April 6, 2016

Orange Olive Oil Muffins

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Light and fluffy, these orange olive oil muffins are packed with whole wheat flour, oat bran, honey and carrots! A perfect snack or breakfast, they’re simple to make and so bright and cheery. Dairy free and vegetarian.

A muffin tin filled with baked Orange Olive Oil Muffins.

Let’s sip on some coffee and chat about muffins today, yes? Specifically some spring-y orange carrot muffins! 

But first, a question for you. Do you consider one, normal-sized muffin breakfast? I’m not talking about those massive ones the size of your head that you can find at a bakery.

I personally cannot even fathom this. I am one of those people who gets hangry in the morning. One muffin ain’t in no way going to cut it. Instead, I like to enjoy muffins for snacking.

Which is where these orange-filled, fluffy whole grain treats come in.

These little guys are filled with plenty of orange flavor – from both orange zest and juice.

They are perfectly, lightly sweet and packed with better-for-you ingredients like whole wheat flour, honey and lots of carrots.

{So maybe I should say these are sort of like a cross between carrot cake and just a regular orange-flavored treat?}

And then there’s the olive oil. It adds this almost richness to the muffins. And a bit of extra fruitiness, if you will.

It’s pretty darn great.

Overhead view of a muffin tin filled with baked Orange Carrot Muffins.

Tips & Tricks

  1. Grate the carrots in your food processor – it’s soooo much faster this way. Makes the whole job a total breeze.
  2. You can absolutely sub a different milk for the almond milk. Pure maple syrup should also work just fine in place of the honey.
  3. The almond extract in the recipe is completely optional, although I think it helps give them that sort of bakery taste. Plus, then you get to sniff the bottle of the almond extract. Gah – the BEST.
  4. These are totally freezer-friendly. Once completely cool, I immediately freeze any muffins that we aren’t going to eat within about 24 hours. Just place in a single layer in a freezer-safe plastic baggie and pop in the freezer. You can thaw right before enjoying (and then they’ll be nice and warm again too).

A gold muffin tin filled with Carrot Orange Muffins.

Additional Muffin Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Fluffy and healthy orange olive oil muffins! Packed with whole wheat flour, oat bran, honey and carrots! A perfect snack or breakfast!

Orange Olive Oil Muffins

Yield: about 12 muffins
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 38 minutes

Light and fluffy, these orange olive oil muffins are packed with whole wheat flour, oat bran, honey and carrots! A perfect snack or breakfast, they’re simple to make and so bright and cheery. Dairy free and vegetarian. 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • ¼ cup oat bran
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 large egg
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 to 2 medium oranges)
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • ½ cup honey
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1 medium orange)
  • 1 ½ cups grated carrot (from about 3 medium carrots)
  • sliced or chopped nuts, for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a muffin pan with liners and set aside.
  2. Whisk together the white whole wheat flour, oat bran, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
  3. In another medium bowl, whisk together the egg, olive oil, orange juice, milk, honey, vanilla extract, almond extract and orange zest. Add to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  4. Gently fold in the carrot.
  5. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each about ¾ to most of the way full. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with nuts if desired.
  6. Bake for about 16 to 19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

See the post above for info on substitutions.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 206mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 2gSugar: 13gProtein: 3g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.

© Ashley / Cook Nourish Bliss
Cuisine: American / Category: Breakfast
Breakfast, Dairy Free, Easter, Freezer-Friendly, Muffins, Recipes (ALL), Seasonal, Snacks, Soy Free, Vegetarian
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