Banana Carrot Muffins

Prepare to fall head over heels for a muffin, one that’s loaded with ripe bananas and shredded carrots, at that. Yes, that’s right, you’re about to fall in love with a muffin made with fruit AND vegetables. This is happening, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of.

We’re taking fruit in muffins to a whole other level. Maybe one that’s out of this world?

Banana Carrot Muffins are definitely changing the easy breakfast game with their light, fluffy, moist texture that’s unrivaled. You’ll love that you can sneak in some veggies and enjoy a quick on-the-go breakfast when life gets hectic, or lounge around on a Saturday morning with a hot cup of coffee and a plate of warm muffins.

They’re freezer-friendly, too, so there’s no worry about any going to waste (but once you try them, you’ll know that’s not possible anyway. With many ways to enjoy these muffins, you truly can’t go wrong. They’re so easy to make they will be on REPEAT. So let’s get to baking now, shall we?

What You’ll Need to Make these Muffins

These muffins are made with simple pantry ingredients that you likely already have. No need to worry about running to the store when the craving strikes – or when those bananas need to be baked with ASAP.

• All-Purpose Flour
• Granulated and Brown Sugar – see the note in the recipe card regarding sugar if you’re looking to reduce sugar.
• Baking Soda and Baking Powder – both help give us the beautiful texture of these muffins.
• Cinnamon – adds such a subtle warmness to the muffins.
• Butter – I always recommend using unsalted butter so we can add our own amount of salt to the batter.
• Eggs – best incorporated at room temperature (but if I’m being honest I’m not always that prepared and it’s been ok).
• Vanilla Extract – make sure it’s real vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• Shredded Carrots – I highly recommend buying whole carrots and shredding them using a box grater for the best texture. Read more about this below in my recipe tips!
• Ripe Bananas – just like banana bread, the darker and more ripe the bananas, the better!
• Pecans – texture for the top of the muffin, you could easily substitute walnuts or almonds. You can also omit if you prefer, too!

How To Make Banana Carrot Muffins

The joy of making these muffins is how quick and easy they are to throw together. Which makes them perfect for lazy weekend mornings, or quick meal prep during the week.

Like any basic muffin recipe, you’ll start by whisking together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. This recipe includes the sugars as part of the dry ingredients that will be mixed together. Combining the dry ingredients ensures they all are properly mixed with the wet ingredients without overmixing the batter, so it’s definitely recommended to do so.

Then, in a separate bowl, beat together the room temperature eggs, butter, and vanilla extract. Once they are combined, stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients – gently. Don’t want to overmix the muffin batter or they may end up with a tough texture.

The batter will seem extra-thick at this point but don’t panic!

As it does seem thick initially, there is so much moisture coming from the bananas and carrots that it evens out in the end. So instead of continuing to stir in the dry ingredients, add in those fruits and veggies and gently fold them into the batter.

With the batter just mixed, fill 12 muffin tins about 2/3rds of the way full. If desired, top the muffins with chopped pecans before baking for added texture and health benefits.

If you’re not into pecans, you can use walnuts or almonds, or simply omit them altogether. While I do love a classic streusel topping, the muffins are sweet enough and I don’t think they don’t need a boost. The pecans on top contribute a burst of texture and crunch.

Bake the muffins until the edges are golden brown and the tops bounce back when lightly touched. You can also stick a toothpick in the center and if it comes out clean, your muffins are ready.

Enjoy them warm with a smear of creamy whipped honey butter and a hot mug of coffee for THE COZIEST breakfast results!

Tips for Making Carrot Muffins

While Banana Carrot Muffins are easy to make, there are a few key tips to ensure your success and to make sure the muffins are every bit as delicious as possible!

SHRED YOUR OWN CARROTS

Yes, grab your whole carrots and shred them yourself. I use the fine shred on my box grater to create a thin, grated carrot. It provides extra moisture to the muffins and blends seamlessly into the muffins creating a wonderful texture. The fine shred is also perfect for hiding veggies into the muffins if you need to sneak them in for your little ones!

If you’re looking for more carrot texture, use the larger holes on a box grater, or shred them using a food processor to shred them. I don’t recommend pre-shredded carrots, but they will work if needed in a pinch.

USE OVERRIPE BANANAS

The riper your bananas are, the more flavor, moisture, and sweetness the muffins will have. I recommend waiting until your bananas are really quite brown before making the muffins.

Want to be sure you always have bananas on hand for when the craving strikes? You can freeze whole bananas and then use them in baking recipes. Just thaw them in the peel, then remove the peel, and use the bananas AND all the juices that are released from the thawed banana.

DON’T OVERFILL THE MUFFIN CUPS

The batter for this recipe can fill 12 muffin tins without any remaining batter when they’re filled all the way to the top. However, I don’t recommend filling the tins that full. When you add the pecans to the top of the batter and fill the tins completely full, the tops don’t quite bake all the way through.

Instead, I recommend filling the tins about 2/3 of the way full, leaving enough space so they will rise and bake completely on the top. This does result in slightly smaller muffins, however, it’s definitely not a deal-breaker.

What is the best way to store the muffins?

I love making this Banana Carrot Muffin recipe on Sunday morning, enjoying them at a leisurely pace in bed with coffee and sunshine, and then savoring them all week long for a quick on-the-go breakfast.

Oh, how perfect it is to find a recipe that’s so versatile for the weekend and for the week ahead. So if we don’t happen to enjoy them all on day one…they save well, too!

To store any leftover muffins, place them in an airtight container for up to 2 days and then store them in the fridge. You can always go ahead and store them in the fridge right away, too.

I always reheat the muffins before enjoying them by placing the muffins in the microwave for a few seconds, but then again, I’m a sucker for warm baked goods. You can absolutely enjoy them at room temperature, too.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Muffin Recipes to Love

• Pear Muffins with Oat Streusel
• Apple Cider Muffins
• Mini Pumpkin Coconut Muffins
• Small Batch Banana Chocolate Muffins

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!