These almond flour carrot muffins are super moist, lightly sweetened with honey and even a little fluffy! These grain-free and gluten-free healthier carrot cake muffins are the perfect Easter treat. The reviewers love them! With a dairy-free option.
First up, if you prefer a grain-containing healthier carrot cake recipe, I have you covered! This 100% whole grain carrot cake is the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. Hands down.
Or actually, it’s tied with this gluten-free carrot cake, which is the same exact recipe as the healthy carrot cake, but with gluten-free flour.
If grains aren’t your thing, these healthier carrot cake muffins are awesome. I feel like a broken record, just because I say this all the time, but I used a combination of almond flour and coconut flour to achieve the perfect texture. I want my grain-free baked goods to taste as close to grain-containing ones as possible and these are pretty darn close!
People often ask if there’s a substitute for coconut flour and there really isn’t. And the only substitute for the almond flour would be almond meal (which is a lot cheaper than almond flour!) or another nut flour.
So now that we’ve got the carrot cake muffins out of the way, we need some healthier cream cheese frosting! This is the same cream cheese frosting recipe that I used in my last post on carrot cake scones.
It uses just a little maple syrup as sweetener. I really thought cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar was impossible but this maple syrup version was just as good! It’s quite thick so if you want to thin it out, just add some milk.
I’m just guessing that if you’re interested in grain-free baking, you’re not into mounds of frosting on top of your muffins or cupcakes. The amount that this cream cheese frosting recipe yields is just enough for a thin slathering on each muffin. If you want to pipe it like I did, you can pipe about twice as much as you see in the pictures.
I recommend frosting the muffins right before serving because once you frost them, they need to be refrigerated. They can sit at room temperature for about 4 hours so if you want to frost them in preparation of a party – no problem!
They just taste better and fluffier if you keep them at room temperature and microwaving cream cheese frosting sounds like a bad idea.
Obviously cream cheese isn’t dairy-free but there are dairy-free cream cheeses out there. If you don’t like the thought of using that, just leave out the frosting or use my vegan cream cheese recipe.
It’s naturally sweetened, doesn’t have any unusual ingredients and is also paleo-friendly! Half the recipe should yield enough for a nice slathering on top of each muffin. You can also find my directions for making these carrot cake cupcakes into an 8″ cake on that post.
Want an Easter dessert that’s a little more unique than these paleo carrot cake muffins? Try these blueberry carrot cake bars with granola from Cotter Crunch! They’re gluten-free and dairy-free and look amazing.
And for something with more of a cake texture (like angel food cake!) be sure to give my paleo blueberry muffins a try!
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 oil, melted (if you use unrefined coconut oil there may be some coconut taste to the muffins)
- 1/3 cup (106 grams) honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) grated carrots
- 2 ounces (56 grams) cream cheese
- 4 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- a dash of salt
- additional milk for thinning, if desired
For the carrot muffins:
For the cream cheese frosting: (for paleo / dairy-free, use a half batch of this vegan "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, 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 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. If it's too thick for your liking, add a teaspoon of milk at a time until it's your desired consistency.
- Spread a thin layer on top of each cupcake or pipe it on. Do note that if you pipe it, you'll have some leftover if you pipe it as lightly as I did in the pictures.
- 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.
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629 comments on “Almond Flour Carrot Muffins” — Add one!
35 comments are awaiting moderation!
I just made these tonight. I ended up with 7 muffins vs 8. I also need to adjust the carrot for next time. I used the pre-shredded carrots from Trader Joes. I think they are too long for the cupcakes.
A little too sweet (just the cupcake, I am not a frosting fan)so I will adjust the amount of honey next time. Nice and moist though.
Hello Erin,
I don’t have any coconut flour. Any replacement for that?
Thank you,
Vivian
Hi Vivian! Coconut flour is unfortunately not interchangeable with any other flour as it absorbs so much more liquid. Sorry about that! I wish I had a better answer.
Thank you for your reply. It is okay. I will give it a try!!!
Is there any changes for high altitude or am I all good?
Thank you!
Sorry, but I have zero experience with high-altitude baking. I found this, though. I hope that helps and that you’ll enjoy the cupcakes!
These are absolutely delicious! I added 1/2 c chopped walnuts to the batter as the last step, and they work great with it. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe – it’s outstanding!
I’m so happy you enjoyed them! I’ll have to try some chopped walnuts next time, too. Sounds good! Thanks for your comment. :)
I added zucchini to mine and they are devine .Thankyou for your recipe and I will be using them again.
How much did you add? And did you wring out the liquid? I’d like to try, too! Thanks for the tip. So happy you liked them! :)
Hi there! I’m gearing up to make these, and realized I don’t have any coconut oil! Could I use butter or something like Spectrum shortening? I also have avocado oil. These look great and I’m looking forward to eating them!
Butter would work! Never used shortening so I don’t know. I’d probably go with olive over avocado oil. Enjoy!:)
I made these tonight and used butter (my stomach won’t tolerate coconut oil) and they are LUSCIOUS! I had to bake them 25 minutes and the carrots were still slightly chewy but gosh these are so fluffy and light and my husband has bagged them all for his lunch so I have to make another batch for me! Thanks for a great recipe!
Haha. He bagged them all for his lunch?! I love that. It’s great to know that the butter version worked out well! The carrots shouldn’t really be noticeable so I definitely recommend grating them finer next time. :) Thanks a bunch for your comment! I hope you hid that second batch for yourself. ;)
Anything healthier that can replace the coconut oil? I was going to try apple sauce but t I’m not sure how that would turn out
Sorry for the slow reply! I’m in the process of moving and haven’t had internet since Sunday. I’m one of those people who thinks coconut oil is super healthy so I’m not sure what you’d consider healthier. I personally haven’t had good luck with subbing applesauce for fat but I know others don’t mind the change it makes to the taste and texture. Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you!
