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    Recipes » Quick Breads and Muffins » Carrot Muffins with Walnuts

    Carrot Muffins with Walnuts

    Published: Jun 2, 2021 · Modified: Apr 8, 2023 by Kate Shungu · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Jump to Recipe
    carrot muffins in a muffin tin.
    carrot muffin cut in half.
    carrot muffin cut in half.
    carrot muffins in a muffin tin.

    Carrot Muffins with Walnuts are packed full of shredded carrots and raisins. They’re a delicious addition to your breakfast or brunch menu!

    carrot muffin with walnuts and raisins cut in half on a white marble platter.

    These tender and moist Carrot Muffins with Walnuts are perfect for spring baking. I love serving them alongside my ham & asparagus quiche and sausage links for brunch.

    They also make a great breakfast-on-the-go for busy mornings.

    The muffins are a simplified version of morning glory muffins—these don’t have apples or pineapple. Instead, they’re packed with shredded carrots, raisins, and walnuts for crunch.

    These Carrot Muffins aren’t overly sweet, so if you like a sweet muffin, be sure to follow the instructions in the recipe notes for bumping up the sweetness!

    carrot muffins in a metal muffin tin.

    Carrot muffins vs. carrot cake

    Carrot cake is traditionally sweet, and topped with a cream cheese frosting. Carrot Muffins are less sweet and not frosted. In the case of these muffins, they also contain raisins and walnuts.

    This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate links support Gift of Hospitality at no additional cost to you. I receive a commission if you choose to make a purchase through these links.

    Jump to:
    • Carrot muffins vs. carrot cake
    • Tips for this carrot muffin recipe
    • Ingredients
    • How to make carrot muffins with walnuts
    • How to make your own buttermilk
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Serving the muffins
    • More delicious muffin recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Related recipes
    • 💬 Reviews

    Tips for this carrot muffin recipe

    • You’ll need to shred the carrots yourself, whether with a box grater or a food processor. Pre-shredded carrots are too thick for this recipe.
    • Take care not to over mix the batter once you add flour, otherwise the muffins will be tough.
    • You can substitute whole wheat flour for up to half of the all-purpose flour.

    Ingredients

    carrot muffin ingredients on a white table.
    • Grated carrots are the star of the muffins. Be sure to grate your own instead of using pre-grated carrots from the grocery store, which are too thick for this recipe.
    • Light brown sugar sweetens the muffins, but we’re only using ½ cup here so the muffins aren’t overly sweet. Check out the recipe notes for how to make sweeter muffins if you’d like!
    • The recipe calls for buttermilk. If you don’t have it, you can make your own buttermilk using 2 teaspoons of vinegar and a scant ½ cup of milk.
    • A combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice add warm spice notes to these muffins.
    • We’ll add walnuts and raisins as mix-ins. If you don’t like either one, just leave them out!

    How to make carrot muffins with walnuts

    Start by grating the carrots using a box grater or a food processor. I like using whole carrots (not baby carrots) for the best flavor.

    Do not use pre-grated carrots that are sold in bags at the grocery store. They are too thick for this recipe.

    shredded carrots in a food processor.

    I have this food processor from Cuisinart, which comes with disks for shredding.

    Next, whisk together the brown sugar, buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and vegetable oil until smooth. 

    wet ingredients in a glass bowl with a whisk.

    Then, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice.

    You can substitute whole wheat flour for half of the all-purpose flour if you wish.

    flour mixture in a low white bowl with a red whisk.

    Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir gently with a spatula until almost combined.

    Add the walnuts, raisins, and shredded carrots, and mix until just combined. Do not over mix, which can cause the muffins to be tough and chewy.

    carrot muffin batter in a glass bowl with a spatula.

    Divide the muffin batter evenly among 9 muffin cups (be sure to grease the pan first!). I find that an ice cream scoop makes scooping muffin batter super easy.

    Bake the muffins for 17–19 minutes in a 375°F oven. They should be lightly golden brown on top. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes.

    Run a butter knife around the edges of the muffins to loosen them from the pan, then take them out and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

    carrot muffins in a metal muffin tin next to whole carrots.

    How to make your own buttermilk

    This recipe calls for ½ cup buttermilk. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own using vinegar and milk.

    To make your own buttermilk, pour 2 teaspoons of vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Fill the cup to the ½ cup line with milk and let sit for 5 minutes.

    Any kind of cow’s milk is fine, such as skim, 1%, 2%, or whole. For the vinegar, you can use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I omit the raisins or walnuts?

    Yes! You can omit either one, or both. You do not need to make any other changes to the recipe when you do this.

    Can I use pre-shredded carrots for this recipe?

    Unfortunately, typical pre-shredded carrots (the ones that are sold in a plastic bag at the grocery store) are too thick for this recipe. They will be too crunchy in the finished muffin.
    Use a box grater or food processor to shred the carrots instead.

    How do I make the muffins sweeter?

    As written, the recipe produces a lightly sweet muffin. To make sweeter muffins, increase the brown sugar to ¾–1 cup.

    What can I use in place of allspice?

    If you don’t have allspice, add another ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon.

    Can I freeze carrot muffins?

    Carrot Muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for 12 hours, or until defrosted.

    carrot muffins on a white marble platter next to whole carrots.

    Serving the muffins

    Carrot Muffins with Walnuts are delicious warm or at room temperature. I love them spread with some butter!

    To re-warm the muffins, place them back in the muffin tin, and bake for 3–4 minutes at 350°F, or until warmed through.

    More delicious muffin recipes

    • Zucchini Muffins with Walnuts and Coconut (Grandma’s recipe!)
    • Rhubarb Muffins with Pecan Streusel
    • Apple Oatmeal Muffins

    Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!

    cup of ambrosia and slice of banana cake.

    📖 Recipe

    carrot muffin cut in half, with whole muffins and whole carrots in the background.

    Carrot Muffins with Walnuts

    Published by Kate
    These lightly sweet muffins are the perfect quick breakfast!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 19 minutes mins
    Total Time 29 minutes mins
    Course Brunch
    Cuisine American
    Servings 9 muffins
    Calories 284 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ⅛ teaspoon ginger
    • ⅛ teaspoon allspice
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • ½ cup buttermilk
    • 1 egg
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
    • 1½ cups grated carrots
    • ½ cup raisins
    • ½ cup chopped walnuts

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray (the recipe will make 9 muffins).
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and vegetable oil until smooth.
    • In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and stir gently with a spatula just until combined.
    • Add the grated carrots, raisins, and walnuts, and stir just until combined.
    • Divide the batter between 9 muffin cups. Bake for 17–19 minutes, or until light golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
    • Let cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin, then remove the muffins (run a butter knife around the edges if they’re stuck). Enjoy the muffins while warm or let cool completely.

    Notes

    This recipe makes lightly sweet muffins. For sweeter muffins, increase the brown sugar to ¾–1 cup. 
    Don’t have buttermilk? Make your own buttermilk by pouring 2 teaspoons of vinegar into a glass measuring cup. Fill the cup to the ½ cup line with milk (any variety of cow’s milk will work, such as 1%, 2%, whole, etc.). Let sit for 5 minutes and use in the recipe in place of the buttermilk. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 284kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 340mgPotassium: 228mgFiber: 2gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 3614IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword carrot mufifns
    Tried this recipe?Follow me at @giftofhospitality and let me know how you liked it!

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    About Kate

    I’m a believer, wife, mom, and big fan of old cookbooks. I live in Chicago with my husband and two young sons. I love discovering old fashioned recipes that will transport you back in time! Read more...

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