Packed with carrots, whole grains, and protein, these Carrot Cake Muffins are a delicious way to start the day. They mix up in one bowl, can be made ahead, and are a nutritious snack or breakfast. Plus: You can be eating them in about 25 minutes from when you start the process!
Carrot Cake Muffins
When I’m looking for a fun way to serve up vegetables to kids, I tend to think of muffins. And these carrot muffins are a delicious—and super easy—snack, side dish, or breakfast option to share with the kids. I actually love this recipe so much that I make them regularly for myself.
These muffins are low in added sugars and contain whole grains from rolled oats and whole wheat flour. They also have a nice amount of carrots for fiber, vitamin A, and flavor. And unlike many traditional muffin recipes, these don’t rely on oil alone for moisture; applesauce adds moisture and nutrients, too.
These store really well in the fridge or freezer, so they’re a nice recipe to make and serve for days (or weeks) to come.
(Find more of my favorite muffins for kids here.)
Ingredients You Need
You don’t need anything fancy to make these muffins. Here’s a look at the ingredients.
- Whole wheat flour
- Rolled oats: These are sometimes called “old-fashioned” oats.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda: Make sure your baking soda is fresh before you start baking as it’s key to these baking through properly.
- Cinnamon: Adds that classic carrot cake flavor.
- Eggs
- Applesauce: I use smooth, unsweetened applesauce here.
- Brown sugar
- Canola or melted coconut oil
- Grated carrots: I prefer the texture of carrots grated on a box grater as they tend to be a little finer and bake softer than grated carrots from the store.
- Raisins: I prefer golden raisins for their pretty color and delicate sweetness, but any kind will work.
Ingredient Substitutions
If you want to make these without refined sugar, you can omit the brown sugar and use 2 tablespoons maple syrup.
Gluten-free: Use a cup-for-cup style of gluten-free flour blend and gluten-free rolled oats.
Egg-free: Use a store-bought egg replacer like the one from Bob’s Red Mill.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the process involved in making these carrot muffins so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Stir together the dry ingredients.
- Grate the carrot and add with the remaining wet ingredients to the bowl.
- Mix gently, but thoroughly.
- Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tin. I use a measuring spoon, which helps divide the batter evenly.
- Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out cleanly.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
TIP: You can use store-bought grated carrots, but you’ll need ones that are finely grated and not in super long pieces. If the pieces of your carrots are longer than an inch, cut them up smaller with kitchen shears.
Can I turn these muffins into cupcakes?
Yes! You can do a lightly sweetened Cream Cheese Frosting made from cream cheese, vanilla, and maple syrup or honey. Use a hand-held mixer to beat all ingredients together and top the cooled muffins.
What should I serve with these mini muffins?
We like them with milk and a side of fruit for breakfast or a snack, or you can serve them with a favorite soup as dinner or as part of a toddler lunch. (They’re shown above in a lunchbox with Roasted Carrot Fries, cottage cheese, and grapes.)
I personally love them with coffee or tea as an afternoon snack.
Can I make these vegan?
To make these without eggs or dairy, omit the eggs and add ground flaxseed meal. You may need to bake them for about 2 minutes longer, but use a cake tester to be sure. See the note at the end of the recipe for specifics. (Or you can use a store bought egg replacer like the one from Bob’s Red Mill.)
How to Store
To store, place in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat slightly to serve if desired. Or, place cooled muffins into a zip top freezer bag, remove as much air as possible and seal. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or in the microwave in 10-15 second increments.
Best Tips for Success
- I like to use golden raisins because the flavor and color is nice here, but regular ones work just fine.
- For best results, grate the carrots yourself. OR use kitchen shears to roughly chop store-bought grated carrots into slightly smaller pieces. (Right out of the bag, the grated carrots are often in long pieces that will be hard to fit in mini muffin cups.)
- Dice into smaller pieces for babies or 1-year-olds.
- Be sure to grease the pan well and use a paring knife around the edges as needed to prevent the muffins from sticking to the pan.
- These work best as mini muffins. (They take forever to bake through as full-size.)
- When checking for doneness, look for the edges to be golden brown, the tops of the muffins to be firm to the touch, and a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin to come out clean—not with wet batter stuck to it.
- You can omit the brown sugar and use 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey instead.
