Flourless Carrot Cake Muffins that are both healthy and indulgent! Subtly spiced and sweetened muffins are topped with a lightened-up cream cheese frosting in a delicious gluten-free treat that’s sure to please.
Frosting these flourless carrot cake muffins made me think of the cake tastings we did when we were looking for someone to make our wedding cake. Not sure why, but possibly because it was the last time I had anything with frosting on it.
In any case, it was a pretty bitter sweet memory because it was the last thing we were able to plan for our wedding, and that was almost 2 months ago. After that, lockdown went into place and planning became a lot more difficult, if not impossible.
Actually, even figuring out if we’ll still be able to have our wedding is kind of tricky. It’s not until September, but right now everything is at a standstill and we have no idea when this lockdown will be lifted.
That and we have a lot of people who’ll have to travel, and I’m not sure that anyone is going to be super eager to hop on an airplane after all the fear surrounding travel.
So that’s where we’re at right now – trying to stay positive but also exploring other options like just having a tiny ceremony and then a bigger reception some time in the future when things have settled. Who knows. Only time will tell.
But enough about that. Let’s talk flourless carrot cake muffins since I’m sure that’s why you’re all here.
How To Make Flourless Carrot Cake Muffins
Blender Method
- The blender method works best if you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix since a less powerful blender will most likely bog down under the ingredient load and be super annoying to work with.
- It really helps to start by processing the oats until they’re ground down into the consistency of a fine flour. This ensures a smoother muffin that will cook evenly.
- After you grind the oats, take the blender jar and give it a few shakes to make sure the oat flour isn’t packed too tightly under/around the blades – this helps the rest of the ingredients blend more smoothly and prevents the blender from bogging down.
- Make sure to scrape down the sides/corners of your blender and process one more time before adding the carrots and raisins.
- DO NOT PROCESS the carrots or add-ins! You can add them straight to the blender bowl and use a spatula to mix them in, or you can transfer the batter to a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients there. It really depends on the size/shape of your blender.
Mixing Bowl Method
- You’ll have to replace the oats with a pre-ground or store-bought oat flour. This recipe calls for 2 cups of oats which translates to 1 1/2 cups of oat flour – 160 grams in each case.
- If you want to make your own oat flour, add 2 cups of oats (160 g) to any blender and process on high until the oats get ground down to a fine flour consistency. You can even do this in something like a NutriBullet… just in smaller batches.
- Add the carrots and add-ins after everything else has been mixed together and a batter forms and give them a good mix to make sure they’re evenly distributed in the batter.
Both Methods
- Shred your carrots before you add the wet ingredients. This is so that you don’t have to do it while the batter is just sitting around and letting the leavening agents react. You’ll get fluffier, dome-ier muffins this way.
- I used coconut palm sugar for my sweetener, but you can replace that with brown or cane sugar as well. Maple syrup will also work, but it will change the consistency of the muffins a little bit.
- When measuring, don’t pack the shredded carrots too tightly. Just sprinkle the shreds into your measuring cups until they are full and heaping a little bit. 2 medium-sized carrots are all you need.
- Add-ins are completely optional. I know people are pretty particular about how they like their carrot cake, so feel free to toss in 1/2 – 1 cup of nuts, raisins, a combination of both, or nothing at all. I actually found that raisins were a really nice touch, but I know those guys can be super polarizing so feel free to leave them out.
- I really recommend either using parchment paper liners or greasing your muffin cavities well. These muffins will probably stick to paper liners.
- Let the muffins cool completely before frosting them. If they’re still warm, the frosting will get runnier and could potentially slip right off. Also, you don’t have to get fancy with the frosting – I just took a knife and smeared it on top.
- This part is totally optional, but I toasted some shredded coconut and sprinkled it on top of the frosting. It didn’t add much to the taste, but it was pretty to look at.
Okay, But What Are They Like?
Like a little palm-sized slice of carrot cake.
The muffins themselves are slightly spiced and not overly sweet. They’re on the denser side, but still really tender and moist. They’re pretty healthy little guys and make great snack or breakfast muffins. I found that I liked these better on day 2+ because the flavours had a chance to “marinate” and intensify, but they’re great straight out of the oven too.
What really takes these little muffins to the next level is the cream cheese frosting. Not only does it add a little bit of extra sweetness and moisture, but it creates that delicious spicy/tangy combo that’s so great about carrot cake. It makes them feel so much more indulgent while still staying on the healthier side.
These muffins are also gluten-free (as long as you use certified gluten-free oats) and can easily be made nut-free by replacing the almond butter with soy nut butter and the almond milk with another non-dairy milk like rice or soy. You can also make them vegan by replacing the eggs with a banana, but some of the flavour will come through.
Happy eating!
