These grain-free carrot raisin muffins are loaded with wholesome ingredients like grated carrots, apples, coconut, and raisins. They're flavored with a touch of cinnamon and ginger, and are naturally sweetened with maple syrup. They make for a hearty treat, and are great for breakfasts and snacks (sure to be a hit with kids or adults!).

two halves of a carrot raisin muffin stacked on a white plate

Why You’ll Love These Carrot Raisin Muffins
Ingredient Notes
Step-by-Step Instructions
Recipe Tips
Serving and Storage Tips
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Why You’ll Love These Carrot Raisin Muffins

Muffins make me happy. They’re portable and cute, and these gluten free Carrot Raisin Muffins, a.k.a. Sunshine Muffins, a.k.a. Morning Glory Muffins, are no exception. They have a fantastic texture from grated carrots, apples, coconut, and raisins. Cinnamon and ginger lend warmth, and maple syrup provides sweetness. The secret ingredient, however, is a touch of orange juice, which lends a bright flavor—they taste like carrot cake that’s on vacation in the sun. You can watch how I make them in this reel.

The muffins are so moist and tender that they need nothing, although a smear of butter (and perhaps a sprinkle of flaky sea salt) never hurts. Simply peel back the paper liner, like you’re unwrapping a gift to yourself. Each bite presents something slightly different—a raisin here, a hint of spice there, a pop of orange zest there—and in a perfect world, I like to eat them slowly and intentionally. But in reality, I often pop them back as I’m running out the door, and my kids devour them with their weekday breakfasts (we’ve been keeping a stash in the freezer). There is no wrong way to enjoy these tasty muffins.

Ingredient Notes

For a full list of ingredients and amounts, please see the printable recipe card below.

Dry Ingredients

almond flour & coconut flour: I've created this recipe to be grain-free and gluten-free by using a blend of almond and coconut flour (instead of all-purpose flour). I don't recommend making any substitutions, as this specific flour mixture was carefully tested with the wet ingredients for the best results.
shredded unsweetened coconut
baking soda
cinnamon
ground ginger
fine sea salt

Wet Ingredients

large eggs
grated carrots: I grated fresh carrots, but you can use pre-shredded carrots if desired.
grated apple
pure maple syrup
melted coconut oil: Or you can use neutral vegetable oil.
orange zest (optional for extra flavor)
orange juice
vanilla paste or vanilla extract
raisins: You can use red or golden raisins, whichever you prefer.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Whisk the dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, shredded unsweetened coconut, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.

Whisk the wet ingredients and combine

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Stir in the grated carrots, grated apple, maple syrup, coconut oil, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in the raisins.

Bake

Divide the muffin batter among the lined muffin cups (an ice cream scoop works great for this!). Bake in the preheated oven until the muffins are golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.

Cool the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Recipe Tips

Use a box grater to grate the carrots and apple. There's no need to peel them.
You can omit the orange zest if you’d like (although I recommend it), and you can swap out the orange juice for clementine, mandarin orange, or even pineapple juice.
I always recommend using an inexpensive kitchen scale when baking with gluten-free flours, as it’s much more accurate and easier as well.
Light-colored muffin tins are best, as dark tins can cause the sides of the muffins to brown too quickly (but if you only have a dark muffin tin, don’t stress; just check the muffins a couple of minutes early).
An ice cream scoop with a lever makes it really easy to scoop the batter into the muffin cups.
If you don’t have muffin liners, feel free to grease your muffin tin with a neutral cooking oil or cooking spray.
If you’d like to make mini muffins, spoon batter into your lined or greased mini muffin pan and bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes until the muffins are golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serving and Storage Tips

Serve these carrot muffins as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea or as a wholesome breakfast option. Eat by themselves or with a smear of butter and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Store the muffins in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature, or freeze them for up to 3 months.

a close up of carrot raisin muffins on a white plate

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I'd love to answer any of your questions and see what you're cooking!! Don't forget to give this recipe a star rating and leave a comment below. Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube & Pinterest, and be sure to tag @nickisizemore so that I can share your creations!

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