Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins – Tender, lightly spiced pumpkin muffins filled with shredded apples and carrots. Similar to pumpkin bread and carrot cake – but healthier!

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins ona white plate with a pumpkin in the background.

Hello, friends! I originally shared this recipe 2 years ago, and I decided to update the pictures and make a few minor tweaks to the recipe itself. As we approach the holiday season and the over indulgence that goes along with it, these healthy muffins are great for those times that you want to make a healthier choice. Thanksgiving breakfast, anyone?

Pumpkin puree adds moisture, flavor and nutrients.
Grated carrots blend right in with the pumpkin and make these muffins taste similar to carrot cake.
Grated apple adds sweetness and fiber.
Pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon add the warm cozy flavors of fall.
Unsweetened applesauce keeps the muffins moist and allows us to reduce the oil without sacrificing texture.
Wheat bran, ground flaxseed or oats bump up the nutritional value.
A combination of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour makes these muffins tender yet sturdy enough to hold the apple and carrots.

If you’re a fan of pumpkin bread or carrot cake, you will love. I found they have similar flavors to both – with a lot less guilt!

These muffins are just barely sweet, but not so sweet that you’ll need to clock extra time at the gym after eating a couple. I give the option of drizzling the muffins with a little cream cheese frosting. My kids love them this way, and let’s be honest….I do too! Choose to add the frosting, or leave it off.

Plate of pumpkin muffins topped with white icing.

Nibble these Healthy Pumpkin Muffins for breakfast, snack on them throughout the day, or enjoy them as a healthy dessert.

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Recipe

Healthy Pumpkin Carrot Apple Muffins

Tender, lightly spiced pumpkin muffins filled with shredded apples and carrots. Similar to pumpkin bread and carrot cake - but healthier!

4.67 from 12 votes

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Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 15 -18

Calories: 187kcal

Author: Allison - Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Frosting (optional):

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease 15-18 muffin cups. Set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, wheat bran/flaxseed/oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, pumpkin puree, oil, and applesauce until combined.
Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add carrots, apple, and raisins and stir until evenly distributed, being careful not to over mix.
Evenly divide the batter between muffin cups, filling about ⅔ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out without raw batter on it. Cool in muffin pan for 10 minutes, then remove muffins from the pan to continue cooling.

Frosting:

With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 teaspoon of milk. Beat for about 1 minute, until smooth. Add more milk of necessary. Drizzle frosting over the top of cooled muffins (I placed the frosting in a plastic bag, snipped the corner, and squeezed it onto the muffins).

Notes

I grate the apples on the medium holes of a box grater, and the carrots on the fine holes of a box grater.
Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma

Nutrition

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!

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