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Healthy carrot zucchini muffins are a favorite recipe of many readers and their kids. Sweet, moist, and bite-sized, these mini muffins are a yummy and healthy kid snack. They are also freezer-friendly and the perfect nut-free lunchbox snack!
Are you celiac or have a wheat allergy? I also have a recipe for Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Mini Muffins.
Healthy Veggie Muffins for Toddlers and Kids
I’ve told you before that while I like to sneak in extra veggies to cram in as much nutrition as possible, there aren’t many veggies I have to “hide” from my kids.
The Bug knows that I put spinach in his Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie, and both kids will happily devour simply steamed or roasted cauliflower, broccoli, peas and carrots, and more.
The little guy eats tomatoes and sugar snap peas like they are candy. The big one loves cucumbers and carrots dipped in Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip and both devour salads.
But zucchini – not so much. This is unfortunate because The Hubby and I love it in a sauteed vegetable medley, simply grilled, or baked with some Parmesan cheese.
Yes, believe it or not, even a nice, toasty crust of Parmesan won’t get my cheese-loving kiddo to eat it. So I have to sneak it into things like Vegetable Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas, Zucchini Tater Tots, annnnd…
Zucchini Muffins!!
What Makes this Healthy Carrot Zucchini Muffin Recipe So Great?
Filled with whole-grains and vegetables and naturally sweetened with just a bit of maple syrup or honey, these are the perfect healthy muffins for kids to grab for breakfast or grab as a snack. These healthy zucchini muffins with carrots and raisins are a great way to use up all that summer zucchini, so make a few batches to keep extra in the freezer.
The kids love these mini muffins. I’ve made them many, many times and they seriously could polish off a half dozen at a time if I let them. I do tell him they have zucchini in them, and yet somehow, in muffin form, zucchini is totally acceptable.
These muffins are really packed with veggies, truly making them a healthy snack. They are filled with carrots and zucchini and just enough batter to hold it all together.
It might seem like a lot of vegetables, but they bake up perfectly. That also makes them super moist and tender, even though they are whole wheat, low in fat, and low in added sugar.
More Zucchini Recipes Kids Love
- Brownie Batter Chocolate Zucchini Oatmeal sneaks zucchini into chocolaty oatmeal to make it more filling and nutritious.
- Sesame Zucchini Noodles make zucchini fun to eat, especially when you toss those zoodles in a yummy peanut sauce.
- Carrot and Zucchini Sandwich Sushi are super fun to pack in a lunchbox.
- Mama Ghannouj from Oh My Veggies is a creative twist on baba ghannouj, but made with zucchini instead of eggplant.
- Zucchini Spaghetti from A Family Feast simply tosses those zoodles with butter and parmesan, a combo every kid loves.
- Chocolate Zucchini Brownies from Texanerin are a healthier indulgence with whole grain, gluten free, and dairy free options.
- And if those don’t suit your kids’ fancy, you might like 12 of the Best Kid-Friendly Zucchini Recipes.
Ingredients
Let’s gather everything you’ll need to make these carrot zucchini muffins.
- White whole wheat flour: This is made with a special kinfd of wheat that makes it lighter in color and texture than regular whole wheat flour, but you get the benefit of whole grains.
- Cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Melted butter
- Maple syrup: I love the maple flavor, but you can also use honey.
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Zucchini: Shred this finely, but don’t squeeze out the liquid.
- Carrots: Peel the carrots, then shred them as well.
- Raisins: You can leave these out, but they add nice little sweet, chewy pockets.
How to Make Them
Preparations
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Shred your carrots and zucchini. DO NOT squeeze out the excess liquid. Set aside.
Make the Batter
In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and set them aside. Now in a separate bowl, stir together the butter, maple syrup or honey, egg, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until barely combined. Fold the carrots, zucchini, and raisins into the batter.
Fill, Bake, and Cool
Fill each cup of the mini muffin tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly before removing from the pan to a rack to cool completely.
Can you freeze muffins?
Yes, these are definitely freezer-friendly muffins. I love to make a big batch and throw them in plastic storage bags and freeze them. It is perfect for the summertime when you are trying to use up the overabundance of zucchini.
Then just take out a few the night before or heat them for a few seconds in the microwave. I’ve kept them frozen for several months.
Tips for Perfect Muffins
- Many people are concerned with how many veggies there are and how little batter is holding it together. Just go with it. They always bake up perfectly.
- The carrots and zucchini are shredded with a fine grater. There is no need to squeeze out the excess liquid.
- These healthy mini muffins are made with white whole wheat flour. If you can’t get your kids into stuff made with regular whole wheat flour, try this. It is just as good for you as “regular” whole wheat flour but provides a texture closer to white all-purpose flour, so it is easy to substitute into most recipes.
- This recipe uses real maple syrup for a nice flavor and sweetness while adding flavor and moisture to this healthier muffin. Honey works too.
- I have never used paper liners. I just scoop the batter into a mini muffin tin sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, then after they bake let them cool on a rack for a few minutes before popping them out with a butter knife.
What do readers say about these healthy veggie muffins?
These are truly veggie muffins for toddlers and kids because they will happily gobble down their veggies without even knowing it. All the reader comments can’t be wrong!
Laine says:
Wow, these are so delicious! Struggling to get my toddler to eat veggies and this is a great way to get some in! I’m having a hard time saving any for her though, they are so good!
Kitty says:
I make these muffins weekly because what started out being for my grandson now has become a family favorite and staple! I freeze zucchini and carrot portions pre-shredded and measured so it’s extra easy!
Chrissi says:
I just want to say THANK. YOU. My daughter (now 13 mo) has always been a fussy eater. These muffins saved us. Literally. She never wanted to be spoon fed and never wanted veggies, so from 9/10 months on these muffins have been a staple in our house and one of the few things we can always rely on her eating (fingers crossed). I make a double batch and freeze them to prevent my husband from eating them all when they’re fresh out of the oven (and bc they’re easier for her to grab/they’re less crumbly soft when they’re a little cold). Thank you!
Shop the Recipe
- Grater: I used a fine grater or the small holes on a box grater to get small shreds of veggies.
- Bowls: I love having a set of stainless steel mixing bowls of various sizes. You’ll need a small bowl to hold your veggies, a medium bowl for the dry ingredients, and a larger bowl to mix the wet ingredients and then to combine everything together.
- Spatula: No need for a stand mixer or hand mixer. This batter is easily stirred together by hand.
- Nonstick mini muffin tin: I’ve actually never used paper liners and have not had a problem with sticking as long as I grease or coat it with cooking spray.
Healthy MiniCarrot Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely grated zucchini
- 1/2 cup finely grated carrot
- 1/2 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and place rack in the center of the oven, and coat a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the butter, maple syrup (or honey), egg, and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir together until just barely combined.
- Add the zucchini, carrot and raisins and stir gently until just distributed.
- Fill each cup in the mini muffin pan approximately 3/4 full (I use a small cookie scoop slightly overfilled).
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. Keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator or several months in the freezer.
Did you make this?
