Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

This is the best recipe for Carrot Cake Muffins. Made with 100% whole grains and naturally sweetened, these muffins are healthy, yet bake up light and fluffy and are full of incredible flavor thanks to the addition of shredded carrots, plump raisins, crunchy walnuts, and sweet pineapple.

These carrot cake muffins are a healthy treat that feels indulgent, yet these muffins are 100% wholesome. They are perfectly spiced and reminiscent of rich, decadent carrot cake and make for a healthy afternoon snack or as a delicious complement to Easter Brunch when paired with Ham and Cheese Quiche or an Asparagus Frittata.

Healthy Swaps

• Naturally Sweetened: Instead of adding in refined sugars, these Carrot Cake Muffins are sweetened with a small amount of honey. Raisins, crushed pineapple, and applesauce also add to the sweetness of these muffins naturally.
• 100% Whole Grain. Instead of refined all-purpose flour, this recipe calls for whole wheat flour. While most whole wheat baked goods have the reputation of being dense, the addition of coconut oil and applesauce keeps these muffins light and tender.
• Packed full of Nutrients.  Whole wheat flour, carrots, and raisins add a healthy dose of fiber, not to mention vitamins A and B and iron, and walnuts add healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids.
• Dairy-Free. These muffins are made without butter or milk, therefore they are the perfect treat for anyone on a dairy-free diet.

How to Make Carrot Cake Muffins

• Grease a 12 cup muffin tin or line with silicone muffin liners. I love using silicone liners as they easily slip off the muffins, leaving no crumbs left behind on the muffin wrapper.
• Mix together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl until everything is well incorporated. You want to be sure the baking soda and spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
• Add in carrots, raisins, and nuts and toss well to coat with flour. By coating these additions in flour, this step helps all those goodies to not sink to the bottom of the muffins.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the applesauce, coconut oil, eggs, pineapple, and vanilla extract.

• Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir until just combined, or until the flour is fully moistened. Do not over mix or you will have a tough and dense muffin!
• Scoop about ¼ cup batter into each muffin tin. Pro-tip: Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the muffin mixture into the muffin liners. It is the perfect amount needed and helps to prevent a mess. 
• Bake until muffins are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry.
• Cool the muffins in the muffin tin for 10 minutes and then remove the muffins from the pan and allow to cool fully on a cooling rack.

How to Store Carrot Cake Muffins

Once the muffins have cooled to room temperature, store them in an airtight container. If not consuming within 2 days, it is best to refrigerate the muffins.

When baking with whole grain products, it is best to refrigerate or freeze whole wheat muffins, or any whole wheat products, after they are cooled to room temperature if not consuming within 2 days.

You can also freeze the muffins for up to 3 months. Place muffins on a cookie sheet and freeze for 30-60 minutes until solid--this process helps muffins not stick together when placed in a container in the freezer. Then place in a freezer-safe bag and pull one muffin out at a time. Defrost in fridge overnight, or warm in the microwave for 1-2 minutes to heat before serving.

Modifications for Muffins

• Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffins use an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend in place of whole wheat flour.
• Egg Free Carrot Cake Muffins replace the egg with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water.
• Nut-Free Carrot Cake Muffins: Omit nuts if desired/needed
• Coconut Oil: Feel free to use canola oil in place of coconut oil. I prefer the taste of coconut oil to canola oil in baked muffins, but either oil will work.
• Applesauce: Be sure to use unsweetened applesauce to keep these muffins low in added sugar.

More Healthy Muffin Recipes

• Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins
• Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins
• Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• Gluten-Free Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
• Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins

If you enjoyed these simple carrot cake muffins, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

An easy carrot cake muffin recipe has been given a healthy update. Naturally sweetened and made with 100% whole wheat flour, these healthy muffins are just as delicious as the original.

5 from 13 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Bread, Snack

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 201kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• ▢ 1 tsp baking soda
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ 1 tsp cinnamon
• ▢ ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• ▢ ½ tsp ginger
• ▢ ¾ cup grated carrots
• ▢ ¼ cup raisins
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• ▢ ½ cup melted coconut oil measure and then heat to melt
• ▢ ⅓ cup honey
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ ½ cup applesauce
• ▢ ½ cup crushed pineapple not drained

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with liners or grease well.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until well combined. Add in the carrots, raisins, and nuts and toss to coat with flour.
• In a separate smaller mixing bowl, mix together the oil, vanilla, egg, honey, applesauce, and pineapple until combined. Add to dry ingredients. Mix until just combined or the flour is moistened fully. The batter will be thick!
• Scoop with an ice cream scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup into the muffin tin.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry.
• Cool muffins for 10 minutes on a cooling rack in the muffin tin and then remove muffins and cool completely on the rack.

Equipment Needed

• muffin tin
• muffin cup liners

Notes

To make Gluten Free Carrot Cake Muffins use an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend in place of whole wheat flour.

To make Egg Free Carrot Cake Muffins replace the egg with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water.

Nut-Free: Omit nuts if desired/needed

Coconut Oil: Feel free to use canola oil in place of coconut oil. I prefer the taste of coconut oil to canola oil in baked muffins, but either oil will work.

Applesauce: Be sure to use unsweetened applesauce to keep these muffins low in added sugar.

Storage: Carrot cake muffins can be stored at room temperature for 24 hours in a sealed container or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze muffins for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 134mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1130IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.9mg

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This recipe has been updated in 2021 with a few new tips, but the recipe remains the same.