These cardamom carrot zucchini muffins are so deliciously moist and flavorful! Vegan and gluten-free, they are the perfect accompaniment to your morning coffee and make a yummy after-school snack too!

Will I ever stop creating new muffin recipes? I hope not! It’s one of those little foods that I often crave with my morning coffee and my kids love too.

This recipe was inspired by the Superhero Muffin recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, “Run Fast, Eat Slow“, by Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky. Their muffin recipe is spot-on, but I wanted to create a version of this muffin that was vegan while still super-tasty and kid-friendly. I also added a touch of Nordic to it, infusing it with the delightful flavor of cardamom, which is used in a lot of Scandinavian baked goods.

And, as you may know from my many other muffin recipes:

• mini pumpkin,
• mini banana bread (dairy-free),
• cardamom oat (gluten-free),
• zucchini,
• mini morning glory (dairy-free),

my muffins feature whole grain flours and are lower in sugar than classic bakeshop muffins. That said, there is nothing wrong with a classic bakeshop muffin either. Choose what is most appealing and satisfying to you.

Flax Eggs

I think these are the first vegan muffins that I’ve created. I used a flax egg instead of regular eggs and it worked out great! Flax eggs work well in muffins, pancakes, and other baked goods. To make 1 flax egg: combine 1 tablespoon flax meal with 2.5 tablespoons water and let sit for 5 minutes before adding it to whatever you make.

Veggie Packed

And yes, they are veggie-packed! I used zucchini and carrots, but you could also use summer squash instead of the zucchini or parsnips instead of the carrots. When my kids were younger, muffins like these were better accepted if I grated the veggies finely, but these days I can grate them more coarsely (easier on the arm muscles!) and still watch them disappear into little hands and bellies! (Or, actually, not such little hands and bellies anymore!)

Little Muffins

These muffins are a small version of standard-sized muffins. I have also made these muffins in mini muffin pans, perfect for smaller hands and those kids who like to take a few bites out of something and then leave the rest!

Hälsa Kids

Chances are good your kids will love these cardamom carrot zucchini muffins, especially if you top them with a few chocolate chips. My older son likes most anything I bake. My younger one is a bit more cautious before biting into a new food, but if he sees chocolate, he figures it’s worth the chance! They both loved these muffins.

Vegan Cardamom Carrot Zucchini Muffins

These gluten-free, vegan cardamom carrot zucchini muffins are healthy and super tasty. Make a batch, enjoy a few, and then freeze the rest. When you want a muffin to go with your coffee or to supplement the family breakfast just thaw or microwave and enjoy.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Fika

Cuisine Gluten-free, vegan

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

  

• nonstick spray (or muffin liners)
• 1 tablespoon flax meal
• 2 1/2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 cups almond meal or flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour (if not gluten-free use regular ap flour)
• 1 cup gluten-free old-fashioned oats
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup avocado oil or grapeseed or canola oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (I used dark/grade B)
• 1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 zucchini)
• 1 cup grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a standard muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with muffin liners.
• In a small prep bowl, make flax egg by combining flax meal and water. Let sit for 5 minutes while you prep the other ingredients.
• In a large bowl, stir together flours, old-fashioned oats, cardamom, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• In another bowl, stir together the oil, maple syrup, and flax eggs. Mix in the grated carrots and zucchini. Add dry ingredients and stir until just combined. The batter will be thick.
• Scoop batter into muffin cups, filling almost all the way. Top with chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, or almond slivers if desired.
• Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out clean. (I often make a few mini muffins too; mini muffins will take about 15 minutes, but all ovens vary).
• Let cool for 10 minutes and then remove from muffin tin with the help of a fork. The inside will be moist, but delicious!

Notes

Muffin topping suggestions:

• Dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Pumpkin seeds
• Almond slivers
• PecansWalnuts

 

Keyword afterschool snack, cardamom, muffins, zucchini

Recipe Updated 2.25.19