Oatmeal Orange Carrot Muffins with Cranberries

orange carrot muffins made with oatmeal on a counter next to fresh cranberries

These healthy muffins feature veggies, fruits, and ground oats. They're loaded with flavor and nutrition!

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 38 minutes

Servings

Calories 147kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Ingredients

2 cups old fashioned oats AKA rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 eggs
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
⅓ cup maple syrup can sub honey
¼ cup avocado oil can sub canola oil or melted coconut oil
1 tablespoon orange zest from about 1 orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 cups grated carrots
1.5 cups roughly chopped cranberries fresh or frozen

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. If not using a silicone muffin tin, prepare a muffin tin with liners or nonstick spray.
Add the oats to a food processor with an S blade and pulse until ground into a fine flour. The 2 cups of oats should yield about 1 and ¾ cups oat flour. You can also use pre-made oat flour in this amount.
Add the oats to a large mixing bowl, and stir in the baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until combined.
Add the wet ingredients to the bowl: eggs, applesauce, maple syrup, avocado oil (or other neutral-tasting oil), orange zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
Prep the grated carrots and roughly chopped cranberries if you didn't do it before starting. I use a hand grater for the carrots and roughly chop the cranberries in my food processor, since I already have it out. You can also chop the cranberries with a knife. Fold the carrots and cranberries into the muffin batter, and stir with a rubber spatula until combined.
Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared muffin pan. I like to use an ice cream scoop. You will fill each cup almost all the way to the top.
Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes in the muffin pan. Enjoy them warm, or pop them out and transfer to a wire rack to finishing cooling.
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Notes

If you need these to be strictly gluten free, use certified gluten free oats.
To make these for babies under 1 year of age, omit the salt and replace the ⅓ cup maple syrup with ⅓ cup mashed banana.
Let the muffins cool completely before storing. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge (to prolong shelf life) for up to 5 days.
To freeze, let the muffins cool then wrap each one in plastic wrap. Store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or in the microwave (unwrap the muffin first) for 30 to 60 seconds on high.
To make vegan, use flax eggs in place of the eggs. Combine 2 tablespoons milled flaxseed with 5 tablespoons water. Let it sit for a few minutes to thicken before adding to the batter.

Nutrition