These avocado banana carrot muffins are moist, sweet and satisfying – making them a tasty way to sneak some extra nutrition into your kids’ snacks! They are quick and easy to make, healthy enough for breakfast and make the perfect lunchbox or afternoon snack!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Perfect for lunchboxes! Being nut-free and packed with healthy ingredients like oats, avocado, banana and carrot, they make a nutritious and portable snack, perfect for all ages.
- Freezer-friendly. They can be made in bulk and frozen, ready to add to lunchboxes on busy mornings.
- Healthy. Heart healthy oils from the avocado moistens the muffins without the need for additional oils, butter, fats or milk.
Ingredients you will need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
Ingredient
- Bananas. There are so many reasons to eat a banana every day! They are rich in Vitamin B6 and are also a good source of Vitamin C, manganese, potassium and dietary fiber. They also contain zero fat and cholesterol. For this recipe, you will need two over-ripe, brown and spotty bananas. Rather than throwing them out, over-ripe bananas are perfect for baking! They are smoother and provide more sweetness and moisture to the muffins.
- Avocado is an incredibly nutritious ingredient! They contain more potassium than bananas and are loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. They are also loaded with fiber and essential vitamins. For this recipe, it is important to find a ripe, soft avocado! A ripe avocado will feel slightly firm, but will yield to a little pressure when gently squeezed. The flesh inside should be green and soft.
- Carrots. There is no need to peel the carrots, they are more nutritious when the skin is left on.
- Eggs. If you require egg-free muffins, swap 2 eggs for ½ cup of applesauce.
- Oats. Rolled oats reduce the flour content needed for the muffins and provide extra antioxidants. They also help you to feel full and control blood sugar between meals.
- Flour. Either whole wheat/wholemeal or white flour can be used in this recipe.
- Honey (only ¼ cup) is used to sweeten these muffins, along with the banana. For toddlers and babies over 12 months, the honey can be reduced or omitted entirely. You can also substitute for your preferred natural (liquid) sweetener of choice.
Step by step instructions
If you have some sad looking bananas and avocados in your fruit bowl along with some simple pantry staples, then you have all you need to make these muffins! Just follow these easy steps;
1. Blend the mashed avocado and bananas together in a food processor along with the cinnamon and vanilla. Note: If you don’t have a food processor, a fork can be used instead. However, the mixture won’t be as smooth.
2. Mix the wet ingredients, including the avocado mixture and carrot, together in a large bowl.
Add the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Be careful not to overmix the batter, or the muffins will be dense and heavy.
Divide the mixture evenly into prepared muffin trays and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until completely cooked through in the middle. To test, insert a wooden skewer into the centre of one muffin. If it comes out clean, the muffins are ready. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert tips
- I recommend using silicone baking trays for these muffins, as they are the best for easy muffin removal and even baking. But any muffin trays will work. Swap them for mini or large muffins if you prefer and vary the times to suit.
- Storage: these muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, they can be stored in the freezer for up to three months in a good quality, airtight container.
- To thaw, simply leave at room temperature or microwave. If placed frozen into lunchboxes in the morning, they will be thawed by snack time.
- Add your own twist by adding any type of chocolate chips, sultanas, dates, blueberries or your favourite add-ins.
- Try multiplying the mixture and making a double or even triple batch for easy grab-and-go school snacks!
- Baby muffins: Avocado banana muffins are suitable for baby led weaning. If making these muffins for babies (aged 12+ months), you can leave out or reduce the honey, skip the chocolate chips and add blueberries or finely grated apple instead.
- This recipe makes 12-14 medium sized muffins. But smaller, mini muffins can be made for babies and little fingers instead. Reduce the cooking time for smaller muffins.
- If using for baby led weaning, ensure that the carrot is very finely grated for babies to swallow. And always supervise them while eating!
FAQs
The main cause of dry, overly dense muffins is over-mixing the batter or overcooking the muffins. For soft and fluffy muffins every time, avoid overbeating the mixture and stir until just combined. In this recipe, the oil from the avocado along with the mashed bananas and eggs provide moisture. Be sure to measure the ingredients exactly and check the muffins at the minimum cooking time and remove them from the oven as soon as they are ready to ensure that they do not overcook and become dry.
Yes, you can freeze these muffins! First, let them cool completely on a wire rack after baking. Then, place them in an airtight, freezer-friendly container with a layer of paper tower over the top and freeze them for up to three months. To thaw, leave the muffins at room temperature for 1-2 hours. This makes them perfect to add to lunchboxes, meaning they will be soft and ready to eat by snack time!
These muffins can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Place a layer of paper towel over the top to help absorb any excess moisture. They are best eaten in 1-2 days, or frozen for use later. If eating them at 3-4 days, you can pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds to soften them up again.
More healthy muffin recipes
If you have found this recipe by searching for ‘healthy muffin recipes’, then you will also love these delicious flavour combinations!
Or, you can find a bunch of healthy, freezer-friendly lunchbox recipes in my e-book here. For more lunchbox inspiration and ideas, check out my Facebook group, Healthy Lunchboxes Australia!
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Banana Carrot Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 medium bananas over-ripe and spotty bananas. Mashed (should make about ⅔ cup mashed).
- 1 avocado ripe/soft avocado, mashed
- ½ tsp cinnamon ground
- 1 tsp vanilla vanilla bean paste or extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup grated carrot no need to peel
- ¼ cup honey or natural sweetener of choice
- 1 cup oats
- 1 cup plain flour white or wholemeal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips or swap for blueberries, sultanas, chopped dates, strawberries.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180 °C (356F). Grease a 12 hole muffin tray with a light oil spray, or use paper cases, if preferred.
- Add the avocado and banana together in a food processor with the cinnamon and vanilla and blend until completely combined and smooth.
- Add the avocado and banana mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients (carrot, eggs, honey). Mix until combined.
- Add the oats, flour, baking powder and chocolate chips (or your other add-ins) and stir until combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the muffin cases and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until completely cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- I recommend using silicone baking trays for these muffins, as they are the best for easy muffin removal and even baking. But any muffin trays will work. Swap them for mini or large muffins if you prefer and vary the times to suit.
- Storage: these muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, they can be stored in the freezer for up to three months in a good quality, airtight container.
- To thaw, simply leave at room temperature or microwave. If placed into lunchboxes in the morning, they will be thawed by snack time.
- Add your own twist by adding any type of chocolate chips, sultanas, dates, blueberries or your favourite add-ins.
- Try multiplying the mixture and making a double or even triple batch for easy grab-and-go school snacks!
- Baby muffins: Avocado banana muffins are suitable for baby led weaning. If making these muffins for babies (aged 12+ months), you can leave out or reduce the honey, skip the chocolate chips and add blueberries or finely grated apple instead.
- This recipe makes 12-14 medium sized muffins. But smaller, mini muffins can be made for babies and little fingers instead. Reduce the cooking time for smaller muffins.
- If using for baby led weaning, ensure that the carrot is very finely grated for babies to swallow. And always supervise them while eating!
Nutrition
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Update notes: This recipe was originally published in June 2020, but was re-published with new information and photos in March 2021.
Soobie says
Can i omit oats in this recipie and add more flour instead? Also thanks for the creative baking recipe!! I like how its ABC muffins haha
Andrea Geddes says
Hi! I haven’t tried it substituting the oats, but you can certainly add a little more flour instead. Add the extra flour gradually, as you may not need a whole extra cup. If you do try it this way, let me know how you go! Andrea.
Alex says
I love starting the day with muffins – and these look so good. Perfect with my morning coffee!
Andrea Geddes says
Thanks Alex! They do make a great healthy breakfast or morning tea snack 🙂