Cinnamon Carrot Muffins Recipe

Muffins may seem like a healthier way to start your morning than a donut or a cupcake, but many muffin recipes are actually loaded with simple carbs (like sugar and white flour), leaving them more nutritionally-akin to the other sweet treats than you might expect. That said, there are incredibly delicious and healthy options out there, like this cinnamon carrot muffin recipe from Case Bakehouse owner and recipe developer, Jessica Case. "These muffins are loaded with shredded carrots, pureed carrots, golden raisins, pecans, and spices. [They're] oh so healthy, wholesome, and scrumptious!" she says. Not to mention, they use whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt, ultimately offering a more nutritionally well-rounded muffin full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. 

But don't assume that all those good-for-you ingredients will take away from the all-around delicious flavor. Between the natural sweetness of the carrots, raisins, and maple syrup included in the muffin batter, and the brown sugar that plays a role in the sweet and crunchy topping, you'll be diving into a muffin that will leave you wanting more — not because you're still hungry, but because it tastes so darn good. "If you're a muffin lover like me, I wouldn't pass this one [up]," Case says. 

For this recipe, you'll need to gather and separate the ingredients for your muffin batter and your muffin topping — some of the ingredients are the same for each, so make sure you're paying attention to how much you should be using of each ingredient for each part of the recipe. 

For the muffin batter, you'll need whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, 2 cups carrots (1 cup should be peeled and grated, and the other cup should be pre-chopped to make the puree), pecans, golden raisins, unsalted butter, maple syrup, eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract. You'll also need a small amount of flour (about a teaspoon) to toss the raisins in — this can be whole wheat or all-purpose flour. 

For the topping, you'll need more unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, a little more cinnamon, and vanilla extract. 

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Butter 12 muffin cups or line them with paper cupcake liners.

Fill a small pot with water and add the pre-chopped carrots. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Cook the carrots for 30 minutes, until they're tender. Drain the water and blend the carrots in a food processor until they're smooth. Set them aside. 

This step is especially important to the recipe, says Case. "The special ingredient is the pureed carrots, which makes the muffins more moist and fluffy." 

In a large bowl, combine the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix everything well with a whisk.

In a separate small bowl, mix the raisins with 1 teaspoon flour so they don't stick together. You wouldn't want one muffin to have a clump of raisins while another has none.

Mix the grated carrots, chopped pecans, and floured raisins together before adding them to the dry ingredients. Stir until everything's well combined.

It's also completely fine to substitute in different nuts or dried fruit based on what you prefer or what you have on hand. "You can totally do different nuts like walnuts or pumpkin seeds. Regular raisins, chopped dates, and dried cranberries would be a good substitution for the golden raisins," suggests Case. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and maple syrup until it's well incorporated.

Add the eggs, greek yogurt, pureed carrots, and vanilla to the bowl with the butter and syrup until it's well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, then fold everything with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well combined. Don't over-mix. The batter should be thick and lumpy.

In a separate small bowl, mix together the topping ingredients, including the melted butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Keep mixing until it becomes crumbly.

Divide the muffin batter evenly between the muffin cups, then sprinkle the topping evenly on top of the batter.

Transfer the muffin pan to the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.

Remove the muffin pan from the oven and place it on a cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving. "These muffins are great served with a morning cup of coffee or tea to get your day started. [They] would be great with any type of eggs as well," suggests Case. That said, she says they're also perfect for grab-and-go mornings when you don't have time to sit down and eat, stating that they will keep you full until lunchtime. 

You can store the muffins at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days, or in the fridge for 4 days. If you like to meal prep and freeze your favorite dishes for later, you can also freeze these muffins for up to 2 months.