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
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 subbed in cranberries for the raisins, added 1/2 cup shredded coconut (for texture and moisture) and topped with pumpkin seeds as I had them on hand. These muffins were absolutely fantastic and some of the best I’ve had! Definitely recommend this recipe. So delicious.
Great to hear, Gwen! I appreciate your review.
They turned out perfect! Left out the walnuts and did a little less maple syrup and didn’t have ground ginger. Next time may try with some mashed banana? Great consistency! Will be making these again! Kids were obsessed
Love to hear that, Danielle!
The instructions say to add eggs but I can’t seem to locate eggs on the ingredient list to determine how many. Can you enlighten me or am I just missing it.
Hi! It is right below the syrup. I hope you enjoy them!
Love this recipe! I left out the walnuts and raisins because of not wanting to go to the grocery store, it was really cold and snowy that day in Canada.
Quick question, could I use a nut flour instead of the recommended white wheat flour? Would the measurements stay the same?
Hi! Unfortunately nut flour isn’t a great 1:1. You could try my Gluten-Free Banana Bread (Made with Almond Flour).
I was really hoping these would taste like carrot cake, but they just taste bland to me. I even added some brown sugar instead of only maple sugar. They’ll be okay breakfast muffins, but they’re definitely not a treat. Texture is good though.
I’m sorry you didn’t love these muffins, Laurel! I appreciate your review.
Oh
My
Gosh!
These are absolutely delicious!!
They are now a staple in my sons lunchbox. My first batch didn’t even make it to the freezer, they were all eaten in one day!
I’m so glad they were a hit, Tess! Thank you for your review.
Hi,
can I make this into a loaf/traybake?
You can try it. I would suggest starting at the same time, but it will likely need more time.
Made these with1/4 cup honey instead of maple syrup and reduced the raisins by half since I’m trying to reduce my sugar intake. I used rolled oats instead of walnuts and they were delicious :)
Hi Kate, Your recipes are always great and these look delicious! Just wondering if I could substitute Oat flour?
Thanks
Hi! Yes, see my How to Make Oat Flour for substitution suggestions.
So so good!! I’m so glad I tried this recipe. It’s easy and delicious! Thank you Kate for sharing your recipe! I will definitely be making these again. Yum!
That’s great to hear, Miranda!
I made a double batch. I substituted 1 cup of carrot for finely diced apple and I used a bakers dry fruit blend instead of golden raisins. These came out great. I really liked the spice blend. Will definitely make again.
Great to hear, Ryan! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it.
Bread came out moist and fluffy but it tastes as bland as cardboard. I’m really disappointed with this recipe. I should have made the not so healthy carrot muffins.
Any suggestions what I could do the rest of the loaf? Doubt my family will eat it.
I’m sorry to hear that. Were your spices fresh?
I’m not the cook in the family so I do not have a lot of experience baking. I made the Healthy Carrot Muffins and they turned out great. Very light and fluffy and delicious!
That’s great to hear, Fran! I appreciate your review.
I made these this morning and they are great. I didn’t have any white wheat flour, so used whole wheat. I used maple syrup and coconut oil and the flavor was so good.
I do not care for muffins that are too sweet, so these were a good balance.
That’s great to hear, Adelia!
Made these muffins yesterday and they were delicious!! I followed the recipe but left out the raisins and nuts and they turned out great!! Making them for Easter now for grand babies.
I’m excited you loved them! I hope your grandkids love them too.
The weight measurement for the carrots is incorrect. I followed this recipe using the weight measurement for the carrots and it was way too much! There was so much moisture as a result they didn’t cook – I ended up with a mushy mess. So disappointing
Hi Nicole, I’m sorry to hear that. I tested this several times. I will revisit.
