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Stack of moist carrot zucchini muffins with visible shredded vegetables, one muffin split open to show tender crumb texture.
Layla

Carrot Zucchini Muffins

Moist, warmly spiced muffins packed with hidden vegetables and a tender crumb that tastes like a cozy morning.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 195
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.25 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 0.5 cup neutral oil vegetable or canola
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Vegetables
  • 1 cup zucchini grated, squeezed dry (about 1 medium)
  • 1 cup carrots finely grated (about 2 medium)

Equipment

  • 12-cup muffin tin
  • Box grater (or food processor with grating attachment)
  • Wire cooling rack

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well with cooking spray.
  2. Grate zucchini and carrots. Wrap zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to remove excess moisture - this prevents soggy muffins. You should have about 3/4 cup packed zucchini after squeezing.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk both sugars with oil until combined. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each, then stir in vanilla. The mixture should look glossy and smooth.
  5. Add dry ingredients to wet and fold with a spatula until just combined - a few streaks of flour are fine. Add grated carrots and squeezed zucchini, folding until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
  6. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake 20-22 minutes until tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The muffins taste even better after resting 30 minutes as the flavors meld.

Notes

Squeezing the zucchini is non-negotiable - skip this and you'll have dense, wet muffins. For extra texture, fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans with the vegetables. These keep beautifully: wrap individually and freeze up to 3 months, then thaw overnight or microwave 30 seconds.