These almond flour carrot muffins are super moist, lightly sweetened with honey, and even a little fluffy! They’re the perfect Easter treat, and the reviewers have been loving them for the past 11 years. They’re paleo but have a cream cheese frosting option.
Originally posted in 2014, I’ve updated this recipe with more information and new photos.
Here’s an old one for reference. They were originally called healthier carrot cake cupcakes, which was a dumb name because they just had a tiny bit of frosting on them. But the texture is very cupcake-like!
I changed the name because people kept asking how to make these with only coconut flour – which doesn’t work. More on that below.
So, these are now almond flour muffins with a tiny bit of coconut flour to help improve the texture.
Ingredient notes
Here are some notes on select ingredients. Please scroll to the bottom of the post to find the full recipe card!
- Finely ground blanched almond flour – do not substitute with coconut flour or another flour, as it will drastically change the recipe. Almond meal would work, but then you’ll have little brown specks of skin in your muffins. They won’t taste differently, though.
- Coconut Flour – before I posted this recipe, I had made these muffins with just almond flour several times. But no matter how I changed the recipe, they kept coming out greasy. So I added a little coconut flour, which helps absorb moisture and adds structure. Problem solved and they came out perfectly! Unfortunately, there isn’t a substitute for coconut flour.
- Eggs – I’ve tried egg subs in this recipe, and they just don’t work. Grain-free muffins are definitely way more finicky than regular muffins and omitting 2 eggs from a recipe that only yields 8 muffins just doesn’t work.
- Refined coconut oil – you can use unrefined if you don’t mind coconut flavor. You can use melted butter or another neutral oil instead.
- Grated carrots – pre-shredded carrots are thicker and drier, which would affect the texture of the muffins. So I really recommend shredding them yourself. I usually use this Microplane Medium Ribbon Grater when grating carrots for carrot cake and other treats, and it works great here. The photographer grated them more coarsely than I did in the original photos, and that’s why the muffins in the new photos look a bit different.
Can I just use all coconut flour?
I had one commenter say her muffins came out dry, despite following the recipe – except for using coconut flour in place of almond flour.
That doesn’t work. Coconut flour isn’t interchangeable with any other type of flour.
It’s SO much more absorbent than other flours. Please follow the recipe if you want it to work.
If you want to only use coconut flour, you have to find a recipe already calling for that.
Can I add walnuts, raisins or pineapple?
I’ve tried it out with 1/3 cup of raisins and 1/4 cup walnuts. That worked great.
One commenter said that they had used crushed pineapple, but they didn’t come back to say how much they added or if they made other adjustments.
I don’t see how that’d work. Even if you pat it dry, I just think it’d make the muffins soggy.
Another commented said they added 1/3 cup of fresh chopped pineapple and had good results. I think that’s more likely to work out better than crushed pineapple.
How to make them
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until smooth.
- Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- Stir until just combined.
- Gently fold in the grated carrots.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups.
- Bake until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack.
Tips for success
Here are a few key tips to ensure your muffins turn out perfectly every time.
- Use room temperature eggs – this helps them incorporate more evenly into the batter.
- Finely grate the carrots – larger pieces won’t blend as well and can create a dense texture.
- Measure the flours correctly – coconut flour is highly absorbent, so too much or too little can change the texture. Please use a scale!
- Let them cool completely – they will be delicate when warm but firm up as they cool.
Can I make it as a layer cake?
I’ve made this recipe several times as a layer cake, and the result is a bit too dense for my liking. I’ve often had this issue when trying to use a grain-free muffin recipe for a cake.
Grain-free flours, like almond or coconut flour, tend to make muffins denser and more compact. Muffins can handle this because they’re baked in small portions, but a layer cake needs a lighter, more structured crumb to support stacking and layering.
Another reason is that many grain-free recipes rely on ingredients like eggs, nut flours, or coconut products, which hold a lot of moisture. While this works for muffins, a cake made with the same formula could turn out too wet, heavy, or unstable when layered.
Muffins also don’t need as much rise as a cake, so a muffin recipe may not have enough leavening agents (like baking soda or baking powder) to create a tall, fluffy cake. Cakes require more aeration to achieve a tender crumb that can support frosting.
If you want to try, anyway, you can double the recipe and baked it in two 8″ (22 cm) pans for 17 minutes.
How to make ahead, store and freeze
Once baked, the muffins can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two days. If you need to store them for longer, place them in the refrigerator, where they’ll stay fresh for up to four days.
To extend their shelf life, wrap individual muffins in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe bag. They can be kept frozen for up to three months. When ready to eat, simply thaw at room temperature or warm them slightly in the microwave.
Troubleshooting
- Muffins are too dry or dense – check your coconut flour measurement and make sure you didn’t overbake.
- Muffins are too wet – did you use finely ground blanched almond flour? If your almond flour isn’t finely ground, it won’t be as absorbent, resulting in wetter, greasier muffins.
- Muffins didn’t rise – ensure your baking soda is fresh and that you used large eggs.
Other gluten-free Easter desserts
These Birds Nest Cookies are also paleo (and vegan!) and super cute for Easter.
This Gluten-free Carrot Cake is super moist and the best carrot cake I’ve ever had.
This Italian Lemon Almond Flour Cake isn’t exactly healthy, but people love it.
Almond Flour Carrot Muffins
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 8 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (125 grams) blanched almond flour
- 2 tablespoons (16 grams) coconut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs (50 gram each, out of shell), room temperature
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) refined coconut oil1, melted
- 1/3 cup (106 grams) honey or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) grated carrots2
- optional - 3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts for the muffin tops
- 2 ounces (56 grams) cream cheese
- 4 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- a dash of salt
For the carrot muffins:
For the optional cream cheese frosting:
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line a muffin tin with 8 muffin liners.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (almond flour through nutmeg). Set this aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, oil, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla.
- Add the dry mix to the wet mix just until combined and then gently fold in the grated carrots.
- Divide the batter evenly among the liners (about 62 grams per liner) and top with chopped walnuts, if using.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Do not frost until completely cool!
- For the cream cheese frosting, mix everything together until thoroughly combined. Spread a thin layer on top of each cupcake.
- Unfrosted muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days or refrigerated for 5 days. Frosted muffins should be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
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626 comments on “Almond Flour Carrot Muffins” — Add one!
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Delicious carrot cupcake.. Feel like tasting
I hope you do get to taste it! :)
Hei Erin!
I just made the carrot cake as a cake and it turned out great! I will make double portion next time to get it taller. Since I now live in Norway in a small town its not always easy to find special ingredients so I made my own almond flower and coconut flower in a coffee grinder! And it is so easy and I bet its better since its so fresh! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Mari
I’m so happy that it worked out for you! :) And homemade coconut and almond flour sound great! Thanks a ton for your feedback and the rating. PS – I’m jealous that you live in a small town in Norway. I love small Scandinavian towns. So cozy! :)
Can these be made with pineapple and raisins added also?
I haven’t tried it but I’m assuming so. You’ll have to add a little at a time (I have no idea how much to add) and perhaps add a few minutes to the baking time because of the pineapple. I hope you’ll enjoy them! :)
Hi :) this recipe sounds amazing and i want to make it for my dad for his birthday would it be possible to make these in cake form instead of muffins? HAve you ever tried? How long would i have to bake it and What size tin?
Hi there! I’ve never tried baking this in cake form but I’m sure it’d work. The only problem is I have no idea what size tin to use or for how long to bake it for! This yields only 8 cupcakes so if you want a layer cake, I’d double the recipe and bake it in two 9-inch pans. For maybe 12 – 16 minutes? It’s just a guess, though, so you’ll have to watch it carefully! I hope your dad enjoys it and has a great birthday. :)
Thank you for posting this. I am on SCD. Your amazing cherry brownies were the last “normal” treat I made before my dr. put me on the diet 1 1/2 years ago. Dejected, I haven’t visited your website since, until today, when searching for a carrot cake with both almond/coconut flours. We made the cupcakes for Easter dinner tonight, and are also trying detoxinista’s “creamy cashew icing” to go with them. I can’t wait to eat them – they smell great! I am thrilled to have found your website again.
What a nice comment! Thank you, Elizabeth. :) I’m so happy to hear that you rediscovered the site! I have quite a few grain-free recipes now and I think some of them fall under SCD guidelines (grain-free + honey sweetened, or is there more to it? Is it also dairy-free?) I hope that you’re enjoying the cupcakes and happy Easter to you! :)
These are just beautiful and so quick & easy to make. Thanks for this great recipe, will be added to my favourites.
I’m so happy you like the cupcakes, Leah! And agreed on the quickness thing. Nothing beats a quick and easy recipe. ;) Thanks a bunch for the feedback and the rating!
Any chance you know the carbs for these? I wiould love to make these for my nieces as a healthy alternative for Easter but the youngest has Type I Diabetes so I would need the breakdown!
