Healthy Carrot Muffins
Healthy carrot muffins made with whole wheat flour, coconut oil and maple syrup! They taste amazing, too. These muffins make a great, quick breakfast!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
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My dog Cookie always comes running when I pull out the vegetable peeler. I swear, she can hear it slice through the air before it even touches a carrot. Then she starts jumping up and down for carrot scraps. She can be very demanding. I’ve created an entitled little carrot beast, and I’m not sorry in the slightest.
Cookie loved the development process for this carrot muffin recipe. It took me five tries to get them just right, so she got a lot of carrot scraps in the process. They’re based on one of my cookbook recipes (so good!!!).
These hearty muffins are packed with grated carrots, walnuts and raisins. They have lots of texture, yet they’re still light and fluffy.
Thanks to the nuts and whole grains, these muffins make a good grab-and-go breakfast! They also freeze and defrost well. I just microwave individual muffins for 30 to 60 seconds, until they’re gently warmed throughout.
Watch How to Make Carrot Muffins
What makes these carrot muffins healthy?
Granted, “healthy” is a subjective term, but here are a few reasons why I consider these muffins to be more nutritionally redeeming than most:
- Unlike standard carrot muffins made with refined all-purpose flour, these are made with white whole wheat flour. That means they’re made entirely with whole grains, but you can’t taste them because white whole wheat flour has such a mild flavor.
- Protein-rich Greek yogurt replaces sour cream.
- Coconut oil or olive oil replace butter (olive oil is composed of more monounsaturated fat, and is considered to be more heart-healthy)
- Real maple syrup replaces refined sugar, so these muffins are naturally sweetened.
- Combined, you end up with hearty muffins that taste like carrot cake. You can eat carrot cake for breakfast with these babies!
These muffins are easily adapted to vegan and gluten-free diets, too! See my recipe notes for details.
Please let me know how these muffins turn out for you in the comments! I’m always so eager for your feedback.
Craving more wholesome muffins? Here are a few more favorite muffin recipes on Cookie and Kate:
- Healthy Apple Muffins
- Healthy Banana Muffins
- Healthy Blueberry Muffins
- Healthy Raspberry Muffins
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
- Healthy Zucchini Muffins
If you’re baking for a special occasion, you’ll love my carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (it’s also naturally sweetened and made with whole wheat flour).
Healthy Carrot Muffins
Healthy carrot muffins made with whole wheat flour, coconut oil and maple syrup! They taste fantastic, too, of course. These muffins make a great, quick breakfast! Recipe yields 12 muffins.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups peeled and grated carrots* (from ¾ pound carrots—about 3 large or up to 6 small/medium)
- ½ cup roughly chopped walnuts
- ½ cup raisins (I like golden raisins), tossed in 1 teaspoon flour
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil**
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt***
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (also called raw sugar), for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If necessary, grease all 12 cups on your muffin tin with butter or non-stick cooking spray (my pan is non-stick and doesn’t require any grease).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Blend well with a whisk. In a separate, small bowl, toss the raisins with 1 teaspoon flour so they don’t stick together. Add the grated carrots, chopped walnuts and floured raisins to the other ingredients and stir to combine.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil and maple syrup and beat together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then add the yogurt and vanilla and mix well. (If the coconut oil solidifies in contact with cold ingredients, gently warm the mixture in the microwave in 30 second bursts.)
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok). Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with turbinado sugar. Bake muffins for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
- Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. If you have leftover muffins, store them, covered, at room temperature for two days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze leftover muffins for up to 3 months.
Notes
*Carrot grating tips: You can grate the carrots by hand, or for an easier option, use the grating attachment on your food processor.
**A note on oils: I love coconut oil here. I used unrefined coconut oil and can hardly taste it in the final product. Olive oil will lend an herbal note to the muffins, if you’re into that. Vegetable oil has a neutral flavor, but the average vegetable/canola oil is highly processed, so I recommend using cold-pressed sunflower oil or grapeseed oil if possible.
***Note on Greek yogurt: I’ve used a variety of fat percentages and the muffins have always turned out well. Higher fat yogurt will yield a somewhat more rich muffin. You can also substitute plain (not Greek) yogurt, but your muffins might not rise quite as high.
Make it vegan: You can replace the eggs with flax “eggs.” Replace the yogurt with a smaller amount of vegan buttermilk—just mix ⅔ cup non-dairy milk with 2 teaspoons vinegar. Let it rest for 5 minutes before adding it to the other liquid ingredients. Or, use 1 cup vegan yogurt.
Make it dairy free: See buttermilk option above.
Make it egg free: Substitute flax eggs for the regular eggs.
Make it gluten free: Substitute an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend for the whole wheat flour. Bob’s Red Mill makes a GF blend that works well.
Make it nut free: Skip the walnuts!
Make it lower in fat: I would argue that this bread contains a healthy amount of fat, but you can replace the oil with applesauce if you’re following a low-fat diet.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I just made this recipe. The muffins are very delicious. I modified it by using only half of the maple syrup quantity.
Thank you, Emily!
I substituted honey for maple syrup and used extra-virgin olive olive and whole wheat flour. Baked at 325 for 30 minutes (25 minutes for minis) and they turned out great!
Thank you, Lauren! Glad to hear it!
This is a very yummy, carrot muffin recipe! I left out the raisins and used organic coconut oil. Very healthy! Thanks Kate & Cookie!
Thank you, Tiff! :)
These muffins were so delicious! They truly taste like carrot cake! I used whole wheat flour and omitted the walnuts. So flavorful. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
Yay, thanks Brigitte! I’m glad you enjoyed them. :)
Hello! We have friends (a family of 5) staying with us this week, and I made two batches of these to have for breakfast tomorrow morning. I used honey and baked them for about 25 minutes on 325, like you suggested, and they turned out great! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Thank you, Julie! I hope you all are having a great time together.
Very glad to have found your blog. Trying to feed a bub with no sugar is hard. This will help so much
I’m glad you found it, too! Hope you love the muffins.
Made these a couple of weeks back and absolutely loved them! So tasty and so healthy I didn’t have to feel guilty for having them throughout the day as a keep-me-going snack. One quick question: would the same recipe work as a full carrot cake or only for muffins?
Hi Steph! I have a carrot cake recipe in my cookbook (coming next spring) that is based on this recipe, so yes, it can be done! Bake in a greased 9″ square baker at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until the center of the cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 26 to 28 minutes. I have best results with whole wheat pastry flour for the cake.
Hello Kate,
I’ve just ran into your recepie. It looks exactly what I want but for the yogurt. I’m lactose intolerant so I can’t use any milk product. What could be done with that? Is it possible to take it out or substitute it with something else?
Thank you in advance for your reply,
Nahed
Hi Nahed! I’m sorry, I need to add a note to the recipe about that. Replace the yogurt with a smaller amount of vegan buttermilk—just mix ⅔ cup non-dairy milk with 2 teaspoons vinegar. Let it rest for 5 minutes before adding it to the other liquid ingredients.
Nutrition Facts -12 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 225.0
Total Fat 9.8 g
Saturated Fat 5.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.8 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 242.7 mg
Potassium 163.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 31.4 g
Dietary Fiber 3.3 g
Sugars 14.5 g
Protein 6.0 g
Is this with whole wheat flour?
Just made these as mini muffins. Not a fan of the recipe. The muffins were still very wet after I pulled them out at 10 minutes. Left them in longer to bake and I don’t know how this is even possible, the bottoms got burned but the insides were still wet! Was planning to try the apple muffin and zucchini bread recipes too but after this afternoon’s disaster, I think I’ll look elsewhere for recipes.
Hi Stephanie, I’m bummed the carrot muffins didn’t work out great for you. I’ve never tried them in a mini muffin pan.
These are incredible! ! So yum! I used mixed seeds as I didn’t have walnut. Seriously so good! Very moist :)
Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Hi Kate! This recipe is delicious, especially with zucchini from my garden in place of the carrots! I would love to incorporate some oat flour into this recipe, the more the better (though I’m fine still using some WW flour). Suggestions on ratios? Thank you!!
Kate, these muffins (particularly the amount of coconut oil in them) are clearing some issues I’ve had since postpartum. I’m going to post about them in a forum for other sufferees*. Seriously, that helpful lol. Will be buying your book. Thanks!
I made these muffins yesterday from carrots from my CSA. I used white whole wheat flour. I didn’t have enough yogurt so I used an 8 oz container of sour cream instead. The muffins are delicious. The recipe makes enough for 12 very nice sized muffins. They are moist with just enough sweetness from the raisins and honey and crunch from the nuts. Loved it and will make them again. I’ll actually make sure I have yogurt the next time!
Thanks for another
I am not a baker but I made this recipe and they came out perfectly first time. Super tasty, moist and lasted well for days. Thanks for a great muffin recipe – tastes so good you’d never know they weren’t naughty!
