These simple Carrot Muffins use a blend of fresh carrots, raisins, and warming spices that are reminiscent of a fresh carrot cake. Serve these flavorful muffins for breakfast, dessert, or a hearty snack. Great to bring to a brunch or Easter holiday party!
These easy treats are like carrot cake but in muffin form!
Carrot Muffins are super easy to whip up, so you can enjoy them all week for breakfast, in lunchboxes, as a snack, or as dessert.
There’s something so appealing about carrot cake. The aroma, the taste, the texture... bliss.
Not only does it have great texture coming from freshly grated carrots and sweet raisins, but they also have a delightful warming flavor coming from a blend of spices like ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
These carrot muffins are just like carrot cake in muffin form.
They have the same flavors and are served in an individual-sized portion that makes them perfect to eat at any time of the day. They are both light and satisfying at the same time!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Carrot Muffins can be eaten for snacks, desserts, or breakfast.
They taste just like a bite-sized version of carrot cake.
Great for serving during the warmer months or a Spring or Easter Brunch.
They use fresh carrots for a healthy dose of vegetables.
Ingredients & Tools
- Grated Carrots - Give these muffins their classic carrot cake taste and texture.
- Eggs - Help bind and set the muffins while baking.
- Butter & Vegetable Oil - Adds richness and buttery flavor to the muffin batter.
- Vanilla Extract - Gives a hint of vanilla flavor throughout the muffin.
- All-Purpose Flour - Helps bind the ingredients of the batter and adds structure.
- Granulated Sugar - Gives the muffins a sweet flavor.
- Baking Powder - Helps the muffins to rise and become nice and fluffy.
- Spices - You’ll need a mix of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt to flavor the muffins.
- Raisins - Add a sweet pop of natural flavor throughout the muffins. Totally optional though if you don't like them!
Step By Step Tutorial
Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.
Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) Grease or line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Prepare the fresh carrots: Peel and grate the carrots, set them aside.
Mix wet ingredients: In a small mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, and butter together.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, spices, and salt together. Stir in the shredded carrots and raisins.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Make a well in the carrot mixture and pour in the wet mixture, then gently stir to combine.
Bake the carrot raisin muffins: Fill the muffin cups ¾ full and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until risen, golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Tips
When grating carrots, make sure you peel them first. The peels contain dirt and impurities which can make the carrot taste bitter, so it’s best to remove them!
Do not overfill the muffin tins as the batter will rise and could spill over. Fill them ¾ of the way full. This can be made easier by using an ice cream scoop so they are distributed evenly.
Let the muffins cool before serving as it gives the muffins time to sit at room temperature which will keep them from crumbling.
It’s best to use muffin liners in this recipe to make sure the muffins do not stick. If you don’t have muffin liners, grease the muffin tin very well and dust with flour before adding the batter.
Serving Suggestions
Top them with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting for a great carrot cake taste.
Serve for breakfast with a glass of Gingerbread Latte.
Serve at brunch with a hearty Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole.
Makes a colorful addition to a plate of Kale Green Muffins.
Variations
Replace all of the spices except ginger with Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice for warm balance of flavors.
Swap the spices for Speculoos (Biscoff flavor spice mix) or Chai Spice.
Add a half cup of chopped apples to the muffin batter for an apple carrot muffin.
Replace the raisins with dried cranberries, golden berries, or currants for a unique blend of dried fruits.
Add your favorite chopped nuts for a crunchy texture and a dose of healthy fats.
Storage
Storing: Leftover carrot cake muffins will keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
Freezing: The cooked and completely cooled carrot fruit muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag with excess air removed. Thaw completely on the countertop before serving.
FAQs
I would not in this recipe as most shredded carrots found at the store tend to be dried out and will make the texture of the muffins a little dry.
While I haven’t experimented with this, it’s perfectly possible to add the muffin batter into a greased loaf pan to bake at 350F for about an hour. If you try this, let me know in the comments!
Absolutely! If you don’t have carrots on hand, but you have zucchini instead, they can make an excellent replacement in these muffins.
More Recipes Using Carrots
Muffin Recipes
Check out the Veggie Desserts + Cakes cookbook on Amazon
📖 Recipe
Carrot Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups 200 g peeled and grated carrots
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup 80 ml vegetable oil
- ½ cup 115 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups 260 g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- ¾ cup 140 g granulated white sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) Grease or line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Peel and shred/grate the carrots, set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and butter together.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt together.
- Stir in the shredded carrots and raisins.
- Make a well in the carrot mixture and pour in the wet mixture, then gently stir to combine (don’t overmix or the muffins won’t be as light).
- Fill the muffin cups ¾ full and and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until risen, golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Ieva
Just lovely! I cooked these as a practice run, as I wanted to make some carrot muffins for an Easter breakfast treat and they turned out delicious! A great recipe!
Dannii
I love carrot cake, so I knew I would love these muffins. They were great for taking out on a picnic.
Tomma
This was so good! These muffins were totally irresistible!
Andrea
Carrot cake in muffin form?!! Yes, these are happening! What a great idea.
Kate
Ah carrot cake is my absolute favourite, and now I can have it for breakfast!! Gorgeous - moist and delicious. Thank you!