These healthy carrot cake muffins topped with a simple cream cheese frosting are moist, fluffy, and taste like a full-on treat—without refined sugar. They’re made with feel-good ingredients, like honey and rolled oats, plus cinnamon, ginger, and raisins for the best carrot cake flavor.
Healthy carrot cake muffins
Guys, I love carrot cake. I make it every year for Easter, alongside a few other Easter dessert regulars (like these lemon squares, and these butterscotch marshmallow squares). So when I tell you that these healthy muffins taste like a slice of carrot cake (without loads of sugar), know that I’ve eaten a lot of carrot cake and I’ve got your back. ♡
Besides a delicious carrot cake flavor, these muffins are moist (as all good carrot cakes should be) while having a light and fluffy texture.
What makes these carrot cake muffins healthy?
- In place of refined sugar, I use liquid honey (pure maple syrup also works) and I don’t miss the added sugar one bit. Honey and the natural sweetness of the grated carrot provide the muffins with all the sweetness they need.
- I use a mixture of all-purpose flour and large rolled oats (quick oats work too) for a healthier dry mix. To make these carrot cake muffins even healthier, swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free mix or make your own using equal parts coconut and almond flour as a replacement (i.e. 1/2 cup coconut flour & 1/2 cup almond flour to replace the 1 cup of flour).
- This recipe calls for vegetable oil, but I also make it with avocado oil and coconut oil for a healthy swap. Note, that if you’re using unrefined (virgin) coconut oil, the muffins will have a coconut flavor. Use refined coconut oil or avocado oil for a flavorless oil substitute.
Carrot cake muffin ingredients
- Carrots (finely grated)
- Eggs (always large)
- Vegetable oil (coconut oil or avocado oil)*
- Milk (or plain greek yogurt)
- Liquid honey (or pure maple syrup) — try to use all-natural, unpasteurized honey for extra health benefits.
- All-purpose flour (or a gluten-free flour mix or a combo of coconut flour and almond flour)*
- Large rolled oats (quick oats work too)
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Raisins (omit if you’re not a raisin fan or swap for chopped pecans or walnuts)
Healthy cream cheese frosting ingredients
- Cream cheese (softened)
- Honey (or pure maple syrup)
- Vanilla extract
*My go-to healthy oils are Nutiva Virgin coconut oil and Chosen Foods avocado oil.
*For healthy flours, I like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, Bobs Red Mill Organic Coconut Flour, and Bob’s Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour
How to make healthy carrot cake muffins
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1 – Add flour, oats, raisins, cinnamon, ground ginger, baking soda, and baking powder to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
2 – In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, then whisk in honey, oil, milk (or yogurt), and carrots. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir with a wooden spoon until well-combined. Don’t overmix.
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3 – Divide the batter equally between 12 greased (or lined) muffin cups.
4 – Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
How to make healthy cream cheese frosting
This cream cheese frosting is everything, and yes, I do occasionally eat it by the spoonful when no one is looking and feel ZERO guilt. Because. Cream cheese. Honey. Vanilla. There’s no butter or icing sugar to be found (not that there isn’t a place in my dessert-loving heart for them, just not in this recipe). So slather on the frosting with gusto!
1 – In a mixing bowl, add half a block of softened cream cheese, 2 tbsp of honey (or maple syrup), and 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract.
2 – Use a whisk or an electric beater to combine until smooth, fluffy, and delicious. ♡
Tips for making the best carrot cake muffins
- Use plump, juicy raisins, or pre-soak your raisins if they are quite dry. I like golden raisins or sultana.
- Don’t over-mix the batter, which will result in a tougher texture.
- Don’t use pre-grated carrots. They are too dried out, and the batter needs the moisture from freshly grated carrots.
- A slightly overflowing 1/4 cup scoop works perfectly for filling up the muffins cups, instead of using a spoon.
More healthy muffins you’ll love
- HEALTHY DATE CARROT MUFFINS
- OATMEAL BANANA MUFFINS WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS
- GLUTEN-FREE BANANA MUFFINS WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS
- HEALTHY DATE BREAKFAST COOKIES
If you give these healthy carrot cake muffins a try, let me know in the comments below. I love to hear from you!
xo Bri
Looking for Easter recipes? Check out some of our favs!
Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins
Ingredients
Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins
- 2 cups grated carrot finely grated
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil healthy sub: coconut oil or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup milk sub: plain greek yogurt, or oat milk or almond milk
- 1/2 cup liquid honey sub: pure maple syrup
- 1 cup all-purpose flour healthy sub: gluten-free flour blend, or swap for 1/2 cup coconut flour and 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 cup large rolled oats or quick oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 cup plump raisins
Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting
- 125 grams cream cheese – half a 250g block – softened at room temperature
- 2 tbsp liquid honey or pure maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins or use parchment liners. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and raisins.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, then whisk in oil, milk, honey, and grated carrot until well-combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet and stir until well-combined. Don't over mix!
- Divide the batter between 12 muffin cups.
- Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool and serve with a generous dollop of cream cheese frosting.
Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a small mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, honey, and vanilla with a whisk or an electric beater until smooth and fluffy (1-2 minutes).
Notes
Did you make this recipe? Tag @mondaysundaykitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #mondaysundaykitchen!
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