Healthy Carrot Cake Zucchini Muffins
on Sep 17, 2019, Updated May 16, 2024
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Healthy carrot cake zucchini muffins come together in just a half hour and have all your favorite carrot cake flavors with an added kick of nutrients from wholesome ingredients!
Have you tried baking with zucchini yet? If not, I know it sounds weird, and like baked goods are one place, zucchini just does NOT belong. But when shredded into small bits, it adds another element of moisture to these muffins while also packing in a healthy veggie! That’s a win-win in baking if you ask me.
I love the traditional form of carrot cake, with all its cream cheese frosting goodness, but these muffins make a GREAT substitute—and a much lighter one, at that. They, of course, have the traditional spices that make carrot cake so flavorful and irresistible. These carrot cake zucchini muffins are just so good!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You can guiltlessly enjoy this carrot cake substitute and feel nourished by its healthy ingredients—carrot, zucchini, banana, whole wheat flour, oat flour, nuts or seeds (your choice), and optional dried fruit or raisins.
- These muffins make a very filling snack or a great addition to a lunchbox.
- They only take a half hour to prep and bake!
Recipe Ingredients
- Zucchini – grate a fresh zucchini or use shredded zucchini from the freezer
- Carrot
- Eggs
- Bananas – totally okay to use the ones getting a bit over-ripe!
- Sugar – regular granulated sugar or try the healthier coconut sugar
- Coconut oil – another vegetable or nut oil can be substituted
- Vanilla extract
- Whole wheat flour
- Oat flour – make your own oat flour by pulsing oats in a blender or food processor until a consistency similar to flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Spices – cinnamon and nutmeg are traditional carrot cake spices
- Optional – nuts, seeds, or any dried fruit
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Carrot Cake Zucchini Muffins
- Shred and drain carrots and zucchini, then add other wet ingredients, mixing until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix.
- Fold in the seeds, nuts, and dried fruit, if using.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until done.
Recipe FAQs
There are a couple methods for draining the liquid out of zucchini. The first is placing the shredded zucchini in a colander and pressing down on it to squeeze and drain the water out of it. Or you can place the shredded zucchini on a clean dish towel, wrap it up, and press the veggies inside the towel so it soaks up the liquid.
If you leave these out in a sealed container at room temperature, they’ll last up to 3 days. In the fridge, they’ll keep for up to a week and up to 3 months frozen!
Place muffins upside down on a plate in the microwave and heat on high power for 30 seconds. Flip them over so they’re right side up and microwave for another 30 seconds. I also just throw a frozen muffin in lunch boxes, and they thaw by my kids’ lunchtimes!
Expert Tips
- Use a cheese grater to shred zucchini for muffins. A blender or food processor might also work; just be careful not to over-blend the zucchini into a liquified state.
- Refrigerating the muffins will help them keep for the week so you can meal prep ahead of time for snacks and lunches.
- I am such a huge fan of healthy muffins that I can make a big batch of and use for snacks, lunch boxes, and breakfasts on the go! A few of my other favorite nutritious muffin recipes include Easy & Healthy Banana Muffins, Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins, and Healthy Whole Grain Zucchini Muffins.
Other Delicious Muffin Recipes to Consider
Muffin Recipes
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Breakfast Recipes
Breakfast Charcuterie Board
Pumpkin
40 Fall Pumpkin Recipes
Muffin Recipes
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Healthy Carrot Cake Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups zucchini, grated
- 1 cup carrot, grated
- 2 eggs
- 2 bananas, mashed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar or coconut sugar
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup oat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup nuts or seeds of choice, optional (I used hemp seed)
- ½ cup raisins, craisins, or any dried fruit, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line or grease 18 muffin cups.
- Shred and drain zucchini and carrots. Allow to drain in a colander, or squeeze out excess moisture with a towel. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, bananas, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Whisk until well-combined.
- Add zucchini and carrots to the bowl. Stir together just until combined.
- Add the whole wheat flour, oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Mix just until combined. Don’t over-mix this!
- Fold in the seeds or nuts and dried fruit, if using.
- Fill muffin cups about ¾ full.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until muffins are browned on top, spring back when you press on them, and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then remove from tin and cool for 20 more minutes.
Notes
- To make oat flour, simply grind oats in a blender or food processor and measure after grinding.
- Muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature, refrigerated for a week, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- To defrost and serve frozen muffins, place up to 4 frozen muffins upside down on a microwave-safe plate and cook for 30 seconds on high power. Then, turn the muffins right side up and cook for 30 seconds more.
- I often put frozen muffins in my kids’ lunch boxes; they thaw perfectly before lunch.
Can i use just plain flour? Would the amounts be the same?
These were delicious. I replaced 1/2 the oil with applesauce to reduce the fat. I did a pan of mini muffins for the kids and they took 14 minutes.
Ohhh sounds so good. Thank you for coming back to share what worked for you, that’s always so helpful.