Apple & Carrot “Superhero” Muffins
This apple carrot muffin recipe is naturally sweetened and gluten free! These hearty apple-carrot muffins make a great grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
In the mood for some fall baking? Me, too! I’m cozying up with these apple carrot muffins and a cup of coffee. My dog, Cookie, is hoping for some crumbs.
My sweet publisher sent me a cookbook called Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. a few months ago. The cookbook was co-written by Olympian/NYC Marathon champ Shalane Flanagan and chef/nutrition coach Elyse Kopecky.
I should confess that I hate running and only qualify for the “hangry” portion of the book’s subtitle, “Quick-Fix Recipes for Hangry Athletes.”
Nonetheless, the book is up my alley because it’s full of energizing, whole foods-based recipes. I haven’t been able to get this hybrid apple-carrot muffin recipe out of my mind. They didn’t disappoint!
The authors call these muffins “superhero” muffins because they are muffins that sustain. They offered three versions in the book, and I chose the muffins featuring grated fresh carrots and Granny Smith apples.
These muffins are very hearty and wholesome, which makes them perfect grab-and-go breakfasts or snacks. I think they would freeze well for several months, if you want to keep them on hand for hangry moments.
Bonus? These muffins are gluten free and naturally sweetened, and easy to mix up by hand. Apple carrot muffins for the win.
I have recipes for apple muffins and carrot muffins, but I love this combination of the two. Warming cinnamon brings the fruity apple and earthy carrot flavors together.
This recipe uses almond meal instead of whole wheat flour, which yields a nutritious and moist interior. These muffins are a little dense, in a good way, rather than light and lacking in substance.
Watch How to Make Apple & Carrot Muffins
You can easily change up the mix-ins, or leave them out if you’d rather. The authors suggest walnuts, raisins or chocolate chips, and note that Shalane likes to sweeten them up with chocolate chips. I opted for pecans in lieu of walnuts, and I think you could substitute any dried fruit for the raisins (chopped if large).
I easily grated the carrots and apple with this box grater (affiliate link). The authors suggested lining the muffin tin with paper liners, but I have full faith in the non-stick silicone finish on my muffin tin. It worked great.
The authors report that these muffins are a hit with kids, too. Please let me know how they turn out for you in the comments, and be sure to check out Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. if it sounds like it’s up your alley.
Apple & Carrot “Superhero” Muffins
This apple carrot muffin recipe is naturally sweetened and gluten free! These hearty apple-carrot muffins make a great grab-and-go breakfast or snack. Recipe yields 12 muffins.
Ingredients
- 2 cups packed almond meal or almond flour (10 ounces)
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats (certified gluten free if necessary)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Optional mix-ins: ½ cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans), or raisins or chocolate chips
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- 3 eggs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup grated Granny Smith apple (about 1 ½ apples)
- 1 cup peeled and grated carrots (about 3 carrots)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper muffin cups (I didn’t because I have full faith in my muffin pan, but use them if you’re uncertain).
- In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and optional mix-ins, if using.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, eggs and butter. Whisk in the grated apple and carrots. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each to the brim. Bake until the muffins are nicely browned on top and a knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool completely before storing.
- Store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. If you like them warm, reheat them on low power in the microwave.
Notes
Recipe from the Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. cookbook by Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky.
Make them nut free: (The muffins will no longer be gluten free with this variation, which was provided by the recipe author.) Whole wheat pastry flour or whole wheat flour can be used as an alternative to the almond meal. Increase the butter to 8 tablespoons (1 stick), since wheat flour is much drier, and reduce the oats to 1 cup.
Whole wheat flour option: See above!
Make them dairy free: I haven’t tried, but I’m confident you could substitute coconut oil for the butter. Please report back if you give that a try!
Egg substitution note: I don’t think you can successfully replace the eggs with any substitutes here. I tried with a similar almond meal-based recipe, and it was an epic fail. However, you can use flax eggs in my carrot muffin recipe (and you could even use half grated apple, half carrots to make those muffins more similar to this recipe).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I LOVE these muffins, but just discovered that I am sensitive to oats. Is there something else that could be used in place of them here? I hate to give theses up! Thanks for any suggestions!
hi Beth, I just had a thought that maybe unsweetened coconut flakes could work well in place of oats…. I haven’t tried it, but it might be worth a shot!
Also, you might try whole grain cereal flakes…. I’m enjoying Kellogg’s Special K Protein Ancient Grains and Almond cereal a lot and use the crushed flakes that are leftover in the bag for adding substance, flavor and texture to pancake and muffin batter…..
That’s a great idea; thanks! I did try adding more almond flour and some ground walnuts, which worked out well, but I missed the texture of the oats. I think both of your suggestions would be prefect for that!
