Lunchbox Harvest Muffins

By Melissa Clark

Updated Aug. 13, 2025

Lunchbox Harvest Muffins
Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui.
Total Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(2,869)
Comments
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These diminutive muffins make the rotation at least twice a week in my daughter's lunchbox. Although they are filled with plenty of good-for-you ingredients (whole-wheat flour, olive oil, apple and grated vegetables), they are moist and just sweet enough to ensure that they don’t end up coming back home, which is the sad fate of many a salami sandwich.

Featured in: Healthful Muffins, Moist and Sweet, for Anytime

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Ingredients

Yield:About 2½ dozen mini-muffins (or 1 dozen regular muffins)
  • 140grams (1⅛ cups) whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 5grams (1 teaspoon) baking soda
  • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼teaspoon salt
  • 2large eggs
  • ½cup olive oil
  • 1tablespoon honey
  • 70grams (⅓ cup) packed dark brown sugar
  • 1small apple, grated, and juices reserved (½ cup)
  • ½cup grated carrots or butternut squash or parsnips
  • ½cup grated zucchini or beets
  • 55grams (⅓ cup) raisins
  • 40grams (½ cup) unsweetened shredded coconut
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (30 servings)

79 calories; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 54 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease mini-muffin tins.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

  3. Step 3

    In a large bowl, combine the eggs, olive oil, honey, brown sugar, grated apple and juices and grated vegetables.

  4. Step 4

    Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the raisins and coconut.

  5. Step 5

    Fill each muffin cup ¾ of the way up, and bake for about 15 to 18 minutes for mini-muffins and about 20 to 22 minutes for regular muffins. The muffins are finished baking when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,869 user ratings
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Comments

Pasture

I encourage the gentle writers citing calories and fat to relax just a wee li'l smidge. These are not sinful muffins. They are fine, upstanding, nutritious and ,may I say, outasite muffins.

Jen Braun

I make these about once a week now. Very forgiving recipe -- I've messed with it all kinds of ways: Used regular flour instead of whole wheat, all carrots for the veg (and all zucchini too), accidentally doubled the amount of veggies, on-purpose doubled the amount of raisins, and skipped the coconut. It's always come out fine. And my kids vacuum them up.

Erika

I took the olive oil down to 1/3 cup and the brown sugar down to 1/4 cup and they were delicious and moist. Thank you!

Lesley

substituted gf flour, added warm spices, walnuts and a pear instead of an apple and they were still delicious. Thought it cud be interesting to add part cocoa when beets were used....

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So glad I waited till next day to review. Bc they were good day one. Day two they are sublime. I can't find whole wheat pastry flour anywhere so I used regular ww and replaced 2 tbsp with potato starch (what I have on hand) I added extra carrot and zucchini and replaced 1/2 the oil with applesauce. Also added 2 tbsp of flax meal bc I always do with muffins. (I do this with every muffin recipe) These muffins are so forgiving. And delicious.

dj

Do I have to peel the apple?

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