Healthier Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe
These healthier carrot cake muffins are tender, moist and packed full of nutritious ingredients. Now you can feel good about eating cake for breakfast!
Servings: 18 muffins
Calories: 252kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 2/3 cup coconut oil measured solid then melted
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2 cups carrots (about 3-4 large carrots) finely shredded
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 cup coconut milk or coconut (or vanilla) flavored Greek yogurt
Optional Add-ins *
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin tins with 18 foil liners (do not use paper or silicone) or spray the wells with baking spray, set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the brown sugar, coconut oil, applesauce and vanilla extract until well combined. It's ok if the mixture gets slightly grainy, but it shouldn't be clumpy. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the shredded carrot, mixing until incorporated.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flours, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. With mixing speed on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the coconut milk or Greek yogurt, starting with the dry ingredients first. Mix until a thick batter forms, just until there are no flour pockets remaining. Be careful not to overmix.
- Using a large cookie (#20 or 3.5 tbsp.) scoop, place equal amounts of batter into each well. Place in the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes or until the tops are moist but firm. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- The add-ins are totally optional. You can add all, some or none!
Nutrition
Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 219mg | Potassium: 189mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 2419IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg