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These carrot applesauce muffins are made with whole wheat flour and other real food ingredients. This recipe is a huge hit with the kids; they taste just like carrot cake!
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This was a HUGE hit with all three of my kids! Thank you for this recipe. It is in regular rotation and gets rave reviews every time!
For those who are looking for cupcakes for little ones (i.e. smash cake), I would totally top one of these off with some homemade unsweetened whipped cream and call it a day. This would be perfect for your baby! And if you prefer to avoid honey for your really little ones (not recommended younger than 1 year old), then 100% pure maple syrup would work just fine as a substitute.
Are Muffins Made with Carrot and Apple Healthy?
Healthy can mean different things to different people. Since these carrot muffins are made with whole wheat flour and honey instead of sugar, they’re definitely a lot healthier than most muffin recipes.
Feel free to make your own applesauce! Read up on the types of apples.
The carrot and applesauce add a sweet flavor, but they’re also nutritious, too! These Sweet Potato Muffins are another healthy option.
Why Carrot is Great in Muffins
If you’re a fan of carrot cake you probably already know how delicious carrots can be as a baking ingredient. Naturally sweet, carrots help soften (and sweeten) anything they’re baked into. And, while it’s not the same as a complete healthy meal, it’s always nice when you can add a few extra veggies into what we eat.
How to Make This Homemade Carrot Muffin Recipe
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line your muffin pans.
- While the oven heats, whisk together the dry ingredients (whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt).
- In a separate bowl (I use an electric mixer), beat the softened butter, honey, egg, and vanilla on medium speed.
- Set mixer to low, then slowly beat in the flour mixture.
- Fold in the applesauce and shredded carrots.
- Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups a bake for 22-24 minutes, or until a toothpick pressed into the center comes out clean.
Can You Freeze These Muffins?
Absolutely! All my muffin recipes freeze well, including these carrot muffins. To freeze, simply cool completely then place in an airtight container. Muffins keep in the freezer for up to three months.
To thaw, warm up on the counter overnight or microwave for about 30 to 60 seconds. You can also put frozen muffins right into kids’ lunches and they should be thawed by the time they’re ready to eat!
Tips for Shredding Carrots
- You’ll need to peel your carrots before shredding them; carrot peels can sometimes make carrot muffins taste bitter.
- The easiest way to shred carrots is with a box style cheese grater, preferably using the smaller size holes.
- Some food processors can also shred carrots.
Can This Recipe Be Doubled?
Yes, but sometimes muffins can bake differently when the recipe is doubled, depending on your oven. If you run into issues, I’d recommend baking one tray of muffins at a time, which is better for even baking anyway!
Will This Recipe Work for Mini Muffins or a Loaf?
You can definitely make muffin muffins instead of full-sized ones, just adjust the cooking time to about 12-14 minutes so they don’t overbake.
We haven’t had the chance to try this recipe in a loaf pan or as a cake yet, but if you do let us know how it turns out in the comments!
Make Carrot Cake Muffins for Dessert
This recipe already uses carrot cake spices and ingredients—they’re basically carrot cake muffins! But if you want to turn these muffins into an easy real food dessert, simply add frosting.
Carrot cake is normally topped with cream cheese frosting, but that’s loaded with powdered sugar. Instead, make a cream cheese glaze by mixing 8 oz of softened cream cheese, ¼ cup of honey, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla.
Whole-Wheat Carrot Applesauce Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (ground)
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger (ground)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter (softened (but not melted), 1 stick)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup applesauce (unsweetened)
- 3/4 cup carrot (shredded)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper, foil, or silicone liners, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
- In a large bowl fitted with an electric whisk (or beaters), mix the butter, honey, egg and vanilla together on medium speed. Turn the speed down and slowly add in the flour mixture until well combined. The batter will be fairly thick at this point.
