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    Home » Breakfast

    Moist Zucchini Apple Carrot Muffins

    Published: Jun 6, 2022 by Meesha · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Muffins arranged on a cooling tray lined with baking paper with text on the bottom half.

    Packed with fruits and veggies, these zucchini apple carrot muffins are great as a breakfast or snack! They are moist, fluffy, yet incredibly hearty and filling. This one-bowl recipe is also easy to make and ready in no time! 

    Muffins arranged on a parchment paper with a bite taken out of the middle one.

    If you are looking for breakfast foods that taste just like dessert, yet are healthy and filling, give these zucchini apple carrot muffins a try! They are high in fiber, and nutrient-dense yet taste amazing at the same time—a great way to sneak in extra fruits and veg into your diet. 

    If you are looking for more healthy breakfast muffins recipes, definitely check out my zucchini applesauce muffins and these fluffy carrot applesauce muffins. For me, I love rotating between these 3 recipes to keep things interesting. 

    Jump to:
    • 💚Why you will love this recipe 
    • 🌾What you will need 
    • 📃Ingredients notes and substitutions 
    • 🔪How to make 
    • ✔Helpful tips 
    • ✨Variations and add-in ideas 
    • ❄Storing suggestions 
    • ❔Commonly asked questions
    • 🍽More healthy vegan breakfasts
    • 📖 Recipe

    💚Why you will love this recipe 

    • Loaded with fruits and veg - Altogether, we will be adding around 1 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables into these muffins. Hence, they are packed with nutrients and fiber to keep you full and satisfied. 
    • Healthy and allergen-friendly - These zucchini carrot muffins are made without eggs, dairy or wheat, and are naturally vegan. They are also lower in sugar and fat when compared to traditional muffins. 
    • Easy to make - Everything can be made in one bowl, and you will not need a mixer or blender to make this recipe. You will have decadent muffins ready to enjoy in no time! 
    • Stores well and freezable - Making them a great meal prep recipe. I sometimes will double the ingredients to make a larger batch, so I will have something healthy to grab and go on busy mornings. 

    🌾What you will need 

    Ingredients needed like flour, carrot, apple, zucchini, maple syrup and applesauce.
    Ingredients needed like cashew butter, vanilla extract, baking soda and powder, and cinnamon.

    📃Ingredients notes and substitutions 

    • Oat flour - If you do not have any on hand, simply blend up some rolled or quick oats in the blender until they turn into flour. Use gluten-free ones, if needed. 
    • Carrot - Do not use store-bought pre-shredded carrots. Instead, freshly grate them from scratch either by using a food processor or the smallest hole on the box grater. 
    • Zucchini - Same goes for the zucchini, too. Freshly grate them instead of using the store-bought ones. 
    • Cashew butter - You can use other runny nut butter in place like peanut butter or almond butter. To make this recipe nut-free, use sunflower seed butter or tahini instead. 

    🔪How to make 

    Here is a quick rundown of the steps in making zucchini apple carrot muffins. As usual, the full detailed instructions will be in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

    Preheat oven to 220C/430F. Mix oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. 

    Then, add the rest of the ingredients, including grated zucchini, apple, and carrot. Stir until everything is well incorporated. 

    Collage showing dry ingredients then muffin batter in a white bowl.

    Scoop muffin batter into a lined or greased muffin tin, about ¾ of the way full. 

    Bake at 220C/430F for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 180C/350F and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool down slightly before digging in! 

    Collage showing before and after baking muffins in a pink muffin tray.

    ✔Helpful tips 

    • Muffin batter will be on the thicker side. You will be tempted to add some liquid, but please DO NOT do so! Zucchini, apple, and carrot will release liquid upon baking, so you will want the batter to be thicker.
    • If possible, use a kitchen scale to weigh out dry ingredients and your shredded fruits and veg. I am using this inexpensive Ozeri scale. If you choose to use measuring cups, follow the spoon and level method. 
    • You can shred your carrot, zucchini, and apple using a food processor or a box grater. Use the side with larger holes for zucchini and carrot and the smaller holes for grating your carrot. 
    • Be careful not to overbake your muffins. Keep a close eye on the last few minutes of baking, and test for doneness by inserting a toothpick down the middle. If it comes out clean, your muffins are done baking. 
    • Let baked muffins sit in the pan for a couple of minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool down further. Do not let them cool in the pan, as this will cause the bottom of your muffins to turn soggy. 

    ✨Variations and add-in ideas 

    Spices - Although this recipe only calls for cinnamon, feel free to add any other spices that sound good, like allspice, nutmeg, or cardamom. A tiny pinch will be sufficient. 

    Nuts - Chop up some pecans, walnuts, or almonds and add them into the batter. They add extra texture to these zucchini carrot muffins. You can use up to ½ cup. 

    Chocolate chips - Toss in a handful of your favorite chocolate chips for some extra sweetness and sass. Or, you could chop up a candy bar and add them in as well. 

    Sweeter version - These muffins are subtly sweet. If you prefer super sweet muffins, feel free to add up to 2 tablespoons of granulated sweetener of choice, be it cane or brown sugar. 

    2 muffins stack on top of each other with more muffins and glass of milk in the background.

