Moist Banana Carrot Muffins with Vanilla Glaze

 Warmly spiced muffins made with ripe bananas and fresh carrots.

This recipe comes straight from my mother’s recipe box — the kind of recipe that made the kitchen smell warm and comforting before the oven timer ever rang.

She always believed in using what she had on hand. If bananas were getting ripe and carrots were fresh from the garden, this is the kind of treat she would make. The bananas add natural sweetness and moisture, while the carrots bring texture and a gentle earthiness that pairs beautifully with the warm spices.

These muffins are soft, tender, and filled with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves — the kind of flavor that makes you slow down and savor each bite. Finished with a simple glaze drizzled over the top, they feel just a little special without being complicated.

They’re perfect for breakfast, afternoon coffee, or sharing with someone you love.

 Ingredients:

 2 ripe bananas
1/3 c. melted butter or oil
2 whole eggs
1 tsp. vanilla 
1 c. light brown sugar, tightly packed
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. finely shredded carrots
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2-3 Tbs. half and half, whole milk or evaporated milk

Directions: 

 Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease, butter, or spray a 12-cup muffin tin, or line the cups with paper liners. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add the bananas. Using a fork, mash the bananas until smooth.

Add the melted butter (or oil), eggs, vanilla, and brown sugar. Whisk until thoroughly combined.

Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and salt until evenly incorporated.

Add the flour and gently mix just until combined. Do not overmix.

Fold in the finely shredded carrots until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.

Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Glaze:

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and half-and-half until smooth and creamy.
Spoon or drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins.

Tips for Best Success:

•  Use very ripe bananas. The darker the peel, the sweeter and more flavorful your muffins will be.
• Finely shred the carrots. This keeps the texture soft and prevents large chunks in the muffins.
• Do not overmix. Stir just until the flour is incorporated to keep the muffins tender.
• Fill cups ¾ full. This allows room for the muffins to rise beautifully.
• Check early. Ovens vary, so test at 20 minutes with a toothpick.

 Variations and Substitutions:

•  Oil instead of butter: Use neutral oil for extra moisture.
• Add nuts: Stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans.
• Add raisins: ½ cup raisins adds extra sweetness and texture.
• Cream cheese drizzle: Replace glaze with a light cream cheese frosting.
• Whole wheat option: Substitute 1 cup of whole wheat flour for half the all-purpose flour.
• Less sugar: Reduce brown sugar slightly if bananas are very ripe.

 Serving Suggestions:

 These muffins are wonderful served:

• Warm with butter
• With morning coffee or tea
• As a brunch addition
• Packed in lunchboxes
• Alongside scrambled eggs and fruit
• As an afternoon snack

They also make a lovely addition to spring gatherings or Easter brunch.

 How to Store:

• Room Temperature:  Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerator:  Keep up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.
• Freezer:  Wrap individually and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and glaze after thawing if possible.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I make these without glaze?
Yes. They are delicious plain or with a light dusting of powdered sugar.

Can I use pre-shredded carrots?
Freshly shredded carrots are best. Pre-shredded are often too thick and dry.

Why are my muffins dense?
Overmixing the batter or packing the flour too tightly can cause dense muffins. Spoon and level flour when measuring.

Can I make this into a loaf?
Yes. Pour into a greased 9x5 loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 50–60 minutes.

Can I double the recipe?
Absolutely. This recipe doubles beautifully for gatherings or freezer storage. 

Can I use canned carrots instead of fresh shredded carrots?
Freshly shredded carrots work best in this recipe because they provide the right texture and moisture. However, you can use canned carrots in a pinch. Be sure to drain them very well and pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Finely chop or mash them before adding to the batter. Keep in mind that canned carrots are softer and may slightly change the texture of the muffins.

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins (Just Like Mom Made)

Soft, tender muffins dipped in buttery cinnamon sugar — a sweet family favorite for breakfast or an afternoon treat.

These Cinnamon Sugar Muffins are one of those simple, comforting recipes that make a house feel like home. My mom would make them as a special treat, especially during the cooler months when the kitchen felt extra cozy. The smell of cinnamon drifting through the house was enough to bring everyone into the kitchen before they were even out of the oven.

They’re tender and lightly spiced, with a sweet cinnamon-sugar coating that makes them taste almost like a bakery-style doughnut. While they were often served as a treat, they’re just as wonderful with a cup of coffee in the morning or as an afternoon snack with tea.

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones that stay with us the longest.