I have been enjoying these muffins for breakfast all week! I am delighted with yummy healthy muffins
Thanks for these Kate! My youngest doesn’t like fruit/veggies much but she loves these even though they have apples & carrots in them (and she knows it!). These are a hit! Love your recipes. Thanks for sharing your passion so well.
You’re welcome! I’m glad you got these around him. :) :)
Fabulous. Moist tasty easy to cook. Compliments galore. Thank you for the recipe
Judy
You’re welcome, Judy! I’m glad you loved them.
I made this recipe a few nights ago. My whole family enjoyed the muffins, including the kids! I love that the recipe uses healthy ingredients. It was my first time baking carrot into a muffin, and I’m surprised it turned out delicious. Highly recommend using this recipe, easy to follow and yum
Great, Sharon! I’m glad the entire family loved these.
I love these muffins. I only have one problem. 2 cups packed almond flour does not equal 10 ozs. It is only 7 ozs at the most. Otherwise, these muffins are delicious.
That’s interesting, Liz! Thanks for sharing. What brand did you use? I’m glad you still liked them!
These are scrumptious! I will definately be making these often. I did use whole wheat flour (with the adjustments), pecans and unsweetened coconut.
Came out great as a loaf cake! I used one cup almond meal and one cup whole wheat flour. Upped the butter and lowered the oats to one cup as suggested, added extra carrots, chocolate chips, sprinkled a little sugar on top for a bit of a crust, baked it for an hour. Came out so nicely! Thanks !
These came out great. I substituted the butter with coconut oil. I will definitely cook these again.
Thank you for sharing, Lisa!
Have made these 3 times now. Recently discovered I have a gluten sensitivity so was missing baked goods and don’t have a ton of experience cooking gluten free. These are a hit at my house! Thanks for this simple, delicious recipe!
Hi! Baking these for the first time to get some healthy snacks ready for the lunchbox and the smell coming from the oven is to die for!
I used regular plain wholemeal flour as our school has a no nut policy, and used my thermomix to chop the carrot & apple and then combine the rest. Will be making these over and over – I can “smell” that they will be a hit! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Alexandra!
The flavor on these is awesome. I’m wondering if you have any thoughts on how to modify the recipe to make a little less cakey and bit of a crunchy cookie out of it? I love it as a muffin, but would be interested in a cookie as well since the flavor rocks. Thanks :-)
Hi Lesley! That would be an entirely new recipe to make it a cookie. I do have a carrot breakfast cooking in my Love Real Food cookbook you might like!
These muffins are delicious! My 18 months old loves them too. Always love the muffin and loaf recipes as they’re foolproof. Freeze well too.
Thank you, Kirsty!
I just made my first recipe from the book and it is delicious for a quick snack. I posted a picture on IG with the hashtag… I think this was my first good picture ever
I love it! I will need to check it out, Jacqueline!
My first try at gluten-free muffins. Delicious! Moist and flavorful. I added pecans plus a few chocolate chips just for the fun of it. Easy to make.
Hooray, Casey! Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely the best muffins I have ever made! Huge hit with my whole family. I am currently making a second batch with my daughter now because they were gone in two days! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. :)
You’re welcome, Lindsay! I appreciate your review.
I have made the original recipe and the nut-free version. I finely ground almonds in my food processor and could only pack 8 oz into 2 cups and they were delicious. I added chopped pecans as well and used 1/4 cup each honey and maple syrup for the perfect sweetness.
The whole wheat flour version was different and also a 5-star recipe. Both really stick with you but I do prefer the almond version as they are richer. I plan to try subbing coconut oil and flax eggs for my vegan friends.
The are now my go-to muffins. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing, Kim!
thanks! I made a batch and love it!
i used wholegrain flour hence i followed the advice of one cup of oats.
replacement:
butter with olive oil (6tbsp)
mixture turned out abit dry so i used 1/4 cup of unsweetened soy milk.
turned out great, not too sweet and smells so good.
Thanks for trying it, Anna!
These muffins are the best! I’ve made them twice. My husband loves them and often has them for breakfast. I included the optional chopped pecans and golden raisins.
Yummy!
Karen
I’m glad you love them, Karen!
I baked these last week and brought them into the office. They were a hit! I used almost 2 C of grated carrots and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, raisins and dried cranberries. We are all trying to eat healthier, so next time I bake this for my co-workers I’m going to cut back on the honey and maybe sub coconut oil for the butter.
Thank you for sharing, Lorraine!
This recipe is so easy and delicious. I only had a half cup of almond flour so I used spelt flour for the rest and it was great. Probably a little heavier than all almond flour but still tasty and delicious!
