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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!
Featured Comment
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.
Check out these Baked Apples too!
Whole-Wheat Carrot Applesauce Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (ground)
- ½ teaspoon ginger (ground)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter (softened (but not melted), 1 stick)
- ½ cup honey
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup applesauce (unsweetened)
- ¾ 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!
Kaytlynn says
These were amazing! I doubled the recipe and used only about 3/4 cup honey and they were very sweet and delicious. I could probably get away with less, because the applesauce and carrots add natural sweetness. This is one of the recipes I've made on your site that are delicious. Thanks for such great recipe Lisa. I love looking for healthy and easy recipes for the kiddos!
Mari D says
These are a hit with my 6 yr old and 14 month old. They are delicious and love how my house ends up smelling!!
Madison says
My son ate 2 1/2 of these in one sitting! He loved them, obviously. I substituted over half of the honey with maple syrup. Don't know how I feel about the ginger. I grated on regular large carrot and it came to 3/4 cup almost perfectly! I would probably rate this 4.5 stars overall, but due to my son loving them (and the fact that I think everyone should try these at least once), a five can stay!
LaVonne says
I asked my hubby to make this while I was nursing our little one. It's really yummy! My picky 9-year old ate 2 considering he won't eat applesauce or carrots. I'll be making this again and maybe veganize it. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Emily says
I have made these muffins 3 times and my girls love them which isq surprising considering carrots and applesauce are two things they will not eat otherwise.my girls are 3 and 1.
Alice says
I just made these, and they are truly delicous. I didn't have any carrots, so I used some zucchini. I squeezed a lot of liquid out of the zucchini, but, even so, I had to leave them in the oven for an extra 15 minutes so that they could cook completely.. I will make them again for sure, but would like to try to substitute either mashed banana or more applesuace for half the butter.
Chasity says
They actually turned out just fine after I went ahead and baked them! It looked HORRIBLE when I first mixed it up though! :) thank you for getting back with me! I had another question though..I am a new follower and my family and I are just beginning our journey of eating real food. I see a lot of honey being used in recipes but I am wondering what kind is best to use? I use organic right now but I saw the other day there is raw honey. I use honey in everything but which is best?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Chasity. Lisa buys local raw honey. :) ~Amy
Katherine Gonzalez says
These were so amazing and absolutely loved them but would anyone know the nutritional value on these? Like the amount of calories and fat?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Katherine. Yummy, huh? We do not provide nutrition information on our recipes because we want people focusing on eating real foods/more whole foods and less on numbers. Here are some posts which help explain our philosophy: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/01/04/healthy-eating-defined/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/01/23/portion-size-matters/, and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/10-reasons-to-cut-out-processed-food/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/04/29/mini-pledge-week-8-stop-eating-when-you-feel-full/. There are many tools available online which can help calculate nutrition details for recipes. ~Amy
Stephanie says
Love these muffins. I substituted the butter for a non dairy, soy free spread because of my son's allergies and they came out great. We will be making these again.
Michelle says
These were so delicious. I had to hurry up and freeze them before we ate the whole batch! Will definitely make these again!!!
Stephanie says
These are fantastic - I followed the recipe as is. The kids loved them, even my picky one. I had to sneak away with 5 to freeze for lunchboxes next week.
Janet says
Amy I made them with coconut oil and it worked perfectly.
A question. I have made a couple of your recipes for muffins and they all vary slightly with whether you use baking soda and or powder. What is the reasoning/science behind this J
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Janet. I enjoy this blogger's "scientific" explanation of which to choose and why. ;) ~Amy
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Sorry, I forgot the attachment: http://joythebaker.com/2013/10/baking-101-the-difference-between-baking-soda-and-baking-powder/.
Elizabeth says
I made these last night, and already plan on making more this weekend. My kids LOVE them!
Alisha says
Yum! We've made these twice now (today we made a double batch!). Both times I've used wholegrain spelt flour and they've turned out wonderfully.
Thank you!
Franki says
I just made these. I subbed half the butter and added more applesauce. I also cut the honey in half and added golden raisins. My girls didn't like them. I think next time I would cut the ginger back, and try carrot purre or grated carrots I used shreds and they were maybe too obvious. And I guess apperently now they don't eat raisins:) I thought they were delicious.
