A delightful addition to the breakfast table, these carrot zucchini bran muffins are super soft and moist, less sweet than most muffins, and is one of my healthier recipes. Better make a double batch because these will go fast!

A head on shot of a stack of 3 carrot zucchini bran muffins

About the Best Carrot Zucchini Muffin Recipe

Now I am not much of a muffin person, but I do love these carrot zucchini bran muffins for the texture and flavor. These carrot zucchini muffins are not as sweet as regular muffins because this easy recipe uses mostly molasses and honey which offer a different flavor other than just sugary sweet. The bran flour adds in some lovely earthy flavor as well as a firmer crumb. These zucchini bran muffins with molasses are also great to make in the spring time when zucchinis are in season.

A Brief History on Muffins

Do you know the muffin man? The word muffin comes from the French word Moufflet which means “soft” and usually applies to breads. However, these treats aren’t French, they’re American. American muffins are chemically leavened while English muffins are leavened with yeast. However, chemically leavened breads, or quick breads, did not happen until the end of the 18th century.

The US discovered pearlash as a rising agent which is refined fertilized potassium (often called potash) that produces CO2 in baked goods. This discovery was a real game changer in the baking industry because this is where baking powder came from! Earlier muffins had few ingredients, and even fewer of the add-ins we see today like blueberries and chocolate chips. They only became sweeter since the rise of coffee shops. Oh, and the song “do you know the muffin man” came from English muffins. Read all about both muffin’s histories here!

A head on shot of a single carrot zucchini bran muffin on an upside down plate with more muffins around

About the Ingredients

Carrots: You can buy shredded or whole and shred them yourself. If you buy pre-shredded carrots, make sure to pat drier with a paper towel. We don’t want any extra water content! Have extra carrots? Try making my saffron carrot cake!
Zucchini: Same as the carrots above. However, either way you buy, you must pat dry with a paper towel as zucchinis have a higher water content.
Oat bran: Essentially milled oats. I use Bob’s Red Mill Oat Bran Hot Cereal from my local grocery store.
Buttermilk: If you do not have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding a few drops of lemon juice to whole milk and allowing to sit for 10-15 minutes.
Honey: Any type of honey will do!
Molasses: Dark molasses is best for these zucchini bran muffins with molasses.

Major Allergens Present: Gluten, eggs, dairy

About the Equipment

One of my few recipes that does not need a mixer to make!

A box grater: Or something to shred those carrots and zucchinis! I find a box grater much easier. If you don’t know what a box grater is, it’s one of those contraptions in the shape of a box with different gradients on the four sides. It’s tall and silver. I use the big holes side. Alternatively, you can buy shredded carrots and zucchini noodles.
12 ea muffin tin: This will yield 12 muffins or (I would imagine) 6 if you use a 6 ea extra large muffin tin. Make sure you have cupcake liners so removing from the pan is a breeze.

A close up of one of the carrot zucchini bran muffins with a bite taken out and a pat of butter melting

How to Make Carrot Zucchini Bran Muffins:

What are carrot zucchini bran muffins made out of?

This quick recipe may look like they have a lot of ingredients, but I promise it’s worth it to have a less sweet, healthier breakfast option. The main sweeteners here are honey and molasses which offer a different flavor instead of just sugar sweet. Carrots and zucchini are a great way to add in vegetables and the bran for some extra fiber!

Grate the produce:

Grating produce can be tedious, but if you can buy already shredded produce or if you have a machine then absolutely go that route. If you’re not so lucky, then pull out the box grater and get grating. My strategy is to weigh around an ounce or so more than needed that way I am account for the skins and butts that will be removed, then I weigh again after/during. If you have a particularly wet carrot, pat dry with paper towels, and definitely do that for the zucchini which has a higher water content than the carrot. Also, don’t worry if you don’t get exactly the right amount or ratio. This batter is forgiving; just don’t go doubling or halving it.

Mix together the carrot zucchini muffin batter:

SUPER easy to mix together and it doesn’t need a mixer! Whisk together the dries, then the eggs and liquids. Fold in the produce last. Boom, done. One thing, though, to mention is the consistency of the batter. If you’re looking at it and thinking “ooooh, this is really liquidy, like REALLY liquidy,” then add in another tablespoon or two of the oat bran. Since nature is inconsistent, you may have had an overly juicy carrot or zucchini which is totally fine. If you don’t catch it or don’t know what overly liquidy batter looks like, they’ll still bake fine; they’ll just be extra moist.

Portion and bake the carrot zucchini bran muffins:

I like to use cupcake liners because I don’t want to potentially fight to get them out of the muffin tin, but that’s just me. If you enjoy living life on the edge, then just use some pan spray. These do not rise too too much, so you can fill until about a quarter-inch from the top. Bake until they spring back when poked. I would suggest slicing in half (either way), frying in the pan with butter, and enjoying with a cup of coffee.

A focus on one of the carrot zucchini bran muffins on a small wooden cutting board

Extra Tips and Tricks For Successful Carrot Zucchini Bran Muffins

How to have the right batter consistency:

Since nature isn’t consist, sometimes we’ll have a juicier carrot or zucchini. That means we will have more water content than what we bargained for. There a couple tips to mitigate that:

Don’t use over-ripe or squishy feeling zucchini. It will be loaded with extra water!
Pat dry the produce after shredding with a paper towel. This will help soak up the unwanted, extra water content.
Add a tablespoon or two extra of the oat bran to help soak up that extra water. Only use this tip if you notice the batter is e x t r a watery.

How to Spice Up These Carrot Zucchini Bran Muffins:

Throw in some raisins if you’re into that sort of thing!
This is a nut free recipe, but if you like nuts, through in some chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds!
Skip the zucchini all together if you’re just looking for a carrot bran muffin.

How to Store and Freeze Carrot Zucchini Bran Muffins:

Do not freeze the batter.
Keep muffins covered and store at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

An overhead shot of a tray of carrot zucchini bran muffins

Troubleshooting These Carrot Zucchini Bran Muffins:

My muffins turned out way too moist! While we love moist muffins, we can all agree that something can be a wee bit too moist. This isn’t a bad thing, but if you want it less moist, definitely read my tips above. TL;DR, your produce has too much water content. Pat the shredded produce dry and/or add a couple extra tablespoons of the oat bran.

Something else going wrong? Reach out and we will troubleshoot together!