These were delicious! Thank you so much for the great recipe! I substituted the Almond Meal for Wholemeal flour and they turned out perfectly!
You’re welcome, Miranda! Thanks for your review.
Yeah I made this recipe in a 9×9 pan I was lazy to pack in muffin cups.
I grated 1&1/2 Granny Smiths and the remaining half I chopped and distributed on top then I roasted a handful,of walnuts ( careful not to burn) chopped then sprinkled on top.
After cooling I kept in frig overnite then cut in squares the following morning
This is for a better texture for cutting
I wish I cut them bigger so it does not feel that am eating too many.
Kate thanks for sharing and cookie you must have been the taster
You have excellent taste buddy.
Thanks for your comment and review, Hilda!
I have made these muffins twice in one week! Brought them for an Easter potluck and then am making them again for a girl’s get-a-way weekend. I have celiac disease and I am always looking for gluten-free options. These muffins are moist, not too sweet, are full of healthy ingredients (I also added raisins),and are easy to make. I am so happy I stumbled this recipe! 5 stars!
Kate- these are delicious!!! I couldn’t even wait for them to cool, I just had to try one! Thank you for sharing such a great and healthy recipe!! I see a lot of these in my future xo
Hi there! I found the batter super thick, more like a biscuit dough. What else should I add?
To say I love these muffins is an understatement! I’ve baked them so many times now and my girls love them as do their athlete friends! My colleagues all want the recipe too! I’ve added chia seeds into the batter and sprinkled pumpkin and sesame seeds on top too andnit adds a nice crunch to them. I saw this recipe in the original book and didn’t try them till I saw your write up Kate so thanks for introducing them into my life!
Thanks for sharing, Sue!
I made these tonight and love them!! My kids enjoyed helping make these and eating them too! Thanks for such easy to follow healthy recipes.
You’re welcome, Carolyn!
I’m a vegan, so I replaced the butter with vegetable oil (in equal amounts) and egg with flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water = 1 “egg”) and it was great! I also added a splash of milk because it was a little dry, but it turned out great. I just though y’all might like to know these can be made vegan!
Thanks for sharing! I know others will find this really helpful.
Just made these and I’m super happy with the results! I made some changes so they would meet my needs – did 5ish tbsp of coconut oil in place of the butter, and then cut the sweetener (honey/maple syrup) but added about a 1/2c of unsweetened apple sauce, and also went a little heavy on the carrots. I added 70% dark chocolate chunks. I was a bit nervous about the substitutions but they came out great – lovely moist texture, and good flavour. Thanks so much!
You’re welcome! Sounds like perfect adjustments for you, Charlotte.
Wow! Such a delicious, healthy muffin. Everyone reading this should just go make these now.
Wonderful to hear, Kara!
These were amazing!! I didn’t have enough butter (only tbsp) so subbed tahini for the rest. Used 1/4 apple sauce and 1/4 cup maple syrup to sweeten and mixed in some beets with the grated apple and carrot. Also added some raisins and chopped dates to compensate for making them so healthy. they are delicious and my 4 and 6 year old gobbled them up
Thank you for sharing, Danna!
Hi Kate, I made these a while back and unfortunately they weren’t my cup of tea from a textural standpoint. Too moist (read almost wet) on the inside. Today, I made them again, but tweaked the recipe. Used 1 cup of bran, 1/2 cup of oats, 1 cup whole wheat flour, and 1/2 cup almond flour. They turned out perfectly delicious and I’ll definitely make them again! Sorry they weren’t great the first time ‘round, BUT you definitely provided the inspiration to make the revised muffins a hit and that’s why I’m giving them 5 stars. Thank you!
I’m sorry you didn’t love them first time, but happy you made them work for you!
I made these today. I don’t know where to get almond meal or almond flour so I used rye flour and I only had two eggs, so added a flax meal and instead of grated apples I used applesauce, coconut oil instead of butter and I grounded pecans as well and I had one happy three year old. I was petrified its not going to work but it’s so delicious I had to stop myself from snacking after 8pm! Thank you
I’m happy it worked so well for you!
Very delicious and moist. I used flax eggs as a substitute and they held together very well. Kid and toddler approved!!
That’s great to hear, Amanda!
Would it be fine to use steel-cut oats instead of the old-fashioned oats? Would it turn out just as good?
I haven’t tried it. I’m hesitant that they would cook-up the same. Steel cut typically take more liquid.
These are so yum!
Thank you!
I was just wondering how long these keep for!
Love the recipe
I just wanted to make some for the week but wondering how long they last for
I’ve never been great at baking so I was nervous to try but these are now a household favorite. I’ve been experimenting with other fruits (tried it with nectarines instead of apples) which makes it even more fun to make each week. Thanks for this recipe!
