A delicious carrot muffin sits on a white plate. In the background, a hand is typing on an iPad with a keyboard attachment, next to a cappuccino take-out cup.

The first year the coffee shop opened, we came out with a pumpkin muffin that was to die for and had one customer who would come in almost every morning and buy 6 muffins for their staff, but of course the pumpkin season always comes to an end.

So at the end of the season, our favourite customer requested carrot muffins, but try as I might, my carrot muffins just could never live up to the reputation of our beloved pumpkin muffins.

That is until… I thought of using brown butter!

What is Brown Butter and Why?

Alright, let’s talk about brown butter! Brown butter is one of the easiest way to take your baked goods up a notch. It’s gives baked goods notes of nuts and caramel and a depth of flavour that cannot be matched by anything else

It sounds complicated, but really, your butter can be simmering away while you are prepping the rest of the recipe. For more details, you can check out my post on browning butter, but here’s the deal: you melt butter in a pan and let it cook until it turns, you guessed it, brown and aromatic.

Chunks of butter freshly cut on a wooden cutting board.

Grated carrots spread across a cutting board.

About the Muffin

Tall Bakery Style Muffin: Fluffy soft tender crumbs
Packed with Flavour: Between the brown butter and the spices, this muffin is perfectly balanced.
5 Simple Steps:
1. Brown Butter: Start by melting butter in a pan and cooking it until it turns a golden-brown color, infusing it with a nutty aroma and rich taste.
2. Grate Carrots: Grab some fresh carrots and grate them finely, adding a natural sweetness and vibrant color to your muffins.
3. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients Separately: In two separate bowls, mix together your wet ingredients (including the brown butter) and your dry ingredients (like flour, sugar, spices, and baking powder).
4. Combine Wet and Dry Together: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
5. Put Into Muffin Tins and Bake: Spoon the batter into muffin tins, filling them up nice and tall, and then pop them into the oven to bake until they’re golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

A bowl of carrot muffin batter and a muffin pan with 3 out of 6 of the muffin cups filled with carrot muffin batter.

A close up shot of a muffin tin with carrot muffin batter in it.

Bakery Style Brown Butter Carrot Muffins

Tall, bakery style muffins with a depth of flavour that only brown butter can provide. Topped with a pecan crumble and an optional cream cheese frosting centre. Resting this dough overnight makes these the simplest to have freshly baked bakery style muffins right away in the morning!

Print Recipe

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 23

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Servings Muffins

Equipment

Cheese Grater or Food Processor

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

2 Cups grated carrots packed
5 TBSP brown butter or 75 g
1/4 Cup Vegetable or olive oil or 60 g
3/4 Cup white sugar 150 g
1/2 Cup (packed) brown sugar 116 g
2 Large Eggs

Dry Ingredients

2 Cups flour 270 g
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Brown Your Butter

Put your butter in a small saucepan and put on low heat (2-4). Stir occasionally (1 time per minute) as the butter begins to melt and simmer. When stirring, use a spatula and make sure you are scraping every inch of the bottom of the pan.
Once the butter begins to get white foamy bubbles, start stirring constantly. Keep the butter on low heat, stirring constantly until you see the butter starting to get light, caramel coloured flecks.

Prep your Carrots

Peel 3 -4 carrots
With a cheese grater or food processor, grate or pulse your carrots until fairly small.

Prep your Wet Ingredients

In a mixing bowl, add all of your wet ingredients. Mix well until combined.
2 Cups grated carrots, 5 TBSP brown butter, 3/4 Cup white sugar, 1/2 Cup (packed) brown sugar, 2 Large Eggs

Prep your dry ingredients

Measure out all your dry ingredients into another mixing bowl. Whisk very well to combined
2 Cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp salt

Add Wet to Dry

Add your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix well to combined. The batter might seem very dry initially, but it will come together.

OPTIONAL: Transfer the batter into a Tupperware and Rest Overnight (or up to 6 days)

Fill Tins and Bake

Preheat Oven to 400℉. Please note, this will not be the temperature you bake the muffins at. Preheating to a higher temperature will allow your muffins to have a round dome top.
Fill the tins 3/4 full for regular sized muffin or to the brim of the liners for tall bakery style muffins.
Do not overfill, these muffins will rise a lot and may overflow if they are too full.
Put the muffin pan in the oven. Once in the oven, turn your temperature to 350℉ (without opening the door). Bake for 20 – 25 minutes (Closer to 20 for smaller muffins and 23 -25 for large muffins). Your muffins will be ready when a toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

Starting by preheating the oven at a higher temperature than what you will bake the muffins at, will help encourage the muffins to rise and develop a beautiful muffin top.
This batter can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for 5- 7 days. Bake muffins as needed. The flavour is actually superior on the second day!

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!