Janet says
Yes you can. I did. They were really nice.
Tracy says
My family and I are "newbies" to real food and I've been most hesitant to try any bread recipes. I made these tonight exactly as written and I really liked them, but I was the only one. My two boys are big muffin eaters. They each only ate 1 muffin - but I am still excited. That means the next time I make them, maybe they'll like them more. Thanks for helping me make this transition from processed foods easier by supplying me with good recipes ;).
Amy says
Can you use coconut oil instead of butter
Amy
Colleen says
Yesterday I made your Broccoli Cheese soup and today I made the Carrot Applesauce muffins. Wow! Real food tastes awesome!!! Started using real food because my husband has health issues and our daughters browbeat us into it. Lol Maybe I should have said "strongly encouraged" us...and it took a few years before we embraced it. Now, both of us are totally on-board...and loving your recipies! Thanks so much for your website and especially the recipies!
Andrea says
These muffins are incredible! I made them to celebrate my son's 2nd birthday at his day care and had to make a few substitutions based on allergies. I used coconut oil in place of butter and a flax "egg" in place of the egg. They were a HUGE hit amongst the toddlers and the teachers at his center! I made them again yesterday using the exact recipe and they were even better. My son (and husband) gobbled one up at lunch. I have been making them smaller-I get 16 regular sized muffins out of the mix. I am also a Weight Watcher and they are 4pp if you make 16 muffins.
Thank you for another awesome recipe! I will be making these weekly!!
Sara says
These are my favorite of your muffins so far! The kids gobbled them up!! Delicious! Can't wait for a cook book! :)
Wendy says
These muffins are seriously the best! I have made them 3 different times already! I make double batches each time and freeze them. So convenient to get one out as you need it and they stayed so moist. It is unbelievable how good they taste and are sugar-free and oil-free. For my second time making these, I added some unsweetened shredded coconut and I will be adding it every time - so good! It's like carrot cake! Thanks!
Maureen says
I was just wondering if your muffin recipes can be cooked as a loaf? My kids love all of them, but it is easier for me to make it in bread form if possible.
Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Maureen. We have not made this one as a loaf. Here is an example of a recipe: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/02/recipe-whole-wheat-banana-bread/. ~Amy
Sonya Dolan says
Big hit in our house this week. Thank you!
Suzanne says
I just made these. They are incredible! I made the pumpkin ones last week. I bake a little from time to time but typically use boxed stuff unless I am making cookies. So far my two boys loved them. Thanks so much for sharing.
Amanda says
I just pulled these out of the oven. I was planning to have them as a "dessert" with the soup I'm making tonight, but I' m not sure they're going to last that long. Of course, my 4-yr-old and I had to taste test a tiny one made from the very last bit of batter. Wow! These are definitely the new favorite in this house. Perfect for a fall day. Since I'm almost out of honey, I subbed maple syrup. Thank you. This is the first time I've ever left anyone a comment, but I really appreciate everything on your blog. Due to some recent health issues, I've been paying a lot more attention to what I give my family. It just really helps hearing how others are doing the same and getting some great recipes and ideas that I wouldn't come up with on my own.
Leigh says
Any suggestions for making these muffins gluten free? I plan on making one batch following the recipe, but need to tweak it for my daughter. Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Leigh. We've not tried a gluten free version of this recipe. Please let us know if you come up with the right combination. I know other readers would love to know. I may attempt a gf of this tonight myself. :) ~Amy
Carrie says
Wow...these are really good!! I used almond flour instead of whole wheat and added some oats as well. Now I just hope my 9-yr-old son likes them...assuming there are any left when he gets home from school. :)
Bethany says
These are yum! We all loved them!
Suzy says
I am going to try these today! Yum! One question though, do you think I could sub carrot pulp (from juicing) instead of grated carrots? I juice 2-3 times a week and always end up with so much carrot pulp!
Carrie says
I'm sure you could use the carrot pulp. That actually may work out better than freshly grated carrots because my muffins were very moist in the middle and I had to cook them longer than the recipe called for. I also make apple, beet, carrot muffins from pulp!
CC says
I use carrot pulp all the time. Actually I use the pulp from my carrot apple ginger juice and it works awesome. I really like these muffins.
