Moist and delicious Carrot Muffins made without refined sugars. These babies are sweetened with dates and maple sugar (or honey if you prefer) including the crunchy granola topping.
These are not a super sweet carrot cake like dessert-type muffin.
Instead they have just a hint of sweetness making them great for breakfast or a dinner roll along side your favorite protein. This is a great recipe to use up any carrots the Easter Bunny or reindeer happen to leave behind (wink wink) and serve along with Easter brunch or Christmas dinner.
About the Ingredients for Carrot Granola Muffins
Use any color carrot you have. I used typical orange, but if I had the red ones we get from the CSA it would turn the batter a lovely pinkish hue.
If your dates are on the dry side, add them to the carrots the last few minutes of cooking to soften them back up.
Maple syrup, honey, agave syrup, or any liquid sweetener will work for both the muffins and the granola. Choose your favorite.
For a vegan preparation use butter flavored coconut oil and an egg substitute like aquafaba.
You can use store-bought granola if you wish, just be sure to press it into the muffin batter a bit or it will all slide off after baking (like happened the first time I made these).
More Carrot Recipes from #OurFamilyTable
Carrots are delicious to munch on raw, or you can use them in a variety of recipes, like these from Our Family Table Bloggers.
Carrot Recipes
- Candied Carrots from Devour Dinner
- Carrot Raisin Salad from Art of Natural Living
- Carrot and Pecan Salad from Palatable Pastime
- Carrot Cake Loaf from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
- Carrot Cake Waffles from The Spiffy Cookie
- Carrot Granola Muffins from That Recipe
- Carrot Kumquat Muffins from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
- Carrots Au Gratin from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
- Quick and Easy Pickled Carrots from Jen Around the World
- Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Carrots from Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Spicy Vegan Carrot Dip from Magical Ingredients
- Vietnamese Zucchini and Carrot Salad with Peanuts from Karen's Kitchen Stories
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Recipe
Ingredients
Granola Topping
- ⅓ cup maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 tablespoon butter (or coconut oil)
- 1 cup oatmeal (old fashioned or quick cook)
- ½ cup chopped nuts
Muffins
- 1 cup carrots (cleaned and cut into 1" pieces)
- ½ cup pitted dates
- 4 tablespoons butter (or coconut oil)
- ¼ cup maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 Large egg (or egg substitute)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon all spice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line 12-cup muffin tin (or 6-cup jumbo muffin tin) with baking cups, or spray with no-stick spray.
- Microwave ¼ cup maple syrup and 1 tablespoon oil in a small microwave safe bowl for about 30 seconds to melt butter. Add oatmeal and nuts and stir to combine. Spread in a single layer on a small baking pan and toast in oven for 10 minutes, stirring at least once.
- While granola cooks, cook carrots in about 1 cup water until fork tender. Save the cooking water.
- Put cooked carrots and dates in a blender with about ½ cup of the carrot cooking liquid. Puree until smooth. Add additional cooking liquid a tablespoon or so at a time if needed to puree the mixture.
- Combine remaining butter and maple syrup in bowl and mix together by hand. Add carrot and date mixture, egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices and stir until ingredients are moist. Do NOT overmix.
- Spoon into muffin tin. Divide the granola mixture evenly between the muffins, pressing the granola into the muffin batter.
- Bake 10-12 minutes at 350° until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean..
Sound fabulous? Share it!
Until next time, happy eating!
~Audrey
Christie
That granola topping! It looks so perfectly delicious. I am definitely making these.