Name: Zucchini Carrot Muffins
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 2 cups white whole wheat flour (1:1 gluten free flour if needed); 2 teaspoons baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 3 large eggs (room temperature); 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or light brown sugar); 1/4 cup honey; 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted); 1/3 cup milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups shredded carrots (about 4 large carrots); 1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini, don’t squeeze juice out); 1 cup mix-ins: golden raisins (chopped pecans, chocolate chips)

These zucchini carrot muffins taste like carrot cake, but healthier and with more sneaky veggies (zucchini!). Exactly like it. Warmly spiced, golden-topped, caramel-sweet from two cups of grated carrot and a combination of coconut sugar and honey that works better than any muffin you’ve made with straight brown sugar.

And they have the dome. That tall, cracked, bakery-style top that most homemade muffins never pull off. Three techniques that professional bakers use every day get you there, and none of them are hard.

The zucchini goes in wet, no squeezing required, and I’ll explain exactly why before you get to the recipe. It’s a variation of my gluten-free morning glory muffins (with 5 stars!).

Why These Muffins Have a Tall Bakery Dome

Three techniques produce the tall dome on these zucchini carrot muffins: a 30-minute batter rest, a two-stage baking temperature starting at 425°F, and filling every other cup in the muffin tin. Most recipes skip all three. Here’s why each one matters.

The batter rest. After you mix everything together, cover the bowl and leave it on the counter for 30 minutes. I skipped this step once during testing because it felt unnecessary, but they come out slightly shorter and less fluffy. Still delicious, if you are short on time, but worth it if you do. The rest lets the flour fully hydrate, so the batter holds its shape as it rises instead of spreading flat.

The temperature. You start at 425°F, then reduce to 350°F for the rest of the bake without opening the oven. That initial blast of heat creates a burst of steam inside the muffin before the crust has a chance to set. It’s a trick I use for almost all muffin recipes.

The pan setup. Fill every other cup in the muffin tin instead of filling all twelve, and fill those cups all the way to the top, batter mounding slightly above the rim. Filling every other cup forces hot air to circulate around each muffin from all sides instead of trapping steam between them, and overfilling gives the batter enough volume to rise.

All three work together. You can’t skip one and expect the others to compensate.

A basket of golden brown zucchini carrot muffins on a green towel, some whole and some split open with butter. A plate with zucchini, carrots, and a butter knife are nearby.

Ingredients and What Each One Does

White whole wheat flour: It behaves like all-purpose flour in the muffin with a light crumb, but it’s 100 percent whole grain. A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works.
Carrots: about four large carrots grated on the small holes of a box grater. Finer shreds disappear into the crumb.
Zucchini: Grated, not squeezed. I’ve tested it both ways and te batch where I squeezed the zucchini dry came out noticeably drier. The moisture from unsqueezed zucchini is doing structural work in the crumb. If you want all that zucchini flavor in a loaf instead, my paleo zucchini bread uses the same no-squeeze approach.
Coconut sugar and honey: Coconut sugar adds a warm, almost caramel depth, while honey adds brightness and keeps the crumb soft.
Melted butter: for moisture and flavor.
Milk: any variety works to loosen the batter enough to fold without overworking it.
Mix ins: One cup total of your favorite muffin mix-ins (see section below for ideas!)

Top-down view of labeled baking ingredients on a counter: zucchini, carrots, egg, butter, salt, cinnamon, coconut or brown sugar, honey, vanilla, milk, white whole wheat flour, and mix-ins (chocolate chunks).

How to Make Zucchini Carrot Muffins

A glass mixing bowl with flour and a small amount of cinnamon on top sits on a speckled countertop, lit by sunlight.

Step 1. Combine dry ingredients: Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

A person whisking a the wet ingredients for zucchini carrot muffins in a clear glass bowl on a marbled countertop, with sunlight casting shadows across the surface.

Step 2. Whisk wet ingredients: Whisk the eggs, coconut sugar, honey, melted butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add the grated carrots and zucchini directly to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. The mixture will look wet and chunky.

A glass bowl of zucchini carrot muffin batter with a pile of golden raisins on top, sitting on a granite countertop, lit by sunlight. — Screenshot

Step 3. Combine the batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold together until you can’t see dry flour. Stop as soon as the batter comes together, then fold in your mix-ins.

A glass mixing bowl filled with a thick zucchini carrot muffin batter on a light-colored surface, seen from above.

Step 4. Rest the batter: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it on the counter for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. You can even cover overnight in the fridge.

A muffin tin holds five unbaked muffins in paper liners, arranged unevenly among the nine spaces, on a light-colored surface.

Step 5. Fill muffin tins: Place a paper liner in every other muffin tin. Divide the batter evenly between the lined cups, filling each one to the top and letting it dome slightly above the rim.

A wicker basket lined with a green checkered cloth holds several zucchini muffins. One muffin is split open with butter melting inside. A butter knife and a slab of butter lie nearby.

Step 6. Bake: Bake at 425 for 7 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 18 to 22 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted comes out with just a crumb or two attached.

Mix-Ins for Zucchini Carrot Muffins

One cup total, your choice of what goes in it. Here are some options!

Golden raisins are the first thing I reach for. They add a soft chew and a pop of sweetness, the way raisins do in classic carrot cake. Dried cranberries work too.
Chopped pecans add crunch, but walnuts work too. Toast either one in a dry pan over medium heat for three to four minutes until they smell nutty.
Chocolate chips are for the kids. Semi-sweet mini ones are my favorite for this.

How to Store Muffins (and Freeze Them)

Room temp: In an airtight container lined with paper towels, top and bottom, for up to four days. The paper towels absorb the moisture that migrates out of the crumb as the muffins cool, which keeps the tops from going sticky. Let them cool completely before sealing the container.

To freeze: cool completely, wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap, and store in a freezer bag for up to three months. To reheat from frozen, unwrap and bake at 300°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or microwave in 30-second intervals.

Overnight batter: Cover the batter bowl tightly and refrigerate it overnight. In the morning, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before baking. I’ve gotten better domes from the overnight fridge rest than from the 30-minute counter rest. I use it every time I want a weekend breakfast ready before anyone else is awake.

More meal prep breakfast recipes: carrot cake overnight oats, healthy banana oatmeal pancakes, or healthy pumpkin pancakes.