Carrot Zucchini Muffins
These carrot zucchini mini muffins are the kind of snack that disappears before you realize it happened. They’re soft, lightly spiced, and just sweet enough, with grated carrot and zucchini folded right into the batter. Baked in a mini muffin pan, they’re perfectly sized for little hands, lunchboxes, or quick snacks, and they come together easily with simple ingredients and no extra steps.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free option, Dairy-free option
- Skill Level: Easy
While my kids actually like vegetables—especially raw and dipped in Greek Yogurt Ranch— they don’t love ALL vegetables. So I try to get them in when I can. These carrot zucchini muffins are a perfect way to add extra veggies in a way that they will eat.
Filled with whole grains and vegetables and naturally sweetened with just a bit of maple syrup or honey, these are the perfect muffins for kids to grab for breakfast or a snack. It might seem like a lot of zucchini, but they bake up super moist and tender. Plus, they’re packed with whole grain flour and are low in fat and added sugar. Win-win! Want a gluten free version? Check out my recipe for Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Muffins!
What Makes These Carrot Zucchini Muffins So Good?
- Kid-friendly. My 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. Somehow, in muffin form, zucchini is totally acceptable. Whatever works!
- A great way to use up all that summer zucchini. Got a big crop of zucchini in the garden? Bake a few batches of these muffins and stash some in the freezer.
- Easy. This is a stir-together batter, so no mixer is needed. And you don’t need to squeeze out any excess liquid from the carrots and zucchini, which saves time, too!
- Made for lunchboxes. I love that there’s just a little sweetener in the form of maple syrup, so there won’t be a big sugar crash later. And the muffins are nut-free, so you can send them off to school even if it’s a nut-free environment.
- Fan favorite. These muffins have been getting kids to eat their veggies for years! Check out these 5-star reviews!
So easy to make and my 4 year old is obsessed! Love the hidden veggies and that it’s only sweetened with maple syrup. -Yvonne
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. -Liz
Love these! I make a batch just about every week! -Ali
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! -Chrissi
What You’ll Need
Here’s the short ingredients list for these vegetable muffins, along with a few notes. Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- White Whole Wheat Flour: You could also use regular whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour which may slightly affect the color of the muffins (these are darker flours) but not the taste.
- Cinnamon: Feel free to add a little more cinnamon if you like cinnamon.
- Salt: I use fine sea salt or table salt.
- Baking Soda: Check to make sure the baking soda is fresh for the best results.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted butter is fine, or use melted coconut oil to make them dairy-free.
- Maple Syrup: Honey also works here if you don’t have maple syrup, or try coconut sugar.
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- Vegetables: A mix of grated zucchini and carrots.
- Raisins: Regular or golden raisins work fine.
How to Make Carrot Zucchini Muffins
Check out how you’ll make this quick recipe in the photos below, and find the full instruction details in the recipe card lower down.
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the dry mix. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Separately, stir together the butter, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla.
- Combine. Stir the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
- Add in vegetables. Stir in the zucchini, carrots, and raisins.
- Add batter to pan. Place the batter in the muffin tin, filling each cup about 3/4 full.
- Bake. Place in the oven and bake for up to 20 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Cool the muffins in the pan then turn them out to cool completely.
Tips and Variation Ideas
- There’s enough batter, I promise! While there may seem to be minimal batter holding the veggies together, don’t worry! Just go with it. They always bake up perfectly.
- Freeze the carrots and zucchini. This is a great tip from a reader: pre-shred the zucchini and carrots and store them portioned out in one bag, or make up large bags and store them separately. Keep the shredded veggies in the freezer for up to 3 months so you can make these muffins anytime. Thaw the vegetables slightly before adding to the batter.
- No liners are needed. I have never used paper liners, but I do make sure to spray the muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Then after they bake, I let them cool on a rack for a few minutes before popping out with a butter knife.
- Cool them completely. The muffins are a bit soft while they’re still warm, so while they still taste amazing, for a sturdier texture let cool to room temperature before eating.
- What kind of flour? These muffins are made with white whole wheat flour. If you can’t get your kids into stuff made with regular whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour creates a texture closer to regular all-purpose flour and it’s easy to substitute into most recipes. But if they don’t mind whole wheat flour, you can use whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour (finer ground).
- Use either honey or maple syrup. This recipe uses real maple syrup for a nice flavor and sweetness while adding flavor and moisture to this healthier muffin. Honey works too.
- Dairy-free option: Swap the butter for non-dairy butter or an oil of your choice.
How to Store
- Counter – Cool the muffins completely so that they don’t become soggy, then transfer them to an airtight container and keep them on the counter for up to 3 days.
- Fridge – Place the muffins in their airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer – These muffins freeze well! Place them in freezer-safe bags and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge before eating.
Carrot Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
- ½ cup pure maple syrup, or honey
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely grated zucchini
- ½ cup finely grated carrot
- ½ 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 1 cup white whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons melted butter, ½ cup pure maple syrup, 1 large egg,, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir together until just barely combined.
- Add 1 cup finely grated zucchini, , and ½ cup 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.
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Originally published on May 18, 2014
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!