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Carrot Zucchini Spice Muffins

Carrot zucchini spice muffins are warmly spiced, amber-golden muffins packed with visible carrot and zucchini shreds. Fragrant ginger, clove, and cinnamon are baked right into every tender crumb for an easy wholesome breakfast.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.25 tsp cloves
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 0.33 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.25 cup molasses or honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Vegetables
  • 1 cup carrots, grated
  • 0.75 cup zucchini, grated and squeezed dry

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and heat the oven
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners so the batter bakes evenly and releases easily.
Mix the dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl until the spices are evenly distributed with no visible streaks.
Mix the wet ingredients
  1. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar (packed), vegetable oil, molasses (or honey), and vanilla extract until combined and glossy.
Combine and fold
  1. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined, stopping as soon as no dry flour remains.
  2. Fold in the grated carrots and squeezed-dry zucchini until the shreds are evenly speckled throughout the batter.
Fill and bake
  1. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full so they rise into domed, deep-golden tops.
  2. Bake for 20–22 minutes at 375°F until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are deep golden with a warm amber color.
Cool
  1. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer muffins to a wire rack so the crumb sets while keeping the tops from steaming.

Notes

For the best texture, squeeze the grated zucchini very dry to prevent soggy centers, and grate carrots finely so they bake through. Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze up to 2 months for grab-and-go breakfasts. For a lightly lower-sugar option, swap molasses/honey for the same amount of unsweetened applesauce (muffins will be slightly less dark and more mild).