Carrot muffins might just be the most underrated breakfast treat that won’t break your budget.
I’ve been making these beauties for over a decade, ever since I started EatHealthier.co.uk and realized how much money I was wasting on overpriced bakery muffins. These cost less than a pound each to make at home, compared to the £2-4 you’d pay at your local coffee shop.
KEY INFO
Total Cost: £6-8 for entire batch (12 muffins)
Cost per portion: £0.50-0.67 per muffin
- Carrots: £0.12-0.15
- Flour: £0.08-0.12
- Oil: £0.12-0.20
- Eggs: £0.08-0.12
- Other ingredients: £0.10-0.15
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 35 minutes Servings: 12 muffins Difficulty level: Beginner
Dietary tags: Vegetarian (easily made vegan) Price level: Very inexpensive
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Essential tools:
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Two mixing bowls
- Box grater
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
Cheaper alternatives:
- Use a large spoon instead of a rubber spatula
- Grate by hand rather than using a food processor
- Skip the wire cooling rack – a clean tea towel works fine
INGREDIENTS
Flour base:
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Warm spices:
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Wet ingredients:
- ¾ cup (180ml) vegetable oil [substitute: ½ cup unsweetened applesauce + ¼ cup oil]
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar [substitute: ¾ cup brown sugar]
- 3 large eggs [substitute: 3 flax eggs for vegan]
- ⅔ cup (160ml) milk [any plant milk works]
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Star ingredient:
- 2½ cups (300g) grated carrots (about 4-5 medium carrots)
Optional add-ins:
- ½ cup (60g) chopped walnuts [skip to save £1.20]
- ½ cup (75g) raisins [skip to save £0.60]
METHOD
- Set up your workspace. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line your muffin tin with paper cases or grease thoroughly with butter.
- Grate those carrots. Use the large holes of your box grater. Pack the grated carrots lightly when measuring – you want 2½ cups.
- Mix your dry ingredients. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Make sure there are no lumps.
- Combine wet ingredients. In your large bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla until smooth. The mixture should look pale and well combined.
- Bring it all together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined – don’t overmix or you’ll get tough muffins.
- Fold in the good stuff. Gently fold in grated carrots, nuts, and raisins with your rubber spatula. The batter should be thick but not stiff.
- Fill and bake. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups – about ⅔ full. Bake for 18-22 minutes until tops are golden and spring back when lightly touched.
- Cool properly. Let muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
CRUCIAL TIPS
Money-saving tips:
- Buy carrots loose rather than pre-packaged – usually 30% cheaper
- Use regular vegetable oil instead of expensive alternatives
- Skip the nuts if budget’s tight – the muffins are delicious without them
Success secrets:
- Don’t overmix the batter – lumps are fine
- Fill cups generously for bakery-style dome tops
- Toothpick test: Should come out with a few moist crumbs, not clean
Storage magic:
- Room temperature: 4 days in airtight container
- Freeze individually wrapped: up to 3 months
- Refresh day-old muffins with 10 seconds in the microwave
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Overpacking grated carrots leads to dense muffins
- Opening oven door too early causes sunken tops
- Overbaking = cardboard texture
Scaling tips:
- Half batch: Use 6-cup tin, same baking time
- Mini muffins: 12-15 minutes baking time
- Double batch: Bake in two separate batches for best results
Brilliant variations:
- Healthier version: Replace half the oil with Greek yogurt
- Vegan: Use flax eggs and plant milk
- Spice it up: Add ¼ teaspoon cardamom or orange zest
- Chocolate twist: Fold in ½ cup mini chocolate chips
I discovered this recipe during my early days of budget cooking when I had more time than money. These muffins saved my breakfast routine and my wallet. They freeze beautifully, so I always have a stash ready for busy mornings.
The secret to keeping costs down is buying carrots in season and grating them yourself. Pre-grated carrots cost three times as much and don’t have the same moisture content.
Trust me on the oil measurement – these muffins stay moist for days because of that ¾ cup. I’ve tried reducing it, but you lose that perfect tender crumb that makes them irresistible.
Worth every penny at 50p each – especially when you compare them to store-bought alternatives that often taste like cardboard and cost four times as much.