- You may also like Zucchini Carrot Muffins, ABC Muffins, Yogurt Muffins, Carrot Cake Cupcakes, and Strawberry Muffins.
I’d love to hear what your family thinks of this recipe so please chime in below with feedback in the comments!
This post was originally published spring 2017.
Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons canola oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup raisins (I prefer golden raisins, but any kind will work)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.
- Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and stir together to combine thoroughly but gently.
- Add a heaping 1 tablespoon of the batter to each prepared muffin cup and bake 18-22 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out cleanly.
- Remove from oven, cool in the pan for 2 minutes, and use a paring knife to loosen the edges as needed. Tilt in the pan to allow air to circulate underneath or transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Serve warm, at room temp, or chilled.
Video
Notes
- To store, place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for 3-5 days. Reheat slightly to serve if desired. Or, place cooled muffins into a zip-top freezer bag, remove as much air as possible and seal. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or in the microwave in 10- to 15-second increments.
- I like to use golden raisins because the flavor and color is nice here, but regular ones work just fine.
- Add ¼ teaspoon ground ginger to add even more flavor.
- Egg-free: Omit the eggs and add 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal and use ½ teaspoon baking soda (up from ¼ teaspoon in the recipe). Let mixed batter sit for 5 minutes before adding to the pan. Bake for about 2 additional minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out cleanly. (Or you can use a store bought egg replacer like the one from Bob’s Red Mill.)
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free cup-for-cup flour and certified gluten-free rolled oats.
- For best results with the texture, grate the carrots yourself. OR use kitchen shears to roughly chop store-bought grated carrots into slightly smaller pieces. (Right out of the bag, the grated carrots are often in long pieces that will be hard to fit in mini muffin cups.)
- These work best as mini muffins. To bake as standard-size muffins, increase the oven temp to 375 degrees F and bake for 18-22 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly.
- Be sure to grease the pan well and use a paring knife around the edges as needed to prevent the muffins from sticking to the pan.
- When checking for doneness, look for the edges to be golden brown, the tops of the muffins to be firm to the touch, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin to come out clean—not with wet batter stuck to it.
Really good base recipe, I made quite a few changes out of preference and necessity. I did about a heaping half cup of grated carrot and a heaping half cup of grated beetroot. Quickly made some applesauce but ended up with just shy of half a cup so added Greek yogurt to equal a whole cup. Added 1.5 Tbsp of honey and swapped the oil out for almond/mixed nut butter. Batter was a bit wet to added 2 spoonfuls-ish of white flour until desired consistency. They came out perfect. Toddler loves them 😀
My son absolutely loves these. I used almond extract instead of vanilla and the apple/carrot sauce from Trader Joe’s and he devoured them.
Hi, can I substitute the whole wheat flour with wholemeal spelt one please?
Yes, I think that will be fine.
Can I bake them as in a rectangle cake tin instead of muffins tray? Thank you
Hi- you can look at this carrot cake bars recipe for that https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/easy-carrot-cake-bars/
What is a good substitute for applesauce
Have everything except the rolled oats. Can I substitute with more flour ?
You can sub with all purpose flour. Enjoy!
Instant hit with my 2yo! These are so yummy and easy. And a great way to get rid of that random carrot in the fridge!
my son loves these! i wonder if i could make as waffles instead?
I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure, but let me know if you try it!
UH-MAZE-ING!!! Always my go-to for a snack or when I get bored of breakfast and want to change things up. I love pairing this with yogurt for breakfast. It tastes like cream cheese frosting. Match made in HEAVEN
I realise most of the comments are from young mum’s who want their toddlers to have healthy muffins which is fantastic.
I am in my mid-sixties & made these muffins for my 30year old son & my 70year old disabled brother & they both loved them.
It’s a great muffin recipe & really I believe it’s suitable for ALL ages!
Thanks a heap
Can I add mashed banana to skip the sugar and syrup??? My guy is 17 mos but still trying to avoid any added sugars. Or am I tooooo cautious and just go with the sugar??? New parent here!! Thank you!!!
You can just leave it out if you prefer, though it is a very small amount in each muffin. Just be sure that the applesauce you use has good flavor. (I would not add banana as it may make the muffins harder to bake through.)
Thank you! I am going to make recipe as is and can’t wait to try them. All your recipes and tips have been so helpful as I continue the journey in feeding my son. Thank you again.
Hi Erica! Just wanted to say I’ve been the overly cautious mama before. But many muffins without some sugar really aren’t worth it most of the time. Our brains actually need sugar to function and it’s such a small amount since it’s spread out to each muffin. Your baby will get the nutrients too! Don’t feel bad about, mama! You’re doing great!
Appreciate your comment and perspective!
Just made these today for my 1 year old. They are so darn good I wish I didn’t make 1/2 a batch lol! I practically ate them all myself. Great recipe!!
LOL making half a batch of these feels like a crime to me. I’m joking of course. I swear, this is the recipe I fall back to all of the time when I want to change things up!
I used cut up dates instead of raisins and they turned out great! My two preschool aged kids love them! These mini muffins will be a nice addition to my kids preschool bento boxes.
I’m so glad!
Just finished making these. AMAZING! I didn’t have raisins so skipped them but can’t wait to buy some so I can make another batch! Hope I don’t eat them all myself 🙂
in recipes that call for whole wheat flour, can I use all-purpose with the same ratios? thanks!
Usually you need to add a little more all purpose flour when substituting for wheat flour to ensure that the muffins aren’t mushy.
So moist and so good. Even my hubby loves them.
So easy to make! Delicious, nutritious, and my toddler loves them!
I made these for my daughter and she loved them. We made 30 mini muffins and we only have 5 left. Sooo yum! They’re moist, flavorful and healthy. I subbed the brown sugar for maple sugar and it had the perfect about of sweetness. Also, did GF flour and baked for 11 minutes.
These muffins are great! I had time to prep, bake, and enjoy one all within 1 hr during nap time! Mine came out pretty moist so I think next time I’ll towel dry the carrots just a bit. I also used gluten free cup for cup flour and the texture is perfect.
So glad to hear it! Enjoy them
Do you need to press the grated carrots with a cheese cloth? I can’t wait to make these!
You don’t since there usually isn’t very much liquid. Enjoy!
Just made a batch of these to freeze for a birthday party…tasted one and is delicious!Not too sweet so perfect for little ones!
great recipe. i made a few changes but they still came out great. i used maple syrup instead of brown sugar. i took a gamble and used 1 cup whole milk yogurt instead of applesauce and omitted the oil and raisins. they were done in 22 minutes
My little one absolutely loved these and scarfed down 4 mini muffins after school in a matter of minutes and continued to ask for more haha. The adults in the house also enjoyed them! Thank you for a recipe that is so easy to follow and make adjustments to best suit what’s on hand. The substitutions I made were whole wheat flour for all purpose, avocado oil instead of canola, mashed banana instead of apple sauce and left the raisins out. We will for sure be making these on a regular basis!
I am not much of a baker but these turned out great. They came together so quickly and I had most of the ingredients on hand. I substituted homemade pear sauce (with cinnamon and ginger) for applesauce because I didn’t have applesauce. I will make these again.
I’m so glad to hear that!
What can you use instead of oats? My child cannot eat them.
You can use all purpose flour instead. Enjoy
Why did mine only cook on the outside? 🙁 I checked them at 18,20,25 mins. Still not cooked through.
My oven is on fan forced 350f. Is there something I am missing?
The most likely explanation is that the baking soda isn’t working properly. I hope that helps.
In my experience making them twice, they are just very very moist. I also cooked mine for longer as I really couldn’t tell if they were cooked through!
Delicious! Made this recipe for my toddler grandson.
I substituted melted butter instead of canola oil, 2 teaspoons honey instead of brown sugar, and 2 dates, diced, instead of raisins. All else remained the same as recipe.
Yummy!
Thee muffin are fantastic!! I am not one that likes muffins… When we made
them we ate the all in a day just the two of us. We used melted butter instead
of oil… Also they were exceptional moist… They did not raise up to high
Do these need to be cooked longer than what it says on receipe… They felt
like they could have been cooked longer.
Excited to try these! I don’t have applesauce but I have the kirkland signature fruit and veggie pouches! Could I use that? lol
Sure, just as long as they’re on the sweeter side (not like straight spinach!)
My toddler loved these last time I made them! Do you have a substitute if I don’t have applesauce? Thanks 🙂
You can do mashed ripe banana!