Leave a rating below and tag @cupcakesandkalechips on Instagram and hashtag it #cupcakesandkalechips
Categories:
More healthy muffins for kids
- Flourless Almond Blueberry Muffins are bite-sized and bursting with berries.
- Mini Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins are totally irresistible.
- Healthy Blueberry Banana Muffins are another kid-favorite pairing.
- Whole Wheat Pumpkin Apple Muffins combine the best flavors of fall.
Originally published on May 18, 2014
I’ve made this several times and want to come back comment. I follow the recipe exactly and comes out so great. I guess the only downside is that my grands heard that they’re healthy and use that as an excuse to devour… truth
Hello, due to allergies in the kindergarten, what can I use instead of butter?
You should be able to substitute oil, melted coconut oil, or vegan butter.
I don’t usually leave reviews, but I have made this recipe so many times now, it seems wrong not to.
These muffins are amazing. It’s a very forgiving recipe, and it’s packed with veggies, which is fantastic. They’ve been a go-to in my house for years.
Great for school lunches. I quadruple the recipe and keep a bunch in the freezer to pop into lunches on busy days.
I skip the raisins because raisins in baked goods are anathema. I love spice flavor, so I double the cinnamon and add a little ginger. I also just go full whole grain flour. My kids don’t care.
Thank you for this one! It makes me feel like one of the moms who has her act together.
Hi! Should the butter be unsalted?
Yes, I generally use unsalted so I can control the amount of salt.
hi can I use all purpose flour?
Yes, that should work.
I’m not much of a baker but I made these today and they turned out so good! I left out the raisins and my husband, baby and I all loved it. I’m definitely going to be making these regularly. Thank you for this delicious and easy recipe!
Picky eater approved! My kids don’t like raisins so we just doubled the carrots. It’s a winner! About it make a few more batches for the freezer!
Hi! Do I need to squeeze the liquid out of the zucchini?
Nope, no need to do that.
These turned out deliciously! I reduced maple syrup to 1/3 cup and used chopped up dates instead of raisins. I’ll definitely add to my toddler muffin rotation. 🙂
These are delicious & perfect! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
These are so good! I doubled the recipe, reduced the butter by 2tbsp, reduced the maple syrup by half, and added a banana. Absolutely fantastic.. My kid and baby both love them, as do my husband and I.
I’m so happy I found this recipe. My daughter has gotten increasingly picky and has a sweet tooth so I was looking for options for healthy recipe that she would actually want to eat. These muffins turned out SO moist and yummy and have just the right amount of sweetness. We’re addicted and they’ve become a staple in our house. Thank you so much!
I ❤️ this recipe and have already made it a half dozen times! It’s always a challenge using all our garden zucchini, and while we try to stay away from too many sweets, this was too good to pass up. I made it a little more exotic by adding chopped crystallized ginger in place of the raisins (more of a adult taste, to be sure), and added 1/2 tsp ground cardamom.my husband said that hands down, this is the best zucchini muffin he’s ever had, and one of friends requested a batch to serve to her visiting family from India. A KEEPER! Keeps well in the freezer, too. Thank you!
Wow! Subbed 1 ripe banana + some honey for the 1/2 cup of honey (the mashed banana didn’t quite make it to 1/2 a cup so I topped it off with honey). This was so good! And even better I didn’t have to squeeze the zucchini dry! Thank you for this recipe, it’s definitely a keeper!
So good! I was in doubt that such a simple and healthy recipe could be so delicious.
Perfectly light & fluffy with just enough sweetness.
It’s long been a favorite! Glad you enjoyed it too!
I make these every week for my son who’s not very keen on veggies right now. I make them in regular sized muffin tins at 375* and just keep checking them around 20 minutes. Im wondering if you’ve tried making this in a loaf pan? I’m assuming that it would be too wet to set up in the oven.
I haven’t tried in a laof pan, but I’ve been meaning to. I think you would have to double it to fill the pan.
How is this gluten free?
This recipe is not. It was made before me (and my blog) went gluten free, but I have a GF version here – https://cupcakesandkalechips.com/gluten-free-carrot-zucchini-mini-muffins/
Hi! Is there any way you could tell me about how many zucchinis and carrots I would need for this recipe? Also, if you know how many grams or ounces of these veggies it would be super helpful for my baking. Thank you!
Hi Liz, I’m sorry I do not have weight measurements. And the number you need will vary depending on the size of your veggies, but it’s about 1-2 of each.
I second this! I loved the recipe and even my veggie-phobic kids enjoyed them, but I would love a metric conversion of the recipe. Being able to use my baking scale makes cooking with my kids so much easier!
I’m sorry, I tend to create my recipes for a US audience since that is most of my readers, but I will keep this in mind for the future.
Made this today! Super simple and easy! My son who is 15months loves them! Although I found that it tasted a little too heavy on the baking soda. Not sure how to fix that!
Thanks for the feedback. I can try to test it with less baking soda, but if you try it, let me know.
super easy, 3 year old loved them!
I just made these. They are SO good! I followed the recipe exactly. Definitely need to do a double batch next time.
Also to note, make sure the maple syrup isn’t cold when adding it to the butter because it will make your butter solid again!
I double the recipe, sub craisins for raisins, use maple syrup, and add chocolate chips sprinkled on top before baking! I will also use half baking flour and half protein packed pancake or baking mix. My daughter loves these! They freeze and refrigerate extremely well!
I have been making these for 5 years! Feels good knowing your kiddo is getting protein and veggies in the morning! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
I have made these multiple times. They are a hit for the whole family. Thank you!
I love hearing this!
I just made these and was sceptical that I didn’t need to squeeze the juice out from the zucchini. I followed the recipe exactly (just subbed white whole wheat flour with all purpose flour because that’s all I have) and soaked my raisins in hot water for 10 mins to rehydrate them. The end result was moist, just sweet enough, delicious mini muffins. Hope my 4 year old son and 21 month old daughter like them for their breakfast tomorrow!
I have made these muffins probably dozens of times over the years. They are amazing – and very forgiving. I tweak them a little per my own preferences, but they are awesome exactly as-is. (I use whole grain flour, cut about 1/3 of the maple syrup, and I double the cinnamon.) I quadruple (!) the recipe, freeze them, and put them in my kids’ school lunches. Have passed this recipe on many times, as people often ask for it. Thanks for this!
Thank you for this recipe; these were terrific! I’ve been trying to get some veggies into my fussy toddler and he loves them. I used sultanas rather than raisins as that’s what I had on hand. I think I will also try halving the maple syrup next time, as I think they will be still be plenty sweet from the sultanas. Thanks once again, this will be a regular in our home.
These were amazing! I’ve made tons of muffin recipes for our 15 month old and these were one of our favorites by far! Thank you!
Made these muffins a month ago. My granddaughter loved them so much that she requested the recipe as her next birthday cake. We celebrate half birthdays and today she’s 9 1/2 and she is getting her wish.