Coconut oil is the very healthy!
You should learn more about it… find some books on coconut on amazon and learn! You will improve your health and many myths regarding the saturated fats!
I totally agree with you. :)
I just started reading The Secret Life of Fat. Fat is being given a very bad name. I’ve started increasing my fat and decreasing my grains and haven’t felt this good in ages!
Same here! I feel much better with more fat and fewer grains.
I’ve made this with the oil and with applesauce and there is no difference! –Except about 700 calories ;)
Good to know! Thanks for the tip. :)
Really good! I wanted to make these for an early first biryhday party for my daughter, so I couldn’t use honey and don’t want her to have sugar. So I replaced the third cup honey with a combo of unsweetened apple sauce and real grade A organic maple syrup and they where still yummy and my dsughter loved them! I just wsnted to share in case anyone else finds themselves in the same sinerio :) Thsnks for the good recipe!
So happy you enjoyed them! That’s great that your sub worked out. I’ll have to try that myself. :) Thanks for your comment and sorry for the super slow reply! I’m in the process of moving and haven’t had internet for a while.
Does anyone know if you can use all coconut flour instead of almond flour? Thank you
Coconut flour is unfortunately not interchangeable with any other flour as it absorbs so much more liquid. Sorry about that
Can this recipe be used to make a carrot loaf / bread, instead of 8 muffins? What would the baking temp & time be then?
I haven’t tried it but I’m doubtful it’d work out well. Grain-free muffins don’t often convert well to loaf pans. I also have no idea of the baking temp and time. Sorry I’m not more of a help!
Thoughts on whether or not this recipe would be good for a small layer cake? Say 6″ diameter? I plan on using agave for the honey for the lower glycemic index.
I’m not sure about a 6″ but I doubled it and you can see it here: vegan cream cheese frosting. Check out the two paragraphs after the second picture.
Has anyone ever tried these with puréed carrots? Just thinking my picky eaters won’t like to see but if carrots :(
Thank you!
**bits of carrots
I haven’t but you can really hardly even tell that there are carrots in there!
These are SOOOOOO good. Thank you thank you for developing a healthy version of carrot cake. They’re simple to make and even kid approved!
Aww, yay! So happy that you and your kid enjoyed the muffins. Thanks for your comment!
this is the first reciepe i have made from your website.. Definately going to try more!! Love using almond and coconut flours and these turned out perfectly! Instead of piping the frosting i spread it and topped with some chopped walnuts :-)
Thankyou for sharing your talents 😘
What a nice comment! Thanks so much. I’m glad that you liked the muffins and that you’ll try out more of my recipes! I hope you’ll enjoy them just as much. Thanks again! :)
Do you have the nutrition info available for these muffins? They look great! Trying to monitor sugar intake
I don’t have that info but you can copy and paste the recipe here for the nutritional profile, if you’d like. :)
These are outstanding. I’ve recently gone gluten free and was excited to try these. I did tweak the recipe a bit, by adding crushed pineapple and raisins, and a bit more almond flour. They turned out great.
Yum! I’ll have to try these with pineapple and raisins. That sounds great. Thanks a bunch for your comment!
Amazing! Delicate crumble. Didn’t have coconut flour so substituted 4 tablespoons of oat flour and 2 tablespoons all purpose because it’s what I had on hand. Ran out of honey halfway into pouring it out so used a tiny bit of maple syrup to top it off. They were incredible. Just a light bit of sweetness that was perfect. This recipe is a keeper. We are not gluten-free but wanted to try something different. Thank you!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them! And how awesome that you decided to try them out, despite not being GF. :) Thanks a bunch for your comment! I hope you’re having a nice Easter.
I just made these and they turned out WONDERFULLY!!! Since we aren’t eating them until tomorrow, would you recommend storing them in airtight containers in the fridge or is it ok to leave them in airtight containers on the counter?
I’m so happy that they came out well! An airtight container on the counter for a day or two is totally fine. Hope you have a nice holiday! Thanks for your comment. :)
Looks Delilah. Can this be made with egg substitute? Thanks.
I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure. Sorry about that!
UPDATE: I calculated 20 mini muffins to be around 6 carbs each. (I substituted maple syrup for honey). I consider this a keto friendly recipe for sure and I’m making more TONIGHT. Thanks again for sharing this lovely recipe.
That’s great! Thanks for sharing your calculations. I’m happy that they fit your diet and that you enjoy them! :)
I found this recipe while looking for keto or low carb desserts. I haven’t actually calculated the carb count yet but just eyeballing the recipe tells me that these are lower in carbs than standard cupcakes.
I made 20 mini muffins and they were DELIGHTFUL. I substituted olive oil for coconut oil and maple syrup for honey. So yummy and my 4 year old ate them. The icing was perfect for me without any milk but I would like to know how everyone got their icing smooth without tiny cream cheese lumps??? Thanks for the recipe! I’ll definitely be back for more!!!
They’re definitely lower carb than regular cupcakes but not the lowest carb due to the honey. Low-carb is not my forte. ;) I’m happy that you and your little one enjoyed them! I just used a sturdy silicone spatula to make the frosting but if yours came out lumpy, try using a hand mixer. It definitely shouldn’t be lumpy! Thanks for your comment. :)
Just got a tip today regarding the tiny lumps in the cream cheese.(:
You need to whisk well the cream cheese before adding the other ingredients.
Thanks for the tip! :)
Beth, I’m looking to do these mini to increase the chance of my picky five year old eating them. How long did you bake, may I ask?
I don’t think Beth will see your comment so I’m just going to guess that you should start checking at 5-7 minutes. Minis cook so quickly!