These easy to make carrot cake muffins are moist, bursting with flavor, and healthy. Made with coconut flour, they’re gluten-free, Paleo, nut-free, and naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup. Perfect for breakfast or dessert!

Carrot cake is one of my all-time favorite desserts. The warm spices with the texture from the carrots and raisins topped with tangy cream cheese frosting are a match made in heaven. So, of course, I had to create an easy and healthier muffin version! 

Packed with flavor and a sneaky serving of carrots and perfectly moist, these carrot cake muffins are the real deal. Plus, with good-for-you ingredients like coconut flour, carrots, and cinnamon, they’re healthy, but still feel indulgent enough to eat for dessert. Making them perfect for any time in my opinion! Breakfast, snacks, and even special occasions. 

Key Ingredients for the Carrot Cake Muffins:

Coconut Flour:

Coconut flour gives these muffins a good dose of healthy fat and is grain-free and nut-free. I haven’t tried any other alternative flours in this particular recipe, and since coconut flour is very absorbent substituting it out would change the texture of the muffins. 

Carrots:

It wouldn’t be a carrot cake without carrots! Freshly shredded carrots work best in this recipe, and is a hidden serving of veggies! I like to shred carrots using a cheese grater or food processor. 

Maple Syrup:

Maple syrup lends sweetness and helps make these muffins moist.  

Cinnamon and Ginger: Two of the spices that give carrot cake its classic flavor.

Avocado oil:

Avocado oil has a neutral flavor that works well in baked goods and is a much healthier option than vegetable oil. You could also use melted coconut oil. 

Palm Shortening and Coconut Butter: These make a creamy and rich frosting!

Apple Cider Vinegar:

Apple cider vinegar is what gives the frosting it’s “cream cheese” flavor. 

Optional Add-Ins. Walnuts, pecans, shredded coconut, or golden raisins would all work well in these muffins. 

Coconut Flour Carrot Cake Muffins (Paleo, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free)

These easy to make carrot cake muffins are moist, bursting with flavor, and healthy. Made with coconut flour, they’re gluten-free, Paleo, nut-free, and naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup. Perfect for breakfast or dessert!

• Author: Molly
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 10–12 Muffins 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1/2 c coconut flour

1/4 c arrowroot

2 eggs

1/2 c maple syrup

1/2 c avocado oil

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp mace

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 c shredded carrots

1/2 c raisins

For the Vegan “Cream Cheese” Frosting

1/2 c palm shorting

1/4 c coconut butter, softend

2 Tbs maple syrup

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375˚ F and line a muffin tin with 10-12 muffin liners. 

2. Combine the coconut flour, arrowroot flour, spices, salt and baking soda and mix well.

3. Stir in the eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and avocado oil and stir until a thick batter forms. 

4. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin tin (you’ll end up with 10-12 muffins.)

5. Bake at 375˚ F for 20-25 minutes until the tops are lightly browned or until a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Fold in the shredded carrots and raisins. 

7. Allow to cool completely before frosting. 

Vegan “Cream Cheese” Frosting

1. Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl and using a hand mixer, beat on high speed for 1-2 minutes until frosting is fluffy.

 

 

Notes

Optional Add-Ins. Walnuts, pecans, shredded coconut, or golden raisins would all work well in these muffins. 

Keywords: Paleo, Nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, coconut flour