Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

carrot cake muffins with glaze and nuts on a wire rack

These healthy carrot cake muffins are prepped in just 10 minutes and topped with a creamy coconut butter glaze. They make for a perfect breakfast, snack or even a light and fluffy dessert. The muffins are gluten free, dairy free, and vegan.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Carrot Cake Muffins, Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Servings

Calories 216kcal

Author Monica Stevens Le

Ingredients

Muffins

1/4 cup coconut oil melted and cooled
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce or 1 egg
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup brown rice flour see notes
1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon dried nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup carrots grated
1/4 cup pecans and walnuts finely chopped, for topping

Coconut Butter Glaze

1/4 cup coconut butter
2 tablespoons powdered sugar see notes
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Muffins

Heat oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a cupcake or small muffin tin with 10 parchment liners. Very lightly coat or spray with extra oil and set aside.
Wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients until well combined.
Dry ingredients: Sift in the dry ingredients. Stir softly until everything has been well incorporated, but do not over mix. Fold in the shredded carrots.
Pour batter: Fill each parchment liner about 3/4 full. Don't worry too much about it going too high. The muffins won't rise too high. The batter should divide evenly among 10 liners.
Cook: Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. While they are cooking, prepare the glaze.

Coconut Butter Glaze

Prepare glaze: Using a double boiler method or in a small glass bowl in the microwave, gently melt the coconut butter until smooth throughout.
Add sweetener: Remove from heat and stir in sweetener. The mixture will be quite thick at this point and that's okay. Slowly pour in about 1 tablespoon of almond milk at a time.
Watch the consistency closely. You will want it to be between thin and thick. I found that having equal amounts coconut butter and almond milk was perfect.
Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Taste for adjustments and spoon on top of the cooled down muffins. Add a sprinkle of crushed pecans and walnuts

Notes

There isn't a 1:1 substitute for rice flour besides another kind of rice flour. I'd recommend sticking to the recipe.
You can alternatively use Swerve or erythritol as the sweetener. Be sure to run it through a coffee or spice grinder if it's granular and not powdered.

Nutrition