Could you sub maple syrup for the brown sugar? Or do you have a recommendation for that?
That should be fine to swap. Enjoy
I don’t have mini muffin tins. Any idea roughly how long to bake for standard size muffin tin?
I would do 375 F, 1/4 cup batter in each, and bake for about 18 minutes
Which non stick spray do you use?
I use classic Pam since I find that it works the best of those I have tried.
What’s one more 5 star review to add to the collection?! 😀 These were the first food item my toddler successfully used the sign for “more” because he loved them so much.
Hooray!
These are SO good! I am really enjoying these : ) Oh yeah, and so are my kids. I definitely agree to use the golden raisins. They are next level. Thank you, Amy!
You’re so welcome!
Why is this so good! I have to make another one in no time cos my 3 year old can’t stop eating it, and me! Thanks for this wonderful recipe
So glad you’re enjoying it!
So good, my whole family loves these! I added pecans on top as well. Would it be possible to half the brown sugar and still keep the shape?
Yes, you can do that if you want to. Enjoy!
Thank you – these are delicious! Can I use honey instead of maple syrup as a substitute for the brown sugar?
Sure, you can do that. And glad you’re enjoying them!
OMG these are so tasty!!! I actually hope my toddler doesn’t like them so I can eat them all! I didn’t have applesauce so used the same quantity of mashed banana and they were perfect. I also added 1 or 2 tbsp of LSA mix for added nutrition. Thanks for another amazing recipe Amy!
Both my 3.5yr old & 1.5yr old love these! We’ve made them together twice now. This second time I added fresh ground nutmeg and some chia seeds. I also don’t have whole wheat flour on hand, so just subbed regular flour and it came out delicious! A must make for everyone in the family.
My toddler LOVES these! I didn’t add any sugar (brown sugar or maple syrup) and they were still a huge hit. I added a pinch of ginger and nutmeg as suggested by another commenter and they came out great! Will definitely be making again!
Delicious! Added in a couple tablespoons of hemp seeds for bonus nutrition. It was no problem making them full-size – 375F for about 19-20 min did the trick!
So good, I will make these again. Added ground flax as another suggested and chopped walnuts.
Made these gluten and egg free due to allergy and they are delicious! I think the kids are going to miss out because I keep eating them!
So glad you’re enjoying them!
This is sooo good!
I was questioning the amount of oil, but stayed true to recipe. I used 3Tbs melted coconut oil, and am not disappointed.
They came out moist and flavorful!
Glad to hear it!
Looks delicious! Can you make them in a bread pan instead as muffins? If so, how long would you recommend them in the oven? Thank you!!
I haven’t tried this batter that way so I can’t say for sure, but typically quick breads in a loaf pan take about an hour at 350.
I love this recipe! We added chopped nuts and coconut to it, to make it seem like grandmas carrot cake. Both the 1 yr old and 2yr old love it so much. Thank you for all ur amazing recipes!
This recipe is a staple in our home. We make it as described but use a mini waffle maker instead of muffin cups. We also replace the raisins with ground flaxseed. My toddler asks for one of these waffles every morning. We serve it with a tablespoon of sugar-free chia berry jam or apple butter on the side. Delicious!
So good! Another great recipe to make with my 3 year old. We made them with the addition of vanilla and ginger as suggested in the notes. I chopped the golden raisins very finely as my son doesn’t care for the texture. They have been out of the oven for ten minutes and we are already snacking on our second mini muffin.
excellent recipe thank you for sharing! i didn’t have applesauce so i used mashed up bananas and it worked perfectly!
These are SO GOOD. Just so good.
My grandson is 10 months old and doesn’t have any teeth yet. I plan to omit the raisins. Will that take away from the flavor of these muffins?
It does lower the sweetness. Babies don’t actually chew with their teeth at that age, they use their gums, so you could also just cut the raisins in half with kitchen scissors and know that they soften as they’re baked.
I love these muffins!! And so does my kiddo! I’m a novice baker and they seem to still be very moist even after cooking them 5-10 min longer. Are these just really moist muffins and are indeed fully cooked?