I have been struggling with a picky eater and I am so glad I ran across this recipe. She is gobbling them up happily! I added extra cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and allspice because I love a very spicy muffin. I did walnuts instead of raisins, Regular whole wheat flour because I didn’t have white whole wheat. And have honey half maple syrup because I ran out of maple syrup. With all these alterations the cupcakes still came out delicious and moist. Will definitely be putting this recipe and making it over and over again!
Love these! I make a batch just about every week!
I’m not a baker, so take my review with a grain a salt – but mine came out pretty dry. I may add a cream cheese icing to the top 🙂 otherwise, they were super easy and my 3yo helped me and had a great time.
Hi Becky! I am not sure why they were dry. That’s not a comment I’ve really gotten with this recipe. But since they are mini, they bake pretty quickly, If your oven happens to run a little hot, you may want to check them sooner. I’m glad it was a fun activity for you and your kiddo!
My sons love these muffins
Excellent recipe and made these minor changes:
– Replaced white whole wheat flour with 1 cup whole wheat flour.
– 1/4 cup pure maple syrup was sweet enough.
The first time I baked these, I made the 24 mini muffins. The next time I baked these, I made 8 standard size muffins in my Ninja Foodi Grill, set to bake at 325 degrees for 16 minutes and they came out great!
These are delicious! My son loves them
These were excellent. I made a couple of changes to the recipe; I didn’t have raisins so I subbed about the same amount of chocolate chips and chopped walnuts, and I wanted to make it even healthier so I did half almond flour and half regular flour. Despite squeezing out the carrot and zucchini liquid with a paper towel, my cupcakes still came out a bit too moist, but I’m sure part of that is from using almond flour. I will definitely make these again – maybe with raisins next time, as called for, and a tiny bit more almond flour to make up for the wetness. They’re still really good and enjoyable to eat!
Love the sounds of these substitutions!
These are the best, and the recipe is so forgiving. 🙂
I make these almost every week, in normal sized muffin tins. I totally eyeball the grated zucchini and carrot measurements, add a few mini chocolate chips, often sub cranberries for raisins, and add some toasted nut (usually pecan or walnut, but hazelnuts this week).
Depending on the volume of zucchini/carrot that I use, the recipe makes between 12-16 normal-sized muffins. Oh, and they freeze well, but also stay moist throughout the work week in a plastic container.
My partner loves them and even though I live in Italy and Italians are skeptical of baked goods with vegetables in them, his colleagues have taken to asking him for some, so I have to send him with extra! I’m now used to them asking, “so what vegetables did the American girl hide in your breakfast this time?” because I’ve sent potato-bread-dough cinnamon rolls, chickpea blondies, carrot cake, etc. and this weekend I made a raspberry-silken tofu mousse tart, hahahaha 😉
Thanks for the recipe!
I made these for my family the other day and they were a huge hit! I’m hoping to make a batch for my sister and her family but she doesn’t eat eggs. Any idea what the best replacement would be in this recipe? Thank you!
Hi! I have not really used egg substitutes in my baking, but I know people commonly use a “flax egg” or “chia egg”. Here is a good reference – https://joythebaker.com/2014/09/baking-101-favorite-vegan-egg-substitutes/
I use 1/2 a banana to substitute 1 egg in recipes that the taste goes with. Adds moisture and a little natural sweetness 🙂
Great tip, thanks!
We used 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce to sub for egg and the recipe turns out great!
I haven’t made the recipe yet, but they look delicious! Planning on trying them tonight, but I have a couple questions. Can I use pureed veggies instead of grated? Are any adjustments needed for high-altitude? And how many servings of veggies are in one muffin, OR how many muffins are equal to one serving of veggies? Thanks!
Hi, I have never tried pureed veggies but I think that would add too much moisture. I have never done high altitude baking as I have alwaysb live don the East coast, but this is the best resource I know of – https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
There is a total of 1 1/2 cups of veggies in 24 muffins. If a serving of veggies is about a cup, you aren’t going to get a full serving of veggies from a couple of these muffins, but every little bit helps!
I make a lot of muffins for my two toddlers and these are hands down the BEST muffins I have made! Just wow! So tasty and so moist! Thank you! These will be on the weekly meal prep list until we (if ever) get sick of them!
What is with the incredibly long preamble to the recipe? Super annoying.
In the “incredibly long preamble” I give some context to the recipe and provide information that may be helpful to some readers. In doing so, I am also doing what Google requires of me to prove that I actually have knowledge about the recipe and therefore am a qualified source (they call it EAT – expertise/authority/trust). I also started blogging as a hobby. and some of my older posts have stories in them because I didn’t think anyone would ever read it at that time, and was doing it to chronicle my life. I am working on edits to many of my posts, but it takes time for this one-woman business. For readers such as you who are ready to jump right in and cook/bake, if you don’t want to scroll, I provide a convenient Jump to Recipe button at the top of each post that brings you straight to the recipe card.
I really enjoyed the oats and spice profile in this recipe! Although, I felt the muffins could have been a tad more moist and needed more zucchini and carrots! I increased the sweetener to half a cup and even added dark chocolate chips to half the batch. They were delicious, I will just add more veggies next time!
That’s so interesting because so many people tell me that they don’t believe the muffins will bake well because of how little batter there is compared to the amount of veggies. Did you drain or squeeze out the shredded veggies by any chance?
I’ve read the recipe numerous times to try and find oats in the recipe and don’t see any. Did you add oats and maybe is that why they were dry?
There are no oats in this recipe.
Shocked and amazed! Instead of grating zucchini and carrots, I used the leftovers from juicing cucumber, beets and carrots. Turned out amazing! And they were pink! My girls loved them! Great recipe!
That is brilliant!
I tried making this with almond flour and it was too wet (even though I didn’t add all of the wet ingredients). Do you have any suggestions on how I can make these muffins with almond flour?
Almond flour does not absorb moisture like the other flours. I cannot guarantee any results without testing it myself, but you might be able to use some almond flour and some coconut flour, as the coconut flour would absorb some of the moisture.
I followed the recipe without any substitutions. My 2 and 5 year old loved it but my husband polished them off in one sitting! Will have to hide them in the freezer next time. Thanks for a great recipe.
I love hearing this! Thanks!
These really are wonderful. Light and spiced perfectly. One of the few muffins my toddler likes!
If I want to add some ground flax seed, how much can I add without ruining the recipe? Would I have to change something else, i.e. less flour in order to do so. Thanks for your help
I have not added flaxseed to this recipe, and haven’t tested out a similar substitution in other recipes. I would think a couple tablespoons would be fine, but I cannot confirm this. Some people use a “flax egg” to substitute for the egg in the recipe, so you can try that. For each egg you combine 1 Tablespoon of ground flax seeds with 3 Tablespoons of hot water and let sit for a few minutes to gel up before adding to the recipe.
These muffins are amazing. I make them weekly for my toddler. I substituted the maple syrup for half maple syrup and half applesauce. I also make them in regular muffin size and cook for 18-20 mins. Delicious and an easy way to get vegetables in! Thanks for the recipe
Great idea to keep the moisture and cut the sugar a bit. So glad you and your little one enjoy them!
