These Carrot Streusel Muffins have all the flavours of carrot cake in muffin form! They are super soft muffins with hints of cinnamon and the perfect texture throughout. The nutty buttery streusel melts and crisps on top so beautifully. You will love these muffins!
I'm not even kidding you when I tell you I said "omg" out loud when I took my first bite out of these muffins. They are AMAZING!!
Topped with a buttery pecan streusel obviously, because everything is better with streusel. These muffins are absolutely incredible so let's get to baking!
For more muffin recipes, try The Best Banana Crumb Muffins, Rhubarb Muffins, and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins.
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Why this recipe works
- Carrot cake - It's like carrot cake in muffin form!
- Easy to make - Everything gets mixed together in a few easy steps.
- Pecan streusel - Melts and crisps up perfectly in the oven!
Ingredients Notes
- Butter – I always use unsalted for baking. This will be softened for the streusel.
- Brown sugar – I used dark brown sugar, but light brown sugar. works as well.
- Baking soda & baking powder - Make sure it isn't expired!
- Carrots - These should be finely grated using your grater. Pre-cut carrots won't work, we want them freshly grated.
- Cinnamon - An essential spice in these muffins! I also used a hint of cloves, ginger, and nutmeg, but these are optional.
- Cornstarch – This helps add a tender crumb to the muffins.
- Eggs – Make sure these are at room temperature before beginning.
- Oil - Any flavourless oil works.
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe and it cannot be substituted for any other type of flour.
- Pecans - I lightly toasted my pecans, but you don't have to! This will be added into the streusel.
- White sugar - Make sure it's granulated sugar and not powdered sugar.
- Vanilla – Using a good quality vanilla is important to enhance the flavours.
Step by step instructions
Here is how to make and bake these Easy Carrot Streusel Muffins. You will need a 12 muffin tin, muffin liners, 3 mixing bowls, a spatula, and a whisk.
Step 1 – Prep. Line your muffin tin with 10 tulip liners or 12 regular liners and set aside. If you need a recommendation, this is my favourite tin.
Step 2 - Toast pecans. *optional* In a large skillet on medium heat, add pecans. Stir frequently for 5 minutes, until they are a golden colour and the aroma of toasted pecans is in the air. Remove from heat and allow to cool before chopping. This is optional, but it adds a richer flavour to the pecans!
Step 3 – Make the streusel. In a medium sized bowl, add flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter. Using your hands, mix this until crumbly. Add in chopped pecans until combined. Set the bowl in the refrigerator while you make the muffin batter.
Step 4 – Mix together dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, add in flour, salt, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, baking powder, and baking soda. Using a spatula, mix until just completely combined.
Step 5 - Grate the carrots. Using the fine side of your grater, grate the carrots.
Step 6 – Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl add shredded carrots, eggs, vanilla, brown sugar, oil. Whisk until combined.
Step 7 - Add applesauce. Whisk in applesauce.
Step 8 - Add in carrots. Mix in the grated carrots.
Step 9 - Add dry ingredients. Add the dry into the wet and using a spatula, gently mix until just combined. Don't over-mix!
Step 10 - Scoop. Scoop the muffins into 10 tulip liners, or 12 regular liners. I made 10 tulip liners for this recipe. Sprinkle a handful of streusel on top.
Step 11 - Bake. Bake the muffins for 25-30 minutes in tulip liners, or 22-25 minutes in regular liners or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
These carrot streusel muffins are so delicious! They stay good on your counter for up to 3 days and in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
Expert Baking Tips
Here are a few expert baking tips from my kitchen to yours
- Use a gram scale. I cannot emphasize this enough! It is the most accurate way of measuring your ingredients in the kitchen. This is one of my favourites.
- Grate the carrots finely. Use the small grater section on your grater!
- Do not over-mix! A big reason muffins don’t rise or turn out tough is because the batter is over-mixed. Once you see no flour streaks, stop mixing.
FAQ
Do I have to make the streusel?
No!
How many muffins does this recipe make?
About 10 tulip liners or 12 regular liners, depending how much you fill them! I filled mine about halfway in the tulip liners and got 10 total. If you fill the regular liners to the top, you should get about 12.
Check out these recipes
Easy Carrot Streusel Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffins
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg optional
- 1/8 tsp ginger optional
- 1/8 tsp cloves optional
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cups oil
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups carrots finely shredded (about 250g)
For the streusel
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 tbsp butter softened
- 1/2 cup pecans toasted*, and chopped
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
- 3 tbsp white sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉/190℃. Line your muffin tin with 10 tulip liners or 12 regular liners and set aside.
For the streusel
- Optional: toast pecans. Skip this step if you don't want to do this! In a large skillet on medium heat, add pecans. Stir frequently for 5 minutes, until they are a golden colour and the aroma of toasted pecans is in the air. Remove from heat and allow to cool before chopping into pieces.1/2 cup pecans
- In a medium sized bowl, add flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter. Using your hands, mix this until crumbly. Add in the chopped pecans and mix together. Set the bowl in the refrigerator while you make the muffin batter.3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 5 tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 cups dark brown sugar, 3 tbsp white sugar
For the muffins
- In a medium-sized bowl, add in flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Using a spatula, mix until just completely combined.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp cloves, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Finely grate your carrots using a grater.2 1/4 cups carrots
- In a large bowl add shredded carrots, eggs, vanilla, brown sugar, oil. Whisk until combined.1 cup dark brown sugar, 3/4 cups oil, 3 large eggs, 1 tbsp vanilla, 2 1/4 cups carrots
- Whisk in the applesauce.1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- Add the dry into the wet and using a spatula, gently mix until just combined. Don't over-mix!
- Scoop the muffins into 10 tulip liners, or 12 regular liners. I made 10 tulip liners for this recipe. Sprinkle a handful of streusel on top.
- Bake the muffins for 25-30 minutes in tulip liners, or 22-25 minutes in regular liners or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- These carrot streusel muffins are so delicious! They stay good on your counter for up to 3 days and in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
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