will add additional moisture to the batter.
- Bake with paper liners, or spray your muffin tin with a nonstick spray
- Use a cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop to easily fill the muffin tin
- For a special touch, sprinkle the top of the muffins with a bit of vanilla sugar or cinnamon sugar just before baking!
Frequently asked questions
Yes, these muffins freeze well. Allow muffins to fully cool, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. For easy grab-and-go muffins, wrap each muffin first in plastic wrap and then in a freezer bag.
These muffins will be good for 3-4 days when stored at room temperature.
Variations on carrot apple muffins
- Nuts - Add ¾ cup of chopped nuts. Walnuts, pecans or almonds would all be delicious
- Dried Fruit - Add ¾ cup of raisins or golden raisins, or dried cranberries
- Coconut - Add ½ cup shredded coconut. Use sweetened or unsweetened coconut.
More delicious healthy muffins
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious muffin recipes!
Apple Carrot Muffins Recipe
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 1½ cups white wheat flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup oats (old fashioned or 1 minute oats)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup oil (vegetable or canola)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup grated apple (1-2 apples)
- 1 cup grated carrot (2-3 carrots)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Prepare muffin tin by lining with paper liners or spraying with a nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices1½ cups white wheat flour, ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ cup oats, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- In a separate bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil and vanilla2 eggs, ½ cup milk, ¼ cup oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add milk mixture to flour mixture. Stir just until most of the flour is mixed in.
- Add carrots and apples. Fold until all flour is fully mixed in.1 cup grated apple, 1 cup grated carrot
- Place in greased or paper lined muffin tins
- Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 15-18 minutes
- Allow muffins to cool for 2-3 minutes, remove from muffin tin and continue cooling on a baking rack
Notes
- If you want the carrots to be hidden, use a very small hole when grating
- Don't fully mix the batter together until after you add the carrots and apples. They will add additional moisture to the batter.
- Bake with paper liners, or spray your muffin tin with a nonstick spray
- Use a cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop to easily fill the muffin tin
- Use all-purpose flour instead of the white wheat flour
- Nuts - Add ¾ cup of chopped nuts. Walnuts, pecans, or almonds would all be delicious
- Dried Fruit - Add ¾ cup of raisins or golden raisins, or dried cranberries
- Coconut - Add ½ cup shredded coconut. Use sweetened or unsweetened coconut.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Jasson says
Very nice recipe chef 👍👌👏. I really enjoyed the first one 😋 yummy. Thank you for your effort 🌻🌞😎.
Maude F says
I made these muffins today. They are fantastic! Super easy and I used a small chopper to grate my apples and carrots.
Kathy says
Thanks so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed the muffins.The chopper sounds like a quick and easy way to grate everything. 🙂
Michelle says
I made these a few weeks ago and they were a huge success. My kids both loved them. I made one batch normal sized muffins and one batch mini muffin size. I froze the minis and used them for school lunch boxes. It worked brilliantly.
Decided to make them again today but realised I didn't have eggs, so I used flax eggs instead (ground flax seed with water) and the result was just as awesome!
Kathy says
Hi Michelle,
I'm so glad you're enjoying the muffins! The minis are a perfect size for lunch boxes. I appreciate your tip about flax seed in place of the eggs! I'm sure others will use that tip as well.
Happy Baking!
Kathy 🙂
Diane says
Delicious! All ingredients can be easily found in the pantry. Easy to follow instructions and they came together quickly!
Kathy says
Hi Diane,
Thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Kathy
Naomi says
Delicious! Will make again!
Kathy says
Thanks so much!
Salina says
These are delicious! The muffins are moist but not wet and my family loves them.
Kathy says
Thanks so much! Glad everyone loves them! 🙂
Me says
Very delicious. Only took 1 large carrot to get a cup of packed shredded and only 1 large apple. I used raisins too and half white half ww flour. This recipe was lower in added sugar than most muffin recipes but I still lowered sugar to half cup. Very moist so next time I will try 1/4 cup sugar and all ww flour.
Kathy says
Wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing your ideas. Glad you enjoyed the muffins.
Kathy 🙂
Joyce Knight says
Could I use 1/2 white flour and 1/2 regular whole wheat flour?
Kathy says
Hi Joyce,
Yes, that should work fine! Enjoy 🙂
Kathy
David @ Spiced says
Oh these muffins sound fantastic, Kathy! I do love a good muffin (esp split and toasted with a bit of butter), and the flavors here sound amazing. It's almost like a cross between apple muffins and carrot cake muffins! Sign me up for a batch or two!!
Kathy says
You bet!