I am definitely trying this with applesauce next time! I just threw my first batch in the oven with just maple syrup, but my reasoning for making these, is to get my 2 yer old to eat more veggies (she refuses to eat any!)… but I know she will eat a muffin!! Haha
Thank you for the great idea!!!
These have gotten so many kids to eat their veggies! Next, try my cauli tots!! 😉
They came out delicious. Love this recipe. Even my picky eater husband likes them. Thank you for the recipe.
Hello!
This is my first time trying one of your recipes.
These muffins are so delicious, and they are super easy to make! (I did add some chopped pecans).
Wonderfully sweet (naturally thank you!!), and super moist! I made regular size muffins though, instead of the mini size, and baked them for 20 minutes. Perfect for Breakfast with a cup of coffee!!
Thanks!
Kerri
Just made these for me and my 11 1/2 month old and they’re great! I had to change a couple things which were: oat flour instead of wheat (that’s what I had), 1/4c of maple (to reduce sweetness for her), and added blueberries instead of raisins (again for her). She loved them, and I do too! I had them in the oven in less than 10 minutes, they were so easy to make. Keeper recipe for sure!
So glad to hear the oat flour workes, and I love the idea of using blueberries!
Just made these! Delicious 🙂 🙂
Curious what else can I sub the maple syrup/honey with if I want to bring down the sugar content to make this a bit more diabetic friendly? Would apple sauce work? Anything else I can add to bring up the protein?
I have heard of some people just reducing the amount of maple syrup or honey by half. I have not tried it myself. I am not too familiar with adding things like protein powders so I am not sure how that would work. You could just smear some peanut butter on them when you eat them 🙂
I made these today. I doubled the recipe. I did use mini muffin pans and got the doubled amount. I deviated in a few ways ;-). 1. I had no wheat flour or other so I used plain ol white flour (sorry, I wish I had wheat too bit I was out). I used the recipe amount. 2. I added a bit of powdered ginger and some nutmeg. 3. I used 1/2 cup organic honey and 1/4 cup sugar. 4. I had a small ouch of baby applesauce that had Apple peach pineapple flavor. I’d guess it was about a 1/4 cup or so. 5. I added a bit of baking powder. Maybe 1/2 tsp. 6. I chopped the raisins as finely as I could. I felt while they would overpower the mini muffins. I am very happy with this. I didn’t use a full cup either. 2/3 cup or so.
TURNED OUT PERFECTLY. DON’T BAKE SO LONG THOUGH. I bet mine were 8-9 min tops. Excellent. Freezing and taking to. Pot luck.
So glad it worked out for you, even with all of your changes. That might have affected the bake time, though, since sometimes whole wheat flour recipes need a longer time in the oven. Enjoy!
Can you substitute the raisins for chocolate chips? Would it still be the same measurement?
That sounds delicious! I have not done it, but I think the same amount would be fine. (Side note, I think I’m heading to my kitchen soon to make a batch with chocolate chips too 🙂 )
I made these muffins in regular size muffin trays with paper liners and used half the amount of apple sauce instead of butter. However, they would not cook through. Are muffins supposed to be completely dry on the inside? They are for my 7 month old baby. Thank you!
I have always made these mini and have not made that substitution, so I’m not sure how it would work. They are moist muffins, but they do cook through on the inside.
I tried these in a regular muffin tin as well. I’ve cooked them for 40 minutes and the middles will not set up. I absolutely would not recommend anyone else trying this recipe in a regular sized muffin tin (not the author’s fault – it just cannot be substituted!)
Thanks for the feedback. I always make them as mini muffins. I was going to try this recipe as Zucchini Carrot Bread, but maybe it’ll need some adjustments.
Great recipe! I used spelt flour and coconut oil instead of butter, and added in a couple tablespoons of unsweetened shredded coconut. Love!
Great to know those swaps worked out well for you!!
I don’t have a mini muffin pan, can I make these using a regular pan and just double the recipe? How much longer would they bake for?
You would not need to double the recipe, but you would have to bake it longer. I haven’t tried it, but maybe start checking at 20 minutes?
If I need to use sugar instead of honey, how much should it be?
I have not done this, but it would probably be an equal amount. There should be enough moisture without the honey.
These look delicious! I am going to make them today using All-Purpose flour, I have all the ingredients except the wheat flour. Hope they turn out 🙂
Hope it went well and you enjoyed them!
Hi there! Can I omit the maple syrup and honey? Thanks!
These muffins really won’t have any sweetness at all if you omit it, so since it isn’t really a savory bread, I don’t know that I would recommend that. It also adds some liquid to contribute to the moisture. You might be able to cut it down to 1/4 cup, but I haven’t tested that.
These are amazing!! I’m not a fan of baking soda so I swapped it out for baking powder and they turned out great. This recipe is a keeper!!!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed them!
Recipe was quick and easy. I followed the recipe to the T, but it came out dry (15 min at 350). It could be my oven’s fault. Next time I will add an extra egg yolk and take the muffins out 2-3 minutes less.
I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve never heard of anyone saying they turned out dry and I’ve never had that problem. Did you happen to squeeze the liquid from the shredded veggies?
These were so awesome! My kids loved them. They are so moist and the flavor is perfect. Searching your website now for more mini muffin recipes…………..
I am so glad to hear that!
These sound like a delicious and healthy snack! I am wondering though if you think swapping out equal amounts of agave nectar syrup for the maple syrup would still work out? Some of the family are type 2 diabetic and agave and stevia sweeteners process better in their bodies.
Hi Heather! These muffins are always a hit. I think agave should work fine.
What could I sub for the butter?
I haven’t tried it, but I would think you could use coconut oil.
I used regular whole wheat flour, replaced butter with 3 tablespoons avocado oil and reduced the maple syrup but just a little under the full1/2 cup and no raisins. Absolutely delicious, super moist almost like a cake. It made 12 cupcake size muffins and it’s not 24 hours yet and my picky 2 year old keeps going back to the container.
I made these today, substituting a blended flour(wheat,oats,millet,coconut) which had to be sifted a few times, for the white whole wheat flour and they turned absolutely gorgeous. Added an extra egg white to improve the texture given the flour used and also walnuts, and still turned out great. Wonderful recipe which will be used over & over again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins, Hazel. Thank you so much for your comment and for rating the recipe!
I’ve made these before using honey and they turned out amazing. This time I used pure maple syrup, but they turned out with a bitter aftertaste. Is this because the baking soda did not activate with the amount of liquid in the receipt?
I am honestly not sure. I have never had an issue with it in their recipe. Perhaps you want to try with fresh baking soda.
I have tried the recipe with gluten free plain flour. I used oven for 180 degrees. I am new to baking. Only thing I want to ask when I used the toothpick to check the Muffin. It come out clean but when I try to cool the Muffin it was wet. Is it OK for Muffin to be wet when it’s hot? Thanks for the recipe.
