Carrot, Apple & Orange Muffins (Baby and Toddler Approved)

These muffins are soft, gently sweet, and made with whole ingredients your family will love. They're perfect for babies (8+ months), toddlers, and grown-ups who appreciate real food. Great for breakfast, lunchboxes, or snack time.

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Recipe

Servings: 12 muffins

Calories per serving: ~145 kcal

Total time: 30 minutes (10 min prep + 20 min bake)

Carrot, Apple & Orange Muffins (Baby and Toddler Approved)

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon (optional for a hint of warmth)

• ¼ tsp salt

• 2 eggs

• ½ cup (113g) melted butter

• ⅓ cup (65g) brown sugar (or coconut sugar)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tbsp fresh orange juice

• ½ tsp orange zest (about half a small orange)

• 1 ½ cups finely grated carrot (about 2 medium carrots)

• 1 ½ cups grated red apple (about 2 apples, no need to peel)

• Optional: ¼ cup raisins or chopped walnuts (omit for younger babies)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon (if using), and salt.

3. In another bowl, whisk eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, orange juice, and zest until smooth.

4. Stir in grated carrots and apples.

5. Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined. Don’t overmix.

6. Divide the batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.

7. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Nutritional Info (Per Muffin)

• Calories: ~145

• Fat: 8g

• Saturated Fat: 5g

• Carbohydrates: 17g

• Fiber: 1.5g

• Sugar: ~8g (mostly natural from fruit)

• Protein: 2.5g

• Sodium: ~120mg

Storage Instructions

• Room Temp: Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.

• Fridge: Store up to 5 days. Reheat lightly before serving for best texture.

• Freezer: Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight or warm from frozen in the oven at 160°C (320°F) for 10 minutes.

Ingredients

Mix wet stuff

Mix dry stuff

Grate carrots and apples

Stir in grated carrots and apples

Mix well

Add dry stuff

Mix everything

Divide to muffin cups

Bake

Cool

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Prompt

With guests visiting and a young toddler in the mix, I wanted to make a dessert suitable for toddlers and use up some old apples at the same time. Here's how I made Carrot, Apple & Orange Muffins (Baby and Toddler Approved)

I asked ChatGPT for a recipe:

I want to make really delicious carrot and apple muffins. I have 4 old red apples and many carrots. I'm having guests over so it should be delicious but still kid friendly (which to me means go easy on spices but it's subjective)

So it gave me one:

Let’s make carrot and apple muffins that are tender, lightly sweet, and full of flavor—without overpowering spices. Since you’ve got old red apples and lots of carrots, we’ll lean into their natural sweetness and moisture.

Here’s a delicious + kid-friendly carrot and apple muffin recipe that should work beautifully for guests too:

Carrot and Apple Muffins (Kid-Friendly & Guest-Approved)

Makes about 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp cinnamon (optional, or reduce to ¼ tsp if you want barely-there spice)

• ¼ tsp salt

• 2 eggs

• ½ cup melted butter (or neutral oil, but butter gives better flavor)

• ⅓ cup brown sugar (adjust up to ½ cup if your apples aren’t very sweet)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 ½ cups grated carrots (about 2 medium)

• 1 ½ cups grated apple (no need to peel, about 2 apples)

• Optional: ¼ cup raisins or chopped walnuts (if your guests/kids like them)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon (if using), and salt.

3. In another bowl, whisk eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.

4. Add grated carrots and apples to the wet mixture. Stir to combine.

5. Fold wet into dry ingredients gently. Don’t overmix—just until combined. Stir in optional add-ins if using.

6. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling about ¾ full.

7. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and tops are golden.

8. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Serving ideas:

• Serve warm with a bit of butter or cream cheese

• For guests, dust with powdered sugar or top with a drizzle of honey-yogurt glaze

• Pack leftovers as lunchbox treats the next day

Would you like this to be dairy-free, lower sugar, or made with whole wheat flour? I can help tweak it!

I then proceeded to ask if it would work with yeast:

Would it be good with yeast instead of baking powder and baking soda? I have some time

It gave me a recipe, however added a discretion:

You can make a yeast-based carrot and apple muffin, but it’ll be more like a soft, enriched bun than a muffin. The texture will shift from light and cakey to something closer to a fluffy sweet bread—think cinnamon rolls or brioche buns with fruit and carrot inside.

If that sounds appealing, here’s how to go about it:

Carrot and Apple Yeasted Muffin-Buns

(Think soft, slightly sweet, golden buns with fruit and carrot bits)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp instant yeast (or 1 packet / 7g)

• ¼ cup sugar

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ cup warm milk (or water for dairy-free)

• 2 eggs

• ¼ cup soft butter (or neutral oil)

• 1 ½ cups grated carrots

• 1 ½ cups grated apples (squeeze a bit of juice out if very wet)

• Optional: ½ tsp cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg

• Optional: ¼ cup raisins or nuts

Instructions:

1. Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk warm milk, eggs, and soft butter. Mix wet into dry. Knead into a soft, slightly sticky dough (add a little flour if too wet).

2. Add the fruit: Gently knead in grated carrots, apples, and any optional extras. The dough will be moist but should hold together.

3. First rise: Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, until doubled.

4. Shape: Divide dough into 12 portions and place in a greased muffin tin or on a lined baking tray.

5. Second rise: Cover loosely and let rise again for 30–45 minutes, until puffy.

6. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20–25 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

7. Cool slightly, then serve warm or room temp.

Serving ideas:

• Brush with melted butter and honey or maple syrup after baking

• Serve with cream cheese or a sweetened ricotta spread

• Pack in lunchboxes or serve with coffee/tea

If you're more in the mood for something like a traditional muffin, I'd stick with the baking powder version. But if a soft, sweet bun with carrot and apple appeals to you, the yeast route is super cozy and satisfying. Want me to help you decide based on your guests or meal plan?

Didn't look great. I said:

Sounds kind of gross

It agreed:

Fair! Yeast + shredded carrot and apple can definitely veer into “weird breakfast roll” territory—especially if you’re expecting a moist, cakey muffin and end up with something chewy and bready.

Stick with the baking powder/soda version for a reliable, crowd-pleasing texture. You’ll get that tender, moist crumb with subtle sweetness—the kind people actually want seconds of.

Want to fancy them up just a little for guests? I can suggest a simple topping or glaze that keeps it kid-friendly but adds a bit of “host points.”

I wondered if I can incorporate some oranges that should also be used soon:

I have a few pretty sweet oranges. Will it enhance the muffins?

It provided some suggestions:

Yes—sweet oranges can totally enhance the muffins! They’ll add brightness, moisture, and a hint of natural sweetness that complements the apple and carrot beautifully.

Here’s how to work orange into the recipe without making it weird:

Best Ways to Add Orange:

1. Zest (highly recommended)

   • Add 1 tsp of orange zest to the batter. It boosts flavor without adding moisture.

   • You can go up to 2 tsp if you want it more noticeable.

2. Juice (optional, use wisely)

   • Swap up to 2–3 tbsp of the butter or milk (if using) for fresh orange juice.

   • Don’t go overboard or it can mess with the muffin structure.

3. Optional Orange-Honey Glaze for Guests

   • Mix 2 tbsp orange juice + 1 tbsp honey + a pinch of zest.

   • Drizzle lightly on top of cooled muffins for a gentle shine and flavor lift.

Would you like me to rework the full recipe to include the orange zest/juice with measurements adjusted?

So I asked for the zest and juice:

Adjust recipe with 1+2. Easy of the zest

Scroll to the top or click below for the final recipe.

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