Healthy Applesauce Carrot Muffins {a.k.a. Carrot Cake Muffins}

These healthy applesauce carrot muffins are like a better-for-you bite of carrot cake in muffin form. So delicious and easy!

Sorry to be one-dimensional with the healthy muffin recipes lately but I couldn’t wait. I had to share these with you immediately.

Maybe because I just shoved three of these in my mouth, but I have to say, they are my favorites of the latest muffin bunch.

They smell fantastic, they look pretty (those orange flecks are beauty), and they taste amazing.

It’s like a healthy bite of carrot cake. In muffin form.

They are low in fat, low in refined sugar and packed with applesauce and carrots.

But the real high point of these applesauce carrot muffins are they don’t taste healthy. Like, they don’t scream: HEALTH FOOD ALERT!

Yes, they are far healthier than many muffin recipes on the market, but they are subtly so, which means you can eat them and bask in the deliciousness without having to choke it down with a glass of, I don’t know, chocolate milk or something.

Get your little self into the kitchen and make these.

Another whole grain, healthy muffin to add to your life.

And it can be yours in 30 minutes or less (however, like all good muffins, these actually taste better once they are cooled, so dig deep for some self-control; you’ll be happier for it).

I hope these rock your world like they rocked mine.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake Pie
Two Years Ago: Brazilian Feijoada {Slow Cooked Pork and Black Bean Stew}
Three Years Ago: Roasted Fruit with Streusel Topping

Healthy Applesauce Carrot Muffins {a.k.a. Carrot Cake Muffins}

Yield: 12 muffins

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

4.59 stars (407 ratings)

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Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (213 g) whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter, melted
• ½ cup honey
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• ¾ cup finely shredded carrots, about 2-3 medium carrots

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Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
• Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, honey, egg, vanilla, and applesauce.
• Stir ingredients together until just combined and there are still some spots of flour remaining.
• Fold in the shredded carrots just until combined (don’t overmix or the muffins will be dense).
• Distribute the batter evenly among the muffin liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
• Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. These muffins freeze wonderfully and keep well if covered at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Notes

Liners: if you find the muffins stick to your liners, that may be because of the brand of liners you use – mine did not stick, especially after they cooled, however, you can help the sticking issue by lightly coating the inside of the muffin liners with cooking spray before filling with batter.

Author: Mel

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Method: Bake

Serving: 1 muffin, Calories: 129kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 217mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 14g

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Recipe Source: adapted from 100 Days of Real Food after being referred to the recipe by a long-time reader, Laura G. (decreased ginger, added nutmeg, decreased butter from 8 tablespoons to 2 tablespoons, etc.) – thank you, Miss Laura!

Other Recipes Like This:

Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins with {Optional} Maple Cream Glaze

Cinnamon & Sugar Dusted Whole Grain Applesauce Muffins

Healthy Applesauce Oat Muffins

Healthy Banana Bran Muffins