This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.
These banana carrot muffins taste like carrot cake and banana bread had the healthiest, most delicious baby. Moist, wholesome, and full of real ingredients, they’re a family favorite you’ll find yourself making on repeat.
Why You’ll Love These Muffins
With over 80 five-star reviews, these banana carrot muffins are truly tried and true family favorite loved by parents and little ones alike! As a pediatric dietitian and mom, I’ve baked countless muffin recipes over the years, and these continue to stand out for their perfect balance of flavor, texture, and nourishment.
They’re soft, perfectly moist, and naturally sweet without any refined sugar, making them an easy, feel-good choice for babies, toddlers, and grown-ups.
Here’s what others are saying:
“I make these at least twice a week—they’re one of our household favourites! Both my 3-year-old and 1-year-old absolutely love them. So moist, tasty, and healthy! Super easy to make and perfect as a grab-and-go snack for adventures and outings.”
“This recipe was simply perfect, thank you for sharing! I made it without maple syrup but it was still delicious, my 18 month old went crazy for it. (My 5 year old as well as husband loved it too, so it was perfect for the whole family.)”
If you enjoy cozy, naturally sweet flavors, try these banana apple muffins or healthy sweet potato muffins next. Both are wholesome, easy to make, and perfect for breakfast or snack time.
Want even more variety? Check out all of my dietitian-created muffin recipes for toddlers and kids. They’re nutritious, freezer-friendly, and made with simple ingredients families love.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Eggs – use room temperature
- Flour- you can also use all purpose flour or 1:1 gluten free flour mix
- Applesauce – Can use homemade unsweetened applesauce or store-bought
- Maple syrup – can also use honey
Step-by-Step Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe card with all the exact measurements at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients.
Step 2: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
Step 3: Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Be careful not to overmix!
Step 4: Scoop batter evenly into a 12-cup muffin tin. I like to use a silicone muffin pan because there’s no need to grease and the muffins just pop right out! Bake until golden and inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Expert Tips
- Use over ripe bananas – Your muffins will turn out sweeter and moister.
- Use room temperature eggs – This will help the muffins rise more.
- Pre-shredded carrots are convenient but I don’t recommend using them for this recipe as they tend to be thicker and drier.
- Grate carrots using the large holes of a box grater or shred in a food processor. You can finely grate if you want to add even more moisture to your muffins.
- DO NOT over mix the batter! Prepare the wet and dry ingredients separately. Once added together, use a spatula (instead of a whisk) to gently combine until all the flour is wet. The less you stir the mixture, the lighter and fluffier your muffins will be.
- Allow the muffins to cool for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Best Way to Store
Place in an airtight container for up to 2 days on the counter or up to 4 days in the fridge. Enjoy at room temperature or microwave briefly.
These banana carrot muffins also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Here’s the best way to freeze muffins! Simply thaw in the fridge overnight.
More Healthy Muffins to Try
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Healthy banana carrot muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (150g)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (50g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Wet
- 1 cup mashed overripe banana (240g), 2 medium
- 1 cup grated carrots (120g), 2-3 medium carrots
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (70g)
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 3-4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Be careful not to over mix. Use a spatula (instead of a whisk) to gently stir together until all the flour is wet. The less you stir the mixture, the lighter and fluffier your muffins will be.
- Scoop batter evenly into a greased, lined or silicone 12-cup muffin pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- If after trying the recipe as is, you feel they need more sweetness, you can add more maple syrup or honey
- Egg-free? Use an egg replacer or flax eggs.
- To store, place in an airtight container for up to 2 days on the counter or up to 4 days in the fridge. Enjoy at room temperature or microwave briefly.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thanks so much for the recipe these were really good! We didn’t have apple sauce so I made an apple purée using chai spices which made them smell even better! Great healthy recipe and they’re moist without being soggy which is a hard balance. Will make again 10/10
Ooh chai spices! Will have to try too! Thanks for such an encouraging comment ;).
Can I use oat flour as a substitute as my child has a wheat allergy?
Sure! Will be a bit denser but will still work! Just be sure to not overmix!
Can I sub the all purpose flour for almond flour?
No almond flour won’t work but if you need a GF alternative, you can use 1:1 gluten free baking flour
This turned out so good. My one year old loved it. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
So glad to hear! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Min, I was curious – in a lot of your recipes I noticed you use vanilla extract. Most vanilla extracts contain a little bit of alcohol. Is it ok to use that in all the recipes when serving to babies? Or would I have to go look for non-alcohol containing vanilla extract (which I know is harder to find)? (Also side note: love all your recipes. Thank you! 😊)
Hi! A little bit is ok and also keep in mind it’s for the whole recipe and your baby will only eat a small portion at a time. But I’ve found non-alcohol vanilla at Sprouts and Trader Joe’s if that’s what you’d prefer! And thank you so much!!
These were so good! I made them for my 9 month old baby. My 5 year old got to enjoy some before the baby. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe for the fam!
Yay! Thank you for taking the time to share! Enjoy!!
I’ve never left a comment on Pinterest before I know not irrelevant. But I had too, these muffins came out so good. It did not last long in the household today. Lol. thank you so much for creating and sharing this recipe very delicious moist lots of flavor. Kids and adults loved them.
I’m SO glad to hear that you guys enjoyed these muffins so much! And thank you for taking the time to share!
Hello! I’m excited to try this recipe for my 1 year old! I do have a question. I’m thinking of making them into mini muffins, how would you adjust the bake time. Thanks so much! I love your recipes!
I can’t wait for you guys to try these muffins! I would start checking 5 minutes before the suggested cooking time!
My little boy loved these! I made without apple sauce (I didn’t have any) but they were so tasty! He ate 3 in one go! Thank you so much for the recipe! xxx
Oh I’m so glad! And good to know these muffins still taste good without the applesauce! But do try with it next time. The muffins will be more moist 😉
Very tasty and moist using all the tips. My 15mth old and 3 yo really like it.
So glad to hear!! Thanks for taking the time to share!