Healthy Carrot Apple Muffins – naturally sweetened with a tender crumb, these wholesome muffins are a healthy treat made in one bowl! Apples, carrots, and cinnamon combine for a sweet, spiced muffin that is perfect for a quick breakfast or snack. Dairy Free.

carrot apple muffin cut in half

The Best Carrot Apple Muffin Recipe

A healthy muffin that tastes like carrot cake and apple cake combined? Yes, please!  I love to make a batch of muffins at the beginning of the week to have on hand for breakfast on-the-go or quick snacks. Full of nutritious carrots and apples and wholesome ingredients, these tasty muffins are a healthier baked good that is naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup and no added processed sugars.

Whip up this recipe in one bowl (for easy clean up) and enjoy these delicious apple carrot muffins along with your morning tea or coffee, as an afternoon snack, or a quick sweet (but guilt free) treat!

Ingredients

  • Grated Carrots – use a box grater or food processor to shred the carrots.
  • Fresh Apples – VERY finely diced apples or grated apple are best in this recipe. You can also use a food processor to shred the apples, similar to the carrots.
  • Banana – brings a touch of sweetness to the muffins without added sugar. Use a very ripe banana (with spotting) for best results.
  • Avocado Oil 
  • Egg
  • Unsweetened Applesauce – no sugar added
  • Pure Maple Syrup
  • All Purpose Flour
  • Cinnamon
  • Sea Salt
  • Baking Soda

ingredients for healthy carrot apple muffins

Variations & Substitutions

  • Oil – melted coconut oil is a good substitute for the avocado oil.
  • Maple Syrup – try substituting honey in place of the maple syrup.
  • Flour – to make these muffins gluten free, use a gluten free flour blend or try substituting oat flour or almond flour for the all purpose flour (keep in mind this will result in a different texture for the muffins.)
  • Spices – try my Homemade Apple Pie Spice in place of the cinnamon for even more depth of flavor.
  • Optional mix-in: I love chopped walnuts in these muffins. They pair perfectly with apples and carrots and add some healthy Omega 3s too!
  • More Options: make mini muffins using a mini muffin tin.

Step-by-step Instruction

  1. Prepare a standard muffin tin with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine mashed banana, shredded carrots, finely diced apples, oil, egg, applesauce, and maple syrup.
  3. Add in the dry ingredients and stir well.
  4. Spoon batter into the muffin pan, filling about 1/2 full.
  5. Bake muffins for 15 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick in the center of a muffin. They are done when the toothpick comes out clean.

Common Questions

What type of Apple is best in muffins?

Honestly, any variety of apples works great in this recipe. I like the flavor of Fuji apples best, but you can use whatever tart or sweet apple you have, or even a combination of apples.

What are Morning Glory Muffins?

Morning Glory Muffins typically contain apple, carrot, nuts, shredded coconut, raisins, and a whole wheat flour for the base. You can easily take this recipe up a notch to make Morning Glory Muffins by substituting whole wheat flour and stirring in some coconut flakes, raisins, and chopped walnuts.

What are the macros for Carrot Apple Muffins?

Carbs: 23 grams

Protein: 2 grams

Fat: 7 grams

Fiber: 1 gram

Storage Instructions

Keep muffins in an airtight container. Refrigerate if desired. Freeze muffins in a sealed container.

More Healthy Muffin Recipes

Gluten Free Banana Muffins

Grain Free Apple Cinnamon Blender Muffins

Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins

baked carrot apple muffins in muffin tray on cooling rack close up of healthy carrot apple muffins on cooling rack

close up of carrot apple muffins on cooling rack

Healthy Carrot Apple Muffins

Servings: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Author: Nikki
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple carrot muffins, healthy breakfast muffins, morning glory muffins
Healthy Carrot Apple Muffins - naturally sweetened with a tender crumb, these wholesome muffins are a healthy treat made in one bowl! Apples, carrots, and cinnamon combine for a sweet, spiced muffin that is perfect for a quick breakfast or snack. Dairy Free.
5 from 1 vote
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Ingredients 

  • 3/4 cup grated carrots
  • 3/4 cup finely diced apples
  • 1 medium ripe banana, mashed
  • 1/3 cup avocado oil
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour, or gluten free flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Equipment

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin by spraying cups with avocado oil or lining with muffin liners.
  • In a large bowl, combine mashed banana, beaten egg, oil, and applesauce.
  • Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt to the mixture and mix well.
  • Stir in grated carrots and apples.
  • Scoop batter into muffin cups, about 1/2 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Nutrition

Calories: 161kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.002g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 152mg, Potassium: 119mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1370IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg

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