    ❄Storing suggestions 

    Refrigerating - Let zucchini apple carrot muffins cool down completely before storing them in an airtight container. They can be refrigerated for 4-5 days. 

    Freezing - If you plan to keep them longer, freeze them in zip-top bags or sealed containers. They can be frozen for 3 months. 

    Reheating - To reheat frozen muffins, let them thaw slightly on the countertop for 30 minutes to an hour. You can then heat them in a conventional oven for 8-10 minutes at 180C/350F. 

    Alternatively, you can thaw muffins using your microwave’s “defrost” function, then microwave them on high at 15 seconds intervals.

    ❔Commonly asked questions

    Can I freeze muffins?

    These zucchini apple muffins are freezable and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Store them in a freezer bag or a sealed container before keeping them. 

    Do I have to peel my zucchini?

    It is unnecessary to peel your zucchini to make these muffins, as the peel will soften after baking. It is high in fiber and provides your muffins with beautiful specks of green!

    Do I have to squeeze out excess moisture from my shredded zucchini?

    Some recipes might tell you to squeeze your zucchini before baking to remove some of its moisture. However, you do not need to do that in this recipe. Simply shredding them will be sufficient.

    Muffins arranged on a cooling rack lined with parchment paper with shredded zucchini and spoonful of cinnamon beside.

    🍽More healthy vegan breakfasts

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    If you did make this recipe, do leave a rating and comment down below, we love hearing from you! Subscribe to My Plantiful Cooking to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get the latest updates. 😉

    📖 Recipe

    Muffins arranged on a creased baking paper with specks of shredded zucchini and carrot in the background.

    Zucchini Carrot Apple Muffins

    Meesha
    Packed with fruits and veggies, these zucchini apple carrot muffins are great as a breakfast or snack! They are moist, fluffy, yet incredibly hearty and filling. This one-bowl recipe is also easy to make and ready in no time! 
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 11 muffins
    Calories 161 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 ¾ cups oat flour use gluten-free ones if needed*
    • 1 tablespoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ cup shredded carrots **
    • ½ cup shredded zucchini **
    • ½ cup shredded apple
    • ½ cup applesauce
    • ½ cup maple syrup
    • ¼ cup cashew butter or other nut/seed butter
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 220C/430F. Lightly grease or line a 12-hole muffin pan with muffin liners.
    • In a large mixing bowl, combine together oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder, and baking soda.
      2 ¾ cups oat flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • Then, add in the rest of the ingredients. Mix until everything is well incorporated. The batter will be on the thicker side.
      ½ cup shredded carrots, ½ cup shredded zucchini, ½ cup shredded apple, ½ cup applesauce, ½ cup maple syrup, ¼ cup cashew butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • Spoon batter into each muffin hole about ¾ of the way full.
    • Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 180C/350F and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Insert a toothpick down the muffins to check for doneness. They are done baking when the toothpick comes out clean.
    • Let muffins set in the pan for a couple of minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to allow them to cool down further. Your muffins are ready to be enjoyed!

    Notes

    *Oat flour - If you do not have any on hand, simply blend up some rolled or quick oats in the blender until they turn into flour. Use gluten-free ones, if needed. (1 cup oat flour = 90g)
    **Carrot - Do not use store-bought pre-shredded carrots. Instead, freshly grate them from scratch either by using a food processor or the smallest hole on the box grater. 
    ***Zucchini - Same goes for the zucchini, too. Freshly grate them instead of using the store-bought ones. You can use the larger holes grater for zucchini. 
     
    Helpful tips
    • If possible, use a kitchen scale to weigh out dry ingredients and your shredded fruits and veg. I am using this inexpensive Ozeri scale. If you choose to use measuring cups, follow the spoon and level method.  
    • Be careful not to overbake your muffins. Keep a close eye on the last few minutes of baking, and test for doneness by inserting a toothpick down the middle. If it comes out clean, your muffins are done baking. 
    • Let baked muffins sit in the pan for a couple of minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool down further. Do not let them cool in the pan, as this will cause the bottom of your muffins to turn soggy. 
    • These muffins are subtly sweet. If you prefer super sweet muffins, feel free to add up to 2 tablespoons of granulated sweetener of choice, be it cane or brown sugar.
     
     
    Storing -Let muffins cool down completely before storing them in an airtight container. They can be refrigerated for 4-5 days. 
     If you plan to keep them longer, freeze them in zip-top bags or sealed containers. They can be frozen for 3 months. 
    Reheating -To reheat frozen muffins, let them thaw slightly on the countertop for 30 minutes to an hour. You can then heat them in a conventional oven for 8-10 minutes at 180C/350F. 
    Alternatively, you can thaw muffins using your microwave’s “defrost” function, then microwave them on high at 15 seconds intervals.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 161kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 176mgPotassium: 195mgFiber: 2gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1000IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 1mg

    Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

    Did you make this recipe ?Tag @myplantifulcooking on Instagram !

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Penny

      March 24, 2023 at 11:58 pm

      Looks great but I haven't tried it yet. I'd prefer to use the weight method for measuring the veggies but you only put Cup measures in the recipe. Please tell us how much each of those veggies should weigh. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Meesha

        March 27, 2023 at 8:46 am

        Simply press the 'metric' button in the recipe card (right above the ingredient list) and it will convert everything to grams. 😁

        Reply

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