Healthy Applesauce Carrot Muffins

Brayden is one hundred and five weeks old. First post-second-birthday week. The cookbook has been distributed to all twenty recipients. Early reactions from the catering-clients (Cassie Holcombe, Marisol Vargas, Priya Singh, Stephanie Yates) have been positive — they have all sent small notes of appreciation, and three of them have asked about whether the book would be available for sale (a possibility I had not seriously considered).

The healthy applesauce carrot muffins are a small daycare-lunchbox-friendly recipe — whole-wheat flour, oat flour, unsweetened applesauce as the primary sweetener and moisture-source, finely-grated carrot, an egg, a small amount of brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt. The muffins are dense, naturally sweet, and the carrot-and-applesauce combination gives them nutritional density that makes them an appropriate snack for a toddler-aged child.

The technique question on a low-sugar baked good is the sweetness balance. The applesauce is the primary sweetener but it is mild. The small amount of brown sugar (about two tablespoons per dozen muffins) gives a small assist to the sweetness without making the muffins read as dessert. The cinnamon does additional sensory-sweetening without adding sugar.

Sunday I made a triple-batch (thirty-six muffins). Twelve for the freezer, twelve for the apartment, twelve for the daycare for Brayden’s lunches and for the small daycare-snack-rotation that Wendy maintains for the kids.

Healthy Applesauce Carrot Muffins {Carrot Cake Muffins}

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
• 1/2 cup raisins or chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease generously with nonstick spray.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined.
3. Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, applesauce, honey (or maple syrup), oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully incorporated.
4. Combine wet and dry. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as no dry flour streaks remain — overmixing leads to dense muffins.
5. Fold in the carrots. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the grated carrots and the raisins or walnuts if using. The batter will be thick.
6. Fill the muffin cups. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups, filling each about 3/4 full. A cookie scoop makes this quick and tidy.
7. Bake. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the tops are set and golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
8. Cool and store. Let muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze individually for up to 2 months.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 148 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 23g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 152mg