They should be moist, but not raw if that helps?
these were super easy we all loved them. really great low sugar, low calorie, fibery snacks
These were so easy and tasty to make! I had alittle left over the batter and deciding to make them into waffles and they turned out just as good as the muffins ! Thanks for a delicious recipe for our kiddos! 😋
Oats causes my son’s eczema to flare up (it’s a mystery) but I LOVE baked goods with oats – especially oatmeal cookies 😢. Any substitution recommendations for the same texture? I’ve read quinoa flakes or almond meal ( but need to stay away from nuts for school). Maybe flax seed meal?
Thanks for the suggestions!
Hi- quinoa flakes would be the best option since they’re the most similar in how they work in recipes if you can try those. It’s also possible you could just use additional flour.
Very moist muffin and flavorful! My son loves these the most out of any kind of muffin I’ve made!
Amy, I hope that all is well!
Thank you for another great hit. Made this yesterday evening and while they were still warmed my picky eater wanted some, which was very surprised. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. I will keep making them as long as you keep doing your thing 😉
I have to give it 5* as I really enjoyed them which I did not think I would once I had them out of the oven…
I have to mention that we live in Australia and spend time in Europe too. We are not used to some of the American tastes.. Why I mention that is because a lot of things are just too sweet for us. And I found these muffins very sweet but it could also be the different products I used.
However the next day they tasted so much better and they were soft and fluffy too.
I did not have a mini muffins tray so used just the normal one but filled each only with about 2 tablespoons of batter.. I had to bake them about 30 min.
I will make these again but will cut haöf the sugar and maybe a bit less raisins as well and add some walnuts instead..
Thanks for the recipe Amy! I love that you have sooo many recipes accessible for free! ❤
These are so easy, so good, and have minimal sugar. My toddler loved these. Another super recipe from this site.
These were a lovely taste and texture but I found them much too sweet, even after halving the amount of applesauce! (I used unsweetened apple purée) I would omit the brown sugar altogether next time, the applesauce and raisins were plenty sweet enough for my little ones. And then you can feel even more virtuous about how healthy they are! 🙂
These look yummy. I love to bake
Perfectly moist, perfect amount of sweetness, and my 18 month old loves them. Thanks for the great recipes!
I made these this week for the first time so that my kindergartener could have them in his lunch. I thought he might like them, but he LOVED them. So much so that today he saved one so that he could make sure his Grandmother got to taste one when she picked him up from school! 😊
That being said, I put everything in the bowl and then realized I didn’t have any eggs! I had chia seeds instead of flax, so I made a quick chia egg substitute and it worked well! I’ll make them again with eggs just so I can see the difference, but I just wanted to share that the substitute worked. Thanks for a yummy muffin my kids love (2 year old approved too)!
There is not measurements listed
They are at the end of the post in the recipe card. There’s a teal “JUMP TO RECIPE” right at the top of the post to help you go right there. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Could I use a round cake pan instead of muffin pan? Muffin pans are so hard to clean
I would think so, though the baking time would depend on the size of your pan and you’d want to watch the middle of the pan for doneness as that would be the last part of the batter to cook through.
Could I use crushed pineapple instead of the applesauce (I have some leftover that I need to use)? Should I make any other substitutions to account for added liquid?
I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure, but I’d think you’d need to drain off any extra liquid if you try it
Question: Mine are really moist! They seemed undercooked so I put them back in the oven. Not sure how long in total they will take? The only sub I used was coconut sugar instead of brown. Anyone else have this problem?
Mine turned out too moist as well. I did sub the whole wheat flour for spelt/coconut flour mix (75/25).
I can’t guarantee that the recipe will work the same with different flours. I’m sorry to hear that happened though.
These are amazing! Both my 14 month old and myself enjoy them. Thanks for the great recipe!
No where in this recipe does it say mini muffins until greasing. I was hoping to make reg sized muffins. Maybe this can be corrected in the title
The serving info does specify how many mini muffins it makes and I mention that they’re minis in the Best Tips section. I will try to clarify it elsewhere though to avoid confusion. Thank you for the feedback!
Has anyone substituted oat flour or almond flour for the wheat flour? What ratios? Trying to use what I have in the pantry!
Hi- Almond flour is not a good substitute for wheat flour. Oat flour may work, but the final texture may veer more similar to a cross between a muffin and baked oatmeal. Of the two, I’d do oat flour though
Thank you! I ended up using oat flour 1:1 because the consistency looked fine. I added about 1/2 tsp of vanilla too. My 20 mo loves them!