- Using a spatula, carefully fold in the applesauce and carrots (I used a cheese grater to shred the carrots). Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick comes and muffins are beginning to turn golden brown on top. Enjoy!
I’ve made a modified version of this twice now with huge success! Our favorite version: maple syrup instead of honey, 1/3 c coconut oil instead of 1/2 c butter, add a few handfuls of raisins, and a handful or two of walnuts, finely chopped. Thanks for the inspiration! I love this site.
Oh, and I make mini muffins instead of full size. Eating a couple of them feels like more of a treat to me than one big muffin, even if I know it’s just an illusion! ♀️ I was surprised to find that I still needed to bake them the full time.
Could you use fresh ginger in place of dried/ground? Thanks!
Can I make it with no eggs?
I don’t think that would turn out well, I would recommend finding a muffin recipe that’s already been adapted without eggs.
I made them with a flax “egg” and they turned out great!
where do we include the apple sauce in the preparation?
Hi Annie, you fold it in during step 4, right before you add the batter to the muffin cups. – Nicole
We love these!!!!! How many muffins are a serving? I am meal prepping so I want to calculate caloric intake. Thank you
Tried this with a full cup of grated carrots and maple syrup instead (1:1 ratio) of honey and turned out great! Had to leave them in the oven for probably 30 mins or so. tastes very healthy and not too sweet.
So delicious !!! Love eating them warm with butter (probably not the healthiest) but they are whole wheat! (I didn’t include the carrots, one of these times I’ll take the plunge) Thank you for the yummy recipe!
This is a staple in our house! We always have some on hand in the freezer. I used to make these with maple syrup when my son was under 1 and for his birthday this was his smash cake! These are perfect for snacks or breakfast on the go!
Quick question, has anyone tried using whole wheat pastry flour for this recipe? I can’t get white whole wheat flour in my town and I’m waiting for it to come in the mail but we have a hankering for these muffins!
We haven’t tried it with pastry flour yet, it may just give it a slightly different texture though. Let us know! – Nicole
From what I understand, whole wheat pastry flour and white whole wheat flour are the same thing. :)
They are not the same. Whole wheat pastry flour has a lower protein content. It’s softness makes it great for things like pancakes, waffles, crepes, scones, biscuits, etc. For anything that needs structure like yeasted whole wheat bread, pasta or cake, stick with white whole wheat flour. If you only plan to buy 1 kind, stick with white whole wheat as it can be used in any application.
I don’t have regular applesauce. Can I use cinnamon?
Hi Katie, that should be just fine…maybe just decrease the amount of cinnamon you add in the beginning unless you don’t mind the taste. Should come out yummy either way! – Nicole
Just made these for a snack to take to a play date
I doubled the recipe and used 3/4 coconut oil and 1/4 olive oil
Was generous with the grated carrots (prob about 2cups)
Used 1/2 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp nutmeg in place of ginger
Sprinkled a dash of dark brown sugar on top before baking
They turned out so moist and delicious
Thanks so much!
Could you use almond flour in place of whole wheat?
Yes, it should be a 1:1 conversion, but might give you a different texture and flavor. – Nicole
I really like using instant pot for baked goods because 1) it makes a more reasonable portion for a family and 2) hello -Instant Pot which means I can close the lid and walk away.
Any suggestions to make in Instant Pot? Thanks for all the great recipes!
Hi there. This might help: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a19131155/instant-pot-recipe-conversion/ and you can find several other articles with advice if you Google it. We don’t have much experience converting recipes to the instapot.
These were a big hit in our house. Thank you!
Can I freeze these? A
Absolutely.
Do you know if I were to bake this as a cake for a smash cake how long, what temp, what size pan, etc?
Hi there. We’ve never attempted to make a cake from this. I’d hate to give you bad advise on such an important cake! ;)
Thank you for this recipe! This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’m going to try them out tomorrow.
Hi, have you tried these with maple syrup rather than honey? Thanks.
Yes, I have at a 1:1 ratio.
