Decadent Carrot Muffins | Heirloom Recipe!
Updated March 21, 2024
Bake up some sunshine with these decadent carrot muffins. These gorgeous handheld baked goods are pack with grated fresh carrot, warm cinnamon spice, and dotted with sweet raisins!
Heirloom Recipes
The other day I was searching for a recipe for a grab-and-go breakfast. I came across this recipe for carrot Muffins in my grandmother’s recipe box. It looked very well loved. It is full of stains and water marks. To me, that is a sign of a tried-and-true recipe. I wasn’t wrong, they were delicious!
Healthy Ingredients for carrot muffins
I love that this vintage carrot muffin recipe has so many healthy ingredients. It makes them really filling and satisfying, because they are not just full of empty calories!
I love to use this for a speedy breakfast or a healthy snack to pack in a child’s lunchbox. They taste delicious and you know they are getting lots of healthy ingredients hidden inside!
Carrots are packed with fiber, vitamin A, and beta carotene to name a few of this delicious garden veggies benefits. Cooking carrots helps your body absorb these nutrients. So you can feel a little bit better about serving these to your family!
Sugar Substitutions for healthy carrot muffins
If you are looking to make these muffins even more healthy, or if you are trying to cut back on processed sugars, give one of these a try!
Sugar substitutions work great in this recipe! Here is a list of my most common sugar substitutions and how much to substitute.
How to store carrot muffins
Freezer
For long term storage, carrot muffins can be stored in the freezer. To make sure you have perfect carrot muffins to defrost, make sure to follow these simple steps.
- Let your fresh muffins cool to room temperature.
- Place the muffins on a tray in a single layer and freeze for at least 1 hour.
- Once the muffins are frozen, store them in air airtight container, or freezer bag, for up to 3 months.
Refrigerator
Carrot muffins can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Since these muffins are soft and moist, and the refrigerator naturally dehydrates food, it is necessary to follow a few simple steps to ensure you have perfect muffins to reheat later on.
- Let your fresh muffins cool to room temperature.
- Wrap each muffin individually or store them in an airtight container.
- Store the muffins in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Giving your muffins a quick reheat in the microwave, or a warm oven, will be the best way to achieve that fresh baked texture.
At room temperature
You can store your muffins covered on the counter top for up to 3 days. Since the muffins are quite moist and full of fresh ingredients, they will develop mold quickly. Mold loves to thrive in moist conditions, if you find that the container is becoming moist with condensation, place a paper towel over top of the muffins to absorb the excess moisture.
Substitutions for Carrot muffin mix-ins
There are a lot of delicious ingredients packed into these little baked goods! But let these just be a guide for your imagination or your families tastes! You can replace all or part of the mix-ins for this recipe!
Some delicious carrot muffin substitutions are:
- Pineapple – Carrot muffins with pineapple is extremely delicious! Make sure to cut up your pineapple chunks quite small before adding them into the batter.
- Nuts– Adding chopped nuts, like pecans, cashews, and almonds is a great way to add texture, flavour, and added health benefits! Make sure to chop larger nuts before mixing them into the batter.
- Seeds – Adding seeds to baked goods is a great way to add interest! Some will add delicious flavour and texture, like pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, or sunflower seeds. Some will be more for added health benefits like ground flax.
- Dried Fruit – There is a whole world of dried fruit out there beyond raisins and sultanas! Dried fruit adds that sugary flavour burst. I often replace these with dried cranberries. Check out your local store, especially bulk stores have a wide array of dried fruit options!
Carrot muffins with icing
A great way to turn muffins into bakery worthy snack is to add a little icing or glaze. I made a simple tangy cream cheese icing for my muffins, which absolutely made them into a special occasion treat! The small batch cream cheese icing is just enough to cover all of the muffins.
This is a quick and easy frosting that’s extremely versatile and can be easily thinned down into a luscious glaze to drizzle over top.
If you want to add frosting to your carrot muffins, the recipe will follow at the bottom of the post. Or click here for more in-depth instructions! If you want to do a sweet simple glaze but don’t have or don’t love the taste of cream cheese use this easy vanilla glaze!
Ingredients for Carrot Muffins
1 cup all-purpose flour 120 g
1 cup whole wheat flour 130 g
2 teaspoons baking powder 10 ml
1 teaspoon baking soda 5ml
1 teaspoon salt 5 ml
2 teaspoons cinnamon 10 ml
2 cups grated carrots 300 g
½ cup walnuts 70 g
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla 10 ml
1 cup white sugar 200 g
½ cup raisins 75 g
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut 50 g
1 cup oil 237 ml
⅓ cup apple sauce 80 ml
Method
- Preheat oven to 375 ºF (190ºC).
- In a large bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a separate bowl combine sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and apple sauce.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.
4. Add the raisins, carrots, nuts, and coconut. Mix until just combined.
5. Spoon mixture into lined muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes or golden brown.
6. Serve these muffins just as they are or for a more decadent snack, add the velvety smooth cream cheese icing! (Find the easy recipe at the bottom of the post!)
Wholesome Carrot Muffins
Soft and moist carrot muffins are packed with shredded carrots, warm cinnamon spice, and healthy flavourful mix-ins like nuts, coconut, and raisins! A decadent grab-and-go breakfast, or add cream cheese icing for a deliciously healthy snack!
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 120 g
- 1 cup whole wheat flour 130 g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 10 ml
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 5ml
- 1 teaspoon salt 5 ml
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon 10 ml
- 2 cups grated carrots 300 g
- ½ cup walnuts 70 g
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla 10 ml
- 1 cup white sugar 200 g
- ½ cup raisins 75 g
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut 50 g
- 1 cup oil 237 ml
- ⅓ cup apple sauce 80 ml
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 ºF (190ºC).
2. In a large bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
3. In a separate bowl combine sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and apple sauce.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.
5. Add the raisins, carrots, nuts, and coconut. Mix until just combined.
6. Spoon mixture into lined muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes or golden brown.
7. Serve these muffins just as they are or for a more decadent snack, add some cream cheese icing!
Notes
A great way to turn muffins into bakery worthy snack is to add a little icing or glaze.
Let these just be a guide for your imagination or your families tastes! You can replace all or part of the mix-ins for this recipe!
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 320Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 35mgSodium 304mgCarbohydrates 33gFiber 3gSugar 17gProtein 4g
These are some of my favourite muffin recipes. I think you might want to give them a try!
Spooky pumpkin streusel muffins, Lemon Bursting with Blueberry Muffins, Wholesome Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins,
Small Batch Cream Cheese Icing
This simple, small batch, cream cheese icing is rich, creamy, with a hint of that delicious tang. Perfect for anything from carrot muffins to cinnamon rolls!
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon room temperature cream cheese 15 ml
- 1 Tablespoons warm water 15 ml
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml
- pinch of salt
- 2 ½ cups icing sugar 290 g
Instructions
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or in a medium bowl with beaters, add the cream cheese and warm water. Beat to a smooth consistency.
2. Add in the vanilla extract, salt, and icing sugar.
3. Mix on low, until the sugar is incorporated.
4. Increase the speed and cream together until the icing is light and fluffy. You should now have a spreadable icing that is also thick enough to pipe.
Notes
This icing is perfect for spreading or for use with a piping bag.
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 50Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 1mgSodium 8mgCarbohydrates 12gFiber 0gSugar 12gProtein 0g
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