Easy Carrot Muffins are made with whole wheat flour, buttermilk, shredded carrots, cinnamon, and ginger for a tasty, healthy fall muffin!
These tasty whole-wheat muffins are like Carrot Cake on the go, that you can feel good about serving for Breakfast. Tender muffins filled with warm spices and natural sweetness – no frosting needed!
Hearty, healthy Carrot Muffins are a delicious grab-and-go breakfast perfect for chilly fall mornings. They are so quick and easy to make, you can have them in the oven in minutes and they will be ready to eat when you are ready to start your day. They keep well at room temperature too, so make them on Sunday and enjoy them as your go-to breakfast all week long.
This Carrot Muffin recipe is made with fresh carrots that add moisture and sweetness as they bake. You can use either pre-shredded carrots, grate the carrots by hand, or just use a food processor and pulse until they are tiny bits. Using a food processor is a great trick if you have picky eaters who will avoid any carrot they can see no matter how delicious the muffin is!
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Carrot Muffin Recipe
These Carrot Muffins are made in a stand mixer, but you can mix them by hand or use a handheld blender. The key to a light and tender muffin is to keep from overmixing the batter, so we like a stand mixer you can set on low speed. If you want to make these muffins by hand, use a whisk to make the wet ingredients smooth and to create air when you add in the dry ingredients.
Our Carrot Muffin recipe is so versatile, you can add or substitute ingredients on hand to make them more healthy, more indulgent, or just more fall-flavored! You can add some Pumpkin Puree for a Thanksgiving breakfast muffin, use olive oil or coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, or add vanilla extract to really make the spiced flavor pop. Check out the variations below for easy, delicious ways to make these Carrot Muffins your own.
Carrot Muffins are tasty mini-breads that taste like an old-fashioned carrot cake without the sweet frosting so you can feel good about serving them for breakfast. If you want to serve them for dessert, simply top with Cream Cheese Frosting. To make your Carrot Cake Muffins more fall-flavored, add a teaspoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice to Buttercream or cream cheese frosting.
Can These Be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can make Carrot Muffin batter ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, simply scoop the batter into muffin liners and bake as directed.
Ingredients
- 1 large Egg: The egg acts as a binding agent, providing structure to the muffins.
- ¾ cup Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds moisture and a slight tanginess to the muffins, enhancing their flavor and texture. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use a mixture of ¾ cup milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar as a substitute (Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.).
- ½ cup Vegetable oil: Vegetable oil keeps the muffins moist and tender. You can use other neutral oils like canola or melted butter as alternatives.
- ½ cup Sugar: Sugar sweetens the muffins and contributes to their texture. You can use brown sugar or a sugar substitute if you prefer.
- 1 cup Flour: All-purpose flour provides structure and helps bind the ingredients together.
- 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour: Whole wheat flour adds a nutty flavor and some extra nutrients to the muffins. You can use all-purpose flour if you don’t have whole wheat flour.
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder: Baking powder is a leavening agent that helps the muffins rise and become fluffy.
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda: Baking soda also contributes to the rise of the muffins and balances the acidity from the buttermilk.
- ½ teaspoon Salt: Salt enhances the overall flavor of the muffins and balances the sweetness.
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon: Cinnamon provides a warm, aromatic flavor that pairs wonderfully with the carrots.
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger: Ground ginger adds a spicy, earthy note that complements the sweetness of the carrots.
- 2 cups Shredded Carrots: Shredded carrots are the star of the recipe, lending natural sweetness, moisture, and a delightful crunch to the muffins. You can add a little more or less depending on your preference.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Muffin Tin: A muffin tin is essential for baking the muffins. Use muffin liners to prevent sticking, and you can also lightly grease the tin if liners are not available.
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer: A stand mixer or hand mixer is useful for efficiently mixing the wet ingredients. If you don’t have either, you can mix the ingredients by hand using a whisk or spatula.
- Sifter: A sifter is handy for combining and aerating the dry ingredients, ensuring a smoother batter. If you don’t have a sifter, you can use a fine-mesh sieve or simply whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
- Box Grater: A box grater is ideal for shredding the carrots quickly and uniformly. Be cautious while grating to avoid accidentally grating your fingers.
- Scoop or Spoon: A scoop or a spoon is essential for evenly portioning the muffin batter into the muffin liners. Using a scoop can help ensure consistent muffin sizes for even baking.
How to Make Carrot Muffins
Time needed: 25 minutes.
- Step 1: Preheat and Prepare
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and line a muffin tin with muffin liners.
- Step 2: Mix Wet Ingredients
In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine 1 large egg, ¾ cup buttermilk, ½ cup vegetable oil, and ½ cup sugar. Mix until smooth.
- Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, sift together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon ground ginger. Add this to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Step 4: Add Shredded Carrots
Gently fold in 2 cups of grated carrots into the muffin batter.
- Step 5: Fill Muffin Liners
Scoop the muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Step 6: Bake
Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
- Step 7: Cool and Enjoy
Once done baking, remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the tin for a few minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your homemade Carrot Muffins!
Nutritional Facts
How to Store
Storing
To keep your Carrot Muffins fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days and add a paper towel to absorb moisture. For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.
Reheating Tips
To preserve the taste after storage, gently reheat muffins in an oven or toaster oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5 minutes, or 20 second bursts in the microwave. This restores their warmth and soft texture, making them as enjoyable as when freshly baked.
Freezing
For longer-term storage, wrap individually in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw muffins at room temperature or in the refrigerator before reheating to maintain their original flavor and texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to ¾ cup of regular milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
Absolutely! You can use 2 cups of all-purpose flour if you prefer not to use whole wheat flour, and the muffins will still turn out delicious.
Baking soda is used to help with the rise of the muffins, while baking powder contributes to their fluffiness. They work together in this recipe to give the muffins their desired texture.
Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin; if it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, they’re done. Overbaking can result in dry muffins, so be cautious.
Absolutely! You can add chopped nuts, raisins, or even chocolate chips to the batter for additional texture and flavor.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cups shredded carrots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners.
- To a stand mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer) add the egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil and sugar.
- Mix on the lowest speed setting until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Sift together flour, wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ground ginger and add it to the wet ingredients until just combined on the lowest speed setting.
- Fold in the carrots, then scoop into the muffin liners.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes.
Notes
- Click on the “yield” amount to slide and change the number of servings and the recipe will automatically update!
- To convert measurements to grams, click on the “Metric” option next to “Ingredients” in the recipe card.
Nutrition
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Variations on Moist Carrot Muffins
- Nuts: Walnuts and carrot cake are a natural combo, so gently stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts to your batter. Try pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts too!
- Chocolate Chips: Add up to ½ cup chocolate chips or baking chips to your muffin batter, folding in flavors like dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, or toffee chips.
- Buttermilk: Instead of buttermilk, you can substitute Greek yogurt, sour cream, or a dairy-free milk. Coconut cream is a good non-dairy substitute that is still rich and creamy without mi
- Fruit: Dried fruit and berries are great healthy mix-ins for Carrot Muffins. Gently fold in a ½ cup golden raisins, dried cherries, or cranberries.
- Sugar: You can use brown sugar instead of white sugar, or a mixture of both. You can also use molasses, maple syrup, or honey to sweeten your muffins. If you want sugar-free muffins, you can use coconut sugar.
- Cream Cheese: Cut up a block of cream cheese into 12 squares and roll in cinnamon sugar. Fill muffin tin halfway with batter, add cream cheese square and top with remaining batter.
More Yummy Carrot Desserts
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