Easy Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffins
These gluten-free carrot cake muffins have all the cozy flavors of carrot cake, with the added bonus of fiber, protein, and natural sweetness. I developed the recipe specifically around the Vitamix method. No hand-grating, no extra mixing bowls, just the blender (or food processor) doing the work for you. They're naturally grain-free from almond flour and coconut flour, lightly sweetened with maple syrup, and especially good with maple cream cheese frosting, which makes them taste like cupcakes.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
These are the kind of muffins that make your kitchen smell like carrot cake within minutes. AND (drum-roll, please) you don't even need to break out your mixing bowls to make them. That's right, friends; these are the EASIEST carrot cake muffins you'll ever make.
I also love that these work both plain and frosted. Left unfrosted, they make a solid breakfast or snack. Add the maple cream cheese frosting, and they lean into carrot cake territory. If that's what you're after, my healthy gluten-free carrot cake recipe is another great option if you want a full cake version.
Nicki's Tip: The almond flour and coconut flour combination is what keeps these muffins tender. Almond flour adds moisture and richness, while coconut flour absorbs excess liquid to give the batter structure. With eggs for lift and finely chopped carrots blended in, the muffins stay moist while being higher in protein and fiber than regular muffins.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Coconut oil or cooking spray: This keeps the muffin tin well greased so the muffins release cleanly. If you prefer liners, they work too, but let the muffins cool completely before peeling them away.
- Raisins: Soaking the raisins first helps them stay soft and plump in the finished muffins. I know it feels like a small step to skip (don't!)
- Carrots: These bring the signature carrot cake flavor and texture. Finely chopping them in the machine keeps the batter quick and easy.
- Eggs: Eggs give the muffins structure and help the crumb stay tender.
- Maple syrup: This adds gentle sweetness and a flavor that works well with the spices and cream cheese frosting.
- Coconut oil: Melted coconut oil adds richness and helps keep the muffins moist.
- Unsweetened nut milk or regular milk: A small amount helps loosen the batter so it blends smoothly.
- Finely ground almond flour: Almond flour gives these muffins their moist, tender texture while keeping them naturally gluten-free. If you bake with it often, you might also like this almond flour muffin recipe for another idea using it
- Coconut flour: Coconut flour is very absorbent, so it helps balance the moisture from the carrots, eggs, and maple syrup. I weigh it when I can. Small measuring differences make a bigger difference here than you'd expect.
- Fresh lemon juice: This brightens the batter and works with the baking soda for lift.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla rounds everything out and softens the sharper spice notes.
- Shredded unsweetened coconut: This adds subtle texture and plays nicely with the coconut flour and oil.
- Warming spices: Fresh ginger, cinnamon, and freshly grated nutmeg
- Baking soda: This helps the muffins rise and keeps them from feeling heavy.
- Fine sea salt: Salt sharpens the sweetness and spice.
For Serving
- Chopped walnuts or pecans: Optional, but they add the nutty crunch many people expect in carrot cake.
- Maple Cream Cheese Frosting: Also optional, but it's a nice finishing touch. You could also use this easy cream cheese glaze.
How to Make Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffins
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease 11 muffin cups generously with coconut oil or cooking spray. Cover the raisins with warm water and let them sit.
Step 2: Place the carrots in the Vitamix or food processor. If using the Vitamix, turn the machine on and gradually increase to medium speed (Variable 6 or 7), stirring with the tamper. Blend until the carrots are very finely chopped. It only takes a few seconds, so don't walk away. If using the food processor, pulse the carrots until very finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
Step 3: Place the container back on the base (no need to wash it. It's fine if there are still some carrots around the edges and bottom), and add the eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, milk, lemon juice, ginger, and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
Step 4: Sprinkle in the almond flour, coconut flour, coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Blend on low (Variable 2 or 3) or pulse (if using a food processor) until incorporated.
Step 5: Drain the raisins, and add them to the batter along with the chopped carrots and nuts (if using). Blend on low (Variable 1), stirring with the tamper, or pulse if using a food processor, until just incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the sides and stir to fully incorporate all of the ingredients.
