Healthy Applesauce Carrot Muffins

A tray of carrot applesauce muffins on a cooling rack with pecans and a spoonful of ground cinnamon beside.

5 from 5 votes

These hearty and moist applesauce carrot muffins make the perfect grab-and-go breakfast for busy mornings. A one-bowl recipe that is made with whole grains, low sugar, and gluten-free!

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Halal, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: muffins

Calories: 166kcal

Author: Meesha

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups oat flour use gluten-free if needed (248g)
1 tablespoon baking powder *
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
½ teapoon baking soda *
1 cup shredded carrot (freshly grated)**
1 cup applesauce unsweetened preferred
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup cashew butter or other nut/seed butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 220C/430F. Prepare a 12-holes muffin tin either by greasing them using some oil, or line them with muffin liners.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir to mix.
1 ¾ cups oat flour , 1 tablespoon baking powder , ½ teapoon baking soda , 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Next, add in the rest of the ingredients. Stir until everything is well incorporated. The batter will be on the thicker side.
1 cup shredded carrot , ½ cup maple syrup , 1 cup applesauce , ¼ cup cashew butter , 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Spoon muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each hole to about ¾ of the way full. You should get about 12 muffins.
Bake for 10 minutes, then lower temperature to 180C/350F and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted down the middle.
After baking, let muffins sit in the muffin tin for 5 minutes at most, then transfer them to a cooling rack to allow them to cool further. They are ready to be enjoyed.

Notes

*Baking powder and soda – Active baking powder should bubble immediately when added to hot water, while baking soda should fizz immediately when added to vinegar.

**Carrot – Freshly grated works best; you can grate it with a box grater or food processor. Pre-shredded carrots are too dry, and you might get tough bits in your muffins.

Helpful tips

Measure your flour – For the best result, measure ingredients out using a kitchen scale. If using measuring cups, use the spoon-and-level method.
Avoid overbaking – These lower-fat muffins tend to dry out more easily. Muffins are done baking when a toothpick inserted down the middle comes out clean.
Cool muffins on a wire rack – This allows steam to escape, preventing the bottoms of the muffins from turning soggy.

Storing leftovers - Muffins can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 4-5 days, or frozen for 3 months in a Ziploc bag.

Allow frozen muffins to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven or microwave.

Nutrition