Description
These Easy & Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins are moist, flavorful, and packed with wholesome ingredients like whole wheat pastry flour, shredded carrots, and natural sweeteners. Perfect for a nutritious breakfast or snack, they feature warm spices and optional add-ins like raisins and nuts. Topped with a light cream cheese glaze, these muffins strike the perfect balance between indulgent and healthy.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour (all purpose or all purpose gluten-free flour also works)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup finely shredded carrots (from about 2-3 carrots)
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup natural unsweetened applesauce (or 1 mashed ripe banana)
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or melted coconut oil, walnut oil, or avocado oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk (any milk will work)
Optional Mix-ins
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup raisins
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
For the Glaze
- 4 oz light cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons almond milk, to thin glaze
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners and spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking, or omit liners and spray the pan generously.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir well and set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the shredded carrots, maple syrup, applesauce, egg, oil, and vanilla extract. Slowly add the almond or coconut milk while whisking.
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep muffins tender.
- Add Optional Mix-ins: Gently fold in shredded coconut and raisins, if using. Then divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups.
- Bake Muffins: Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Glaze: Once muffins are cool, soften the cream cheese by microwaving it for 10-20 seconds until slightly warm and runny. Stir in powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon almond milk. Adjust consistency with additional milk as needed.
- Glaze Muffins: Dip the top of each muffin into the cream cheese glaze, then place back on the wire rack. Sprinkle with shredded coconut or chopped nuts if desired. Allow glaze to set before serving.
Notes
- To make vegan: Replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons water). Skip the cream cheese glaze and sprinkle tops with cinnamon and coarse sugar instead.
- To make gluten free: Substitute chickpea flour or an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. This has not been tested but is expected to work.
- Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
