These zucchini muffins with carrots will turn out incredibly moist with a perfectly balanced sweetness. The batter has a hefty dose of both vegetables and they're ready in 45 minutes. And they freeze beautifully. Eat them plain or with a simple glaze.
This muffin recipe is our go-to because it never fails if you follow instructions. Not only do they come out moist and golden brown, but it's a great way to add vegetables for those picky eaters at home.
They're a riff on these zucchini muffins with chocolate chips and make fantastic breakfast muffins, similar to our beloved morning glory muffins.
Ingredient list
- Zucchini: use fresh ones that are firm without bruised skins. If they're bruised, peel off those parts.
- Carrots: we don't peel them, but you can.
- White granulated sugar.
- Cinnamon: any ground cinnamon you normally use works fine. I like Frontier Vietnamese cinnamon and Simply Organic Ceylon cinnamon.
- Vegetable oil: a neutral one like sunflower oil is our first choice. Coconut oil, canola oil, and light olive oil also work well.
- All-purpose flour.
- Baking powder and baking soda: are used as leaveners to help the muffins rise, so make sure they aren't expired.
- Salt: I like using kosher salt or fine sea salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
- Eggs: large, fresh.
See the recipe card towards the end of this post for quantities.
Variations & substitutions
- Flour: substitute between half and ¾ cup of the all-purpose flour for fine whole wheat flour and almond flour. And make sure you break up the clumps that might form (especially with the almond flour) when you incorporate it into the batter. The muffins will be denser and may not rise as much.
- Healthier zucchini carrot muffins: use coconut sugar and coconut oil, and substitute half the white flour with finely ground whole wheat flour. The texture of these muffins will be more rustic and earthy.
- Butter: these are also amazing with melted butter instead of oil, the same amount.
How to make carrot zucchini muffins
Use a whisk to incorporate the wet ingredients.
Sift the dry ingredients, so they integrate well, especially the baking soda that can clump during storage.
Vintage Kitchen tip: You mustn't over-mix or beat the batter after adding the flour, so you get soft and fluffy muffins (as opposed to dense muffins).
Grate the carrots and zucchini at the last moment so they don't start to release liquid, and use a large-holed grater (coarse grater).
Divide the batter as equally as possible so the muffins bake more evenly. I use cookie scoops.
Baking muffins
Preparing the muffin pan: you can butter or spray (use baking spray) the pan or line them with paper cups (also called paper muffin liners or cupcake liners that are available online). With the second option, there is less mess removing the muffins from the pan and less washing up. But you don't get a crust on the sides and bottom.
When are they done? Zucchini and carrots add moisture to these, so consider that when you insert a tester or toothpick. It will be shiny and moist, but you should not have wet dough or crumbs clinging to it.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Storing: they keep well for two days at room temperature in an airtight container, plastic wrap, or a cake dome. After that, refrigerate (no more than a few days) or freeze them. You can use a freezer container or wrap it in plastic first and then foil. Bring to room temperature before eating, and I highly recommend warming them slightly in a medium oven for a few minutes.
Related recipes you might like:
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Easy Zucchini Carrot Muffins (super moist)
These zucchini muffins with carrots will turn out incredibly moist with a perfectly balanced sweetness. The batter has a hefty dose of both vegetables and they're ready in 45 minutes. And they freeze beautifully. Eat them plain or with a simple glaze.
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 regular muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups grated zucchini
- 1 ½ cups grated carrots
- ¾ cup oil (sunflower, coconut or olive oil)
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (cake flour also works)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Have a 12-muffin tin lined with paper cups (paper liners) or buttered. Using liners is very convenient because you hardly have to wash the muffin tin, and the muffins are easier to transport if necessary.
- Grate or shred the zucchini and carrots with a large-holed grater at the last moment when you have the rest of the ingredients ready so they don't release extra liquid. If watery, blot them with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before adding them.
- Whisk together eggs and sugar in a large bowl.
- Add the oil in a thin stream as you continue whisking. Incorporate it well, but there's no need to beat much.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon) and mix a little. It doesn't need to be fully incorporated before you add the rest of the ingredients. Change to a spatula for easier folding. You can have the ingredients measured and sift them directly over the oil batter (like I do) or sift them in a medium bowl first and then add them to the muffin batter.
- Fold in the grated carrots and zucchini. You will see that the moisture in the vegetables loosens up the batter. You mustn't over-mix or beat the dough after adding the flour to keep the muffins as soft and fluffy as possible.
- Scoop portions into the paper liners dividing as evenly as possible.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown, domed, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool on a wire rack (cooling rack).
- Store at room temperature for two days and then refrigerate or freeze, always well wrapped.
Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Storing: they keep well for two days at room temperature in an airtight container, plastic wrap, or a cake dome. After that, refrigerate (no more than a few days) or freeze them. You can use a freezer container or wrap it in plastic first and then foil. Bring to room temperature before eating, and I highly recommend warming them slightly in a medium oven for a few minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: zucchini carrot muffins
Pia Marschall says
I made these today!! Super easy and extremely tasty! I used turbinado sugar, couldn't stop eating...
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
SO happy to know you loved them Pia!