The best muffins I ever made and tasted!!! I think is the yogurt that makes them so moist and soft. Crispy on top. Next time I will take them out sooner because around the muffins were caramelized. It gave it a caramelized flavor though! had left over dough for more!!!! Kate I have been following you for years before you put out your first cookbook. My best friend gifted to me and still continue to make your recipes. I am so glad to have stumbled on your page years ago. Much love and wishing you the most health and blessing to you and your family. Thank you, Alma
I’m glad you enjoyed them Alma! Thank you for your review.
These are delicious and so easy.
Great to hear you enjoy them, Kelly! Thank you for your review.
I just made these and they are really good. I had had a hard time finding a good carrot muffin recipe but this meets all my requirements.
I followed the recipe, using GF flour and maple syrup, no nuts.
Baked at 415 for 25 minutes and they were still a bit soggy inside but getting crisp on outside. Then I remembered this has happened before with these muffins! I lowered oven temp to 390 and kept them in another 12 minutes. They were perfect, just a tiny bit hard on the outside. In my experience it is best to bake at 390 for 30 minutes.
Yum! I made these fabulous muffins , I didnt have walnuts delicious anyway.
Thank you !
You’re welcome, Susana! I appreciate you sharing.
I’ve made these muffins countless times over the past few years and they are a hit with the family! I have some fussy little ones and these always vanish in their lunch boxes (and a number of your other recipes too!). We add extra ginger + cinnamon and they turn out great every time. Thanks for crafting such a beloved recipe :-)
I love to hear that, Nora! I appreciate your review.
Hello.
Do you think it would turn out ok if I replaced some of the shredded carrot with a shredded apple?
I would suggest my Healthy Apple Muffins Recipe
these did not turn out well, I’m very disappointed I was looking forward to these. I followed the recipe to a tee.
I’m sorry to hear that, Cee. I appreciate your review.
It’s a good base recipe, but I should have read the reviews first. The spices should be AT LEAST doubled. The muffins were pretty bland (my spices are just fine) and I had to make a lemon glaze to add flavor. Used our own fresh eggs and honey. I would also recommend baking at 425 for 5 minutes then dropping down to 350 for the remainder so that the muffins dome and aren’t too browned. Batter should be thick to get domed muffins with a nice rise.
This is simply the best muffin recipe I have ever found. The bar is so high that it joins only Deb Perelman’s Blue Sky Bran Muffins in the pantheon of make-it-forever muffin recipes in my household. Kathryn nails the aroma, flavor and texture trifecta, while somehow also keeping things wholesome and approachable. This muffin gets rave reviews every time I serve it to someone new. Have baked it a zillion times since 2016.
Worst muffins I’ve ever tried
I’m sorry to hear that, Kim. What didn’t you like about these muffins?
Hi Cookie & Kate!
I just thought you could add an additional modification to your recipe to make it dog friendly too:
If you swap the walnuts for pecans, and leave out the raisins, nutmeg and sugar on top, you can share these muffins with Cookie too!
Dr Karyn
Pretty good but really need some sort of fat. They came out a bit dry because of the lack of fat. I added frosting- not healthy but it made a world of difference!
Hi there. Can I replace maple syrup with monk fruit sugar?
Hi Samar, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
So delicious, filling and healthy for a quick snack or breakfast on the go
Third batch I’ve made in as many weeks.
I love to hear that, Lynne!
Enjoyed the recipe but I need to modify the temperature when I cook them going forward. They were too done on the outside but borderline underbaked and mushy on the inside. I’ll probably try 400F for longer or 375F next time to ensure the insides get cooked. Flavor is good though. Not very sweet.
These were so delicious! Thank you for the recipe! I made them as written except I made mini muffins (obviously I reduced the cooking time) and I amped up the ginger because I can’t get enough ginger lol. Yours is one of a select few blogs I rely on because the recipes are so carefully crafted. Yum breakfast!
You’re welcome, Cindy!
Can you use 12 Brian flour instead?
I’m not sure what that is so I can’t say for sure, sorry!