Oh great!
I used almond flour as a 1:1 sub for the whole wheat flour and mashed banana instead of applesauce. Works great! The texture will be slightly grittier but because of the carrots it’s not very noticeable. I add a bit of pumpkin pie spice too. My kids devour these. I always try to make two dozen for easy breakfasts but they do not last long in our family.
What does this mean “use gluten free cup for cup flour “?
A Gf flour labeled “cup for cup” is a great 1:1 sub for wheat flour (as opposed to something like all brown rice flour or all almond flour). King Arthur makes a good one.
This was super moist and yummy! Thank you! I also added 1/4 cup of walnuts, but other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. I made it into 12 regular sized muffins and put it on the full time, about 22 minutes.
Loved this recipe – thank you! Lately I’ve been looking for wholesome snacks and more vegetables for my 1.5 yr old, she’s started to choose less vegetables on her own and she is at a stage where she’s wary of certain textures so I wasn’t sure how it would go. She loved them!! I followed another commenter’s suggestion and used 1 apple shredded instead of applesauce and I love how they turned out. She was right, I did need to add more moisture; 1/4 cup whole milk was perfect. Will definitely make again!
We just made these and all enjoyed them – toddlers and adults. My almost 3 year old loved mixing – easy recipe to do with her. A big hit for breakfast and would also be great for a snack!
So delicious and easy to make! My son (he’s one) absolutely loves them…and so do we! Great meal for the whole family.
I’m so glad to hear that!
What would you use instead if you don’t have applesauce on hand?
Typically mashed ripe banana, pumpkin, or mashed roasted sweet potato work similarly in baked goods. I haven’t made these any other way but let me know if you try any of those options!
Hi, I use an actual apple! and they taste delicious, I made them several times already. I add a bit more oil though to compensate for the applesauce vs apple.
Awesome!
Is there any other substitute for roller oats? My toddler is allergic to oats.
I can’t say this for sure since I haven’t tested it, but I think you could use all purpose flour instead of the oats with good results. Let me know if you try it!
I love these, though my toddler apparently will eat nothing but grilled cheese for the rest of his life. Sigh. Will keep trying. These are delicious plain and also with a little cream cheese.
These are super moist and, like all Yummy Toddler Food recipes we love the healthier ingredients. Great texture, my 2 year old keeps asking for more. However, next time I make these I will add some vanilla and cinnamon as another reviewer suggested for some extra flavor. Another great one!
I also made these as regular size muffins and baked them for around 24 min, they were very moist still as regular muffins
I’m about to help everyone out, no offense to the author of this recipe, but I was shocked not seeing any vanilla, salt, or spices! So here are some tips of my personal altered recipe. All you have to do is add 1/8 tsp of ginger, 1/8 tsp of nutmeg, 1 tsp of cinnamon, a 1/8 tsp salt(on the lesser side), 1 tsp vanilla extract, and I added and 1/8 tsp almond extract. With these changes, the flavor profile resembles a delicious carrot cake like taste, with all the same health benefits! I used all dried spices, and I hope this will help people after reading previous comments of the muffins having no taste! Which makes sense when you don’t have those crucial ingredients. Happy Baking!
Also I baked them in big muffin tins for 22 minutes at 350 and they were splendid!
Thanks for your feedback and I’m glad you like the spices you added. They actually DO have a lot of flavor as the recipe is written—the carrots, applesauce, and raisins (especially golden ones!) add a lot of really nice flavor.
I made 24 mini muffins. Recipe was perfect amount for the mini tray. I should have read the comments before trying to make these, I was also baffled as to why there were no spices. I will make again using your spice list, I found these extremely bland. Came out looking great but not so great on the flavor profile. Thanks for your spice suggestions.
I just made these and came to comment what a great fresh flavor they have and saw this terribly rude feedback! Why in the world would you say your changes are ‘crucial’ when this is NOT your recipe? Just say you added some additional flavor that made it more to your taste! Obviously many people have enjoyed the recipe as written.
Thank you, Amy, for another terrific experience making delicious food for my family!
How would you alter the temp/time for regular sized muffin tins? Can’t wait to try these this morning!!
Hi- They work best as mini muffins since it’s a moist batter that can take a really long time to cook through as full size muffins. You may need to bake them for around 33-34 minutes.