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flourless carrot cake muffins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 2 cups (160 g) oats, gluten-free if needed
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup (64 g) almond butter
- 1/2 cup (100 g) coconut palm sugar*
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 slightly heaping cup (120 g) shredded carrots
- Optional: 1/2 cup (80 g) raisins or nuts
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 4 oz. light cream cheese
- 1/4 cup (30 g) icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the muffins:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a muffin pan by lining the cavities with parchment paper liners or greasing them with oil. Set aside.
- Add the oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a high-speed blender and process on high until the oats have broken down into the consistency of a fine flour, about 10 seconds.**
- Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the carrots and add-ins, and process on high until the batter becomes smooth and creamy, about 20 seconds. Periodically stop and scrape down the sides/corners of your blender as necessary. Finally, use a spatula to mix in the carrots and add-ins by hand.
- Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until the tops of the muffins begin to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. As soon as they’ve cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Make the frosting:
- Add the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla to a medium-sized bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and, using your stand or hand mixer, beat on high until all the ingredients are well combined and slightly whipped.
- When the muffins are cool, use a knife to spread the frosting on top of them. I recommend only frosting the muffins you plan to consume right away. Otherwise, store the frosting separately in a covered container in the fridge until you need to frost another muffin.
Notes
* You can also use brown sugar or cane sugar.
** Alternatively, you can replace the oats with 1 1/2 cups (160 g) of oat flour and mix everything by hand in a large bowl. Just whisk the dry ingredients together, then add all the remaining ingredients except for the carrots and add-ins and mix until a smooth batter forms. Finally, fold in the carrots and add-ins.
To make these gluten-free, be sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
To make these nut-free, replace the almond butter with soy nut butter and the almond milk with another non-dairy milk like rice or soy.
To make these vegan, replace the eggs with one banana. The flavour will come through a little bit though.
Nutritional information is calculated with cream cheese frosting but without any add-ins.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
Looking for more healthy muffin recipes? Try one of these!
Easy Morning Glory Muffins
Healthy Banana Nut Muffins
Easy Vegan Chocolate Muffins
Banana Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Muffins
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It’s so hard to find a good gluten-free carrot cake recipe, so I’m definitely saving this flourless version to try with that lightened-up cream cheese frosting. Your note about the wedding cake tastings made me smile—frosting definitely has a way of bringing back those bittersweet memories! Can’t wait to see how these turn out.
These flourless carrot cake muffins sound like a fantastic, healthier alternative to traditional carrot cake. I appreciate the detailed instructions for both the blender and mixing bowl methods, and the tips on shredding carrots and cooling the muffins before frosting are really helpful. It’s also touching to read about your personal reflections on wedding planning during such an uncertain time. I’m definitely keen to try this recipe!
The idea of a lightened-up cream cheese frosting on these flourless carrot cake muffins sounds amazing, especially since it’s hard to find good gluten-free options that still feel indulgent. Your mention of the wedding cake tastings being the last time you had frosting really stuck with me—it’s funny how baking can bring back such specific, bittersweet memories. I’m definitely saving this recipe to try out.
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The idea of a flourless carrot cake muffin that still feels indulgent is exactly what I’ve been looking for. Your story about the wedding cake tastings being the last time you had frosting made me laugh, though I hope these lightened-up cream cheese frosted muffins make up for the long wait!
The idea of a lightened-up cream cheese frosting on a flourless carrot cake muffin sounds amazing, especially since it’s gluten-free. It’s funny how baking can trigger such specific memories like your wedding cake tastings. Hopefully, eating these muffins brings more sweet than bitter memories now!
Thanks for sharing this article about “Flourless Carrot Cake Muffins | running with spoons”. The practical explanation made the main idea much easier to understand, especially the way the key steps were connected.
Your story about the wedding cake tastings really resonated with me—it’s funny how frosting can trigger such specific, bittersweet memories. I’ve been looking for a healthier, gluten-free treat, so I’m definitely going to try this flourless version with the lightened-up cream cheese frosting. Carrot cake just isn’t the same without that cream cheese topping!
That part about the frosting triggering wedding cake tasting memories was such a sweet (and bittersweet!) touch—I love how food can instantly transport you back like that. It’s funny how a simple frosting detail can tie into such a specific, personal memory while still making the recipe feel approachable and warm.
The wedding cake tasting memory is such a relatable little tangent—funny how frosting can trigger that. I love that these muffins are flourless but still get a proper cream cheese frosting; that balance between healthy and indulgent is exactly what I need. Definitely bookmarking this for when I want a gluten-free treat that doesn’t feel like a compromise.
It’s so funny how frosting can trigger such specific memories, and wedding cake tasting is definitely a bittersweet one to look back on. I’m always looking for gluten-free treats that don’t feel like cardboard, so a flourless carrot cake muffin sounds right up my alley. That lightened-up cream cheese frosting is the perfect touch to keep them feeling indulgent but healthy.
