These Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins are soft, fluffy, and packed with nutritious ingredients. This recipe features almond and coconut flour, fresh carrots, and pecans spiced with warm cinnamon and maple syrup.
Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins are perfect for Easter brunch, a quick breakfast, or a healthy on-the-go snack! If you love muffin recipes, try these ones too: Breakfast egg muffins, Cranberry Muffins and Blender Banana Oatmeal Muffins. You should try them too!
My favorite thing about these gluten-free carrot muffins is that they have a hearty texture, but they’re so light and fluffy. I even like to make a double batch and freeze half, so I have a quick and satisfying breakfast or snack any time.
How To Make Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins
Ingredients
- Flour — To make these muffins gluten-free, I use a blend of almond flour and coconut flour.
- Baking soda and salt— You’ll need baking soda to achieve a fluffy texture and salt to balance the flavors.
- Cinnamon — Feel free to adjust the amount of ground cinnamon to your liking.
- Eggs — I always bring the eggs to room temperature, so they incorporate better.
- Butter — Melted, so it’s easier to mix into the batter.
- Maple syrup — You can use maple syrup or honey to sweeten the muffins.
- Vanilla — A splash of vanilla extract adds a nice warmth.
- Carrot — For the best flavor, I recommend using freshly grated carrots. You can also use pre-shredded carrots to save time if you prefer.
- Pecans — Top with chopped pecans for extra flavor and texture.
Instructions
- Before you begin, preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Grease a muffin tin with cooking spray, or add 10 muffin liners, and set aside.
Mix the batter:
- In a large bowl, add the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to combine, then set it aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a fork. Then, add the melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla, and mix well to combine.
- Now, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until they’re just combined. Then, gently fold in the grated carrots.
Fill the muffin tin and bake:
- Pour the batter evenly among the muffin pan, filling them about ¾ of the way. Then, add the chopped pecans on top of each muffin cup.
- Bake the muffins for 17-20 minutes. Then, insert a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, they are ready.
Cool and enjoy:
- Allow the gluten-free carrot muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy with breakfast or as a healthy grab-and-go snack!
Expert Tips
- I suggest making sure your baking soda is fresh, as expired baking soda will affect the rise and taste of the carrot muffins.
- If you prefer not to use paper liners, be sure to grease your muffin tin well.
- Avoid over-mixing the muffin batter as it’ll lead to dense and dry muffins.
- To get the best flour measurement, I recommend the “spoon and level” method. Using a spoon, fluff and scoop the flour into your measuring cup. Then, level the top with the back of a butter knife. Scooping directly from your flour container can pack the flour down and result in dry muffins.
How To Store Leftovers
- To Store: Gluten-free carrot muffins will keep in the fridge for up to a week, or on the counter for up to 3 days. I recommend a good airtight container to keep them as fresh as possible.
- To Freeze: This is also a great freezer-friendly recipe that you can freeze for up to 3 months. To save space, I typically store them in a freezer-safe bag or silicon bag.
What to Serve with Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins
- Breakfast favorites: I enjoy eating muffins for breakfast. My family also likes spinach and mushroom frittata, crispy bacon, fruit salad, and hard-boiled eggs.
Recipe Variations
- Dairy-free: If you need a dairy-free recipe, simply replace the melted butter with melted coconut oil. You can also use vegan butter if you prefer.
- Nut-free: You can use seeds or nut-free streusel instead of pecans on these muffins. This will give them a crunchy topping that is safe for people with allergies.
Recommended Tools
- Muffin tin: I use a standard 12-cup muffin tin. You could also make mini or jumbo muffins, but remember to adjust the baking time accordingly.
- Mixing bowls: You’ll need one bowl to mix the dry ingredients and another bowl for the wet ingredients.
- Carrot grater: To shred the carrots, I prefer to use a food processor with the grater attachment. You can also use a hand grater or buy pre-shredded carrots.
Frequently Asked Questions
You certainly can! Bake them up to a week in advance and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them. You can also bake and freeze the muffins for up to 3 months, thaw them in the fridge overnight, and they’re ready to go.
Yes! You can be creative with this recipe by adding things like dried fruits, chocolate chips, or nuts and seeds.
Gluten-free Carrot Muffins
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Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups almond flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a muffin tin with cooking spray. Add 10 muffin liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Set aside.
- In another bowl, beat the eggs with a fork. Then, add melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix well to combine.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined, then gently fold in the grated carrots.
- Pour the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling them 3/4 of the way. Then, add chopped pecans on top.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips
- Make sure the baking soda is fresh. Expired baking soda will affect the rise and taste of the carrot muffins.
- Avoid over-mixing the muffin batter as it’ll lead to dense and dry muffins.
- If you prefer not to use paper liners, grease your muffin tin well.
- To best measure the flour, fluff and spoon it into your measuring cup. Then, level the top off with the back of a butter knife.
- To store: Store the carrot muffins in the fridge for up to a week or on the counter for 3 days. Make sure they’re in an airtight container.
- To freeze: You can freeze the gluten-free carrot muffins for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Ashley@CookNourishBliss says
I LOVE carrot in baked goodies! These muffins sound perfect!
elisa says
those oats are NOT gluten free 🙂
I have to get my oats from certified gf oat producer otherwise they have both wheat and gluten in them, a danger to the allergic and for celiacs patients 🙂
Olivia says
Thanks for letting me know. I will adjust the recipe to clear further confusion. Thanks for pointing it out!
Maree Fagan says
I love these muffins , all the ingredients that i love and nice and chunky and filling .
Olivia says
Awesome. happy to know you enjoyed it 😉
Kathy says
I’ve noticed that you didn’t add xanthan gum to your GF muffin recipe. What holds them from being all crumbs.
Olivia says
Rice and oat flours hold the muffins together. There is no need to use xanthin gum if you don’t want.
puja bajaj says
hello can i substitute monk fruit for brown sugar
will it taste the same
Olivia says
Yes you can.