Would using a date or two (puréed) in place of the sugar/raisins greatly affect the texture?
I don’t think it would but I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure!
Hi – do you think this, and your other muffin recipes, could be used as is and cooked in a donut pan? Would the time change?
Mini muffins usually have the same baking time as a standard donut pan. I haven’t tried these in a donut pan—they may be a little tender to hold up well after baking, so if you try it, be gentle with them until they’re cooled. I might even let them cool in the donut pan before taking them out to ensure they hold together.
I just made these with my 2-yr old son. I subbed coconut sugar for the brown sugar (equal amount) and they’re delicious! Thanks!
Oh no! Did you change anything in the recipe?
These are so good and my 2.5 and 4yr olds ate them up. I didn’t have applesauce so we substituted with Greek yogurt. Also used our mini cuisinart to shred the baby carrots we had. We will definitely be making these again.
Awesome!
Can you use regular flour if you don’t have whole wheat flour on hand?
Yes, though they may take a minute or two longer to bake through
These were very very good. I love how easy it was to get together in one bowl. I did make me them in a larger cupcake tin.. and it took about 30 m to get done.
These are amazing and so easy! I can’t wait for my grandson to test them tomorrow. Thank you!
I’m so glad!
These are so easy and so delicious! I made them twice. I used avacado oil because it’s what I had and added 1 tsp of cinnamon to the 2nd batch. They are great both ways, although I preferred with the cinnamon. My 2.5 year old ate 4!
Thank you the great simple recipe!
Loved these!!! I added a generous amount of cinnamon and the whole house smelled great. My tot ate two of them. Will be making again.
I’m so glad to hear that!
Great recipe thanks!
Thank you for this recipe – my little one liked it! (I didn’t have any applesauce but had some leftover pureed apples in a jar, so I used that.) I was running out of meal ideas for my 14 month old, so will look around for more recipes. Thanks again!
I’m so glad!
These are so good. I added vanilla and cinnimon and baked an extra 5 minutes
These were so tasty, but my 3yo was picking oat and carrot pieces out of his mouth and finally said he didn’t like it. Can I process the oats and carrots for a smoother texture?
Sure, you could put them into the blender with the liquid ingredients to make them less noticeable I’d think.
Is it possible to make these without oats? My son has an allergy.
You can probably do it with all flour though I haven’t tried it that way so I can’t say for sure.
Hi, these look great but we don’t have applesauce. Can we replace it with anything else? Thanks!
Mashed banana should work if you have that
Unfortunately this recipe was a huge miss for us. Muffins came out mushy and did not taste very good. I even baked them almost ten minutes longer and let them cool for several hours and still threw them out. Maybe I missed a step, but I am usually a good baker. Oh well!
Is it possible the leavening you used wasn’t fresh/active? That sounds like the most likely issue. I’m sorry this happened though.
Another winner! I actually scaled these way down, used all oat flour and a little honey instead of brown sugar (what was easier to grab first…), and added a pinch of apple pie spice, and microwaved it in a mug, then scooped it out and cut it into chunks for my 15-month-old. So tasty (I think I snitched more of it than she ate, whoops) and easy! Will need to make a full batch next. Thanks so much for sharing!
I’m so glad to hear that that method worked for you!
Another yummy recipe for my princess of food fuss (18 mths) weekday lunchboxes… dairy free, and so much goodness to make this mama’s heart sing! I just have to hold myself back from eating too many!
I was wondering if you could use maple syrup instead of brown sugar?? How much would you use?
I’ve made some of your other muffin recipes and they have all been a hit with my toddler. Thank you!
You could try baking at 375 and see if that works better for you.
These are delicious. We added a little cinnamon. Perfect snack for toddler and mom!
Love this recipe and have made it many times. Question…did the recipe change recently to remove the baking instructions for full size muffins? I seem to remember you had an option for full size muffins using 1/4 cup to portion and an adjusted baking time. I don’t have a mini muffin tin…
Thanks!
I made these today and they tasted delicious, but the texture was a little too dense for my toddler. Are they supposed to be like that, or did I do something wrong? Did I not let them cook long enough? How do I fix this? Help please!
Dense as in hard?
Dense as in a little heavy – like not fluffy. Not hard though. Still soft, maybe a little gummy?
