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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628 comments on “Almond Flour Carrot Muffins” — Add one!
29 comments are awaiting moderation!
Can I sub stevia for the honey? How much? Do I need to add something else for moisture then?
I unfortunately don’t have any experience with Stevia so I have no idea how much you’d need or how much liquid to add. Sorry about that!
These came out perfect! Thank you so much for this recipe! :)
I’m so happy that they came out well and so sorry for not seeing this comment until now! Thanks for the feedback. :)
Amazing! My mom and I are major food freaks, trying to lay off the junk food, and these were just perfect! Definitely making again!
I’m so happy that you both enjoyed them! Good lucking with the healthy eating and thanks so much for your feedback. :)
I made these up for my dad who is diabetic. He love carrot cake but hasn’t eaten it for years. He ate them as a dessert and for breakfast. He was so happy when his blood sugar levels were in normal range after having these. Thank you so much for this recipe, you have made an old man very happy! And his daughter.
How awesome that your dad could eat these without having any blood sugar issues. :) He must be so happy that he can have carrot cake again! Thanks a bunch for your nice comment and feedback and so sorry for my super slow reply.
I made this for a women’s meeting at church this morning. I swapped out the honey for xylitol. I made the “frosting” with swerve (to taste) and almond milk. They turned out really good. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so happy that they were enjoyed by all! And good to know that xylitol works. Thanks for the feedback and for the tip! :)
I tried these tonight and they were fabulous! I used 2/3 cup honey & added 3-4Tbsp of almond milk to it and it was perfect! I used my almond meal pulp from the almond milk I make. It tends to be a bit dryer than the blanched almond meal. I have to use it in SOMETHING since we make so much almond milk around here:) They were moist and cake like! I put on some vanilla frosting(coconut milk/powdered sugar/vanilla) and it was the best:) High fiber too! Thanks for such a great recipe!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them! Your changes sound great and I love that you were able to use your leftover almond pulp. :) So much better than just throwing it away! Thanks so much for your feedback. :)
Any idea on nutrition info? Specifically carbs, sugar and fiber grams?? Looks amazing trying to find low carb naturally sweetened muffins/cupcakes.
You can copy and paste the ingredientshere for that info. I hope that helps! :)
What is the cooking time difference if I make a round cake instead of cupcakes?
Check out this post (first paragraph after the second picture) for more info but basically, double the recipe and bake it in 2 8″ pans for 17 minutes. Your cake will be super thin if you don’t double it (there are pictures in that post, too!) I hope that helps and that you’ll enjoy it. :)
For some reason mine didn’t turn out at all. The batter was not really like batter. I had to add about 1/4 cup water and it still just when into muffin cups like a lump. I followed the recipe exactly even weighed it. I used an almond flour I made myself from left over meal I had from almond milk I made. I ground it finer and sifted it and it looked fine. Maybe will try buying the flour next time to compare.
I’m pretty sure the problem was the homemade almond flour (although it still shouldn’t have been lumpy!) Did you dehydrate the almond pulp? If you didn’t, that could explain it. I made these again last week and don’t recall the batter being thick at all. I’m sorry that they didn’t work out! I hope your next version with store bought almond flour will come out better. :)
I will try Bob’s brand and see. Gauging moisture content is a guessing game for me but if it grinds fine I figure I must be in the ballpark. I thought about that factor as well. I’ll let you know how my next batch turns out. Can’t rate recipe yet but the comment response time is awesome. Thanks.
No problem! And I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill in these without issue so I’m confident your next batch will turn out better. :)
These are amazing, I made 24 mini muffins and baked for 10 minutes, worked out perfectly. The kids love them with a bit of cream cheese spread on top.
I’m so happy that they came out well and that you and your kinds enjoyed them! I bet they were cute as mini muffins. :) Thanks a bunch for your feedback!
OMG these are simply the best gf, sugar free carrot muffins in the world!! Thank you for sharing the recipe Erin – you simply can’t go wrong with them and defy anyone not to swoon upon trying them. I decided to bake them in butter lined muffin tin without muffin cases which worked really well because then you don’t have any of the delicious muffin sticking to the paper of the case. I’m going to have to have lots of tea parties now! :-) xxx
Haha. Yes! These are totally a great excuse to have tea parties. :D Buttering the tin sounds like a good idea. Mine is just so unpleasant looking I’d never dare. ;) I’m happy you enjoyed them and thanks so much for the feedback!
Any suggestions on egg substitutes for this recipe?
I don’t really have experience with egg substitutes but I think flax eggs may work here. I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t guarantee it, though. I hope you’ll enjoy them if you try it out. :)
What if I put the batter in cake pans? Is that okay? How many minutes of baking?
A few commenters have done that but since I haven’t, I can’t tell you what size or how long to bake them for. Sorry about that! My guess would be one 8″ or 9″ pan for 12-16 minutes. It’s just a guess, though!
Hi,
I was wondering if the two flours could be substituted with wholemeal flour?
Sorry for my slow reply, Ashley! You can’t sub whole wheat flour with nut flours but I’ve posted a whole wheat carrot cake that’s super yummy. One of my favorite cakes ever! Here’s the recipe. Hope you’ll enjoy it! :)
These were delish! I love trying a new recipe and it turns out awesome and exactly like the illustrations shown in the write up! Thank you for this one!
I’m so happy to hear that! And I like it when my outcome looks like the pictures, too. Always such a disappointment if it doesn’t! Thanks so much for your feedback. :)
Oh My, these baby were THE best i have ever made. I used almond meal and King Arthur GF flour and apple sauce instead of oil for even a healthier approach.
Thank you for this yummy recipe!
I’m so happy the GF flour and applesauce worked out! Sounds like a nice, healthy change. :) Thanks so much for the feedback!
just made these yum yum! Going to a 2yr olds birthday and said i would make a cake….so after much googling i made 4 cupcakes carrot spiced and 4 without spice and with cacao and a bit of unsweetened apple sauce. Worked great and just so it looked good in pic’s made fondant hungary hungary catapiller toppers! Next time i am making more carrot for easy lunch treats :-)
With cacoa? That sounds yummy! How much did you add to the 4 cupcakes? And what cute toppers. :) I’m happy that they came out well for you and I hope the little ones liked them! Thanks so much for the feedback. :)
1/4 cup of cacoa and 1.5 tbl spoon of applesauce worked well the little one was thrilled and even the adults loved them thx for the great recipe
I’ll have to try your chocolate version! Sounds great. Thanks so much for letting me know how you made them. :)
These were super scrummy! Enjoyed by all the family. Wondered though if you knew the approx calorie count? Often gluten free recipes tend to be quite high.
I’m so happy you enjoyed them! You can copy and paste the recipe here for nutritional info, if you like. :) Thanks for the feedback!
Yum! What a wonderful recipe! Hey, I must ask. What plugin are you using to get your rich snippet (picture) to show in search engines like Google. It was the snippet that drew me to your site! :-)
Erin, these look amazing! What would I use instead of the honey? Thanks so much.
Thanks, Plume! You could try maple syrup but I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t guarantee it. It’s a little runnier than honey but I think it could work. I hope it works out for you and that you’ll enjoy the cupcakes! :)