The muffins are moist, not wet. You might need to bake it a couple more minutes. That being said, I know in England and other parts of Europe they have “plain flour” and “strong flour” and honestly, I don’t know the difference. So I am not sure how the flour you use substitutes for what I use. I haven’t done it in this recipe, but my usual “go-to” for a GF substitute if Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Flour. I have made these muffins with a combination of brown rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch – https://cupcakesandkalechips.com/gluten-free-carrot-zucchini-mini-muffins/
Wow, these are so delicious! Struggling to get my toddler to eat veggies and this is a great way to get some in! I’m having a hard time saving any for her though, they are so good! We made a double batch and substituted a little grated apple for some zucchini and it worked out great. Thank you so much for this recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that everyone is enjoying the mini muffins, Laine! 🙂 Thank you for rating the recipe, too.
Thanks, these were so good! They were delicious and stayed moist.
I’m so glad to know that you enjoyed the muffins, Kaye. Thanks for rating the recipe, too!
I made them again with strawberries replacing the carrot. Excellent, too!
What a great idea, Kaye!
I would like to make these today but only have all purpose white flour.
How do you think they would come out?
Any suggestions for altering if I do so?
Hi Judy,
Sorry for the delay. Using all-purpose flour with this recipe will work just fine. You don’t need to alter the ingredient amounts at all… just substitute 1 cup of all-purpose flour for the whole wheat flour. Enjoy!
I make these muffins weekly because what started out being for my grandson now has become a family favorite and staple! I freeze zucchini and carrot portions pre-shredded and measured so it’s extra easy!
I’m so happy to hear that everyone enjoys the mini muffins, Kitty! Great idea to prep the shredded veggies, too!
Hi, I loved the recipe and have almost everything on hand to do it tonight! I just have a few quick questions: can I substitute the baking soda for baking powder? Can I use a full sized muffin tin?? Thanks!!!
Hi Giulia! Typically you cannot swap baking soda for baking powder as they act a little differently in making baked goods rise depending on the other ingredients in the recipe. You should be able to bake it as full size muffins. It will probably make about 8 muffins and you will need t bake them longer.
I just want to say THANK. YOU. My daughter (now 13 mo) has always been a fussy eater. These muffins saved us. Literally. She never wanted to be spoon fed and never wanted veggies, so from 9/10 months on these muffins have been a staple in our house and one of the few things we can always rely on her eating (fingers crossed). I make a double batch and freeze them to prevent my husband from eating them all when they’re fresh out of the oven (and bc they’re easier for her to grab/they’re less crumbly soft when they’re a little cold). Thank you!
Comments like yours make me so happy, Chrissi. I’m so glad that everyone in your family enjoys the muffins, and I thank you for your sweet words and for rating the recipe, too!
Can they be made without the raisins. I really don’t like them. Also just had heart value replacement surgery. I am supposed to not use salt, baking powder, or soda now so could they be made without them. I love carrot cake and zucchini bread so would love to be able to try these.
You can definitely omit the raisins and the salt from the recipe, Penny. However, the muffins need a leavening agent to rise, so I’m afraid that I don’t know of an alternative to baking powder or baking soda.
These muffins are very forgiving. I didn’t have ww flour, so used half unbleached white and half oat flour. I used 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp coconut oil, halved the salt, and halved the maple syrup, adding a few tbsp of water to thin the batter. They were plenty sweet for our nearly year old daughter and a great consistency – cakey and moist, but not wet. Love having lots of veggies in her muffins. Thanks for the super recipe!
I’m so glad to hear that you were able to make the recipe with the ingredients you had on hand, Kelly. Your substitutions sound delicious! Thanks for rating the recipe, too. 🙂
I made these and added oranges and orange zest to them. They were a great morning pick me up!
Katie, the addition of orange zest sounds like a complete winner! Thank you so much for your comment and rating the recipe!
Loved the easy recipe to get some veggies into the toddler. Mine came out a little dry…I skipped the raisins and used whole wheat instead. Any idea why?
I’m glad to hear that you (and your toddler!) enjoyed the mini muffins! Whole wheat flour generally produces a dryer texture in baked goods, which may be why your muffins were a bit dry. Raisins do help to provide moisture as well.
thanks for the feedback. I will try to experiment with the moisture part now. 🙂
Best of success to you! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out.
These muffins are amazing. Not only does my 16 month old love them but my entire family. I’ve made the recipe twice now, the first time I used pure maple syrup and whole wheat flour and I thought they were delicious. The second time I used whole wheat flour and honey and they were even better! Thank you for the recipe. The only way my son will eat vegetables is when it’s hidden in something delicious.
I’m so happy to hear that the mini muffins were a hit with everyone in your family, Christine! Thank you for your comment and for rating the recipe.
Would I be able to add another egg or would it turn out different?
Having never tried it myself, I can’t say for sure what the results would be, Christina. If you make the recipe with an extra egg, please let us know how they turn out!
I just made these today for my 11 month old son and he loved them! I was getting tired of the puffs and other bland snacks so these were just perfect. Turned out moist and flavorful. thanks!
I’m so glad that you and your son enjoyed the muffins, Lindy. Thank you for your comment and for rating the recipe!
Will they be moist without the raisins? I’m just not a fan of raisins, but they sound yummy!
The muffins will be just as delicious without the raisins, Sue! Leave them out and enjoy 🙂
FIVE STARS!!! These turned out AMAZING!! When I mixed the dry and wet ingredients I was a little worried the recipe was too dry, but once you add the zucchinis, carrots, and raisins the batter gets perfectly moist!! Although they were not too sweet, next time I may cut the maple syrup a little ( to make them even healthier) and just add more raisins for sweetness. Thank you for this recipe!!!
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the muffins, Kate!
Just made these with my kids. I followed the recipe but excluded the raisins then added a pinch of nutmeg and ground ginger. They are super tiny, I didn’t get much rise but are DELICIOUS! Between myself and my 3 kiddos the whole batch was gone within 15 minutes! Will triple the recipe next time!
I’m SO happy that you and your kiddos enjoyed the mini muffins, Melanie! Thank you for your comment and rating of the recipe.
These turned out perfect! I did squeeze out the moisture from the zucchini and carrots in a paper towel before reading the comments.
I am not a baker nor great cook, and I only ever consider making “easy” recipes, so I think the muffins were a huge success. Plus they were easy enough to make that my kids could help me grate veggies and mix the batter.
I did add chocolate chips…just because.
My husband even liked them, and he isn’t into cinnamon and “healthy” muffins. Lol! Regret not making a double batch because most were gone within minutes.
Thank you! Looking forward to making your other recipes.
Hi Lily! I’m so glad to hear that the muffins were a hit with everyone in your house. I happen to think that adding chocolate chips “just because” makes you eligible for the mom of the year award. 🙂
I had an incredibly ripe medium banana and subbed that for the maple syrup and they turned out great. Thanks for the recipe! Had no butter so subbed canola oil.
I’m glad you were able to make the recipe work with what you had on hand, Candy. Thanks for your comment and rating of the recipe!
