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Home » Cooking Methods » Meal Prep » Carrot Apple Vegan Muffins

Carrot Apple Vegan Muffins

By Taesha Butler April 15, 2017 (Updated April 27, 2022) 73 Comments

Servings12 muffins
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Jump to Recipe
4.93 from 28 votes

These Carrot Apple Vegan Muffins are kid-friendly, easy and as yummy as they are healthy! Made from oats, naturally sweetened and veggie-loaded, they are mixed entirely in your blender and are gluten free, dairy-free and egg-free!

carrot apple vegan muffins on a cooling rack. One muffin is broken open and there are fresh apples and carrots next to the cooling rack.

Carrot Apple Vegan Muffins

Muffins. I love ’em. You guys love ’em. We all love ’em….so I keep baking them. With veggies (and this time fruit!)…because that’s how I roll.

We are heavy in a carrot phase over here. Yes, I said that. Carrot phase.

See, my daughter is a bit obsessed with Easter at the moment. I get it. Cute fluffy bunnies. Pretty pastel eggs. Lovely flowers. It’s basically the holiday where every little girl’s favorite things are splattered everywhere she looks. And the plethora of carrots everywhere has had a very positive effect on her orange veggie intake. 

I’m not asking questions, just simply handing my daughter all the carrot things she could want and basking in the moment. 

Carrots are one of those veggies that isn’t weird to put in baked goods (not that the fear of being weird has ever stopped me, hence Oatmeal Green Smoothie Muffins) and you can get pretty much any kid (or strong-willed adult) to eat. But, I decided to sweeten the muffin deal (literally) by adding apple into the mix.

Have you ever tried apple and carrots together?

Heaven! I love making a simple salad for my daughter (or myself) of shredded apples and carrots. The flavors just get each other and make a good muffin better.

These Carrot Apple Vegan Muffins are everything. Super soft, super wonderful and they pretty much melt in your mouth. Full of flavor and yum….but also nutrient dense goodness. Oats, apples, carrots flax and all the good stuff you probably already have kicking around in your kitchen. So you can totally go make these right now….and every day…for the rest of your life.

Go for it! Seriously. I’ll wait here.

Carrot apple vegan muffins in a muffin tin, right out of the oven. There are apples and carrots next to the pan.

Suggested Adaptations

  • Make them non-vegan. Replace the flax and water in these carrot apple muffins with 3 eggs and/or use dairy milk if that is what your family prefers.
  • Add some raisins or chocolate chips to make these muffins even a bit more exciting!
  • Bake as mini muffins. Perfect for extra little ones. Just bake for 10-13 minutes in a mini muffin tin.
  • Replace the apple with pear.
  • Use whatever apple variety you prefer or have on hand.

Other veggie-packed muffins you are going to want to make, like NOW!

  • Chocolate Chip Carrot Vegan Muffins (with lentils)
  • Kid-Friendly Vegan Spinach Muffins
  • Dairy-free Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Muffins
  • Dairy-free Chocolate Butternut Squash Muffins
  • Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
Carrot apple vegan muffins on a cooling rack.
Print Recipe
4.93 from 28 votes

Carrot Apple Vegan Muffins

These Carrot Apple Vegan Muffins are kid-friendly, easy and as yummy as they are healthy! Made from oats, naturally sweetened and veggie-loaded, they are mixed entirely in your blender and are gluten free, dairy-free and egg-free!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dairy-free muffin recipe, egg-free muffins, gluten free muffin recipe, healthy muffin recipe
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 145kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Ingredients 

  • 3 tbsp ground flax meal
  • 9 tbsp water
  • 2 cups uncooked rolled oats (if baking gluten free, make sure oats are also certified gluten free)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup or date syrup (sub honey if vegan isn't needed)
  • 1 medium apple roughly chopped
  • 1 cup grated carrot
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a 12-hole muffin tin with liners.
  • In a small bowl combine flax meal and water. Stir a few times to combine and then let sit for 5 minutes to “gel” into a “flax egg.”
  • While the flax is gelling, place oats, salt, baking power, baking soda and cinnamon in blender. Blend until oats look more like a coarse flour.
  • After the flax + water has had some time to gel, pour it into the blender with the oat flour mixture. Add the vanilla, maple syrup, apple, carrots, coconut oil, and almond milk. Blend until batter has a smooth consistency. You may need to scrape down the sides of the blender a few times and then keep on blending until everything is incorporated.
  • Portion out the batter between the 12 lined muffin holes.
  • Bake at 25 minutes or until a a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool completely (the middle may be a bit moist fresh out of the oven) and enjoy or store in fridge for up to a week!

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1790IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

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Filed Under: Meal Prep, Muffins, Snacks, Vegan Tagged With: carrot

Previous Post: « Healthy Meatballs (with veggies!)
Next Post: Teaching Children to Try New Foods: The Rice Roll Lesson »

Reader Interactions

    Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

  1. Ana

    April 15, 2017 at 2:34 pm

    Do you add the oats along with the other ingredients (apple, sweetner, almond milk, etc) ?

