Banana Carrot Muffins

These banana carrot muffins, packed with nutritious fresh carrots and sweet bananas. This easy muffin recipe, that’s a blend of banana bread and carrot cake, is perfect for breakfast or a midday snack

My whole family loves freshly-baked homemade muffins, and truth be told, so do I! If I have leftover bananas, I am usually making banana rhubarb muffins, zucchini banana oatmeal muffins, or this banana carrot muffin recipe because of how simple and fluffy they are. 

Banana and Carrot Muffins

I love all kinds of muffins! Especially when they come from an easy homemade recipe that takes no more effort than gathering a few pantry staples.

These banana carrot muffins are definitely one of my favorites. They are a cross between banana bread with a delicious carrot cake twist.

The cinnamon adds a signature warmth that pairs with both flavors. You can pack them with your choice of oats or nuts like chopped walnuts or pecans for added texture, but they’re amazing without it as well.

When made with a healthy lifestyle in mind, a batch of muffins can make a great breakfast packed with protein and fiber and they’re also perfect as a grab-n-go snack. School-age kids enjoy coming home to these which works out because hangry kids aren’t so much fun. They also work for toddlers who can pick up little morsels.

Of course, a fancy treat muffin loaded with sugary deliciousness (think chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, or a sprinkling of sugar on top of the muffins) is also a longtime favorite.

Ingredients

• Mashed banana – You’ll need about 3 bananas. The riper the better.
• Grated carrot – Have at least 3 carrots on hand. If you don’t use all of your grated carrots, add them to a smoothie!
• Wet ingredients: Eggs, Canola oil, Vanilla extract. You can also use vegetable or coconut oil instead.
• Dry ingredients: Brown sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.
• Optional add-ins – Chopped nuts or oats.

Variations

1. Top with a slice of banana into the center of the muffin prior to baking.
2. Fold in ¼ cup of raisins.
3. Add ¼ cup of grated zucchini, making sure to squeeze all the water out.
4. Substitute white whole wheat flour or wheat pastry flour in place of all-purpose flour. This type of flour is still a whole grain but milder in taste than regular whole wheat. If you use regular whole wheat flour, they may turn out dry.
5. Substitute maple syrup, coconut sugar or honey for the brown sugar. You could even use a combination of two. as long as it equals ¾ cup of sweetener.
6. For a vegan option, use applesauce instead of eggs. You could even use flax egg which is a mixture of ground flaxseed and water.
7. Gluten-free is definitely an option. Just replace the all-purpose with oat flour or a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour like Bob’s Red Mill.
8. Add a little indulgence with a cream cheese frosting on top!

How to Make this Muffin Recipe

This carrot banana muffin recipe will come together in 5 easy steps and will be ready in under 25 minutes.

Step 1: Preheat the oven and line a muffin tin with paper muffin liners or cooking spray.

Step 2: In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon and mix to combine. In a separate bowl, add the bananas, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla and whisk until thoroughly combined.

Step 3: Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in the grated carrots but be careful not to over-mix.

Step 4: Fill each of the muffin cups about ¾” full with muffin batter and top with pecans, walnuts, or rolled oats, if desired.

Step 5: Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

Tips

• 3-4 overripe bananas will give you approximately one cup of mashed bananas. The riper the better! It will give the muffins the perfect sweetness and fluffiness.
• Grating your own carrots is better than buying pre-shredded carrots. The muffins turn out much moister when they are freshly grated. 3 medium-sized carrots should be plenty.
• Use a food processor to quickly shred your own carrots. It’s a lot faster and easier than a box grater.

How to ripen bananas quickly?

If you plan on making these muffins in a couple of days, place bananas in a brown paper bag along with an apple. Keep it on the counter and in a day or so they should be ready to use.

If you plan on making them in a couple of minutes, well then try this! Keeping the skin on, place bananas on a baking sheet. Heat in the oven at 300 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes. The entire exterior will turn black. Remove and allow to cool enough to handle. The inside will be soft, mushy, and ready to use.

How to store

When it comes to storing these muffins, they will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days

Can I freeze these muffins?

If you still have some leftover after a few days, you can freeze them easily for grab and go. They keep in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container.

To defrost, simply leave them out at room temperature for a few hours or heat them up in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.

Can I use yogurt instead of oil in this muffin recipe?

Yes! As long as it’s full fat yogurt, otherwise you’re not going to get the rich texture you would with the oil. Greek yogurt or regular yogurt will work. You can also you unsweetened applesauce too! Just use the same amount of either instead of the oil.

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