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Home » Recipes » Breakfast » Muffins » Whole Wheat ABC Muffins (apple, banana, carrot)

Whole Wheat ABC Muffins (apple, banana, carrot)

By Taesha Butler November 21, 2022 (Updated January 23, 2023) 22 Comments

Servings12 muffins
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Jump to Recipe
4.92 from 12 votes

These ABC Muffins are moist, tender, made with whole wheat flour, and are packed with apples, bananas, and carrots! Done baking in under 20 minutes, these veggie-loaded muffins are a great grab-and-go choice for a healthy breakfast or hearty snack.

ABC muffins in a bowl on top of a white napkin  and cooling rack with apple, bananas, and carrots scattered around.

Just when I think I have done every veggie muffin recipe that can be done, I think of one more combo that will knock your socks and tastebuds off!

These ABC muffins are the perfect combination of all the natural sweetness Mother Nature can offer up in one tasty little muffin. Rocking 3 cups of fruits and veg—apples, banana, carrots—these muffins are tender, moist and mixed all in one bowl. Made with a combination of whole wheat flour and rolled oats, these muffins are as hearty as they are delicious. This recipe makes a batch of 12 and only takes 20 minutes to bake, so make a quick batch today and enjoy the leftovers for the most magical of breakfasts and snacks for days to come.

Grated apples and carrots in the middle of a paper towel.
Grated carrots and apples in a bowl with the wet ingredients for ABC muffins. A hand is holding the bowl and a whisk is in the bowl.
The wet ingredients for ABC muffins in a bowl with a green spatula. The spices and baking powder on top of the wet ingredients but haven't been stirred in yet.

What kind of apples should I use for these ABC muffins?

You can use any kind of apple for this recipe. I have tested this recipes using a Honeycrisp and Pink Lady apples.

Suggested Adaptations

Jazz them up with some add-ins: these muffins would be great with 1/3 cup chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans or dried fruit like raisins or dried cranberries.

Boost the nutrition: You could also stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons of nutritious add-ins like hemp seeds, chia seeds, or ground flax seeds.

Make them gluten free: Use a cup-for-cup style gluten free flour mix instead of the whole wheat flour and make sure to use gluten free oats.

Need egg-free? I haven’t tested it, but I think using a common egg-replacer such a flax “egg” would work in this recipe.

Make then dairy-free: Use a unsweetened, dairy-free milk. I use an unsweetened almond milk.

Want these ABC muffins to be refined sugar free? You can use 1/3 cup coconut sugar instead of the ¼ cup brown sugar.

Bake them as mini muffins: Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

The wet ingredients for ABC muffins in a bowl with the flour and rolled oats on top before stirring them in.
The finished batter for ABC muffins
The batter for ABC muffins portioned out into a muffin tin lines with cupcake liners.

How to store these muffins

These muffins can hang out on your counter for a day, but if you plan to enjoy them over several days pop them in the fridge! Keeping them in an airtight container in your refrigerator will help to keep these moist muffins fresh longer and prevent molding.

Other veggie muffin recipes…

  • Chocolate Muffins (with veggies!)
  • Oatmeal Green Smoothie Muffins
  • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
  • Healthy & Wholesome Banana Zucchini Muffins
  • Banana Carrot Muffins
  • Healthy Morning Glory Muffins

Did you try these ABC muffins and now you’re hungry for more? 

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A baked ABC muffin on a table with more muffins and an apple blurred in the background. There is shredded carrots and rolled oats scattered on the table around it.
Whole Wheat Apple Banana Carrot Muffins served
Print Recipe
4.92 from 12 votes

Whole Wheat ABC Muffins (apple, banana, carrot)

Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: added veggie recipe, apple, banana, carrots
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 149kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup finely shredded carrot about 2 medium carrots
  • 1 cup shredded apple about 1 medium apple
  • 1 cup mashed ripe banana about 2 overripe bananas
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup avocado oil or vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup milk any kind
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • 1¼ cups whole wheat flour

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners or grease with oil.
  • Place the grated carrot and apple in a few layers of paper towel or a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out most of the excess liquid over the sink.
    Grated carrots and apples in the middle of a paper towel.
  • Add the squeezed carrot and apple to a large bowl. Add the mashed banana, eggs, oil, milk, and brown sugar, and whisk until well combined.
  • Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
    Cinnamon, salt, baking powder on top of mixed wet ingredients for ABC muffins in a bowl with a green spatula.
  • Add the oats and flour, then stir until the flour is just incorporated.
    Whole wheat flour and rolled oats on top of the mixed wet ingredients for ABC muffins in a bowl with a green spatula.
  • Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling about ¾ of the way.
    The batter for ABC muffins in a lined muffin tin before baking.
  • Bake until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15-17 minutes.
    Baked ABC muffins fresh out of the muffin in a12-hole muffin tin on a white table.
  • Enjoy warm or allow to cool fully, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days or well wrapped in the freezer for 1 month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 153mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1847IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 46mg | 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, Vegetarian Tagged With: carrot

Previous Post: « Veggie-Loaded Roadmap: Step 3 Recipes
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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. Rachel

    November 22, 2022 at 4:00 am

    Love your recipes!
    I would like to make this as a cake as well. How long would I need to bake it?