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      April 15, 2017 at 3:04 pm

      Yes!

      Reply
  2. Nina

    April 15, 2017 at 3:01 pm

    Is there a way to substitute egg for the flax meal? I have flax seeds but not flax meal, and I’m cool with eggs. 🙂 Would love to try these!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      April 15, 2017 at 3:03 pm

      Totally! They work great with 3 eggs instead of the flax eggs.

      Reply
      • Nina

        April 15, 2017 at 3:34 pm

        Yay! So take out both the flax meal and the warm water?

        Reply
        • Nina

          April 15, 2017 at 3:48 pm

          And shoot, sorry for another question, lol — does this need to be done in a blender, or will a hand mixer do?

          (Done, I swear.) 🙂

          Reply
          • Taesha Butler

            April 16, 2017 at 3:51 am

            Definitely needs to be in a blender or food processor so that all of the ingredients get finely chopped up!

        • Taesha Butler

          April 16, 2017 at 3:51 am

          yes, both!

          Reply
  3. Suzi Wilkenfeld

    April 23, 2017 at 4:18 pm

    Have you tried this without the oats? We have a sensitivity to even gluten free oats. What gluten free flour ratio would you recommend? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Andrea Booth

      January 15, 2019 at 7:41 pm

      Any update on this? I also can’t do oats even gluten free oats!

      Reply
      • Taesha Butler

        January 15, 2019 at 7:46 pm

        Hi!
        I have never tried making this recipe with a gf flour blend, but I do have an apple cinnamon almond butter muffin that works well with carrots added. Unfortunately it is not egg-free if that is import (working on adding more paleo & egg-free recipes to the blog).
        https://www.thenaturalnurturer.com/blog/apple-cinnamon-almond-butter-muffins-paleo

        Reply
        • Andrea Booth

          January 15, 2019 at 10:19 pm

          I’ll attempt to make this with a coconut flour and let you know how it turns out! lol

          Reply
  4. Meghan

    April 24, 2017 at 12:31 am

    If you were to use unsweetened applesauce instead of the medium size apple, how much would you use?? Thanks 😉

    Reply
  5. Heather

    July 11, 2017 at 12:19 am

    Can I sub zucchini for the various? Looking for a zucchini muffin recipe for all this summer goodness!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      July 12, 2017 at 2:16 am

      I honestly haven’t tried and it sounds like such a good idea! You might need to squeeze some of the water out of the zucchini but i think it could work!

      Reply
  6. Adriana

    July 12, 2017 at 3:16 pm

    If I take out the honey/maple syrup entirely, do I need to sub some liquid? I’m making these for my 10-month old so I can’t use honey and I’d love to avoid the syrup. (I made these last night without the sweetener but added a little extra almond milk and they never fully baked. I think I added too much liquid. But I’d like to try again!) Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      July 25, 2017 at 2:50 am

      I don’t think so. The apples and carrots should add enough liquid to make up for the moisture!

      Reply
  7. Heather

    August 9, 2017 at 6:57 pm

    Taesha the zucchinni works great as a sub for the carrots! I grated them and let them drain a bit. I also added some extra spices like nutmeg. You could add raisens and nuts too at the end if you so desire. They were wonderful and warmly spiced! Almost as good as grandma’s!

    Reply
  8. Emily Chapin

    March 24, 2018 at 5:46 pm

    Hello! What can I use as a substitute for the almond milk? One son is allergic to milk and the other to nuts! Thank you

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      April 7, 2018 at 6:44 pm

      Coconut milk should work just fine! I hope your son enjoys them!

      Reply
  9. Cassie

    January 17, 2019 at 2:39 am

    Sounds delicious. Can I use oat milk instead of almond? My daughter has a nut allergy.

    Reply
  10. Christa

    January 22, 2019 at 4:06 pm

    Hi! The first time I made these my 2 year old asked for them all day long… the were light and moist. The second time they turned out really dense and he said “no like muffin”, lol. I don’t think I did anything differently… any thoughts on what went wrong to make it change? (I used 3 eggs instead of flax/water both times.)

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      January 25, 2019 at 9:12 pm

      Interesting. It’s hard to know what went wrong without being in the kitchen with you! Did you make any other changes? Use less of something or more of something? Not blend as long?

      I find that when I don’t blend these kinds of recipes until REALLY smooth, they come out denser. So perhaps that?

      Reply
      • Christa

        January 26, 2019 at 4:37 pm

        Ah, maybe the blending. I think I was assuming the opposite – that blending too long would lead to a denser result. I’ll try it again and blend longer. I actually had the same result with your chocolate avocado bread yesterday, super dense. I’ll blend longer…

        Reply
        • Taesha Butler

          January 29, 2019 at 3:22 am

          Actually, with the chocolate avocado bread, I found that over blending is the issue with dense bread. I stop once everything is combined and then bake!

