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Quick and easy Carrot Muffins are packed with flavor from shredded carrots, warm spices, walnuts, and raisins. Plus, they’re ready in under 30 minutes!
These delicious carrot muffins are made with a handful of pantry staples and are sure to go on your regular rotation. With a soft, moist crumb, warm flavor from aromatic spices, sweetness from fresh carrots and raisins, and a lovely crunch from walnuts, these homemade muffins are perfect for a quick breakfast or when you need a snack on the go.
Carrot muffins are quick to stir together and bake, last a few days at room temperature, and can be frozen for longer storage. So I often have a batch on hand to pop into my kids’ school lunches or to serve unexpected guests. They’re always a crowd-pleaser! If you’re looking for more breakfast recipes, then try my breakfast potatoes recipe, homemade Monte Cristo, or blueberry muffins.
Ingredients
Like other muffin recipes, most of what you need are pantry staples! These are the key ingredients, but you can find the full list of ingredients in the carrot muffin recipe.
Leavening — baking powder and baking soda help the carrot muffins rise properly and become fluffy.
Spices — ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg add warmth to the muffins. Feel free to mix up the spices or use your favorite baking spice blend.
Sugar — granulated sugar adds sweetness and moisture. If you like, you can use brown sugar instead for a deep molasses flavor.
Oil — a neutral oil like vegetable oil ensures the muffins are wonderfully soft and stay moist for several days.
Carrots — you need 2 cups of freshly grated carrots, which equates to about 3 large carrots or 6 small ones.
Mix-ins — walnuts add a lovely crunch, and raisins (regular or golden raisins) add a fruity sweetness to this carrot muffin recipe.
Carrot Muffins Recipe
Equipment
- Muffin pan
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil (180ml)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 2 cups grated carrots (210g)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (60g)
- ½ cup raisins (90g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt and whisk together.
- In another large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk and whisk well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir together until just combined, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Fold the carrots, walnuts, and raisins into the batter.
- Divide the batter among the paper liners (they will be almost full). Sprinkle the tops with more sugar, if you like.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are springy and a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Accurately measure the flour. Using too much flour will cause the carrot muffins to be dry. The best way to measure flour is to weigh it on a food scale. If you don’t have one, fluff and spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with a knife.
- Use freshly grated nutmeg. I typically buy pre-ground cinnamon and ginger, but I always freshly grate nutmeg when adding it to baked goods for the most vibrant flavor. Nutmeg loses its flavor relatively fast once ground, so jarred ground nutmeg has far less strength than fresh!
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Over-mixing the batter can lead to tough and dense muffins because the gluten in the flour will over-develop. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined, and then gently fold in the carrots, walnuts, and raisins. Do not use a mixer.
- Don’t overfill the muffin cups. Leave room for the muffin batter to rise; otherwise, the muffin tops will spread and stick to the pan or overly brown the edges.
- Add a crunchy sugar topping. These muffins are extra delicious topped with sugar for a crunchy, sweet muffin top. Sprinkle with sanding sugar or coarse turbinado sugar for a sparkling finish!
Nutrition
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Don’t Use Store-Bought Shredded Carrots
Pre-shredded carrots are hard, dry, and thicker than freshly shredded carrots, and they will affect the muffins’ tender texture. They will not soften much when baked, and the muffins can turn out dry.
How Do I Grate Carrots?
After cleaning and peeling them, grate the carrots using the large holes of a hand-held grater, like a box grater. Or, you can speed up the process by using a food processor! Many food processors have a grating attachment.
If you don’t have either, you can slowly pulse the carrots in the food processor until they are very finely chopped.
Do I Have To Use Raisins?
No, you can leave them out if you don’t like raisins. Or replace them with different mix-ins. See ideas just below!
How To Make Carrot Muffins
1. Combine the dry ingredients– all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt– in a medium bowl. Whisk together, then set the flour mixture aside for now.
2. In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients– sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk– and whisk well.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the large mixing bowl. Stir together with a rubber spatula until just combined.
4. Fold the shredded carrots, chopped walnuts, and raisins into the muffin batter with the spatula.
5. Divide the batter among 12 paper liners in a muffin pan until each one is almost full but not overflowing.
6. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with extra sugar if you like. Bake at 375°F for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with a few crumbs. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Variations
There are several ways to mix up this homemade carrot muffin recipe:
- Add other dried fruit like cranberries, blueberries, or chopped apricots.
- Replace up to ¼ cup of grated carrots with well-drained crushed pineapple for a tropical twist.
- If you’re a chocolate lover, this recipe is also fantastic with chocolate chips!
- Swap the walnuts for chopped toasted pecans.
- Add 1 teaspoon of orange zest to the batter for a hint of citrus flavor.
- Swap the vegetable oil for a light-tasting olive oil.
- Replace up to ½ cup of carrots with grated apples for carrot apple muffins.
- Spread cream cheese frosting onto the room temperature muffins to give them a carrot cake flair!
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Accurately measure the flour. Using too much flour will cause the carrot muffins to be dry. The best way to measure flour is to weigh it on a food scale. If you don’t have one, fluff and spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with a knife.
- Use freshly grated nutmeg. I typically buy pre-ground cinnamon and ginger, but I always freshly grate nutmeg when adding it to baked goods for the most vibrant flavor. Nutmeg loses its flavor relatively fast once ground, so jarred ground nutmeg has far less strength than fresh!
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Over-mixing the batter can lead to tough and dense muffins because the gluten in the flour will over-develop. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined, and then gently fold in the carrots, walnuts, and raisins. Do not use a mixer.
- Don’t overfill the muffin cups. Leave room for the muffin batter to rise; otherwise, the muffin tops will spread and stick to the pan or overly brown the edges.
- Add a crunchy sugar topping. These muffins are extra delicious topped with sugar for a crunchy, sweet muffin top. Sprinkle with sanding sugar or coarse turbinado sugar for a sparkling finish!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover carrot muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They will also keep well stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. These homemade muffins also freeze well. Wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for a few hours.
While you can enjoy carrot muffins at room temperature, you can also pop them in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to warm them up and soften them a bit more. Or, leave the muffin wrappers on and air fry at 300°F for about 3 minutes.
Yes, you can replace the oil with melted butter or even browned butter. Keep in mind that oil makes for a softer muffin that stays moist longer. If you want a hint of buttery flavor, swap only half the oil for melted butter, or simply serve them with honey butter!
If you’ve tried this carrot muffins recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