Ingredients:

3 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. sugar
10 Tbs, butter, melted   
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. milk

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

2/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 Tsp. cinnamon
6 Tbs. butter, melted  

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or lightly grease a 24-count standard-size muffin tins (not jumbo).

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, combine the milk, lightly beaten eggs, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the well.

Stir gently just until combined. The batter should be slightly lumpy, similar to pancake batter. Do not overmix, or the muffins may become dense.

Fill each muffin cup about ¾ full.

Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

While the muffins are baking, prepare the topping:

In one small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.

In another bowl, melt the butter.

Allow the muffins to cool for about 5 minutes, just until they are cool enough to handle but still warm.

Dip the tops of the muffins into the melted butter, then dip or roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture until well coated.

Place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips for Best Success:

• Do not overmix to keep muffins light and tender
• Fill cups evenly for consistent baking
• Dip muffins while still warm so topping sticks well
• Use freshly grated nutmeg for deeper flavor (optional)
• If batter feels thick, add a splash of milk

Variations and Substitutions:

• Mini muffins: Reduce baking time to 12–15 minutes
• Spice variation: Add a pinch of allspice or cloves
• Butter substitute: Use oil for a slightly lighter texture
• Extra flavor: Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Filled muffins: Add a small spoon of jam in the center

Serving Suggestions:

• Serve warm with coffee or tea
• Enjoy as a breakfast treat or afternoon snack
• Pair with fresh fruit for a simple brunch
• Great for bake sales or gatherings

How to Store:

• Room temperature: Store in an airtight container up to 3 days
• Refrigerator: Store up to 1 week
• Freezer: Freeze (without topping if possible) up to 3 months
• Rewarm slightly before serving for best texture

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why are my muffins dense?
Overmixing the batter can make them heavy.

Can I skip the topping?
Yes, but the cinnamon sugar coating gives them their signature flavor.

Can I make fewer muffins?
Yes, you can halve the recipe easily.

Can I use oil instead of butter?
Yes, though butter gives a richer flavor.

Why dip in butter before sugar?
The butter helps the cinnamon sugar stick and adds extra flavor.

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

These muffins are the perfect for breakfast, as a snack or even as a dessert. They have just the right amount of sweetness, without it being overpowering, and spices to perk up the flavor. This is a great way to use up those over-ripe bananas.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. oatmeal
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 egg
2 to 3 mashed over-ripe bananas (about 1 cup.)
1/2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. milk
1/ c. oil or applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. pecans, or walnuts, chopped (Optional)

Directions

Heat oven to 375°.  Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray, or you can grease each muffin cup or use paper liners. 

In a bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, baking powder cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and cloves. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat the egg. Add in the bananas, brown sugar, milk, oil and vanilla.  Mix well until thoroughly combined. 

Pour this into the flour mixture. Stir only until moistened. Do not over mix, or your muffins will be tough.

Stir in the pecans or walnuts, if desired.

Fill the prepared muffin cups 3/4 full of the batter.   

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. 

Cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan and place on a wire rack.

Notes

You can add in chocolate chips, raisins, or blueberries.

Substitute half or some of the flour with whole wheat flour. 

Substitute half of the brown sugar with granulated sugar.

Cinnamon Muffins

These quick and easy muffins, seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg. Then dipped in melted butter add a coating of cinnamon sugar, and you have a delicious treat that is sure to please. They disappear fast at our house.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbs. butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease or use paper liners in each muffin cup.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.

In another bowl, mix milk, butter, egg, and vanilla together until well combined.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Pour in the milk mixture.  Stir only until the flour is moistened. Do not over mix the batter or the muffins will be tough.

Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling them about 2/3 to 3/4s full. 

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a muffin. Allow muffins to cool for about 5 minutes before removing them from the muffin tin.

Pour melted butter into a shallow bowl.

In another shallow bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar. 

Dip the muffins tops in the melted butter.  Then, dip them in the cinnamon sugar mix.  If you did not use paper liners for the muffin cups, you can dip the entire muffin in butter and then dip them in the cinnamon sugar if desired. However, you may need to melt more butter and mix up extra cinnamon and sugar. 

They are best when served warm.

Almond Date Loaf and Muffins

Almonds, dates and pumpkin.  Yummy. This recipe bakes up a batch of muffins and 2 loaves. They are delicious as a snack, or for dessert.