          My rule of thumb is:
          – oat based recipes, blend until super smooth
          – nut based recipes, the less blending the better.

          Reply
  11. Allison

    May 6, 2019 at 4:41 pm

    Hey there! I just made these for the first time today (I saw you posted the recipe in your IG stories over the weekend). Mine turned out more like a baked oatmeal, but they are DELICIOUS! I’ll be making them again, for sure, and can’t wait to try more of your veggie loaded muffin recipes!

    Reply
  12. mae

    March 25, 2020 at 1:15 am

    can i use oat flour ?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      March 25, 2020 at 2:01 pm

      Yes!

      Reply
  13. Molly

    May 2, 2020 at 1:29 am

    If you were going to make these in mini muffin size, how would you adjust the oven temp/time?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 2, 2020 at 1:36 am

      I would do same temp for 10-13 minutes.

      Reply
  14. Amanda

    May 21, 2020 at 12:39 am

    5 stars
    Just made these for the first time because I was trying to use up some carrots and apples. So easy and good! Definitely going into the regular rotation.

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 21, 2020 at 1:42 am

      I am so glad!

      Reply
  15. Carissa

    May 27, 2020 at 5:08 pm

    I love all your muffin recipes! I’m wanting to double this recipe because 12 muffins are gone so fast! 🙂 But I don’t think my blender can’t handle double the amount. Would it work to blend just the dry ingredients and then mix everything together in a bowl? I’ve seen those instructions on other recipes like the Banana Carrot Bread. Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      May 27, 2020 at 5:12 pm

      I haven’t tried it but I can’t think of a reason it wouldn’t work!

      Reply
    • Sherry Kachanis

      July 28, 2022 at 6:12 pm

      Can I substitute avocado oil for the coconut oil? (I have a coconut sensitivity)

      Reply
      • Taesha Butler

        July 28, 2022 at 6:28 pm

        Absolutely.

        Reply
  16. Ashlie Daigle

    July 24, 2020 at 8:54 pm

    Hiya. I’m not concerned with these being vegan but I don’t have coconut oil or almond milk. What could/should I sub in?

    Reply
    • Taesha

      July 25, 2020 at 3:32 pm

      You can use olive oil or any oil you use for baking on the regular. And any milk you prefer to use in place of the almond milk.

      Reply
  17. Gean

    July 29, 2020 at 10:32 am

    5 stars
    Like!!

    Reply
  18. Jen

    August 6, 2020 at 3:46 pm

    5 stars
    We love your muffin recipes, this one is a favorite in our house. The little ones love them!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      August 6, 2020 at 4:50 pm

      Yay! I am so glad!

      Reply
  19. Jessie Root

    November 3, 2020 at 10:51 pm

    5 stars
    Another fabulous muffin! Seriously so fast to make, and I love the fall color and flavors with the apples!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      November 3, 2020 at 11:19 pm

      And they make the house smell so good when baking! Yay! SO glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
  20. Megan

    January 9, 2021 at 11:47 pm

    Delicious!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      January 10, 2021 at 12:08 am

      Yay! I am so glad you like them, Megan!

      Reply
  21. KC

    February 9, 2021 at 10:10 pm

    Hi, can I use whole wheat flour instead of oats? Also, butter instead of oil? My kid is sensitive to oats. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      February 9, 2021 at 11:26 pm

      Yes, you can sub the oil for butter. I haven’t tired these with whole wheat flour, but I find usually it is a good sub for ground oats in a recipe. My guess would be 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour. Let me know how they turn out!

      Reply
  22. Katie

    July 13, 2021 at 7:28 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is AMAZING and so tasty!! We swapped out the flax eggs for 3 chicken eggs and the muffins cooked perfectly. Love that you just throw it all in the blender. Such easy clean up. My toddler ate 3 muffins as soon as they were cooled. Definitely a winner. Thank you!!!

    Reply
  23. Mallory

    November 5, 2021 at 7:32 pm

    Mine rose very nice in the oven but once I took them out flattened . What did I do wrong ? 😩 I used eggs almond milk and coconut oil no subs

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      November 8, 2021 at 4:19 pm

      What a bummer, Mallory! I usually find this happens when a recipe either has too much liquid or it hasn’t been cooked long enough. These muffins have been a big success in other kitchens, so I doubt it was too wet unless you accidentally added more. So I am going to guess maybe they needed longer in the oven. Or perhaps your oven isn’t cooking true to temperature? I have run into that issue a lot and would suggest getting an oven thermometer to ensure you are cooking/baking at the temperature you think you are.

