Carrot Zucchini Muffins Light (Printable)

Moist, gently spiced muffins with carrot, zucchini, and a delicate cream cheese swirl for breakfast or snack.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup grated carrot, about 2 medium carrots
02 - 1 cup grated zucchini, about 1 medium zucchini, squeezed dry

→ Dry Ingredients

03 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
05 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Wet Ingredients

11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1/3 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
13 - 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
14 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Cream Cheese Swirl

15 - 4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
16 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
17 - 1 tablespoon milk
18 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease with cooking spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add grated carrot and zucchini to the wet ingredient mixture and stir until fully combined.
05 - Gently fold wet ingredients into the dry ingredient mixture using a spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender muffins.
06 - Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each approximately two-thirds full.
07 - In a small bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
08 - Spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture onto each muffin. Use a toothpick or skewer to create a gentle swirl through the batter.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a muffin (avoiding the cream cheese layer) comes out clean.
10 - Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like comfort but packed with actual vegetables, so you can eat them without the usual guilt.
  • The cream cheese swirl feels fancy but honestly takes thirty seconds to add, making breakfast feel less rushed.
  • These muffins stay moist for days, which means one batch carries you through half the week.
02 -
  • Squeezing the zucchini dry is absolutely essential—fresh zucchini is packed with water, and if you skip this step, your muffins will be dense and disappointing.
  • Don't overmix once the wet and dry ingredients meet; a few lumps in the batter mean tender muffins, while overworking it creates tough, dense results.
  • Let the cream cheese soften completely before beating it; cold cream cheese won't blend smoothly and you'll end up with lumps in your swirl.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together more smoothly, so pull your eggs and cream cheese out of the fridge about thirty minutes before you start.
  • If your cream cheese swirl sinks during baking instead of staying on top, your batter was too warm or your oven was too hot; check that your oven temperature is accurate with a separate thermometer.
  • Using a spring-loaded ice cream scoop makes dividing the batter evenly super simple and ensures consistent baking across all twelve muffins.
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