Do they taste as good with the maple syrup? Want to make these tomorrow but need to get honey. Have maple syrup on hand! Love them with the honey!
I think so. :)
Can you tell me how many carbs are in these muffins ,my husband is diabetic ,these are delicious! Thank you
Hi Patti. I am sorry but we do not provide nutrition details. There are online tools that can help: https://www.verywell.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4129594
Have made these multiple times and they are always a huge hit!! I typically have to make more than one batch.
Made these muffins today and my entire family loves them! All 3 kids and hubby approved and asked for me to make them every week. Thank you for a great recipe!
These muffins are delicious! This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Wonderful recipe!! I followed the recipe exactly, other than added about 1/4 cup coconut flakes. Turned out beautifully. Saving this recipe for sure!
Would this recipe also work in a quick bread pan?
Hi there. We’ve only baked these as muffins. Let us know if you give it a try.
Do they freeze well?
They do.
I followed this recipe with all the necessary ingredients but added raisins and chopped apple. The batter was very different than white all purpose flour and almost seemed fluffy and when the muffins were done they came out dense and seemed to have a doughy taste, no matter how long I cooked them. This was my first time baking with white whole wheat, so I’m not sure if this texture is just common for that type of flour. Next time I might try doing half and half.
Delicious! Best muffin recipe I have ever made!
These were delicious! I added a little extra carrot because I had so much to use and 1/2 cup oatmeal. I will be making these again!
Can i use grated zucchini in place of the carrots?
You could, but that’s a whole different muffin ;) – Nicole
I know you don’t post nutrition information, but I am an insulin dependent diabetic. I need to know how many carbs are in what I eat so I can take the right dosage of insulin. Any advice on how to calculate this recipe?
Hi there. I understand. This post provides suggestions on tools that will help with all those calculations: https://authoritynutrition.com/5-best-calorie-counters/.
Very good. I replaced the honey with 1/3 cup milkand they turned out great. Thank you for sharing!
Hi there I was just wondering if I can use anything to replace the honey? Maybe 100% maple syrup? And if I did this how much would I use I wonder?
Hi. You could sub maple syrup in the same amount.
I love this recipe!!! Muffins turned out perfect.
I had no carrot so added 1 cup of frozen rasberries and 1 cup of coconut and they are so delicious!!!
what would be a real food sub for the butter. My son can’t have milk products or eggs. The egg i am good on it is just the butter i am not sure how to sub that and have it be not highly processed.
Coconut oil!
These were very yummy and moist with the perfect amount of sweetness. Thank you!
These are SO good Lisa! I’ve been playing around with adding yogurt to recipes in place of oil, so I added plain greek yogurt in place of the butter, and threw in 1 c. chopped pecans. Excellent breakfast muffin! :O)
These are so good!! I even replaced the butter with coconut oil. Great to have on hand for a quick snack or breakfast on the go. Thanks!
I want to make these but don’t have any carrot shreds at the moment. I do have a jar (4oz) of pureed baby food. Can I add that instead? I wasn’t sure how leaving out the carrots would change the consistency, and if I should add something in to account for that.
Hi Erin. We’ve not tried pureed carrots in this recipe. Let us know how it works for you.
I just made this recipe as mini muffins with maple syrup and grated Apple instead of applesauce. I used only 1/2 the ginger and it tastes awesome!! It’s sweet without being cloying. Great recipe for kids. I got 24 decent sized mini muffins. Much easier for adult portion control.
would love to try – i dont see baking powder ? is that my istake?
also can I make this in a cake pan instead of as muffins? what would I adjust? TIA
This recipe uses baking soda.
Do I keep these out or do I have to freeze them? I wanna know how long they will last on my counter…
If you wish to keep them beyond a few days, I would freeze them.
What’s the best way to defrost? Leave in fridge or on counter?
On the counter. :)
Can you freeze these muffins?
Yes!