Oh jeez, sorry I should spell check before sending lol. I meant to say “12 grain” which I did end up using and they turned out fantastic!
Got it. I haven’t tried it and it may be a little heavier. I’m glad it still turned out!
Soo good for breakfast and my toddler liked it too.
I doubled the spice amount and baked these for a few minutes in 425, and then dropped the temperature to 375. I baked them in a mini muffin pan and it made about 30 mini muffins. I checked the muffins periodically with a toothpick and once it was dry I took them out right away.
Other modifications were that I used olive oil and used chakki atta flour.
I am in love with this recipe! My husband and I ate them every morning until they were gone! So good!
That’s great to hear, Jennifer!
Hi,
Your recipes are really good. Could you please share the measurements in grams as well instead of cups?
Hi I don’t have a muffin pan. Can I put this in a loaf tin by chance? Or just give it a go and see what happens
Thank you I love your recipes
I haven’t tried it, but if you do adjust the time. I’m not sure how long it would take.
I whipped up this recipe for breakfast this morning and I’m so grateful to you for sharing it! I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out SO YUMMY! Moist, delicious, perfectly cooked… the spice blend was perfect and flavorful (not bland at all), and the carrots, which I was worried wouldn’t have enough time to cook, were tender. I baked them at the suggested 425 for 15 minutes.
Hi Kate,
I haven’t made these yet, though I have made some of your other muffins. Generally it’s expensive to buy the ‘healthier’ ingredients, and, in Albania where I live and work during the school year, some of them are especially expensive or nonexistent. For those on a tight budget, just use good quality sunflower oil. That’s pretty much all they sell in Albania besides an abundance of olive oils. Also, I never use more than 1/4 cup oil in a muffin recipe. Otherwise they are too greasy for my taste. Someone looking for less fat might want to use one extra large egg instead of two and just sprinkle walnuts on top instead of mixing 1/2 cup in the batter.
These look great. Have you tried them with the vegan options? Do they yield a comparable result? Many thanks.
These are perfect breakfast muffins. They’re not too sweet and are great with a cup of coffee. Other than adding a bit more cinnamon and turbinado sugar, I followed the recipe exactly. They did take about 22 minutes at 425 degrees to bake through and my oven is pretty reliable in temperature as I monitor regularly. Thanks!
Great to hear, Louann!
Not much flavour, sorry to say.
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy these muffins. I appreciate your feedback.
I am always looking for ways to increase my daily protein intake, so I used oat powder. Added a scoop of unflavored protein powder and according to my calculations, this brought these muffins to 7-8 grams of protein each which would be equal to large egg whites, and they taste good!
I stumbled upon your muffin recipe when an intense craving hit, and I couldn’t resist trying it out. Unfortunately, I didn’t have maple syrup on hand, so I improvised with 1/3 cup of honey and approximately 25-30 small soaked dates, blended into a liquid consistency. The result was divine!
Baking at 190 degrees Celsius for about 20-25 minutes did the trick, and the aroma that filled my kitchen was irresistible. The muffins turned out delicious, with a lovely hint of cinnamon. While the ginger wasn’t as pronounced, I thoroughly enjoyed the subtle blend of flavors.
To those who might find them bland, I respectfully disagree—I think they’re missing out on a delightful treat! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe; it’s now a favourite in my German kitchen.
Greetings from Germany!
Truly a favorite of ours, especially my husband who loves carrot cake! Comes out perfectly every time and I use flax eggs and almond milk with vinegar as the yogurt substitute!
Thank you for sharing how you made these muffins, Deb.
Used a sugar-free maple flavoured syrup, and granulated stevia instead or raw sugar. These are amazing, males a perfect amount for a 12 pan muffin tray, moist and golden. Love!
I’m so disappointed. The muffins have almost no taste. Maybe they need more cinnamon.
I’m sorry to hear that, Jodi. I appreciate your feedback.
Loved them doubled the spices added walnuts raisins and some hemp seeds