I just made these and they’re so yum! I used cupcake paper and they stuck so bad. Is there a secret to keeping from sticking? I’d hate to know how bad they would stick without cupcake paper. Yours look great without cupcake paper.
Oh no, I’m sorry that happened. You know, I have actually never used cupcake papers. I just spray my mini muffin tin with Pam and I’ve never has a problem.I let them cool slightly and pop them out with a butter knife. I actually just made a batch a couple weeks ago.
When you take them out of the freezer how do you thaw them? In the fridge, room temp? How long?
Hi Kerrie,
You can thaw them at room temperature. I put them into lunch boxes for my boys and they’re thawed out by lunch time. Depending on the temperature of the room, it probably takes an hour or so. Of course, you could microwave them for about 20 seconds and they’d be ready to eat, too. Enjoy!
I don’t have any mini muffin pans. How long should I bake for if I used regular muffin pans? Thanks!
Hi Diana,
If you’ll be using traditional muffin pan, I would start with an additional 3-4 minutes on to the baking time. Check the muffins for doneness with a toothpick and bake longer if needed.
Just made these for my 15 month old and she loved her muffin so much that she asked for another one! I’ve also never seen her eat a muffin so dang fast in my life, haha! This will be a repeat recipe in our house for sure! Thanks! 🙂
Haha! I’m so happy that you’ve found a healthy muffin recipe for your daughter to enjoy. Thank you for your comment and your rating of the recipe!
Hi! I love this recipe!!! My husband recently started a paleo diet. Any substitution ideas?
Hi Lindsey! I would think that you could use almond flour in place of the whole wheat flour, but you might need to add an extra egg to help it all bind together. Good luck!
I LOVE this recipe! I will definitely freeze some with the next batch. Will this recipe work with just carrots and no zucchini? I forgot them at the store.
I’m so happy you found a recipe you love, Carola. You can absolutely make the muffins using just carrots. Just use 1 1/2 cups of them instead of 1/2. Enjoy!
Thanks Brianne! I made them with just the carrots that I had but unfortunately I couldn’t freeze any since they were eaten up so fast at the picnic! Making more this week with the zucchini and carrots for our friends after our annual Cycling for Sight ride in Napa. I better make 3 batches so I can freeze a few.
I know that struggle well, Carola! I’m glad you enjoyed the muffins 🙂
I never leave receipe reviews, but these are too awesome not to! I used Bob’s Red Mill cup for cup gluten free flour and ghee in place of butter. Seriously, amazing! Even my picky husband loved them. So easy too. Thank you!
Thank you for your review, Lianne. I’m so happy that you enjoyed the muffins!
Hi! I made these for my toddler son who doesn’t eat veggies and he ate them! He has an egg allergy so I even used an egg substitute and they turned out great! So delicious! I was wondering- do you think I could use another sweetener like Truvia Baking Blend instead of the maple syrup, or does the syrup help with the consistency? Thank you!
Hi! Oh yay, I’m so glad he likes them! I haven’t tried it with anything other than honey or maple syurup, but given the moisture from the veggies, it might be OK. If you do, come back and let me know.
what egg replacement did you use?
Hi Grace,
I didn’t use an egg replacement. The recipe calls for one egg.
My 12 month old loves these!
I am so happy to hear that, Sarah. Thanks for your comment!
I made these muffins tonight and they are delicious! Super quick and easy. My toddler can’t get enough of them. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so happy to hear that, Samantha! Isn’t it a great feeling when we can find healthy things that our kids love?!
Great muffin recipe. I make these for my 18 month old without the sugar and he loves them. I add a little milk or almond milk instead. I also just use whole wheat flour. Thank you for the recipe!
I’m so happy to know that you and your son are enjoying the mini muffins, Jane. Thank you for letting me know!
These look great, but I am not sure what you mean by white whole wheat flour. Isn’t that a contradiction? Thanks!
Jane, The bran of white wheat is not only lighter in color but it’s also milder in flavor, making whole white wheat more appealing to many people accustomed to the taste of refined flour. The term “white flour” has often been used to mean “refined flour,” so “whole white wheat flour” sounds like a contradiction in terms. You can use traditional wheat flour if you’d like, in the same amounts, but the muffins will be a little stronger in flavor.
So stinkin’ easy and delicious! Thank you for this recipe!
We love these! I cut the maple syrup down to 1/3 cup and used 1 cup of carrots and omitted the raisins and they are fabulous. They have become a staple in our house for my 16 month old, he eats 3-4 for breakfast quite frequently. They freeze beautifully. I take a couple out the night before to thaw for the next morning. Thanks so much for this recipe (currently baking probably my 20th batch!)!!!
Leah, it makes my heart happy to know that one of my recipes has become such a favorite for your family! Thank you so much… and enjoy those carrot muffins! 🙂
The texture on these were perfect. I thought these were a little bland but my toddler came back begging for more. I used honey but I think next time I’ll use maple and add a little extra cinnamon. I didn’t think I was going to like the raisins but they added a nice little sweetness. Overall two thumbs up.
I’m glad to hear that you and your little one enjoyed the recipe, Lulu!
These are really good. I used white flour and half sugar half honey since I didn’t have enough. The batter didn’t seem liquid enough but I figured the veggies would help with that, and they DID! Yummy yummy. I wonder how many calories they are? I made a dozen regular sized muffins.
Hi Kaela! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the mini muffins recipe and that your substitutions worked well, too! I don’t know the calorie count for them, but I do know that a lot of people use the free nutritional calculator on MyFitnessPal.com, so perhaps you can do that too.
Thanks! I used the MyFitnessPal app, and with my variations, they are about 100 calories each, if you make a dozen regular sized muffins. In case anyone wanted to know.
Great info!
How long will these stay fresh/edible on the counter? Should I refrigerate them? What would be the best way to store them? Normally I would freeze them but I’m thinking we will be eating the entire batch within a week this time. Thanks.
Hi Elizabeth! I usually refrigerate muffins that have dairy products and/or vegetables in them, otherwise they tend to get moldy quickly, but if you think they’ll get eaten up within 2 or 3 days, I’m sure the muffins will be fine on the counter if they’re wrapped well or in an airtight container. I hope you enjoy them!
Can I bake these muffins in a loaf pan?
I haven’t tried it, so you’ll first want to see if there is enough batter for the loaf pan. If there is, I’d also recommend lowering the temperature to 325°F. Let me know if you try it!
My kids, 4 and 2, love this muffin! And this has been my go-to recipe twice now as a snack to bring in for my son’s class. Perfect consistency, healthy but feels like a treat. Thanks!
I’m so glad that you and your kids love the mini muffins recipe, Jenna!
Winner!! These are perfection. I used regular sprouted whole wheat flour, added chia and finely chopped walnuts and no raisins. These came out so yummy, my kids are going to devour these in the morning. Thank you for such a great recipe that bakes well, super easy to whip up and has “clean” ingredients. XO!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the carrot zucchini muffins, Rose. Adding chopped walnuts and healthy chia to them is a great idea!
!
How long would these take to cook as regular sized muffins?