Jennifer C says
Stored in the fridge for 2 days, warmed in the microwave, these were STILL so moist and delicious!! This recipe is a total keeper!!
Karen says
My daughter (12 yrs) was really hesitant about these when I told her they were made with carrots and applesauce but she loves them! Very yummy! What is the best way to store and can you freeze them? Thank you!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Karen. They are okay in an airtight container on the counter for a day of so (if they last that long). Beyond that, freeze them in an airtight container or zipper bag. You can refrigerate them, as well, but I think it drys them out a bit. ~Amy
Lauren says
Hello,
I baked these muffins the other night and I think I did something wrong, my carrots turned a blue green after I stored them overnight in a container. Also, they tasted kinda like cornbread to me, is that what other people have noticed? Maybe I over softened and mixed my butter? I still liked these muffins quite bit, I just want to make a few tweaks to make them amazing!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Lauren. This article might give a hint to the green: http://www.thekitchn.com/food-science-when-good-carrots-52210. As far as the cornbread taste, I'm not sure. These are my family's official new favorite and we've not noticed that. :) ~Amy
Mary Brune says
Wow. We made this on a Saturday with the idea of keeping them for the week ahead to use as lunch snacks (we made them in a mini muffin pan) but they were completely GONE by Sunday, so we had to make more. My kids DEVOURED these. Like inhaled them. I'll probably make some again this evening.
I'm on the lookout for something that could marry chocolate and kale and still be considered healthy and they would probably love those, too.
Thank you!!
Laura says
My husband and I both agreed these were a winner! Question though. How do you store them? I put them in an airtight container and left them on the counter overnight and the carrot shreds turned green! Maybe they belong in the fridge? Thanks for this blog!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Laura. Well, that is odd. :) I stored mine on the counter in a ziplock bag after they cooled had completely. Cooling completely is important because the moisture created when not fully cooled and enclosed can cause problems Mine were good for 2 days and by then they had completely disappeared. Beyond that, I freeze them. ~Amy
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
...and this might explain: http://www.thekitchn.com/food-science-when-good-carrots-52210. Could you have been heavy handed with the baking soda? :)
Chasity says
My butter, honey and egg mixture curdled while mixing together! Help :( Will they still turn out okay? Where did I go wrong? Yes, I took the eggs straight from the fridge. Is this still safe to eat?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there Chasity. Sorry, I missed this comment earlier. It was likely just your butter solidifying because your eggs were cold. That has happened to me, too. How did they turn out? ~Amy
Chasity says
They actually turned out just fine after I went ahead and baked them! It looked HORRIBLE when I first mixed it up though! :) thank you for getting back with me! I had another question though..I am a new follower and my family and I are just beginning our journey of eating real food. I see a lot of honey being used in recipes but I am wondering what kind is best to use? I use organic right now but I saw the other day there is raw honey. I use honey in everything but which is best?
Abby N says
These are delicious! I didn't have enough butter so I used coconut oil instead. And I used a mini muffin tin. My kiddos will be so excited to try them when they wake up from their naps!
Rachel Frost says
These are so delicious! Next time I will have to get the extras in the freezer right away because I could not stop eating them. I am going to make mini ones for my son to take to preschool as a snack (which is shared with the class.)
Melissa B says
We had problems sourcing good local raw honey and would like to use organic pure maple syrup. For those of you who did use syrup how much did you use? If you use 1/2 cup does it change the consistency of the batter or need more time to bake? Thanks for the help, excited to try. Also, you featured a recipe with weelicious.com about whole spelt pumpkin muffins. Could I substitute whole wheat with whole spelt flour?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there. You can substitute the maple for the honey 1:1 and spelt flour should work fine, though we have not tried. ~Amy
Kari says
Made these tonight for my 3 year old and 1 year old and they loved them! So delicious. I made the full recipe and ended up with 12 muffins and 12 mini muffins.
Cassandra says
I just made 24 mini-muffins using your pumpkin bread recipe (added raisins instead of nuts) and 24 mini-muffins of these for my daughter's 3rd birthday party. They are both moist and delicious! The only change I would make to this recipe in the future is less ginger powder; I thought it was a little overpowering.