Apple & Carrot “Superhero” Muffins

Name: Apple & Carrot "Superhero" Muffins
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Gluten free
Ingredients: 2 cups packed almond meal or almond flour (10 ounces); 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (certified gluten free if necessary); 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; Optional mix-ins: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans), or raisins or chocolate chips; 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup; 3 eggs; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 1 cup grated Granny Smith apple (about 1 1/2 apples); 1 cup peeled and grated carrots (about 3 carrots)

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In the mood for some fall baking? Me, too! I’m cozying up with these apple carrot muffins and a cup of coffee. My dog, Cookie, is hoping for some crumbs.

My sweet publisher sent me a cookbook called Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. a few months ago. The cookbook was co-written by Olympian/NYC Marathon champ Shalane Flanagan and chef/nutrition coach Elyse Kopecky.

I should confess that I hate running and only qualify for the “hangry” portion of the book’s subtitle, “Quick-Fix Recipes for Hangry Athletes.”

Nonetheless, the book is up my alley because it’s full of energizing, whole foods-based recipes. I haven’t been able to get this hybrid apple-carrot muffin recipe out of my mind. They didn’t disappoint!

The authors call these muffins “superhero” muffins because they are muffins that sustain. They offered three versions in the book, and I chose the muffins featuring grated fresh carrots and Granny Smith apples.

These muffins are very hearty and wholesome, which makes them perfect grab-and-go breakfasts or snacks. I think they would freeze well for several months, if you want to keep them on hand for hangry moments.

Bonus? These muffins are gluten free and naturally sweetened, and easy to mix up by hand. Apple carrot muffins for the win.

I have recipes for apple muffins and carrot muffins, but I love this combination of the two. Warming cinnamon brings the fruity apple and earthy carrot flavors together.

This recipe uses almond meal instead of whole wheat flour, which yields a nutritious and moist interior. These muffins are a little dense, in a good way, rather than light and lacking in substance.

You can easily change up the mix-ins, or leave them out if you’d rather. The authors suggest walnuts, raisins or chocolate chips, and note that Shalane likes to sweeten them up with chocolate chips. I opted for pecans in lieu of walnuts, and I think you could substitute any dried fruit for the raisins (chopped if large).

I easily grated the carrots and apple with this box grater (affiliate link). The authors suggested lining the muffin tin with paper liners, but I have full faith in the non-stick silicone finish on my muffin tin. It worked great.

The authors report that these muffins are a hit with kids, too. Please let me know how they turn out for you in the comments, and be sure to check out Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. if it sounds like it’s up your alley.

Apple & Carrot “Superhero” Muffins

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Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins 1x
Category: Muffins
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Gluten free

★★★★★

4.9 from 186 reviews

This apple carrot muffin recipe is naturally sweetened and gluten free! These hearty apple-carrot muffins make a great grab-and-go breakfast or snack. Recipe yields 12 muffins.

Scale

Ingredients

2 cups packed almond meal or almond flour (10 ounces)
1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats (certified gluten free if necessary)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Optional mix-ins: ½ cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans), or raisins or chocolate chips
½ cup honey or maple syrup
3 eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup grated Granny Smith apple (about 1 ½ apples)
1 cup peeled and grated carrots (about 3 carrots)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper muffin cups (I didn’t because I have full faith in my muffin pan, but use them if you’re uncertain).
In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and optional mix-ins, if using.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, eggs and butter. Whisk in the grated apple and carrots. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each to the brim. Bake until the muffins are nicely browned on top and a knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool completely before storing.
Store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. If you like them warm, reheat them on low power in the microwave.

Notes

Recipe from the Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. cookbook by Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky.

Make them nut free: (The muffins will no longer be gluten free with this variation, which was provided by the recipe author.) Whole wheat pastry flour or whole wheat flour can be used as an alternative to the almond meal. Increase the butter to 8 tablespoons (1 stick), since wheat flour is much drier, and reduce the oats to 1 cup.

Whole wheat flour option: See above!

Make them dairy free: I haven’t tried, but I’m confident that you could substitute coconut oil for the butter. Please report back if you give that a try!

Egg substitution note: I don’t think you can successfully replace the eggs with any substitutes here. I tried with a similar almond meal-based recipe, and it was an epic fail. However, you can use flax eggs in my carrot muffin recipe (and you could even use half grated apple, half carrots to make those muffins more similar to this recipe).

▸ Nutrition Information

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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