Erin, if you’re going to make full sized muffins out of this recipe, the cooking time should be increased to 18 to 24 minutes. I hope you enjoy them!
I made these today were really good I think might be good with some nuts too. I used brown sugar instead of syrup and just added some milk so the mixture wouldn’t be too dry
I’m glad you enjoyed the muffins, Luna, and you’re right… adding nuts sounds like a delicious idea!
Huge hit with my 16 month old! Thank you so much for the recipe. My son has an egg allergy and I substituted with unsweetened applesauce and it worked great!
I’m so glad to hear that your son approved of the muffins, Cara. Great idea to use applesauce as a binder!
They weren’t that sweet???? My toddler refused to eat them. I’m so disappointed. Will use honey next time. Maybe that will help.
No, they aren’t super sweet, but they are muffins, not cupcakes. However feel free to adjust to your taste. My kids have always liked them as-is.
I made these yesterday and they are amazing. My boys, 2 and 6 devoured them. I omitted raisins but added walnuts.
Such an easy recipe too. I did find them a bit too sweet so next time I’ll put less maple syrup.
Thank you!
I thought it was about time I stop by and thank you for this recipe!! I love it! I make these muffins before every trip we take. I love that they are something my kids will eat plus I feel good about all the veggies in them! I share them on my facebook page and in my facebook group. I always get great feedback on them!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thanks so much! I really appreciate your kind words and feedback and sharing!
I usually never comment on things because they rarely live up to their description…especially when it’s a sweet involving veggies… but I HAD to comment. These are absolutely DELICIOUS!! I followed the recipe to the letter and they turned out perfect. I can’t wait for my daughter to try them tomorrow….if there’s any left!!
Oh yay! Thanks so much! These are often a hit in my house and others’!
Do you need to squeeze the liquid out from the zucchini? Thanks!
Nope, unless there is a lot.
Can I refrigerate these for a day or two before serving or will it ruin the taste/texture?
They refrigerate just fine for a couple days, and also freeze great!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It looks like a great one to make. Everyone always has too much zucchini from the garden. Thank you for sharing it on the #HomeMattersParty this week
I have fallen in love with freezing things all the time because I can’t help but make big batches of my recipes. These I wouldn’t mind making tons of as well! They look so good! Thanks for linking up with Delicious Dishes Recipe Party!
I really like the simplicity of this recipe. I’m much more likely to prepare a recipe without excessive ingredients. Pinned this to the Merry Monday party board and making plans to bake these.
Two weeks ago I came upon this recipe and have already made two triple batches (in triple the recipe yields 24 regular muffins for me)! I adapted the recipe with less butter, no raisins, and added some applesauce, bananas, pecans, and a little brown sugar (I felt bad using up so much of our maple syrup jug for muffins!) but found your recipe to be a great jumping off point. My two-year-old is known as The Muffin Man around here; he was appalled when he saw me dump the zucchini in the muffin batter (“Don’t do that, Mommy!”) and refused to eat the muffin when he saw the green and orange flecks inside. That is, until I turned my back to wash dishes. Then he tasted the muffin and proceeded to eat two and sneak a third. Thanks!
Oh I love this, and so great that you adapted it to suit your needs! My 5 year old refuses to eat zucchini but he has been eating these muffins for at least three years now.
Baked these last afternoon for my toddler and he ate a couple of them right after his daycare! I had to have one myself. They turned out great – perfect sweetness and so soft! Love how easy they are… Thank you!!
I just made these for my 18 month old son. He gobbled down 6 when he woke up from his nap. I didn’t include raisins since I didn’t have any so just added a little extra zucchini. Thanks for the great (toddler approved) recipe!
Wow, I’m impressed. He must have an appetite like my boys!
These came out brilliantly! Will be making these frequently for my 1 year old!
They are definitely a favorite for my kiddos. Thanks!
Hi,
I have been making these muffins for my toddler and he loves them. He is turning 2 this saturday and i wanted to bake a cake for his daycare celebrations. Can i use the same mix for the cake instead of muffins or do i need to modify anything. Also, can you suggest if cream cheese or yogurt topping would go with it. Thanks a lot for this wonderful recipe!
Jasminder
So glad you (and he) like them! I am not sure how they would do as a cake, as I have not tried it. It might be enough batter for a single layer round cake, but you might need more to do a larger pan. Let me know what you try. Here is a Greek Yogurt Cream Cheese Frosting I like -> https://cupcakesandkalechips.com/double-chocolate-chip-muffins/
Just found your recipe today. I used a blend of gluten free flours instead of the regular wheat and it came out great! Thanks for a great tasting muffin. And I love that you don’t have any refined sugars. I used half and half maple syrup and honey. And no draining of the liquid necessary, baked in 18 minutes. Love these!
Awesome! This is one that I haven’t tried to convert to gluten free yet, but I need to!
Hi,
Could I substitute agave for the honey or syrup? Also, when you finely grate zucchini and carrots thy release a lot of water and are quite wet, does the flour absorb ALL the liquid or do you squeeze the liquid out? Thanks! Cheers!
I’m sure agave would work fine, but I haven’t tried it myself. And I’ve never drained any liquid other than what stays behind when I transfer it to the mixing bowl.
I found this recipe a few weeks ago and have already made it several times! I make two changes: replace the raisins with more carrots for a full cup; and use 1/3 cup of applesauce instead of the egg (my 19-month-old daughter has a severe egg allergy). My daughter eats three regular-size muffins (one batch makes 12) for breakfast, so I need to start doubling or tripling the recipe so that I have some left to freeze! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Some great ideas! Thanks and I’m so glad she is enjoying them! I need to make a big batch myself!
great recipe! I just omitted the raisins , turned out great and my 2 yo son loves it
Oh awesome! I’m so glad! Thanks.
Just made these for my daughter who is really fussy and is on the spectrum, so it can be difficult to get her to eat. She liked them immediately. I stuck with the recipe, except ran out of maple syrup after about a spoon and then went to honey. Ran out of that just before the 1/2 cup mark and added molasses to make up for what I was lacking (probably a 10th of it) and baked for 15 minutes (made these in mini muffin tins). Perfectly timed. I yielded 24 and had a single serve pie tin I used to use up the rest and so the recipe yielded 24 minis and one mega muffin. Even hubby likes them and they have no white sugar. Will make these again.
Ha, love the mega muffin! So happy you enjoyed them!!
The recipe says “serves: 24-30” what does this mean? What is the yield of this recipe? If possible I would love to know how many mini muffins and how many full sized muffins.
It makes about 24-30 mini muffins. I have not made it into full size muffins, but probably about 8-12.
I just made these and they are so so good!! I’m not sure I want to share them with my toddler ;0)
Julia Kristina
http://juliakristina.com/blog
Haha! Double batch next time 🙂
I made them last week…my 2 yo loved them! I just made a double batch ??
I’m so happy to hear that the mini muffins were a hit, Emma!