Step 6: Scoop the mixture into the prepared muffin cups (an ice cream scoop works great for this). Bake 30-35 minutes, until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Troubleshooting Tips
If your muffins did not turn out quite right, here are a few common issues and what likely caused them.
- Muffins turned out dense: This usually comes down to too much coconut flour or overpacking it when measuring. Coconut flour is very absorbent, so even a small excess can make the muffins heavy instead of tender.
- Muffins are too wet or slightly gummy inside: This can happen if the carrots were over-blended or if the muffins were underbaked. The carrots should be very finely chopped, not pureed. Also make sure a toothpick comes out clean before pulling them from the oven.
- Muffins did not rise well: Check your baking soda first. It may be expired. The lemon juice is important here too, since it reacts with the baking soda to help give the muffins lift.
- Muffins are too delicate or fall apart: Let them cool completely before handling. Almond flour-based muffins firm up as they cool, so moving them too early can make them seem fragile.
Expert Tips
- Use a light-colored muffin pan if you have one. Dark pans can brown the bottoms and sides too quickly, especially with almond flour batters.
- Don't skip soaking the raisins. It's a small step, but it makes the muffins feel more evenly moist and keeps the raisins from turning chewy.
- Blend the carrots only until they are very finely chopped. You want them small enough to disappear into the crumb, but not so broken down that they turn watery. I've over-blended them before - the batter gets loose and the texture suffers.
- A kitchen scale is especially helpful here. Coconut flour is absorbent, and small measuring differences can change the texture more than you might expect.
- Let the muffins cool completely before frosting them. The frosting will sit more cleanly on top, and the muffins will be less delicate to handle.
- If you enjoy carrot-forward breakfast bakes, these healthy carrot raisin muffins are another recipe worth keeping on repeat.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. They're especially good with maple cream cheese frosting, at that point they start to feel a lot like carrot cake cupcakes.
No. A food processor works well too. The important part is chopping the carrots very finely and blending the batter just until combined.
Fresh carrots are the better choice here. Pre-shredded carrots tend to be drier and thicker, so they don't melt into the batter the same way.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- The unfrosted muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Once frosted, the muffins can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- If you are freezing them, I think they are best frozen unfrosted. Let them thaw at room temperature, then add the frosting before serving.
P.S. More Gluten-Free Muffin Recipes:
*This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links to products I use and love (from which I earn income, at no cost to you). Thank you for supporting From Scratch Fast!
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Easy Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffins
Ingredients
- Coconut oil or cooking spray for muffin tins
- ½ cup (70g) raisins
- 3 medium carrots (220-230g), peeled, trimmed and coarsely chopped
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup (80g) maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil (55g), melted and cooled slightly
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened nut milk or regular milk
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup (125g) finely ground almond flour
- ¼ cup (25g) coconut flour
- ¼ cup (25g) shredded unsweetened coconut
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅓ cup (38g) chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
- ½ batch Maple Cream Cheese Frosting (optional), recipe link in header
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease 11 muffin cups generously with coconut oil or cooking spray.
- Cover the raisins with warm water and let sit.
- Place the carrots in the Vitamix or food processor. If using the Vitamix, turn the machine on and gradually increase to medium speed (Variable 6 or 7), stirring with the tamper. Blend until the carrots are very finely chopped (it will only take a few seconds). If using the food processor, pulse the carrots until very finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
- Place the container back on the base (no need to wash it-it's ok if there are still some carrots around the edges and bottom), and add the eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, milk, lemon juice, ginger and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
- Sprinkle in the almond flour, coconut flour, coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Blend on low (Variable 2 or 3) or pulse (if using a food processor) until incorporated.
- Drain the raisins, and add them to the batter along with the chopped carrots and nuts (if using). Blend on low (Variable 1), stirring with the tamper, or pulse if using a food processor, until just incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the sides and stir to fully incorporate all of the ingredients.
- Scoop the mixture into the prepared muffin cups (an ice cream scoop works great for this). Bake 30-35 minutes, until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Notes
- When baking muffins it's best to use a light colored pan, as dark pans can cause the bottoms and sides to darken too quickly.
