Delicious carrot muffins are loaded with lots of carrots, added whole wheat flour, molasses, raisins and nuts. A great morning muffin!

whole wheat carrot muffins on platter

Why you’ll love these carrot muffins!

  • Although these carrot muffins are made with half whole wheat flour, they still manage to be wonderfully light and moist!
  • You’ll love all the flavours and textures in these carrot muffins, with a touch of orange, carrots, molasses, walnuts and raisins. The whole wheat flour brings a slightly nutty flavour, as well.
  • The added molasses brings extra flavour depth and extra nutrients to the mix and helps to keep these muffins nice and moist.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Carrots – well they wouldn’t be carrot muffins without the carrots. I like to peel mine first, but it really isn’t necessary. Shred with a box grater.

Molasses – Fancy molasses is recommended, for the best (subtle) flavour. Cooking molasses might work, though I haven’t tested it. Blackstrap molasses is not recommended, as it is too harsh in flavour.

Whole Wheat Flour – beyond adding some whole grains to these muffins, whole wheat flour adds a nice nuttiness to these muffins. I recommend using it if you have it on hand. If you don’t, you can substitute with an equal amount of additional all-purpose flour, though the texture of the finished muffin may be lighter in texture.

All-Purpose Flour – I generally use regular all-purpose flour, but you could substitute white whole wheat flour, if you prefer. I haven’t tested this combination, but I suspect the resulting muffin would be just a little bit heavier.

Raisins – You can use any raisin or sultanas. I pretty much always plump the raisins before using them in baked goods, as dried raisins can rob the baked goods of moisture, making them dryer. It’s worth the few minutes it takes to do it!

Nuts – You can use walnuts or pecans. Chop the nuts finely or a little more coarse, depending on your preference. I tend to prefer them fairly fine in muffins. For a nut-free muffin, simply omit it.

Step-by-Step Photos

  1. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Add the shredded carrot and orange zest to the dry ingredients and stir to coat.
  3. Add the molasses, butter and egg mixture to the batter and stir to combine.
  4. Add the walnuts and raisins to the batter and stir in.
  5. Use a #12 scoop to scoop batter into muffin cups.
  6. 9 muffin cups well filled and ready for the oven.
whole wheat carrot muffins on platter

Making ahead, storing and freezing

These carrot muffins can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days or they freeze beautifully up to 2 months.

whole wheat carrot muffins on platter

Get the Recipe: Loaded Carrot Muffins

A delicious carrot muffin, with lots of carrot, raisins, added whole wheat flour, molasses and lightly sweet.
5 stars from 2 ratings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 9 muffins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (125 g) whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup (135 g) all-purpose flour, or white whole wheat flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup (40 g) brown sugar, light or dark, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon allspice, or cloves
  • 1 cup (85 g) carrots, grated, packed
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup milk, 1 or 2% recommended
  • 1/4 cup (70 g) Fancy molasses
  • 1/4 cup (57 g) salted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup raisins, plumped (see instructions below)
  • 1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Instructions
 

  • For best accuracy in baking, use the weight measurements where noted and a kitchen scale.
  • Preheat oven to 400F. (regular bake setting/not fan assisted). Grease or line with paper liners 9 muffin cups and set aside.
  • Measure out raisins and add to a small bowl. Cover with hot water and let stand in the water while you prepare the muffins. Before adding the raisins to the batter, drain well and pat dry.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Add the carrots and orange zest and stir to combine and coat well.
  • In a small bowl or 2-cup measuring cup, combine the egg, milk, molasses and melted butter. Stir to combine well, then add all at once to the flour mixture. Stir together just until the flour is incorporated and no longer visible.
  • Add the raisins and nuts to the batter and stir just enough to distribute in the batter.
  • Divide batter between the 9 muffin cups (about 1/3 cup per muffin cup).
  • Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the centre of the muffins comes out clean. Allow to cool a few minutes in the muffin tin, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Store muffins in an airtight container for 2-3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Snack
Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 263kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 36mg, Sodium: 207mg, Potassium: 521mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 2618IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 138mg, Iron: 2mg
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