Veggie Muffins

These savory Veggie Muffins are quick to make, easily customizable, and a convenient way to get more veggies into meals and snacks. Babies, toddlers, kids, and even adults alike, will love them! For ages 6+ months.

Medically reviewed and co-written by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Savory Veggie Muffins

This isn’t just any old muffin recipe.

Nope, I know you’ve got plenty of those.

This is the muffin recipe you’ll go to when you’re getting a little tired of…well…regular muffins. Because I’m talking savory here today folks, not too sweet (although there’s still a touch of sweetness for those picky eaters in the back – don’t worry, I got you).

These savory veggie muffins are packed with three different vegetables, cheese, and naturally sweetened with applesauce that makes for the perfect ratio of savory + just a little sweet to win over even the most opinionated eaters in your family.

They’re easily customizable, depending on the vegetables you have on hand. Plus, veggie muffins pack great for school, lunches on the go, and are freezer friendly.

If you are looking for more easy and healthy muffins for your kid, then be sure to check out our Blueberry Avocado Mini Muffins, Spinach Muffins, these easy Banana Muffins, or these delicious Applesauce Muffins. You can also find more recipes and information in my best-selling cookbook Little Foodies: Recipes for Babies and Toddlers with Taste.

Reasons to Love Veggie Muffins

• toddler, kid and adult-friendly
• easy to make
• can customize with different add-ins
• great for school or packed lunches
• healthy
• freezer-friendly
• great for lunches on the go
• can be made gluten and dairy-free
• naturally nut-free

Ingredients

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

• Flour: I like to use white whole wheat flour for this recipe, but you can use whole wheat flour, a mixture of 50/50 white and whole wheat flour, an all-purpose flour, or gluten-free one-for-one flour. 
• Butter: to make the muffins nice and moist. You can use melted butter or a mild oil such as coconut, avocado, vegetable, or olive oil.
• Milk: you can use any milk you like in this recipe. Dairy milk works well, but make them dairy-free by using almond, oat, or cashew.
• Cheese: I use shredded cheddar cheese, but you can substitute a different kind such as mozzarella, Mexican or Italian blend, or anything else you prefer.
• Applesauce: this recipe calls for homemade or store-bought plain and unsweetened applesauce.
• Carrots: finely shredded or grated
• Zucchini: finely shredded or grated
• Corn: frozen works well
• Egg
• Baking soda and powder
• Salt: feel free to omit if making for baby-led weaning or babies under 1 year

Customize Veggies: you can easily use any combination of broccoli, carrots or zucchini for the shredded veggies and corn or peas for your frozen veggies. If you have a picky eater, you can blend the carrots, zucchini, applesauce, milk, oil, milk, and egg in a blender before pouring it into the dry ingredients.

Veggie Muffin Health Benefits

These muffins pack a punch when it comes to health benefits!

• If using whole wheat flour, it will give them more fiber than if using white flour.
• Whatever veggies you choose will give these muffins a boost of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
• The milk and cheese in these muffins will give your little ones the calcium needed for strong bones.
• Applesauce gives them a little bit of sweetness (and vitamin C and fiber) without all the sugar found in traditional muffins.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Spray or line a muffin tin.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the carrots, zucchini, corn, applesauce, oil, milk, and eggs until blended.
4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ones.
5. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones until just combined. DO NOT overmix.
6. Scoop the batter into the muffin tin, roughly 3/4 cup fill.
7. Place the muffin tin into the oven, and bake for 18-20 minutes or until just golden brown.
8. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, and serve.

Tools Needed

• Muffin Pan
• Cookie Scoop
• Measuring Cups and Spoons

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store and Freeze Veggie Muffins

Once the muffins have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container. They will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To freeze the muffins, place the muffins into a freezer zip-lock baggie or stasher bag and place in the freezer. They will keep for up to 3 months frozen.

Thaw frozen muffins overnight in the fridge or by gently warming them in the microwave.

Baby-Led Weaning Veggie Muffins

These muffins are perfect for baby-led weaning or as a finger food because they are soft to eat and your baby can easily pick them up in their hands for a palmar grasp or with their pincer grasp if they are cut into smaller chunks. You can serve them to your baby sliced in half or cut into small chunks.

Veggie Muffins For Toddlers & Kids

These quick and easy muffins are also great for toddlers and kids. You can serve them as is, or with a smear of cream cheese, butter or peanut butter for breakfast, snack or packed into a school lunch. Great served with a side of fruit, cheese, turkey roll-ups, veggie sticks and ranch, or a hard-boiled egg.

Cooking with Kids

Toddlers

• Toddlers can help measure and put the ingredients into the bowl.
• They can help mix the ingredients together.
• Toddlers can help scoop the dough into the muffin pan.

Kids

• Preheat the oven. 
• They can pick out and measure all of the ingredients. 
• Kids can help mix the ingredients together.
• They can help to fill the muffin cups with the batter.
• Once filled, kids can carefully put the muffin tin into the oven (with adult supervision) and remove once baked.