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Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

These are delicious served warm soon after baking, at room temperature or even chilled, so see what your family prefers. They are naturally dairy-free and can be made gluten-free and egg-free as well. See the Notes section for details.
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Total Time 26 minutes
Servings 12 (Makes 24 mini muffins or 12 servings)
Calories 119kcal
Author Amy Palanjian

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup applesauce
  • 1 cup grated carrots
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil (or melted coconut oil)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup raisins (I prefer golden raisins, but any kind will work)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.
  • Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and stir together to combine thoroughly but gently.
  • Add a heaping 1 tablespoon of the batter to each prepared muffin cup and bake 18-22 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out cleanly.
  • Remove from oven, cool in the pan for 2 minutes, and use a paring knife to loosen the edges as needed. Tilt in the pan to allow air to circulate underneath or transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  • Serve warm, at room temp, or chilled.

Video

Notes

  • To store, place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for 3-5 days. Reheat slightly to serve if desired. Or, place cooled muffins into a zip-top freezer bag, remove as much air as possible and seal. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or in the microwave in 10- to 15-second increments.
  • I like to use golden raisins because the flavor and color is nice here, but regular ones work just fine.
  • Add 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger to add even more flavor.
  • Egg-free: Omit the eggs and add 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal and use 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (up from 1/4 teaspoon in the recipe). Let mixed batter sit for 5 minutes before adding to the pan. Bake for about 2 additional minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out cleanly. (Or you can use a store bought egg replacer like the one from Bob's Red Mill.)
  • Gluten-free: Use gluten-free cup-for-cup flour and certified gluten-free rolled oats.
  • For best results with the texture, grate the carrots yourself. OR use kitchen shears to roughly chop store-bought grated carrots into slightly smaller pieces. (Right out of the bag, the grated carrots are often in long pieces that will be hard to fit in mini muffin cups.)
  • These work best as mini muffins. To bake as standard-size muffins, increase the oven temp to 375 degrees F and bake for 18-22 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly.
  • Be sure to grease the pan well and use a paring knife around the edges as needed to prevent the muffins from sticking to the pan.
  • When checking for doneness, look for the edges to be golden brown, the tops of the muffins to be firm to the touch, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin to come out clean—not with wet batter stuck to it.

Nutrition

Serving: 2mini muffins | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1828IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg