Lunchbox Harvest Muffins Recipe • 5★

Updated August 12, 2025

Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui.

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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140 grams (1 ⅛ cups) whole-wheat pastry flour

5 grams (1 teaspoon) baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup olive oil

70 grams (⅓ cup) packed dark brown sugar

1 small apple, grated, and juices reserved (½ cup)

½ cup grated carrots or butternut squash or parsnips

½ cup grated zucchini or beets

55 grams (⅓ cup) raisins

40 grams (½ cup) unsweetened shredded coconut

Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease mini-muffin tins.

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

Step 2In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

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

Step 3In a large bowl, combine the eggs, olive oil, honey, brown sugar, grated apple and juices and grated vegetables.

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

Step 4Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the raisins and coconut.

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

Step 5Fill 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.

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.

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.

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!

Ditto. Once the dough was in the muffin tins, I realized I forgot to add the coconut and raisins. I ended up stirring them in to each little muffin cup that was already filled. I was sure they would never release once the muffins were baked, but they popped out no problem. This is a keeper!

When they say it is forgiving they are RIGHT! Not only did I make substitutions, replace ingredients I baked it as a cake instead! And it still came out great! I substituted -half of oil w/ canola (bc I ran out of olive) - no raisins - added walnuts -used more carrot than asked for - added molasses and light b sugar I know I replaced another few and I am forgetting but it’s delicious!

350° for about 40 minutes in a circular pan.

Agree with a lot of comments on the versatility of this recipe. Whatever veggies we have that fit the bill go in. I've also made a savory version omitting the cinnamon and brown sugar and adding 1/2 to 1 c grated cheddar or gouda. Either way it's always yummy with a smear of cream cheese.

A half cup of chopped walnuts and the zest of lemon completely transform these muffins. I am not a huge fan of raisins or coconut, so I swapped them out. This recipe, as other have written, is very forgiving. I love the lemon flavor and the crunch from the walnuts.