Ingredients

1 c. sliced almonds
3 to 4 over ripe bananas, mashed 
1 c. pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil or melted butter or a mixture of both
1 T. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
5 c. flour
2 c. dates

Topping

1 c. sliced almonds
1/2 c. butter or margarine melted
1/4 c. brown sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 350°.  Grease or line 12 muffin cups and grease two 8 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans.

Sprinkle pans and muffins with sliced almonds. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine bananas, pumpkin, eggs, and sugar.  Mix thoroughly until smooth. 

Beat in oil or melted butter. 

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves until blended.  Stir in dates.

Add the flour mixture into the wet batter.  Stir only until blended. Do not over mix.

Spoon 1/4 c. batter into each muffin pan cup. 

Divide the remaining batter between the two loaf pans. 

In the bowl that you made mixed the dry ingredients in, combine the sliced almonds, butter, and brown sugar.

Sprinkle muffins with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the topping mix. Sprinkle the remaining topping between the two loaf pans.  

Bake muffins for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Bake the loaf pans for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack to finish cooling.

Easy Pumpkin Muffins

Simple, easy muffin recipe that features pumpkin. Your house will smell amazing as these bake in the oven.  Best part of all is that they do not take a lot of time to make, and you don't need a mixer.

Ingredients

2 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 ( 15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. milk
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 c. flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.  Grease a muffin tin or line the cups with paper liners. This recipe yields between 12 and 16 muffins, depending on the size of your muffin tins.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and brown sugar until thoroughly combined. 

Pour in oil and whisk and mix well.

Add pumpkin pure, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.  Mix thoroughly.

Pour in the milk, whisking until combined.

Add the flour.  Mix gently, only until the flour is incorporated into the batter.  It is important to not over mix at this point because the muffins will turn out tough and rubbery. 

Pour evenly into prepared muffin tins, filling them 3/4 full.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

 

Easy Apple Muffins

These apple muffins are easy to prepare, and they are light, tender and raise beautifully. They are loaded with apples, and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.  You can make them the night before and bake them the next day, or mix and bake them right away.

Ingredients

2 1/4 c. flour
1  Tbs. baking powder
1/2 to 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 c. buttermilk ** see substitution below
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. apples, chopped fine  ** see note below

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.  Line muffin tins with paper liners, or you can spray the muffin tins or lightly grease the muffin tins.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar, and brown sugar.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

In a medium bowl or a 2 cup measuring cup, combine egg, buttermilk and melted butter.  

Pour the liquid ingredients into the well in the flour mixture.  Stir only until the ingredients are moistened. The batter will be lumpy.  Do not over mix or your muffins will be tough and heavy.

Spoon a little bit of fruitless batter to the bottom of each muffin cup. This helps to keep the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the muffin cups and burning. Fold in the apples to the batter. Spoon the batter it into each cavity.

Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

**If you don't have buttermilk, you can make some. Add 1 Tablespoon vinegar into a measuring cup. Pour in enough milk to make one cup. Let stand for 5 minutes. 

** You can also use different types of fruit in your muffins.  Try using blueberries, dates, raisins, cherries or even bananas. You can also add nuts or chocolate chips to the batter as well.

You can also mix up the batter the night before and bake the muffins the next day. by doing this, your muffins will be taller, moister and tender.

You can also mix up some sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture over the tops of the muffins before baking.

Baking Mix Blueberry Muffins

 

These muffins use baking mix or Bisquick. They are moist, and so easy to prepare. By the time the oven is done preheating, your muffins will be ready to put in the oven. 

 Ingredients

2 1/4 c. baking mix
1/2 to 3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. milk
3 Tbs. butter melted or  vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. frozen blueberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease the bottoms of 12 muffin cups or line with paper baking cups. 

In a large bowl, combine the dry baking mix, brown sugar and cinnamon together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients to hold the wet ingredients.

Add egg, milk and vegetable oil to dry ingredients. Mix only enough to moisten flour. The batter will be lumpy. Do not over mix or the muffins will be spongy.  

Gently fold in the blueberries.

Fill greased muffin tins two-thirds full.  Sprinkle some granulated sugar or brown sugar and cinnamon over the tops of the batter. 

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Notes:

This recipe can be doubled. If doubling the recipe, you can use a baking dish instead of the muffin pan if you desire.

 You can also use more blueberries. 

You can add 2 teaspoons lemon zest for more flavor.  

The amount of sugar varies depending on how sweet you like or want your muffins.  You can also use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar.