      Reply
  24. Jess

    December 7, 2021 at 9:03 pm

    5 stars
    This is my almost 2 year olds favorite snack. He’s always requesting them. I make a batch almost every week. My husband and I love them too.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      December 7, 2021 at 9:45 pm

      I’m so glad, Jess! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!

      Reply
  25. Erica

    March 29, 2022 at 4:17 pm

    5 stars
    These are very good! I sub. flax with applesauce and baking powder with cream of tartar/baking soda mix. Will def make again

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      March 29, 2022 at 4:43 pm

      Love those subs, Erica! So glad you enjoyed them and thank you for taking the time to leave a review!

      Reply
  26. Judy Kromschroder

    April 8, 2022 at 2:22 pm

    Love this recipe with a purple passion!!!
    Beautiful healthy ingredients, and everyone loves them!
    I’m wondering if I could bake this in a bread pan … like banana bread?

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      April 8, 2022 at 3:42 pm

      Yes! I have done it. I think it took me about 45 minutes to bake through at the same temp as muffins.

      Reply
  27. Allison

    May 29, 2022 at 5:45 pm

    How would you suggest freezing these?

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      May 30, 2022 at 5:51 pm

      After baking, I would let them cool entirely and then pop them in a freezer friendly bag or container in a single layer. They should freeze easily and be good for a month or two. Then take one out to defrost overnight in the fridge or pop it into the microwave.

      Reply
  28. Melissa

    August 18, 2022 at 8:23 pm

    Can these be frozen?

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      August 19, 2022 at 7:51 am

      Absolutely! They freeze great.

      Reply
  29. Lauren C

    September 3, 2022 at 9:22 am

    5 stars
    My husband juices carrots all the time so I’m always looking for recipes i can make with the leftover carrot pulp, so i am working my way through all of Taesha’s carrot recipes and this one is a winner! (Well, they all are) I used avocado oil instead of coconut and did half agave/maple syrup. I also swirled in 1 tsp. of apple butter before baking just for fun. They did flatten after i took them out of the oven but didn’t care, still yummy. We loved them!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      September 3, 2022 at 1:36 pm

      Oh I love that you are able to use the pulp from juicing for this! What a great way to reduce food waste and get all the bang for your buck out of a veggie. And the apple butter sounds like an *amazing* addition! Must try

      Reply
  30. Lauren C

    September 3, 2022 at 9:22 am

    5 stars
    My husband juices carrots all the time so I’m always looking for recipes i can make with the leftover carrot pulp, so i am working my way through all of Taesha’s carrot recipes and this one is a winner! (Well, they all are) I used avocado oil instead of coconut and did half agave/maple syrup. I also swirled in 1 tsp. of apple butter before baking just for fun. They did flatten after i took them out of the oven but didn’t care, still yummy. We loved them!

    Reply
  31. Sandra

    September 7, 2022 at 10:09 pm

    Hi, I was so excited to make these muffins, I made tonight. I used the 3 eggs and almond milk instead of the flax meal . The mixture looked great, but the muffins were supper dense. I had to bake them for 30 minutes. They tasted good but too dense.
    Did I do something wrong?

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      September 8, 2022 at 7:08 am

      Hi Sandra! Oat muffins tend to be a bit denser than ones made with APF or other flours, but I find that over mixing makes these muffins extra dense. Is it possible you might have over mixed? So glad they tasted good!

      Reply
  32. Gaby Cisneros

    November 6, 2022 at 9:26 am

    5 stars
    OMG… this recipe is perfect, delicious, and so easy to make…THANK YOU 😍

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      November 6, 2022 at 3:59 pm

      So glad you enjoyed, Gaby! I just made a batch today to bring to a gathering! They are one of my go-to recipes.

      Reply
  33. Mary

    January 9, 2023 at 10:45 am

    Does the recipe work fine If I don’t use the sea salt or maple syrup? Hoping to try these for baby 🙂

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      January 15, 2023 at 1:59 pm

      You could leave the salt out and replace the maple syrup with some applesauce or extra plant milk. However, the muffins will be much less sweet than the original recipe. Just a heads up what to expect!

      Reply
  34. Jordan

    January 15, 2023 at 5:59 pm

    3 stars
    They smell so good !! I was so excited , but they literally taste like nothing lol

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      January 16, 2023 at 7:19 am

      Hi Jordan! Did you omit any ingredients or make any changes? While these muffins are definitely less sweet than traditional muffin recipes (and not everyone’s jam), I’m kinda surprised that they taste so bland to you considering the amount of cinnamon and vanilla they have!

      Reply
  35. Hannah

    January 16, 2023 at 10:13 pm

    5 stars
    These were FABULOUS 🙂 My one year old and myself both loved these!!! She couldn’t get them in her mouth fast enough haha! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      January 17, 2023 at 7:07 am

      So delighted to hear that, Hannah! Such a win! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I always appreciate it.

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

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