Very good muffins!! Balanced and not overly sweet. Came across your blog recently and already made a few things. Loved it so far.
I’m glad you are loving the recipes!
Thanks for this! I omitted the honey (on a no added sugars kick), and used 1/2 cup golden raisins and 1/2 cup walnut pieces and these turned out bomb dot com. It might be because my palate has changed from cutting sugar, but the raisins and apples give these muffins a good amount of sweetness on their own! I’m super pumped to have these for breakfast this week! Also all told mine made 18 muffins instead of 12. Bonus!
I was just wondering how long these would stay fresh for
They should last for a few days on the counter or a few months in the freezer!
I used the whole wheat flour option + upping the fat content to 8 tbsp (using coconut oil instead of butter for a vegan recipe) like Katie suggested. I did not try flax or chia eggs but used Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer instead (so 3 tbsp BRM egg replacer + 6 tbsp water).
Even though I followed the instructions to increase the fat content the mixture was still dry as a bone from the WW flour! I had to add 1 cup of water to get the mixture to mimic that of muffin batters. My muffin cups were very full — a good 1/2″ taller than the pan but they remained nice and plump after baking! So, I had no issues with the BRM egg substitute here.
The muffins were pretty good considering all the tweaks I had to improvise. They were cinnamon-y and perfect for mid-September while the weather is transitioning to autumn. I think if I were to make these again as vegan muffins, I’d decrease the amount of WW flour by 1/4-1/2 cup and/or add another 2-4 tbsp of melted coconut oil to counteract the dryness. The full cup of water I added in haste when they were too dry probably diluted some of the muffin’s original flavor/made me over-mix the batter (not nice). Definitely would have to keep playing around with it to make it foolproof and successfully vegan!
Thanks for your detail in what you changed and thought of your changes!
First time trying these. I used whole wheat flour and coconut oil. I would not use coconut oil again as it solidified when I added the carrots. I still baked them and the flavour is good, but they some that had a hunk of coconut oil are crispy due to too much oil.
Hi! I have 2 questions:
How much coconut oil do you recommend instead of the butter and do I measure the coconut oil by melting it or when it’s solid?
Can agave be used instead of the honey or maple syrup?
Thanks!
Hi Alison, typically you can use the same amount of coconut oil. I usually measure in a liquid glass cup, gently warm and adjust as needed. Let me know how it works for you! I don’t use agave, but I know others have in other recipes. It might work!
Thanks for the recipe adaptations. If I use regular flour instead of almond or wheat, how should I adjust the butter in the recipe? Is there anything else I should adjust?
Thanks,
Terri
Unfortunately, I wouldn’t know without trying it. I would instead recommend my apple or carrot muffins, made with whole wheat.
Bonjour, Kate,
I am English, living in Bordeaux with my (Michelin-starred, ha, ha)French partner/assistant cook and am delighted to come across your site.
With a glut of apples in my garden this autumn, I have been making apple muffins, tossing in whatever comes to hand, eg, yesterday, plums, grapes and chocolate chips. Tonight I will try your apple/carrot muffins and am hoping to find more tempting apple recipes.
Do you know white (as opposed to black) puddings? Very popular in France. Last night, on a whim, I made minced apple/white pudding “meat” balls. To die for!
With best regards,
Richard.
These muffins are delicious! I added diced ginger and flax seed to the mix, as well as a tablespoon of peanut butter to the center of each muffin. Perfect for breakfast. Thank you for the recipe!
Turned out great! I tried them with chia seeds in almond milk (with a little extra milk) as an egg substitute, and with flour instead of almond meal.
These apple/carrot muffins were divine. One serious complaint: I made 24 and all were gone within half an hour, gobbled by neigbours.
That means they were a hit! Thanks for sharing, Richard.
I was not, in fact, best pleased, Kate, I only got to eat one before the other 23 disappeared. Even my beloved cat, Zabaleta, managed to steal a half of one.
Hi , my husband is diebetic and I am wonder what the sugar and carbohydrates value are in this recipe. So hoping I can make for him to enjoy as as well.
Thank you
Cecilia
Hi Cecilia! The nutrition information is below the notes section of the recipe. You just need to click to expand (give it a second to load) and ensure you have cookies enabled in your browser. Let me know if this doesn’t work for you!
Saturday morning breakfast idea ❤️
Thank you!
I make these all the time and find the coconut oil in place of butter works awesome. Love them, perfect snack for the kiddos!
I love your photography, it looks tasty even just by seeing them. Thanks for sharing nutritious recipes here. looking forward to more apple dishes.
You’re welcome!