Zucchini Carrot Muffins
Moist, sweet, and veggie-packed, these Zucchini Carrot Muffins are the ultimate healthy treat for toddlers, kids, and the whole family.
Ingredients
- ½ cup avocado oil or canola or grapeseed oil
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup vanilla or plain Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs brought to room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 1 ½ cup shredded zucchini
- 1 cup shredded carrots preferably freshly shredded
- 2 cup (250g) all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons turbinado cane sugar or sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and move the baking rack to the center of the oven. Line 2 cupcake pans with 12 cupcake liners, adding the liners to every other cup. Brush the top of the cupcake pan around each liner with oil or butter to help the muffins release more easily from the pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the oil, applesauce, yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and white sugar until combined.
- Add the zucchini to a tea towel or a few pieces of paper towel. Fold up the towel and squeeze out the excess water.
- Add the shredded carrots and zucchini to the wet ingredients and stir in until well combined.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold in until just combined.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin cups, dividing it evenly between them (about ⅓ cup per muffin cup). Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the cane sugar or sanding sugar on top of each muffin.
- Bake the muffins at 400°F for 5 minutes. Rotate the muffins 180 degrees in the oven and decrease the temperature to 350°F. Bake for 15-20 minutes more or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.
- Cool the muffin trays on wire cooling racks for 5-10 minutes or until cool enough to touch. Remove the muffins from the pan and cool directly on the wire rack until at room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
Storage Directions
- Storing: Allow the muffins to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Store cooled muffins in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until thawed.
- Warming: Warm the room temperature or thawed muffins in the microwave for 20-30 seconds for an extra cozy treat.
- Don't skimp on wringing out the zucchini. This step is essential, as too much moisture can lead to gummy or mushy muffins. Use a clean tea towel or paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible before adding.
- Use room temperature eggs. This helps them blend better in the batter and results in a smoother muffin texture.
- Fill every other muffin cup. This trick helps the muffins bake evenly and rise taller.
- Allow muffins to cool before eating. The flavor and texture of these muffins are extra delicious once they've had time to set. Cool the muffin trays on a wire rack until cool enough to touch, then transfer the muffins directly onto the rack until room temperature.
- Increase the flour to 2 ¼ cup (280g) for more structure.
- Decrease the leavening agents to ½ teaspoon each of baking soda and baking powder to prevent over-rising.
- Reduce the sugar to only ¼ cup white sugar (keep the same amount of light brown sugar) to avoid gummy centers.
- Adjust the baking temperature by starting at 400°F, then lowering to 365°F (instead of 350°F) after 5 minutes to set the rise and prevent spreading.
Nutrition
Serving: 1muffin without turbinado sugarCalories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 176mgPotassium: 180mgFiber: 3gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 1547IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 1mg
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