How to Make It
Prepare the Carrots
Grate the carrots coarsely and spread them on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture while you prepare the batter — skipping this step can make the muffins a little too wet inside.
Wet Ingredients
Beat the egg first, then mash the banana in as finely as you can — the smoother the mash, the more evenly the banana integrates into the batter. Add the oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and mix until everything is well incorporated.
On the oil: ¼ cup gives you a richer, more moist muffin, while 3 tablespoons makes them a little lighter. Both work, so go with what sounds better to you.
Dry Ingredients
Add the rolled oats to a blender and blend until finely ground — you’re aiming for something close to oat flour in texture.
Add the remaining dry ingredients to the blender cup and give it a shake to mix everything together.
Make the Batter
Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir just until no dry streaks remain. Overmixing causes the oats to absorb too much liquid, which makes the muffins dense and gummy rather than tender. Fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts last.
Fill the Muffin Pan
Grease a standard 6-cup muffin pan well with butter — since the batter itself doesn’t contain butter, greasing with it adds a subtle buttery flavor to the outside of each muffin, which is a nice touch. You can also use liners if you prefer.
Divide the batter evenly and leave a little room at the top so the muffin tops can rise nicely.
Bake
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20–25 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just dry crumbs.
Cool, Serve, or Store
Let the muffins cool in the pan until they’re comfortable to handle before removing. They firm up as they cool, so give them a few minutes.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and reheat in the microwave for 20–30 seconds — they come out tasting fresh from the oven.
Carrot Banana Oat Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1 small-ish ripe banana
- ¼ cup neutral oil or 3 Tbsp for a lighter texture
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup grated carrots
- Optional: ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Grate carrots coarsely and spread on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
- Beat the egg, mash in the banana, then add oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Blend rolled oats until finely ground. Add remaining dry ingredients to the blender cup and shake to combine.
- Pour dry mixture into wet and stir just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in carrots and nuts.
- Grease a 6-cup muffin pan with butter or line with liners. Divide batter evenly, leaving a little room at the top.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan before removing.
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