Brown Sugar Muffins

This recipe for Brown Sugar Muffins is quick and easy to make. The muffins stay moist. They have just the right amount of sweetness to make them delicious. My mother used to make these when I was growing up and I have fond memories of waiting for her to bring them out of the oven. It was so hard to wait for them to cool enough to eat.  Try making some delicious memories with your family 

Ingredients

1/2 c butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk*

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.  Lightly spray or line 14 to 16 muffin tins with paper liners.

Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well.

Combine flour, soda and salt in a separate bowl.

Mix in a fourth of the milk.  Add a fourth of the flour mixture, mixing in well. Continue to alternate between the milk and flour mixture, making sure that you are ending with the milk.

Pour into muffin tins, filling them about 2/3 full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until done. If you are using smaller sized muffin tins, bake for less time. Test with a toothpick to make sure the muffins are done.

*You can also use sour milk for this recipe. To make your own sour milk, pour in 1 tablespoon vinegar into the bottom of a measuring cup. Pour in enough milk to equal one cup. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. The mixture will thicken and become clumpy.

Refrigerator Raisin Bran Muffins

Refrigerator Raisin Bran Muffins are so easy to make. The best part is, you can make fresh baked muffins for breakfast every morning without having to make up the batter. They are very versatile as well. We will often put blueberries and /or mashed overripe bananas in ours.  Substitute some of the oil with melted butter.  You can also replace some of the sugar with honey.

Ingredients

1 (12 oz.) pkg. Raisin Bran Cereal (May use the off brand cereal as well)
3 c. sugar
5 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. soda
1 c. vegetable oil 
1 qt. buttermilk
4 eggs, beaten

Directions

In a large bowl, combine cereal, sugar, flour, salt, and soda.  Mix thoroughly.

Add oil, buttermilk and beaten eggs. Stir only until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix.

Cover with a tight fitting lid and place in the refrigerator. 

The next day, remove from the refrigerator.  Do not stir the mixture. Spoon out the dough and put in muffin tins or cupcake liners.  

Bake for 20 minutes at 375°

This mixture keeps in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 weeks.  It is important to remember to not stir it at all. Just scoop the dough like batter out and bake.  

Easy Glazed Eggnog Doughnut Muffins

 Glazed Eggnog Doughnut Muffins

If you love the taste of eggnog, then you will really like these muffins. They have great flavor and will remind you of glazed doughnuts.  Eggnog is a seasonal item, unless you make your own. You can find it in grocery stores around the time of Halloween, and then it disappears after New Years. 

Ingredients

1/4 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. oil
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla or rum extract
2 2/3 c. flour
1 c. eggnog

Glaze

3 Tbs. butter, melted
1 c. powdered sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs. hot water

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.  Line muffin tins with liners. If you don't have any liners, spray or grease the bottoms of the muffin tins for easier removal.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, oil, sugar and brown sugar together until smooth. 

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Turn the mixer to low and add the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla or rum extract. 

Beginning and ending with the flour, add some of the flour into the batter and mix until combined. Pour some of the eggnog into the batter, mixing until combined. Keep alternating the flour and eggnog additions, ending with the flour.

Fill the prepared muffin tins with batter. The tins should be filled 3/4 full of batter.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. 

While the muffins are baking, it is time to make the glaze

In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, confectioner's sugar, vanilla and water. Whisk or beat until smooth.

Dip the slightly cooled muffin tops into the glaze. Set the muffins on a plate and allow the glaze to harden. Dip the tops again into the glaze mixture for a second coating and allow the glaze to harden.

You can keep the muffins at room temperature for about a day. You can store the muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days, or in the freezer. If you have leftovers after a day, place the muffins in the refrigerator.  

Muffins stored in the refrigerator will taste dryer than they did when fresh baked. 

 Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins

These muffins not only taste great, they are super easy to make. They are perfect for lunching on during the day. Or, if you are short on time, they are wonderful as a grab and go breakfast.

Ingredients

1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. applesauce
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. cloves
4 c. flour
1 c. walnuts, chopped (optional)
Cinnamon sugar (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease the muffin cups pan. Or you can use the little papers in the muffin cups for easy clean up.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 

Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Mix in the vanilla and applesauce until thoroughly combined.

Stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, all spice, and cloves. Add the flour, stirring until combined.

Add the nuts.

Fill each muffin cup so it is three-fourths full. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar mix if desired. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then remove and place on a wire rack.