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      November 22, 2022 at 6:50 am

      I like how you think! I haven’t tried it as a cake but I bet it would work. I’d probably bake it at the same for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center came out clean. And let it cool completely before cutting into it.

      Reply
  2. constance restaino

    November 23, 2022 at 12:01 pm

    5 stars
    Thanksgiving Eve breakfast! Another tasty muffin from Taesha!
    I didn’t see the avocado oil in the recipe instructions, but I added it in with the banana, eggs, milk, carrot, apple and brown sugar.
    Delish as always! Keep ’em coming:)

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      November 23, 2022 at 1:29 pm

      Yay! So glad you enjoyed them. And thanks for catching the typo, Constance! I’ll fix it now.

      Reply
  3. Altitudemama

    November 27, 2022 at 6:26 pm

    5 stars
    Delish! I used my food processor to shred the carrots and apples all at once. I also sifted all the dry ingredients together (minus the oats, plus 1/4t. freshly grated nutmeg because I love it!) before mixing them in. They came out great! They are fairly dense, which makes them quite hearty. I got to thinking that, if I added some toasted nuts for added protein, they’d make a great hiking snack. Yum!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      November 28, 2022 at 6:55 am

      Love the idea for added nuts. I bet walnuts would be amazing in these! So glad you enjoyed them.

      Reply
  4. Rebecca R

    November 28, 2022 at 10:17 am

    5 stars
    These are delicious! I was expecting them to be dense, but they were light and fluffy. This is my first recipe of yours to make and I’ll be back for more!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      November 28, 2022 at 11:00 am

      I’m so delighted to hear you enjoyed them so much, Rebecca! Welcome to the TNN community.

      Reply
  5. Jill

    November 30, 2022 at 7:50 am

    5 stars
    These are delicious and hearty! I love that are made with 3 veg/fruit and are not overwhelmingly sweet. Great breakfast option.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      November 30, 2022 at 8:16 am

      So glad you enjoyed them as much as we do, Jill! I love all that too and feel like it is such satisfying muffin. Thanks for taking the time to share!

      Reply
  6. Amanda Neil

    November 30, 2022 at 8:09 am

    5 stars
    Delicious recipe! I added mini chocolate chips and used a mini muffin tin. 12 mins was perfect! My son loves them! So do I!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      November 30, 2022 at 8:15 am

      I love that you made them as minis! The perfect bite-sized snack. Thanks for sharing, Amanda! I’m sure other readers will benefit.

      Reply
  7. Ainsley

    November 30, 2022 at 4:23 pm

    Hi would adding chia or hemp hearts change the recipe at all? Thanks! Excited to try these:)

    Reply
    • Ainsley

      November 30, 2022 at 5:07 pm

      Sorry never mind I just saw above that they can be add ins:)

      Reply
      • Taesha Butler

        November 30, 2022 at 5:24 pm

        Enjoy!

        Reply
  8. Eva

    December 1, 2022 at 11:10 am

    5 stars
    No way I could pass up the last muffin recipe of the year! They came out perfectly fluffy and with just the right amount of sweetness. Used very juicy granny smiths, so got a nice amount of apple juice to enjoy – forget hand squeezed OJ, hand squeezed Apple juice is where it’s at! : )

    Reply
  9. Carina Paredes

    December 5, 2022 at 2:06 pm

    4 stars
    I made these with chia seed eggs instead of eggs. I also upped the milk by 1/2 a cup and used some Greek yogurt up in it. I had no cinnamon so used pumpkin pie spice instead. Despite the substitutes it turned out good.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      December 5, 2022 at 4:48 pm

      I’m so glad you were able to make them work with what you had!

      Reply
  10. Kelly M

    December 5, 2022 at 11:53 pm

    These are great! I used a mini muffin tin for my toddler but my husband keeps eating them! I’ll definitely make them again and look forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      December 6, 2022 at 8:36 am

      I’m so glad they were such a success, Kelly! Thanks for taking the time to share.

      Reply
  11. Emily

    December 12, 2022 at 3:57 pm

    5 stars
    These were delicious! My one year old and I have been sharing them as a snack this week. We will definitely be making them again!

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      December 12, 2022 at 4:02 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Emily! Thanks for sharing!

      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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