- I prefer to cook these muffins in oiled pans, but you can use paper liners if you prefer. Just be sure to let the muffins cool completely, otherwise they might stick to the liners.
- I highly recommend investing in a kitchen scale, especially when working with gluten free flours. They're not very expensive, and they make baking much easier (no measuring cups to wash!) and far more accurate (meaning better baked goods!).
- I use Bob's Red Mill almond flour and coconut flour, since they're easy to find, affordable and reliably fresh.
- If you don't have a Vitamix you can use a Food Processor.
- To take the muffins over-the-top, slather them with this Maple Cream Cheese Frosting (you'll only need a half batch).
- If it's an actual cake you're after, don't miss this Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe!
Ive made them today and they were delicious!! One of the best gf and sf muffins I’ve ever had! Thank you for this recipe ❤️
This makes me so happy to hear. Thank you for sharing, Joanna!
Can I use oat flour 8nstead of the almond flour??
Hi there! I haven't tested these muffins with oat flour but do think it will work, although they won't be quite as moist. Please let me know if you give it a try!
could i use dates instead of raisins . looking forward to trying this recipe for my sons birthday
Hi there! Yes, you can absolutely swap in chopped dates for raisins. Happy birthday to your son! I hope you all enjoy the cake.
Hi! I saw that the carrot cake uses baking powder, while the muffins use baking soda. I was just wondering if there might be a mistake, or it's just different since one is a cake and the other is a muffin.
I like your carrot cake video by the way!
Hi Genevieve, great question! I developed the muffin recipe several years ago and used baking soda, which needs acid to activate (hence the lemon juice). When I developed the carrot cake recipe I simplified and streamlined things a bit, using just baking powder, which doesn't need acid to activate. I hope you enjoy (and thank you about the video!).
Oh, OK. Thank you so much. I really appreciate your explanation. I can learn a lot from you!
Thank you for the recipe. These were wonderful. I made them with my 7 year old niece who had fun lining up all TWENTY ingredients clear across the countertop. Whew, what a miracle!
Hi Anna, I'm so happy you and your niece liked the muffins (and I LOVE that she's such a little sous chef! 😂).
Hi, have you tried this recipe in a cake pan or square pan? If yes, what size and bake time. Thank you. I’m new to a dr recommended GF diet and your recipes have helped to make my GF food family friendly too — at least no complaints, yet!
Hi Debra, stay tuned because I have a healthy carrot cake recipe coming soon (it's very similar to this but with a couple tweaks for texture), and it gets made in an 8-inch square pan!! I'm so happy your family is liking the recipes! 🙂
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Since we are all supposed to stay home I only have unbleached flour and oat flour..... can I sub with one or the other or both?
Hi Lillian, I hope you are staying safe and well! Unfortunately I haven't tested these muffins with all-purpose flour or oat flour so cannot guarantee the results. Unbleached flour might work, but again, it has not been tested. Definitely let me know if you give it a try!
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I'm excited to try these this weekend! My kids don't like raising (crazy!) so I was thinking of subbing with dried cranberries. My coconut flakes are already sweetened, too so I was thinking of reducing the sugar a bit. Sounds ok? Any flags for doing that?
Hi Dini, let me know how you like the cranberries! We often use currants in place of the raisins. I would keep the same amount of sweetener (1/4 cup maple syrup), but cut back on the coconut slightly (try 3 tablespoons of the sweetened coconut). Let me know how they turn out!
These taste sooo good! Thank you for the recipe. I made them a few times now and they were a big hit. Do you think I could use whole wheat flour instead of almond flour?
I'm so happy that you like the muffins!! I suspect that using whole wheat pastry flour in place of the almond flour and coconut flour would work. (Using pastry flour, which has a lower gluten content than regular flour, would help retain a delicate crumb.) However, I've never tested these with wheat flour so it would be a bit of an experiment. If you try it please report back! Thank you, and happy baking!
Have you tried this recipe with the egg substitute aquafaba?
I've never tried these with aquafaba but now am curious! I suspect "flax eggs" would also work if you're looking to make these egg-free.
Oh! These muffins look delicious!
Thank you!! 🙂