Carrot cake muffins are a wonderful twist on the classic carrot cake, offering all the delicious flavors in a portable, easy-to-eat form. These muffins are soft, moist, and spiced to perfection, with just the right amount of sweetness. Packed with grated carrots, a hint of cinnamon, and a touch of nutmeg, they make for a satisfying breakfast, snack, or dessert. For an extra indulgent touch, top them with cream cheese frosting or enjoy them as they are for a lighter treat.
To start, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners. This will help ensure your Carrot cake muffins come out easily and have that perfect muffin shape.
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. These spices will give your muffins that warm, comforting flavor that pairs perfectly with the carrots.
In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients: eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. The sugars provide moisture and sweetness, while the oil keeps the muffins tender. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to bring a touch of warmth and depth to the flavor. Once combined, fold in the grated carrots. Grating the carrots finely ensures they incorporate well into the batter and keep the muffins moist.
Next, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing gently until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to dense muffins. If desired, stir in a handful of chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans, or even some raisins or coconut flakes for added texture and flavor.
Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin liners, filling each about two-thirds full. This will allow the muffins to rise beautifully while baking. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake, as the muffins should stay moist and tender inside.
Once the muffins are done, let them cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. While they’re cooling, you can prepare a simple cream cheese frosting to top them. To make the frosting, beat together softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Once the muffins have cooled, pipe or spread the frosting onto the tops of each muffin for an extra decadent touch.
Carrot cake muffins are perfect for any occasion, from brunch to dessert. They combine the best of carrot cake in a convenient, bite-sized form, and their moist texture and flavorful spices will leave you craving more.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar can use brown sugar for deeper flavor
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil can substitute with melted coconut oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 cups grated carrots freshly grated
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake tray with liners.
- In a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil together, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined.
- Fold in the grated carrots and walnuts, if using.
- Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full with the batter.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Nutrition
They didn’t rise much and were pretty flat. I’m not sure what went wrong. 😕
Had to substitute the walnuts with pecans. Still turned out great!
they came out weird. like too spongy or sth. not the texture I expected. 🙁
Not sure about the baking soda amount—mine had a weird bitter note. I wonder if my cinnamon was old? Idk. Carrots are a nice touch at least.
Made these last weekend—super moist and the cinnamon + carrot combo tastes way more “bakery” than I expected. I used brown sugar and it was perfect.
Horrible! They burned on the bottom. Not everyone has a fancy oven, you know!
I totally get your frustration! Not everyone has the same oven, and it can be tough to bake evenly without one. Did you use the middle rack? That can help!
Ugh, that sucks! Maybe next time try lowering the temp a bit? I mean, ovens can be tricky sometimes. Hope you try again!
5 stars! My kids loved these. They can’t even taste the veggies! Sneaky way to get them to eat healthy.
I don’t see how these can be healthy?? Carrots or not, it’s a muffin!
Cool recipe! I added raisins too, yum!
Raisins in carrot cake muffins? Sounds interesting! I might try that next time. 🍰
Carrot cake muffins are my weakness. I added extra walnuts and a tiny pinch more cinnamon. They smelled amazing while baking.
These muffins are delish! They remind me of my grandma’s cooking. Will make again!
Ok so… I forgot to sift the flour and it was still decent. I don’t bake often but this was easy and didn’t fail me.
Honestly that’s reassuring—carrot cake muffins are pretty forgiving. I’m glad they still turned out even without sifting the flour!
Not bad, but I think it needed more sugar. Also, I forgot the salt, oops!
More sugar? Nah, that sounds like way too much! It’s a carrot cake muffin, not a candy!
I don’t think sugar is the problem here! Maybe you just like it sweeter? Don’t forget the salt next time!
The instructions were confusing. How do you get the carrots so fine? 🤔
Good recipe, but I forgot to set a timer and they burnt. Oops! Next time! 😅
Carrot cake isn’t my fave but these muffins are pretty good. Good recipe
These muffins are the best! Super moist and just the right amount of sweetness. My kids loved them too!
I tried making these, but my batter was too thick? Did I miss something? Still turned out okay, but not what I expected.
Thick batter? Hmm, maybe try adding a bit of milk next time! Also, did you sift your flour? That can change things!😊
If the batter was too thick, maybe you added too much flour? It happens! Just make sure to measure properly next time. Glad they turned out okay!
I used too much oil. A disaster!
Too much oil? That’s why my muffins never rise! Is it really a disaster or just a little greasy? 🤔
Oh no! I’ve done that before too. Maybe try a bit less next time? The muffins can still turn out good though!
These muffins are the best! So fluffy and moist, my kids loved them!
Idk why people love carrot cake, but these muffins were surprisingly great!
Best carrot muffins! They taste like my grandma’s, thank you!
So happy to hear you loved them! Nothing beats grandma’s recipes!
I hate carrots. My kids loved these though! Sneaky veggies!
That’s great that your kids enjoyed them! Carrots can be sneaky for sure. I’ve heard of people hiding all kinds of veggies in sweets. 👏
Why would you add walnuts? They ruin the texture! Just stick with the muffins as is.
My friend made these and they were okay but could’ve used more spices.
I don’t understand why you put so much sugar, aren’t carrots sweet enough? Next time I’ll cut the sugar.
Carrot cake muffins are my weakness. The texture is tender and the cinnamon smells amazing. I skipped the salt once (oops) but still decent.
Why do you need to sift flour? Never sifted flour in my life and it turned out fine! I think that’s just fancy talk.
These muffins are fantastic! So moist and flavorful. I used brown sugar and they came out perfect!
I totally agree! Brown sugar gives them a special touch. Can’t wait to try it myself!
Carrots in a muffin? Who woulda thought? But wow, they actually taste good! I added raisins too.
Yummy!!! But why do you bake at 350 degrees? Isn’t that too hot? I bake my cookies at 300. 🤷♀️
Can someone tell me how to make these without eggs? I’m allergic and really want to try this!
Good overall, but missing something… Needed more spice or frosting, I guess. Just average.
I don’t get the hype. They were okay but kinda bland. Might try adding some vanilla next time.
Can I use almond flour instead? Trying to eat healthier.
Almond flour?? That’s not gonna be the same! Sticking to the recipe is better! You might regret it!
I think almond flour would work, but it might change the texture a bit. Just be careful with the moisture!
I don’t know…I made them and they came out kinda dry. Maybe I did something wrong?
Delicious! My kids loved them!
Too much work for a muffin. Just buy from a store.
Really tasty but I forgot the walnuts. Still turned out great!
I thought these would be way too sweet. Didn’t enjoy them at all.
I totally disagree! I thought they were just right! Maybe you added too much sugar? 🤔