Gluten-Free Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins

These Gluten-Free Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins are so tender and flavorful! They’re the perfect healthy breakfast or snack to enjoy all year long. You’ll love these simple carrot muffins! Thanks to Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post.

So…things have changed a bit since I last posted a new recipe! First up – the good news: my first cookbook was released to the world! It’s been an exciting and weird time to have a book released, though. Mostly because…

We’re all locked indoors in the midst of a global pandemic. I never expected those words would be written on my food blog, but it’s become the reality for so, so many of us. Social distancing is the new norm. Non-essential businesses are shut down all over the world.

What else is there to do but BAKE? If you have the luxury of being able to stay home (thank you to the essential workers still going to work!) and have a few ingredients, there’s ample time to spend in the kitchen. It’s so fun to spend time in the kitchen with kids, too! Baking and cooking have been the best distraction lately, and the more treats around these days, the better.

Easter is coming up quick and I know so many of us will be missing the yearly annual Easter traditions of egg-hunting, feasts with family, and going to religious services (depending on your faith). While Easter 2020 may not look at the same as other years, the holiday provides extra incentive to celebrate and feel good. My favorite way to do that is with celebration food!

I asked what kind of “carrot cake” inspired treat I should make on my Instagram stories, and carrot cake muffins were the resounding winner. I’m all for muffins all the time, so…

Let’s make Carrot Cake Muffins!

First off – I am ALL about substitutes these days, because I know it’s hard for everyone to find all the things they need to bake with. I also know most of us aren’t going out to the grocery store to buy ingredients just for muffins, so I included lots of substitution recommendations in the Notes section of the recipe. 

To make these Carrot Cake Muffins, we start with the wet ingredients! We use unsweetened applesauce, coconut sugar, nut milk, nut butter, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Just whisk them all up until combined!

Then, you’ll stir in the oat flour, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and flax meal. I use oat flour and almond flour from Bob’s Red Mill – always my go-to flour brand for all gluten-free flours!!

How to make your own oat flour: If you don’t have access to oat flour right now, you can make it yourself by grinding oats in a blender or food processor until fine and floury!

If you don’t have one or the other of the flours, you can use all of one or the other, but I find the combo has the best texture and flavor here! You could also substitute all of the flour for a GF baking flour, like Bob’s Red Mills!

Finally, just stir in the shredded carrots and nut, if you’d like! If you’re a raisins-in-your-carrot-cake kind of person, you could stir in some of those here, too!

To glaze, I just drizzled on some melted coconut butter! If you want to make these a little more festive, add a vegan “cream cheese” frosting to turn them into cupcakes :D enjoy!

Loving these? Try these other Spring favorites!

• Lemon Blueberry Scones (Gluten-Free & Vegan)
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (Paleo, Gluten-Free & Vegan)
• Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Glaze (Gluten-Free)

Gluten-Free Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Rachel
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 12 muffins 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

These Gluten-Free Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins are so tender and flavorful! They’re the perfect healthy breakfast or snack to enjoy all Spring long.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• ⅓ (75g) cup unsweetened applesauce
• ⅓ cup coconut sugar
• ¾ cup (6 ounces) unsweetened almond milk or other dairy-free milk
• ¼ cup (64g) creamy almond butter or other nut or seed butter
• ¼ cup (50g) refined coconut oil melted
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (120g) gluten-free oat flour
• 1 cup (96g) blanched almond flour
• 2 tablespoons flax meal
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with liners or grease with coconut oil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine applesauce, coconut sugar, almond milk, nut butter, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
3. Add oat flour, almond flour, flax meal, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir until combined. Fold in the shredded carrots and nuts.
4. Divide between the 12 muffin tins. Garnish with a pecan, if desired. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until puffy and a toothpick comes out clean. The muffins should spring back when pressed lightly with a fingertip.
5. Once done, let cool completely on a wire rack. If desired, glaze the muffins with drizzled coconut butter.
6. Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to three days, or store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I like to freeze and heat a muffin in the microwave when I want it!

Notes

SUBSTITUTES

1. The applesaucecan be replaced with mashed banana or even pumpkin!
2. Any granulated sweetener can be used in place of the coconut sugar, but don’t use a liquid sweetener, like honey or maple syrup.
3. Any kind of neutrally flavored oil can work in place of the coconut oil, or even melted butter (vegan or regular).
4. You can use all of either type of flour if necessary, or replace with a GF AP Baking flour. If you can though, the recommended flours will make for the best texture.

• Category: muffins, breakfast

Keywords: gluten-free, vegan, carrot cake, carrot muffins