These are quite possibly, the best healthy muffins ever. I’ve made this recipe twice already… our two little boys will even eat them. Mine will take a couple bites and that’s saying something! My boyfriend loved them as well. I just ate 3… oops. 😉 I made them regular sized and used coconut oil, golden raisins, and threw in some sliced almonds. Just yum, thanks so much for the recipe! :):):)
Oh my gosh, yay! Thanks so much for letting me know!
These are delicious! My 18-month son loves them. I used grated pumpkin instead of carrots ’cause I have loads hanging around, and they turned out great. Do you think you could get away with substituting apple sauce for butter?
I bet it would work, though once thing I like about this recipe is that it isn’t a ton of butter like some muffins.
I followed the recipe and yet after 45 minutes in the oven the mini muffins were still not cooked inside but very golden on the outside. I think the zucchini and carrots let out way too much liquid while baking. Any suggestions on how to fix this problem for next time?
Hmm, I’ve made these many time and never had a problem. Did you make mini or full size muffins?
Did you purée the veggies? I’ve done these muffins about five times and they always came out perfect when I would grate the veggies. Now that I had to make a huge batch I pureed them and now I’m having the same issue. Dark and gold on the outside and soggy and wet on the inside after 40 min. I’m making a combination of large and small muffins. I made small and large before and they were perfect. I guess all the extra water from the purée is the problem 🙁 I guess I’ll stick to grating by hand from now on.
Sad. Wasted time…
I’m sorry that the muffins didn’t turn out well for you this time, Gigi. I would suspect that you’re correct about the soggy interior being from too much liquid. Using a puree might work if you let the liquid strain out well before using it. You might try wrapping it in cheesecloth and squeezing it, or place the puree into a fine mesh strainer, cover with paper toweling, and place something heavy on top to force the liquid out.
If you want to use the food processor (I did because it was faster), just use a cheese cloth and stain all the liquid out. There will be tons of water that comes out from the zucchini. I had no problems with the muffins setting when I did that before adding them to the mixture!
Amazing. I’ve made these probably 50 times over the past 7 years and each time I make a triple batch and freeze.
Tip: for a triple batch, it is exactly one 12.5 oz bottle of maple syrup
A healthy muffin, it is a great idea because my son doesn’t like to eat vegetables so it is a great way. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Yep, always good to find yummy ways to get in some extra veggies. Thanks!
I made these cupcakes a couple of days ago for a get together with my son’s toddlers friends ands they were a hit!!! Absolutely love this recipe and will look to try others from your blog – thank you for sharing!
Oh, I had to put a little bit of milk to help with making the consistency easier to mix (it was too dry) and it worked out.
Have you thought about having a Spanish translation??
So glad you enjoyed them! Yes, it is a thick batter, but usually works out fine for me. I have not thought about doing Spanish translations, but something to consider. Thanks!
I’m out of carrots!! Let’s see how it turns out with just zucchini…
How did it go? I want to make these muffins with shredded apples.
I have just started attempting to sneak more veggies into my kids’ diets. Since they made them with me and saw all of the carrots and zucchini go in I was pretty sure from the looks on their faces there was no chance they’d eat them…but they LOVED them! They have declared that they are going to eat them for breakfast tomorrow and bring to school for snack!
Oh yay! So happy Kris!
Hi! Great recipe!! Made it twice already! How much cocoa powder can I add to make it a chocolate carrot zucchini muffin?
I haven’t tried it, but perhaps a couple of tablespoons.
Hi great recipe. Thanks! Me and my daughter just made it substituting whole wheat flour for sprouted whole wheat flour and also adding one snack size applesauce, and extra egg, and using coconut cane sugar and raw honey. My son who never eats veggies has already eaten two.
So glad you liked them! It’s one of the few ways my son will eat zucchini!
Came here through your Gluten Free Greek Zoodle Salad over at Pinterest, saw this link on that page and decided to check it out. Two Questions though…Would it still come out as well if I switch out the wheat flour for Almond Flour? Obviously if I came in thanks to the Gluten Free Salad, I do have issues w/Gluten and I really love Zucchini and Carrot paired in Breads, Muffins and other yummy things, so hopefully… :o)
Also would it still keep in the freezer as long as this Gluten version does? That would be great if it did.
Now, if I can get my hands on some Cherry Tomatoes tomorrow, I’ll give that salad a go tomorrow night to give everything time to soak in and meld together and then that’s one dish done and dusted for Sunday night Supper and also my Parents’ Wedding Anniversary. BTW, a friend of mine hasn’t been able to find a spiral peeler anywhere in her area, but she saw somewhere online if you have the blade attachment to make McDonald sized Fries for your Mandolin, that’ll work just as well. She gave it a try last week and she said it worked like a charm!!
Just thought I’d share that tip. I’ll be trying it to make that salad if I can find the Tomatoes. Thanks for a great site and answering my questions in advance. :o). Have a good weekend!!
That is a great tip with the mandolin, though I find the spiralizer less scary 🙂
My kids don’t have any gluten issues, so I still do “conventional” baking for them. I haven’t tried to convert this recipe and am not an expert it it yet. I would think a blend of almond and oat or brown rice flour would work. Hmmm, now you have me inspired to experiment. If you try anything, let me know. I’m thinking it’ll be fine in the freezer, too.
A friend brought me a batch of these and I loved them and had to get the recipe from her. My first attempt was in a full size muffin pan with almond flour and they all caved in. My friend came over and we tried again in her mini muffin tin with rice flour and they were perfect again. Well, I just tried one more time with my new mini muffin pan, and I squeezed moisture from zucchini and carrot as a precaution, but used my almond flour again and I ended up with 24 sunken mini muffins. So sad as they smelled so good while baking. I suggest to not use almond flour. I am going to try again with either rice flour or whole wheat.
I’m sorry to hear that using almond flour in the muffins caused problems for you, Karen. I know that it can be difficult to bake with because it doesn’t have the internal structure to support heavy ingredients. I hope you have better success next time!
Hi!
Do you know how many calories the muffins have? thanks.
I’m sorry, Michelle, I don’t typically do the calorie calculations since ingredients can vary greatly be brand. But there are some simple online calculators you can use.
These look super moist Brianne!
Thanks, they definitely are!
Hi Brianne – these muffins look and sound delicious. Perfect way to get those veggies in! Thank you so much for sharing at Best of the Weekend and pinned. Hope you’re having a happy week!
Never hurts to get in some extra veggies! Thanks for stopping by!
I’m swinging by from Cast Party Wednesday to check out your YUMMY looking post and invite you to my link party, The Yuck Stops Here. I’ve seen lots of the stuff you’ve done & would love it if you would share! This week’s party is open until Sunday at 8pm ET and can be found at http://mommasangelbaby.com/?p=2463 and next week’s party starts on Tuesday at 8pm ET and can be found at http://mommasangelbaby.com/?p=2474. I hope to see you there! HUGS
Thanks for stopping by!
I have a recipe for zucchini muffins that I sometimes do half zucchini, half carrot that I love. Yet my recipe is a lot more complex than this one. I should give this a try too.
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
This one is really easy!