Refreshing Carrot-Pineapple Muffins

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These full-of-flavor muffins are a nice change from some of the big, bloated baked goods that are so tempting to make - and eat - during winter.  And if you are looking for something healthier for the New Year, well, you could do worse than these Refreshing Carrot-Pineapple muffins.

Muffins, as a rule, are kind of not my favorite.  Too often they are bland or overstuffed with calories (I'm thinking of those giant Otis Spunkmeyer wrapped muffins).    But these refreshing carrot-pineapple muffins are stuffed with vitamin-filled veggies and fruit and, yeah, I'd love to spread a little cream cheese on these and enjoy! Of course, if you are counting calories then slathering these muffins with cream cheese may not be the way to go.

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• 🥕 Refreshing Carrot-Pineapple Muffins
• 📋 Instructions
• 🖨️ Full Recipe

I am not a big fan of just eating raw carrots,  but carrots can be turned into so many other tasty creations: carrot cakes, these carrot muffins, tender marinated carrots, and much more!

This recipe comes to us from Carmon Hacker, who lives in Trenton, Ohio, home to one of the first Amish-Mennonite communities in Ohio. The settlement was established in the early 1800s by the Augspurger family, but the community couldn't sustain itself long-term and eventually fizzled. There is a Mennonite church in the area even today which traces its roots to the Augspurger community.

I met Carmon during my years as a newspaper reporter in Trenton, Ohio and she is a prize-winning baker and cook and recipes like this illustrate why!

This recipe blends the amazing flavors of carrots and pineapple. You can be lazy and just buy pre-shredded carrots. That is what I would do. Who wants to shred a bunch of carrots? Use crushed pineapple that is partially drained. Leave some juice.

You want to make sure all the ingredients are mixed well so that the carrot pieces are coated.

Use an ice cream scoop to put the batter into greased muffin tins. Or you can use the muffin cup liners for a completely no mess experience!

The silicone muffin pans are also great for a no-mess experience.

Now if you want to really amp up the experience on these, you could drizzle a vanilla glaze over them or a cream cheese frosting. But, again if you are trying to keep the calorie count down, you may not want to do that.

And, by the way, many Amish cooks and bakers do use carrots in "non-vegetable" ways, they'll put them in muffins like this or a heavenly carrot cake or sweeten them up and use them in a pie. Carrots can be very versatile and are packed with beta carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants.

You can serve these with cream cheese icing or vanilla glaze, but my family just likes them with a bit of butter while still warm. Each bite is a rich combination of flavors and textures!

🥕 Refreshing Carrot-Pineapple Muffins

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tsp. each, cinnamon and baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 2 cups finely shredded carrots
• 1 cup crushed pineapple (spooned from can, leaving some juice)
• ¼ cup each, chopped walnuts and coconut
• 3 extra large eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup each, vegetable oil and buttermilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

📋 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Use cooking spray to coat 12 standard-size muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and soda. Stir in
3. carrots, pineapple, walnuts and coconut.
4. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla. Add the liquid ingredients
5. to the flour mixture, stirring just until all is combined. Using an ice cream scoop, spoon the
6. batter into each muffin cup, filling about two-thirds full. Place into preheated 350 F oven,
7. baking about 15 to 17 minutes, just until done in center. Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes,
8. then go around edges with a butter knife before removing and placing on wire rack to cool.

🥕 FOUR OTHER AMISH CARROT CREATIONS!

Der Dutchman's Marinated Carrots - Carrots that taste like candy!

Amish Honey-Glazed Carrots -  Delicious!

Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting - Amazing!

Early Spring Creamy Carrot Salad - Try this!

🖨️ Full Recipe