Applesauce Carrot Breakfast Muffins are healthy with no refined sugar, but loaded with flavor. A perfect option for breakfast, snacks, or packed lunches.
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This post was originally posted on 1/8/2021 and updated on 9/20/2024.
Why We Love These Applesauce Carrot Breakfast Muffins
- This recipe comes together quick and easy.
- Only uses simple healthy ingredients.
- These muffins have the best fluffy and tender texture.
- A healthy muffin with no refined sugar that you can feel good about serving your family.
- Muffins are freezer friendly. Make a double batch and have them on hand all the time.
- These muffins are delicious!!! They taste like cake but are completely healthy!
Applesauce Carrot Breakfast Muffins Recipe Ingredients
- Salted Butter
- Pure Maple Syrup
- Egg
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Unsweetened Applesauce
- Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- Whole Wheat Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Finely Shredded Carrots
Substitution Suggestions
- Salted Butter: Feel free to use unsalted butter and add a little extra pinch of salt to the muffin batter.
- Pure Maple Syrup: Honey is a great substitute.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Using pure extracts is the best way to go when it comes to flavor. Imitation extracts can leave an unpleasant after taste in your baked goods.
- All Purpose Flour and Whole Wheat Flour: I like to use a blend of whole flour and all purpose flour when I make muffins or other baked goods because I like the flavor and texture it gives. Plus, it makes these muffins even more healthier. Or you can replace all the flour with white whole wheat flour, it is not as dense as whole wheat, is similar to all purpose but is also healthier than all purpose flour.
- Cinnamon: I like cinnamon best for these muffins. If you like nutmeg or cloves you can add a pinch of them to the muffin batter. Or you could use apple pie spice or all spice.
How to Make Applesauce Carrot Muffins from Scratch
- First preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease the muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a stand mixer or with hand beaters, beat the softened butter until creamy.
- Next, mix in the egg, and vanilla extract.
- Then beat in the maple syrup and applesauce. The batter may look lumpy at this stage and that is perfectly normal.
- Now, add the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix just until it is all combined.
- Lastly, fold in the shredded carrots.
- Using a large scoop, scoop the batter into the muffin cups so they are ¾ full. This will make exactly 12 muffins.
- Bake muffins in preheated oven on center rack for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.
- Let muffins cool for 5 minutes in pan and then remove to wire rack to cool completely.
How to get Finely Shredded Carrots
I like to use a box hand grater for shredding the carrots. Use the side for finely shredding, it will be a bit smaller than the normal shred size you are probably use to. You can also use a food processor and attach the fine shredding blade. Either one will get you finely shredded carrots. You want the carrots fine so they will cook and soften enough during the baking process.
Here are some more delicious sweet carrot recipes you might like to try! This easy Carrot Sheet Cake is simple and delightful. Carrot Cake Cookies are the best of both worlds: cookies and cake!
How to Store and Freeze Applesauce Carrot Breakfast Muffins
Storing: Once the muffins are completely cooled place them in an air tight container or zip top bag and store on counter for 3-4 days.
Freezing: Add the cooled muffins to a freezer safe container or zip top bag. Label and date the contents and place in freezer. These will last 3-4 months in the freezer. Always make sure to rotate your stock in the freezer.
Thawing: Simply take muffins out the night before or the morning you are serving and let thaw on counter for a few hours.
Heather's Favorite Tools for this Recipe
- I don't think I could live without my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. It's the best tool ever for making baked goods, frostings and so many other things.
- I love simple tools that can be used for various things. I use the box grater for all sorts of things: zucchini, cheese and of course carrots.
- Long ago, I used to be a Pampered Chef consultant and I still prefer their baking tools and pans to any others. Their muffin pans and loaf pans are the ones I prefer. Find yourself a consultant, host a party and treat yourself to something new. I also like the Food Network muffin pans and baking pans. You can order them online.
- A large sized scoop that holds about 3 tablespoons is great for these muffins. Again I use the pampered chef one but this large scoop from OXO on Amazon is a great option.
Tips for Making the BEST Carrot Muffins with Applesauce
- Fluff your flour, then spoon it into the measuring cup and level off. This helps create fluffy muffins rather than dense ones.
- Make sure the carrots are finely shredded so they can soften fully while baking.
- Loosely fill the measuring cup with carrots, do NOT pack them, you don't want to have a stringy muffin.
- Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup. Pancake syrup is refined sugar.
- Do NOT over mix the batter, the muffins will be tough instead of tender.
- Fill the muffin cups ¾ full and use all the batter. This recipe makes exactly 12 muffins.
More Delicious Muffin Recipes:
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Peanut Butter Muffins
- Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins
- Easy Blueberry Muffins
- Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins
- Banana Nut Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Applesauce Mini Muffins
- Peanut Butter & Banana Chocolate Muffins
Did you make this recipe? Rate it!
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Applesauce Carrot Breakfast Muffins
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup finely shredded carrots, not packed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease it well with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a stand mixer or with a hand beater, beat the softened butter until creamy.
- Then mix in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Add the maple syrup and applesauce and mix until fully combined. The batter will look lumpy and that's ok.
- Add the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix just until it is all combined.
- Fold in the shredded carrots.
- Using a large scoop, fill muffin cups ¾ full. There is enough batter to make exactly 12 muffins.
- Bake muffins for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan for 5 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool completely.
Judy says
Great recipe for toddlers - and really everyone! I use a mini food processor to chop up the carrots, which only takes a few minutes - a real time saver. I also make them as mini muffins. Stay moist and delicious even after freezing.
Heather says
Great tips! Thank you!