I made a double batch. They were very moist and delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
Hello from Australia…i tried this recipe with honey using the adjusted temp and time and it was delicious. I added a little more coconut oil and a tablespoon more of the yoghurt as my mixture looked a bit dry. Thank you for recipe and tip
I’ve made your Healthy Banana Bread over 50 times and love it! Now I’m looking for my go-to healthy carrot cake recipe and can wait to try this one! Do you think it would work as a loaf cake? Any adjustments you recommend?
Absolutamente deliciosos!!! Gracias por compartir tu receta
The texture of these muffins was excellent, but they taste like wheat and nothing else. I couldn’t taste the carrots, the spices, or the sugar. Very bland. Smearing them with cinnamon sugar butter makes them much better, but I prefer to be able to eat my muffins as-is.
I used whole wheat flour, which the recipe allows, and honey instead of maple syrup. I didn’t have any problems with the honey at the original temperature and baking times. I do bake a lot of muffins, but I haven’t much experience at tweaking recipes, so I’m not sure what to recommend to help. More sweetener, for sure. Maybe more spices? Maybe go with half all-purpose flour so the wheat flavor is more subtle? If anyone else had this problem, I would appreciate any suggestions for fixes. I’ve still got carrots that need using up.
Hi, i actually had the same issue!
i thought these were a bit on the bland side and needed more sweetness. i did really like the texture. i also used whole wheat flour but i used maple syrup instead of honey.
i think for my next round, i would increase the maple syrup and maybe add in some apple sauce or a banana?
and now that you mention the cinnamon, i think i would increase the cinnamon a bit more.
Just made these as mini muffins for my lil mini muffins and they are fantastic! I was out of carrots (?!) but used sweet potato instead and they turned out great. Very moist and yummy, not too sweet. Thanks for the recipe, it’s a keeper!
my first time making muffins and these came out great!
i really liked the texture of these. the walnuts adds a nice crunch and the raisins were pops of sweetness.
i would note that these are healthy carrot muffins. my husband tried them and was disappointed as he didn’t find them sweet at all. I had to remind him that these were muffins on the healthy side, not cupcakes.
with that said, i do agree that it could be a tad more sweet.
i think if i were to try to make this again, i would maybe add in a mashed banana or some apple sauce or more maple syrup to the mix? just to give it a tad more sweetness. i’m not one to have a major sweet tooth but i did agree that these were on the bland side.
i would also increase the sprinkling of the raw sugar on top.
other than that, i thought the texture was perfect. my first time making muffins and they came out looking very legit!
The muffins were a huge hit. The kids and the adults loved them. They were very moist and not overly sweet.
I did had to keep them in the oven around 20min though as they were rather big and the bottom part was very wobly after 13min
I really enjoyed these! I’ve been looking for a way to use up leftover carrot pulp from my juicer. I used the carrot pulp in place of the shredded carrots and added 1/3c applesauce to make up for the lost moisture in the pulp. I cut back on the maple a little (1/3c) figuring the applesauce would add sweetness. I loved the turbinado on top. Thanks!!
These are amazing, Kate! The texture of the batter is sooo silky & the finished product…golden coloured, fluffy, moist & delicious. Not too sweet! I’ll be baking these again soon
This was an amazing recipe. I made it for my 11 month old and he devoured it and it was loved by the entire house hold. I didn’t use nuts and because I ran out of whole wheat flour I used 1/4 cup of plain flour. Overall an amazing recipe and one we will be using often.
These were quite tasty considering how healthy they are. I used 3/4 whole wheat flour and 1/4 white flour. After the first time I made them, I wanted it a little sweeter, so I added apple sauce to the next batch. It added just the right touch of sweetness and worked really well.
Just finished making these with the help of my three year old aspiring chef, Micah. We omitted the raisins simply to avoid going out in the rain to buy them and did not use the sugar on top. Didn’t need it! They’re delicious – I feel like they are perfectly moist and not too sweet. When Micah tried one he said, “Mmm yummy!” And this is coming from a kid who adores my admittedly very sweet carrot cake. Thanks for helping us eat healthier!
I just made these…so delicious . They are moist. Instead of the raisins I used dried cranberries.
This recipe was awesome, it turned out perfect these will be great breakfast muffins for my family:) Thank you so much!
I am going to make this recipe as shown. My husband is type 2 diabetic. Do you have the grams of sugar and carbs per muffin if made exactly as shown?
I make these muffins a lot and they are really great. There are a lot of blogs out there with beautiful pictures and delicious sounding recipes that just don’t work. This one DOES WORK. Try it, you won’t be disappointed
Such a nice endorsement, Julie! Thanks for the comment.
Just stumbled upon your site looking for some healthy muffins. I made these and they’re fantastic! I will admit to adding some naughty cream cheese icing though. Cookie sounds like my kind of puppy! Can’t wait to see more recipes :)
Oh, I’m so glad these worked well for you! And I won’t spill your secrets, no worries ;) Happy to have you here.
I made these today and they are fantastic! Such a lovely, natural taste. Since finding your website and using your recipes I’m really starting to enjoy cooking and eating meals that I have taken the time to prepare myself. Thank you so much :)
Such a fabulous compliment, Jen! I’m so glad you’re finding joy in cooking for yourself. It’s a welcome change, for sure :)
Hi!
Thank you for this recipe it worked out great. I made these today and substituted the maple syrup for organic set honey and used just under 1/4 cup as I don’t like things too sweet. I melted the honey together with the coconut oil (because it was set). I also added some chia seeds to the batter. With the subs/adds the muffins turned out great; really very tasty and the texture was perfect. I didn’t find they cooked any differently to your original recipe. Hope this can help any others looking for a maple syrup sub! Thanks again for a yummy muffin!
Yes, I’m sure this will be helpful for others, Alexa. I’m glad your version came out great!
Hi, do you think I could use honey instead of maple syrup?
Yes, I think so!
These turned out amazing. I used sour cream instead of yoghurt, as it’s what I had. Delicious! Kids loved them.
Happy your version worked, Kim!
Omg!! Ive just come across your website (I’m from Australia) and I’m absolutely loving it. These carrot muffins are delicious!
So happy to have you here, Jaclyn! Welcome.
These muffins are so yummy and healthy! Perfect for a breakfast on the go, or an afternoon treat. I added some shredded coconut, and orange zest for a little extra zing. Mmm! I’ve already tried your spectacular banana bread, and I can’t wait to try both the apple and the pumpkin muffins. Love your recipes, thanks!
You’re welcome, Karen! The coconut sounds awesome with this.
Yum, kate! These are our breakfast this morning and they are delicious. We doubled the recipe right off the bat because your recipes are so good, we always want more. Thanks!
Ps-we made them dairy free using cashew milk instead of yogurt and they’re still very good.
So sweet, Lisa!! Happy you loved them :)
I love this recipe! It’s easy to make, delicious, and the perfect thing to grab on my way out the door. The nuts are very good, but every so often I’ll slip some dark chocolate in the batter too. It’s so yummy!
I’ve made this recipe 5-6 times and I’m always so satisfied with how they turn out. I only put 1/4 cup of maple syrup and still they’re delicious. The texture is perfect and the flavours blend nicely together. My boyfriend always screams “yay” when I say that I’ll make some. It’s my go-to muffin recipe!
YUM! I made these muffins today and they turned out exactly as pictured and were delicious! A very well-written and easy to follow recipe – thank you! And my dog enjoyed eating the leftover bits of carrot too (and licking the leftover Greek yogurt from the container!)
Haha! So glad the two of you enjoyed it :)
I substituted puréed pumkin for the sour cream in the healthy carrot muffins and it worked very well! The muffins turned out amazing,
I will definitely make them again.
Julie
Interesting variation, Julie! Sounds rich and delicious.
These were phenomenal! Best carrot muffins I’ve ever had.
:) Great to hear this, Melissa!
Will make again, but I found they needed a lot longer than 13 minutes to bake (even in my convection oven). I really like the ingredients though, low sugar,
Yes, these ones might take longer as heat settings vary so greatly. I’m happy they came out well.
These were delicious! A friend was talking about carrot cake and I got a craving, and these were just the right fix!
I made quite a few alterations, just because I had different ingredients in hand. I used regular AP flour, half maple syrup/ half honey, regular vegetable oil, and vanilla Greek yogurt. I didn’t have all the spices, so I just used cinnamon.
They were absolutely great, and I will be making them again! My one year old son scarfed his right down!
I’m so glad this worked with what you had on hand, Amanda! Sounds delicious.
Hi Kate,
This muffins came out great! Made them for my middle schooler for breakfast and he loved them. Even though, they are made of whole wheat flour, they actually taste very good not dry or crumble. Its not sweet which we all prefer. Actually, with the batter, I was able to make 12 big and 12 small muffins. Will make it again!!!! I always love your recipes. Thanks for it.
Wow, that’s a lot of muffins! You’ll be set for a while. :) So happy you love them, Richa!
Very nice is used with agave and spelt flour and still came out lovely. Whole family enjoyed
Great! Good to hear it.
Thanks for the recipe! I used craisins instead of raisins (it was all I had around); turned out great! I will try adding some orange zest with the craisins next time.
The orange zest gives it a really nice zing. :) Happy you loved it!