I halved the recipe. Could that have done it? I didn’t change any other ingredients.
Can you tell I’m not really a baker?! 🙂
If they were gummy, I would suspect they needed another few minutes of baking time. They aren’t the lightest muffins since they have oats in them, but it sounds like maybe they just weren’t quite done. That’s my best guess anyway. Sorry for the difficulties!
This is now one of my go-to snack recipes for my kids including a 3yr old who hates veggies. Easy to make, and they disappear too quick to worry about storing them
I’m so glad to hear that!
Can these be made without oats? My daughter is allergic to oats.
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure but they might be fine with all flour if you want to use additional flour for the oats.
I made these with my 2 year old today and he had so much fun helping peel the carrots, chopping and grinding apples and making applesauce from fresh apples in a mixer/grinder, then helping add and mix all the ingredients. He ate 2 as soon as they came out of the oven and let’s not talk about how many I ate. The only thing I added was a little vanilla. Next time I might add some almond butter but otherwise perfect texture and not too sweet. Will make again.
I’m so glad to hear that!
I made these today with the raisins and added crushed almonds, cinnamon & ground ginger, just for some difference.
I don’t have any applesauce in the house, and I would love to make these with what i have. any recommendations for a substitute?
Mashed banana usually works instead. Is that an option?
yes, we have lots of banana. we’ll give that a try
Hi Amy!
We just made these today and I had to stop myself from eating so many in one sitting! I was able to finish these while holding my 14mo in one arm so I love the ease of this recipe. My 7 year old is SO picky but he still took a few bites. My daughter (14mo) ate all of hers that I diced. I made the gluten free version. I’m excited to try with golden raisins next time. Thanks Amy!
I’m so glad to hear that and I appreciate you letting me know!!
We made these this morning and LOVED them 🙂 I replaced brown sugar with maple syrup and it worked well! I had to bake them for a while longer, and once I let them sit a bit they firmed up. So delicious! My daughter liked them too
I’m so glad to hear that!
So I made this recipe on a whim and did a few substitutes based on my cupboard and fridge but they turned out well! Substituted the applesauce for plain yogurt and used a bit of white sugar because I ran out of brown. I also used grated zucchini in place of some grated carrot . My toddler ate 3 today and was very impressed with our baking handiwork!
delicious
Can these be made with all-purpose flour? That’s all I have on hand
Sure!
Hi! Just made these for my 15 month old. What should the texture be when cooked? They were very soft/moist which is great but I worried they may not be cooked through.
They should be moist, but appear cooked like a regular muffin. If you just pulled them out of the oven, maybe give them another 2-4 minutes?
My picky 12 month old absolutely loves these muffins. I did the vegan version, added in some chia seeds and only 1/8th of a cup of maple syrup instead of the brown sugar …delicious! Thanks so much for posting.
I’m so glad they enjoy them!
I’m excited to make these. Thank you! Just wondering if you’ve tried replacing the brown sugar with anything else for babies?
You could use maple syrup or just omit it I think.
Very good, the kids loved them! I added a teaspoon of cinnamon because I thought the recipe called for it and already had it out, it was a great addition. Thank you!
These mini-muffins were a hit…with my husband! My 18-month old is still getting used to the different textures and ate half of one mini-muffin but we will keep trying with her. My husband and I loved them, however.
I’m glad! And I’m glad that she’s doing a good job learning!
Can I use banana pure instead of applesauce?
I haven’t tried it but they usually work the same in baked goods!
I tried and it was good. 1 very ripe banana
Great!
In the instructions step 3, add a heaping 1 tablespoon of what to each prepared muffin cup? Thank you. Love all of your recipes.
Of the batter! I’ll clarify:)
Can I make this without the oats?
I haven’t tried them without oats, so I can’t say for sure but I would think you could use an equal amount of additional flour (or just slightly less) and they would be okay! Please report back if you try it!
These were so easy to make, and sooo delicious! I’m definitely going to make a few batches to freeze. Excited to give them to my girls this afternoon!
I’m so glad and I hope the girls enjoy them!
Such a simple, yet delicious toddler-friendly (and momma-friendly!) recipe! We are egg-free, so I made the recipe as suggested with the egg-free modification and they turned out great! They freeze amangly too. A new fave!
Yay, I’m so glad!