I don’t happen to have that information but you could copy and paste the recipe here for that info. I hope the carb count is okay and that your niece (and you!) will enjoy them. :)
Love them! easy to make and perfectly delicious!!! (clapping). Husband and kid approved too ;) I didn’t make the frosting but quite honestly we did not miss it! Thank you and keep the grain free recipes coming <3
I’m so happy that you and your family enjoyed them, Laura! And awesome that you didn’t miss the frosting. I’ll be sure to keep the grain free recipes coming! Thanks so much for the feedback and the rating. :)
Do you have a suggestion on what to use in the icing instead of cream cheese? I would like to omit the dairy Thanks!
You could get dairy-free cream cheese or get some almond milk Greek yogurt, use just a little bit (maybe 2-4 tbsp?) and add a little vanilla and powdered sugar until it’s sweet enough for you. You could also just do a classic glaze of powdered sugar and milk (any kind) but I personally really don’t like it. Especially not on carrot cake. :( The Greek yogurt yogurt at least adds a little complexity! Good luck and I hope you’ll like the cupcakes. :)
These are beautiful!! Are they ok on day 2? They look so moist I would assume so, but just thinking ahead for Easter. I have never frozen anything made with almond and coconut flour, so I wondered if that can be done, too, if you know.
They’re great on day 2! They’re so moist so they’re even okay after day 2. Just remember not to frost them until the day of serving. I think these are best at room temperature and if you frost them, you’ll need to refrigerate them after 4 hours or so (though you can always let them sit out to come to room temp!) Enjoy! :) And I haven’t tried it but I’m assuming these would be good frozen. I’ve never had an issue with freezing almond / coconut flour goodies. :) Enjoy!
Uh, yeah, healthier cupcakes. More cupcakes for me. Nom!
YES! You can eat ’em all now. They have your name on them. :)
These are beautiful, Erin! Carrot Cake is Ben’s favorite, and lately he’s been trying to eat healthier (he dropped 12 pounds just like THAT…men!). Anyway, maybe I can surprise him with a healthy version of his fave! THanks!!
Haha. 12 pounds?! That’s just kind of mean. ;) I hope you’ll try them and that you’ll all enjoy them! :)
I just made these and they turned out great. Thank you!
So happy that you liked them! Thanks for the feedback. :)
Cream cheese frosting on carrot cake is a must! These sound so good, Erin!
Thanks, Jessica! :)
I’m loving these carrot recipes, Erin! I would definitely eat these for breakfast :)
Thank you! And yeah. Carrot cake all day! :D
When a recipe like this one calls for 1/3 c. coconut oil, melted does that mean it’s 1/3 c. at solid state or 1/3 c. after melted?
1/3 cup solid, and then melt it (but I believe it’ll also be 1/3 cup after melting!) The easiest thing to do is just go by weight. :)
I believe in recipes,
if it states 1/2 c butter, melted….you measure then melt.
If it states 1/2 c melted butter, you melt first then measure.
Have not made this recipe yet. In the process of seraching for one I’d like to try.
Yup! That’s the correct way. I hope you found a recipe you liked! :)
Wow-these look amazing, love how you’ve made the recipe healthy-yet they still look absolutely delicious!
Thanks so much, Phi! :)
Do you have a suggestion of something that can be substituted for almond flour? My fiance has an almond allergy, and almond flour seems to be in quite a few recipes. Thanks!
I haven’t tried it in this recipe but any nut flour or meal should do (check out the paragraph after the second picture! ;))
I was wondering if I could sub in a GF King Arthurs flour to eliminate the nut flours all together. It’s a premixed blend with no nut flours but I’ve had good luck in the past. I’m GF and sometimes cook for someone with nut/tree nut allergies. Can’t wait to try this for Easter.
Have you used that flour as a sub for recipes with nut flours? I think that that generally doesn’t work, but I’ve you had luck with it, I guess you could try! I think a much better bet would be to use the GF baking mix in the whole grain recipe I link to at the beginning of the post. I think that’s much more likely to work (though I haven’t tried it!) Good luck with whatever you decide. :)
These cupcakes look delicious, moist inside.. And with a lovely frosting! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! And yeah, I was surprised at how moist they were. :)
Beautiful carrot cake cupcakes, Erin! I just adore everything carrot cake and cannot wait to try your recipe. They look moist and scrumptious. Thanks for sharing!
I hope you’ll have a chance to try them! :)