These Banana and Carrot Muffins are made with three whole bananas, three whole carrots, and less sugar and butter than you’ll typically find in a muffin. They are fluffy and flavorful and topped with a sprinkle of crunchy sugar.
Over the years I’ve made hundreds of banana muffins, like Jumbo Banana Muffins or Sourdough Banana Muffins, banana breads, and Banana Cake. I’ve delved so deep into the world of banana baked goods that I have created a detailed guide on how to make the best banana bread to suit your taste preferences.
The guide goes over everything from how to choose bananas (which may not be what you think), to how to use different kinds of sugar and flour, how to choose your baking dish, when to use sour cream, etc.
This recipe takes all of that experience and translates it into the most flavorful and moist Banana and Carrot Muffins. It contains more bananas, more carrots, less sugar, and less butter than most recipes.
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🔎 Recipe Development
In addition to all the time I’ve spent making various banana muffins and breads, I worked on this recipe making a number of batches to balance the flavor and moisture that comes when combining fresh carrots and bananas.
I’ve also worked through multiple iterations balancing additional spices in the recipe, starting with just a hint of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves then trying larger amounts for more of an impact before settling somewhere in between. The spices hint at what you would find in a carrot cake, but they are simpler and less intense, allowing the carrots and bananas to shine.
🛒 Ingredients
Below are the ingredients needed to make Banana and Carrot Muffins.
- Butter: I use salted butter, only ¼ cup, which is less than in typical recipes.
- Granulated Sugar: The recipe uses ½ cup as there’s plenty of sweetness and flavor in the bananas and carrots.
- Bananas: Choosing bananas that are more ripe will give you a stronger banana flavor, but overripe bananas are not any sweeter than ripe bananas. See Ripe vs. Overripe in my Guide to Banana Bread.
- Carrots: I’ve made these muffins with both grated (large grate) and finely grated carrots. It is helpful to finely grate the carrots (they disperse and soften better). Do not use store-bought grated carrots. They are too thick and will not soften in the muffins. If you have leftover carrots, you can use them to make this Olive Oil Carrot Cake.
- Eggs: Use large eggs, pasture-raised if possible.
- Vanilla Extract: Use real vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla. Costco carries a large bottle that is fairly inexpensive.
- Baking Soda: For leavening.
- Salt: To balance flavor.
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves: Nutmeg and ground cloves can be quite strong, so only a small amount of each is used.
- Flour: Use all-purpose unbleached flour.
- Turbinado Sugar: Sometimes called Sugar In The Raw, it can be found at most decent-sized grocery stores in the baking section. This type of sugar looks like larger granules of brown sugar. It's crunchy and great for topping muffins.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
📝 How to Make Banana and Carrot Muffins
Below are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make Banana Carrot Muffins.
*Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.
Prep: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Note that you will turn down the oven to 350°F before adding the muffins.
Tip: Preheating the oven to a high temperature and then dropping the temperature immediately gives the muffins a high heat blast. This helps to create taller fluffier muffins.
Step 1. Mash the Bananas: Add the bananas in chunks to a 4-cup measuring pitcher. Use a handheld mixer to beat the bananas in the measuring pitcher. Then scrape the edges with a spoon. Use the markings on the side to make sure that you have 1½ cups of mashed bananas.
Step 2: Butter, Sugar, Bananas: In a large mixing bowl combine the softened butter and granulated sugar. This can be done with a handheld mixer, with a stand mixer, or by hand. I find a hand held mixer is easiest.
Add the mashed bananas and combine.
Step 3. Add the Eggs: Add the eggs and combine.
Step 4. Add the Carrots and Spices: Add the finely grated carrots, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and combine.
Step 5. Add the Flour: Add the flour and gently stir by hand with a large spoon just until incorporated.
Tip: Incorporating the flour with a spoon helps to prevent overmixing, which results in a lighter and fluffier muffin.
Step 6. Bake the Muffins: Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar (optional).
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and immediately add the muffins. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
❄️ How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze
- To Store: Store the Banana and Carrot Muffins in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature. The muffins will last up to 3 days.
- To Reheat: Bake in a toaster oven or the oven at 400°F for 6-7 minutes. Once reheated, consider cutting the muffin in half and buttering it while warm.
- To Freeze: Place the muffins in a gallon-sized freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place it in the fridge overnight, or bring it to room temperature on the counter or warm it up in the oven.
If You're Interested in More Muffin Recipes, You May Love These:
If you tried this Banana and Carrot Muffin Recipe or any other recipe on my site, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear from you!
Banana and Carrot Muffins
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ cups mashed bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups finely grated carrots (about 3 carrots)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (225 grams)
- Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a muffin tray with paper liners.
- To mash the bananas, add roughly 3 medium bananas in chunks to a 4-cup measuring pitcher and use a handheld beater to combine. Scrape down the sides of the picture and check to ensure that you have 1½ cups of mashed bananas.
- In a separate large bowl beat the butter and granulated sugar. Add the mashed bananas and combine.
- Add the eggs and combine.
- Add the finely grated carrots, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and combine.
- Add the flour and use a large spoon to mix in the flour by hand.
- Divide the batter between 12 standard sized muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar.
- Turn the oven temperature down to 350°F and immediately place the muffin tray in the oven. Bake for 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Notes
- Bananas: Choosing bananas that are more ripe will give you a stronger banana flavor, but overripe bananas are not any sweeter than ripe bananas. See Ripe vs. Overripe in my Guide to Banana Bread.
- Carrots: I’ve made these muffins with both grated (large grate) and finely grated carrots. It is helpful to finely grate the carrots (they disperse and soften better). Do not use store-bought grated carrots. They are too thick and will not soften in the muffins.
- Turbinado Sugar: Sometimes called Sugar In The Raw, it can be found at most decent-sized grocery stores in the baking section. This type of sugar looks like larger granules of brown sugar. It's crunchy and great for topping muffins.
- Preheating the Oven to a high temperature of 425°F then dropping the temperature immediately to 350°F gives the muffins a high heat blast. This helps to create taller fluffier muffins.
- Mixing Flour With a Spoon: Incorporating the flour with a spoon helps to prevent overmixing, which results in a lighter and fluffier muffin.
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