Healthy Zucchini Carrot Muffins are my favorite way to use all that extra garden zucchini! I love that it uses carrots, pineapple and applesauce to make a super tender and moist muffin. Easy breakfast recipe idea to eat on the go!
As much as I love the garden bounty late summer brings, it is also very overwhelming. I wish there was a way to spread it out over the year so I could give proper appreciation to each and every crop. By the end of the summer, I’m desperately trying to keep it all from going to waste.
Even though my zucchini plants got a disease that turned the main stem into a granular powder, I still got quite the harvest from my two little plants before they died. I love zucchini that are small and tender, but once they get past about 8″ long, I will only use them in baking form.
I really loved these healthy zucchini carrot muffins recipe. It was a cross between carrot cake and zucchini bread. They were light, moist and truly delicious. I actually doubled the recipe because I have so much large zucchini to use up. I made two loaves and 24 muffins. My kids preferred the muffin form, probably because they felt like they were eating cupcakes. My hubby wanted me to whip up some cream cheese frosting to top them with but that would definitely turn them into cupcakes! I will be making another double recipe this weekend and freezing the muffins for when school starts and I need a quick breakfast. I think that will use up the rest of my zucchini and then I can turn my attention to the bushels of tomatoes……
These healthy zucchini carrot muffins are loaded with fresh zucchini, carrots, pineapple and applesauce. Perfect breakfast on the go recipe!
Ingredients
Scale
3 eggs
1/2 C oil
1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
2 C sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 C shredded zucchini
3/4 C shredded carrots
10 oz crushed pineapple, drained
3 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 C chopped nuts (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil and applesauce with a whisk. Add the sugar, vanilla, zucchini, carrot and pineapple then mix well. Add all the dry ingredients and mix together just until combined. Do not overmix!
Divide among 24 muffin tins lined with paper liners. Bake muffins for 20-22 minutes
Author:Carole Jones
Nutrition
Serving Size:1/24th
Calories:191
Sugar:19g
Sodium:197mg
Fat:6g
Saturated Fat:1g
Unsaturated Fat:4g
Trans Fat:0g
Carbohydrates:32g
Fiber:1g
Protein:3g
Cholesterol:23mg
Carole Jones
Carole Jones is an Arizona-based cookbook author & food blogger. She's authored The 30 Minute Cooking From Frozen Cookbook and the self-published Take 5: Chicken e-cookbook. For the past 15 years, Carole has shared her culinary adventures cooking and baking for her six brutally honest children here on My Kitchen Escapades. Hot, crusty bread is Carole's love language, but her two adorable grandchildren are a close second. Yes, second. Don't judge.
22 comments
Anonymous
14 years ago
I made these for my daughter to bring to school on her birthday and everyone loved them!
Carole
14 years ago
So glad they turned out a hit! I completely adore these during the summer when I have more zucchini than I could ever use!
Lisa B
14 years ago
Muffins are becoming a mainstay in our house for a fast breakfast on the go. I’ve bookmarked a few of your muffin recipes, but have not come across anything like this one in the past. I have a zucchini in the fridge just waiting for this… I may spend all day tomorrow making “Carole” recipes 🙂
Anonymous
13 years ago
Hi, what temp? 350?
Carole
13 years ago
Yes! 350 degrees. Thanks for pointing that out for me!
Jessica Arthur
10 years ago
Can I sub bananas for the carrots without hurting the recipe?
Carole
10 years ago
Having never tried it Jessica, I am not sure. Your texture will definitely be different but I think it is worth giving it a try! Come back and let me know how they turned out for you.
Jessica Arthur
10 years ago
Would it be the same amount? 3/4 cup mashed bananas for 3/4 cup shredded carrots?
Carole
10 years ago
Again, having never experimented with it, I can’t say for sure. My gut says to try a bit less (2/3) because bananas have much more moisture than carrots
Melissa
10 years ago
Could I cut back the sugar some to make these for my toddler? I feel like the pineapple will sweeten them quite a bit?
Carole
10 years ago
Absolutely Melissa. Just know that cutting the sugar will also change the texture of the muffin as well as the level of sweetness.
Carolyn
10 years ago
You never mentioned the baking time for the loaves.
Carole
10 years ago
Hey Carolyn! You are correct. I wrote the recipe for the muffins and I wish I could remember how long I baked the loaves but that was 7 years ago and I just don’t remember.
Kerri
9 years ago
Any nutritional info for this recipe? Calories, carbs etc.?
Carole
9 years ago
Hi Kerri! I don’t have that information but there are many wonderful recipe calculators online if you are interested in those stats.
Terry
8 years ago
Your recipe calls for 10 oz of drained crushed pineapple. Is that by volume or by weight?
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22 comments
I made these for my daughter to bring to school on her birthday and everyone loved them!
So glad they turned out a hit! I completely adore these during the summer when I have more zucchini than I could ever use!
Muffins are becoming a mainstay in our house for a fast breakfast on the go. I’ve bookmarked a few of your muffin recipes, but have not come across anything like this one in the past. I have a zucchini in the fridge just waiting for this… I may spend all day tomorrow making “Carole” recipes 🙂
Hi, what temp? 350?
Yes! 350 degrees. Thanks for pointing that out for me!
Can I sub bananas for the carrots without hurting the recipe?
Having never tried it Jessica, I am not sure. Your texture will definitely be different but I think it is worth giving it a try! Come back and let me know how they turned out for you.
Would it be the same amount? 3/4 cup mashed bananas for 3/4 cup shredded carrots?
Again, having never experimented with it, I can’t say for sure. My gut says to try a bit less (2/3) because bananas have much more moisture than carrots
Could I cut back the sugar some to make these for my toddler? I feel like the pineapple will sweeten them quite a bit?
Absolutely Melissa. Just know that cutting the sugar will also change the texture of the muffin as well as the level of sweetness.
You never mentioned the baking time for the loaves.
Hey Carolyn! You are correct. I wrote the recipe for the muffins and I wish I could remember how long I baked the loaves but that was 7 years ago and I just don’t remember.
Any nutritional info for this recipe? Calories, carbs etc.?
Hi Kerri! I don’t have that information but there are many wonderful recipe calculators online if you are interested in those stats.
Your recipe calls for 10 oz of drained crushed pineapple. Is that by volume or by weight?
It is 10 oz can that you then drain.