Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins made with carrots, apples, bananas and almond milk… they taste just like your favourite carrot cake recipe, but deliciously light and healthy!
As much as we all love a sweet treat, they taste even better when you know that you’re eating a HEALTHY sweet treat! Whether it’s a bliss ball, a healthy muffin (like these carrot ones!) or a healthy brownie, you really can enjoy these delicious treats completely guilt-free!
What You Need To Make Carrot Cake Muffins
*For ingredient quantities and the method, please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post
Eggs – use large eggs (around 55g-60g each).
Coconut Oil – this can be bought from any major supermarket. If you live in a cool climate, the coconut oil may solidify in the glass jar – simply melt it in the microwave before using.
Sweeteners – our healthy muffins are sweetened using a combination of honey (or substitute with rice malt syrup), mashed banana, grated apple and a small amount of brown sugar.
Dry ingredients – the base of our carrot cake muffins are made using plain flour (or substitute with 1/2 plain flour and 1/2 wholemeal flour), almond meal (ground almonds) and rolled oats. Bi-carbonate soda is the rising agent, while sea salt and cinnamon add additional flavour.
Almond milk – is a healthy low fat, high calcium plant milk made from almonds with a creamy, nutty flavour. You can buy almond milk from any supermarket or make your own.
Optional nuts – chopped walnuts or pecans can be sprinkled over the top of the muffins before baking for a nutty crunch!
Why You’re Going To Love This Healthy Muffin Recipe
This really is the perfect carrot cake muffin recipe! Here’s why you’re going to fall in love with them:
- made from healthy plant-based ingredients
- can be made using a mixing bowl and spoon or a Thermomix
- are lower in fat and sugar than other muffin recipes
- are great for kids and toddlers
- perfect for school lunch boxes (omit the nuts)
- the preparation involves just one bowl and 10 minutes!
How To Make Carrot Cake Muffins
*For the full method, please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You are going to LOVE how easy this recipe is… just 10 minutes prep time and only one bowl to wash up!
Step 1 – Whisk the eggs, coconut oil, mashed banana and honey together.
Step 2 – Add the apple, sugar, salt, bi-carb soda, cinnamon and almond milk and whisk.
Step 3 – Fold through the carrot, oats, almond meal and flour.
Step 4 – Divide the mixture amongst the prepared muffin tray holes and sprinkle over chopped nuts (optional). Bake.
Tips For Baking Perfect Muffins
- Storing – Carrot cake muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Alternatively, they can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost at room temperature before consuming.
- Use room temperature ingredients.
- Fold through the dry ingredients – don’t over-mix.
- Add rice to the bottom of the muffin tin holes (this stops the paper cases from getting greasy).
- Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the top of the muffins before baking for a beautiful crunch.
- Bake until lightly golden and the muffins spring back when touched
- Store the muffins at room temperature (not in the fridge – or they’ll dry out).
More Healthy Muffin Recipes
If you love our healthy carrot cake muffins, then you’re going to become obsessed with these simple and healthy muffin recipes too:
Healthy Food Swaps
Our carrot cake muffins are a super healthy alternative to a carrot cake. But if you’re looking for some more simple, everyday healthy food swaps, check out these easy ideas!
Click here to download your free 20 Healthy Food Swaps Printable!
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Carrot Cake Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup (55g) coconut oil or olive oil
- 1/3 cup banana ripe & mashed, approximately 1 banana
- 1/4 cup (85g) honey or rice malt syrup
- 1 apple grated
- 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp bi-carb soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (125g) almond milk unsweetened (I used VitaSoy)
- 1 cup (100g) grated carrot firmly packed
- 2/3 cup (60g) rolled oats
- 1/2 cup (50g) almond meal
- 1 cup (120g) plain flour or substitute for 1/2 cup plain flour and 1/2 cup wholemeal plain flour
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts pecans, walnuts etc, for sprinkling
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- Place the eggs, coconut oil, mashed banana and honey into a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the grated apple, brown sugar, salt, bi-carb soda, cinnamon and almond milk and whisk together.
- Very gently fold through the grated carrot, rolled oats, almond meal and flour.
- Divide the mixture amongst the prepared muffin tray holes (filling almost to the top).
- Sprinkle over the chopped nuts.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.
- The muffins are cooked when the muffins are lightly golden and spring back when touched.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in a container at room temperature for 3 days or freeze in sealable plastic bags (or wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil) for 3 months.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with liners and set aside.
- Place the carrot and apple into the Thermomix bowl and mix on Speed 10 for 5 seconds (or until finely grated). Set aside in a seperate bowl.
- Place the eggs, melted coconut oil, mashed banana and honey into the Thermomix bowl and mix on Speed 5, 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the brown sugar, sea salt, bi-carbonate soda, cinnamon and almond milk and mix on Speed 5, 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the reserved grated carrot and apple, rolled oats, almond meal and plain flour and mix on Reverse, Speed 5, 5 seconds. Scrape down the sides and repeat for a further 2-3 seconds.
- Divide the mixture amongst the prepared muffin tray holes (filling to the top). Sprinkle over the chopped nuts. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.
- The muffins are cooked when the muffins are lightly golden and spring back when touched. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in a container at room temperature for 3 days or freeze in sealable plastic bags (or wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil) for 3 months.
Hi. A great recipe! I used less honey and sugar even than the recipe and they were still lovely. Might do a nut free version too so that they’re suitable for school lunches. I put macadamia nuts and almonds on this batch though and they really made it!
Fantastic Kate!! I’m so glad you enjoyed them (and I love the changes you made too!). It’s a really versatile recipe so greta for modifying to suit your tastes! Thank you for your lovely feedback! xx
Hi
Can I please ask how much bi-carb is it. Teaspoon or tablespoon measurements.
Sorry! It’s 1 1/2 tsp! xx
Made these today (without nuts because my kids wouldn’t eat them) and they were delish!!
Yay!!! I’m so happy to hear that!! I’m down to my last one in the freezer so need to make another batch soon! xx
Eating one warm out of the oven as I just couldn’t resist!! Absolutely moist and delicious and so healthy too! I used raw sugar and rice malt syrup and it is not too sweet, though I will try reducing the sugar to 1/4 c next time. Thanks for this recipe that I will be making again and again:-)
Hi Dee, thank you so much for your wonderful feedback!! I’m so happy you enjoyed them xx
Absolutely delicious and so healthy! Have made a batch to go in the freezer for recess snacks.
Yay! Thank you! xx