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.
So delicious! I used the maple syrup option and added in chopped walnuts. I used applesauce as a heart healthy fat option and did add about a teaspoon of vanilla. They came out great! So excited to have these for the week’s breakfast. I will be making these again! Thanks for such healthy great recipes! ❤️
Hello Kate
I live in Spain and just wondering how much butter is 6 tablespoons please, in grams? Also, if I replaced the butter with melted coconut oil how much? Many thanks. Can’t wait to make these!
Can’t wait to try these!! Does anyone have substitutes for the butter?
Delicious and really easy. My batter looked a little dry so I added a small splash of applesauce and they were perfect. Thanks!
I am I love with these muffins! They are the perfect grab and go item, or as a healthy snack between meals.
I used maple syrup, added cranberries for the optional add in, and only 1/2 of a large Fuji apple (that’s all I had) and I think they are perfect.
Yes, I will add this to my muffin rotation!
These are sooooo yummy (my six and four year old agree). I used part almond flour and part spelt and subbed olive oil for the butter (7 tbsp since I used half spelt) – they turned out beautifully.
I used 2.5 cups oat flour, 1 cup white flour – 2 eggs and 1 ‘flax egg’ (eggs aint cheap), 1/2 cup choco chips and 1/2 cup walnuts. replace butter with equal parts apple sauce. used a cosmo apple and the carrot pulp from my daily juicing.
The texture and moisture were good… but next time I would probably double the cinnamon and experiment with 1/2tsp cardamom. These aren’t very sweet so glad I had Chocolate Chips.
These were delicious! I swapped oats for buckwheat flakes and worked really well. Highly recommend.
These muffins are perfect! Moist, delicious and healthy. I added nutmeg in mine as I love that flavour with apples.
Hi Kate,
I baked this for a couple of times already. I made it with 1.5 cups almond flour and .5 cup coconut flour and they are equally delicious. I added walnuts so it’s really nutritious! My daughter loved it.
mmmmmmmm . held together miraculously well and are delicious. I used chocolate chips. Probably should have let melted butter cool before whisking as I think it resulted in bits of cooked egg but it didn’t ruin it.
Tester came out clean at exactly25 but they were more moist than I’d like in the middle; will do them longer next time. On the whole great though.
These are excellent muffins. My son, who also subscribes to your recipe site, shared with me. He said he’s made them many, many times. My husband & I fell in love with these too. They are Just Right in sweetness, texture & flavor. The walnuts add that extra something. We recommend a new baker to this should not omit. Tks to you for another winner.
I don’t know what I did wrong. Double checked the recipe. But these were a dry crumbly mess. Waste of time and ingredients.
Hi Bridget, I’m sorry these didn’t work out for you.
So yummy! I’ve made these a few times and they are always excellent. This time I substituted the melted butter for olive oil and still worked out great!