That’s such a vivid and tender detail about the frosting reminding you of wedding cake tastings—especially how it frames the last time you had frosting, which adds such a quiet emotional weight to what’s otherwise a bright, spiced muffin recipe. The way you tied memory, food, and bittersweetness into that single line really made me pause.
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Your story about the wedding cake tastings really resonated with me, as frosting always brings back such specific memories. I’ve been looking for a good gluten-free carrot cake recipe, and the idea of a lightened-up cream cheese frosting sounds absolutely perfect. Definitely adding these flourless muffins to my baking list for this weekend!
I totally get the bittersweet feelings around wedding planning right now—sending good vibes your way for clarity and peace as you navigate everything. These flourless carrot cake muffins look incredible, especially with that lightened-up cream cheese frosting. Love how they’re healthy yet still feel indulgent. I’ll definitely be trying them this weekend!
I completely relate to your wedding planning struggles—such a tough time for so many. Sending good vibes your way! And thanks for the tip about using a high-speed blender; I tried these muffins with my Vitamix and they came out perfectly moist with that lovely spice blend. The cream cheese frosting was the perfect light finish. These are definitely a hit in my household, even with the kids!
I completely relate to your wedding planning struggles—what was supposed to be such a joyful time has become so uncertain. I love how these muffins bring comfort, though. The cream cheese frosting sounds like the perfect light finish, and using a high-speed blender makes it so easy. I’ll definitely try them this weekend!
These flourless carrot cake muffins look absolutely delicious! I love how they’re gluten-free and still have that rich, spiced flavor. The cream cheese frosting puts them over the top—so smart to use a high-speed blender for the batter. I can relate to the bittersweet wedding memories; it’s been such a tough time for so many. Wishing you all the best with your plans, and thanks for sharing a recipe that brings a little comfort.
I totally relate to your bittersweet wedding planning memories—frosting really does bring back moments. These flourless carrot cake muffins sound like the perfect treat to enjoy while navigating uncertain times. I love how they’re both healthy and indulgent, and using a high-speed blender makes the process so much easier. Thanks for sharing the recipe and your story—it’s comforting to know others are finding joy in small kitchen moments during lockdown.
These flourless carrot cake muffins look absolutely delicious—love how they’re both healthy and indulgent! The cream cheese frosting puts them over the top. I appreciate the personal touch in your story, especially about wedding plans being on hold. It’s been a tough year for so many events. Staying positive is key, and sometimes small treats like these help.
I totally relate to your wedding planning struggles—such a tough time to make big decisions. Your flourless carrot cake muffins look incredible, especially with that lightened-up frosting. I love how they’re subtly spiced and naturally sweetened; it’s the perfect balance of healthy and indulgent. Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful recipe during such an uncertain time. It’s little comforts like this that make a real difference.
I totally relate to your wedding planning struggles—such a tough time to make big decisions. Your flourless carrot cake muffins look incredible, especially with that lightened-up cream cheese frosting. I love how they’re healthy yet feel indulgent. The blender method is genius for saving cleanup time. These will be perfect for my mom’s birthday next week—she’s gluten-free and won’t even miss the flour! Thanks for such a thoughtful, well-tested recipe.
Thanks for sharing this article about “Flourless Carrot Cake Muffins | running with spoons”. The practical explanation made the main idea much easier to understand, especially the way the key steps were connected.
The mention of cake tastings while frosting these muffins really brought a smile to my face—I love how specific moments like that can unexpectedly surface while cooking. The way you tied the lightened-up frosting to that bittersweet wedding memory made the recipe feel so much more personal and heartfelt.
Yum! Saving this one. I love weekends because I can cook something nice and then zone out with a free browser game for a bit. Best kind of self-care. Thanks for the recipe! Cheers!
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That’s such a lovely, bittersweet detail about the frosting reminding you of wedding cake tastings—it really adds emotional depth to the recipe. I love how you tied that memory into the process without making it overly sentimental, and the fact that these are *flourless* and *lightened-up* makes them feel both special and doable.
This flourless carrot cake muffin recipe looks wonderfully approachable, with clear steps and a helpful ingredient list.
Your story about the wedding cake tastings really resonated with me—it’s funny how something as simple as frosting can trigger such specific, bittersweet memories. I’ve been on the hunt for a good gluten-free treat, so these flourless carrot cake muffins with the lightened-up cream cheese frosting look like the perfect weekend baking project. Hopefully, making them brings back some sweeter memories next time!
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These flourless carrot cake muffins sound like such a cozy balance of wholesome and indulgent, especially with that lighter cream cheese frosting. I also liked the personal note woven into the post, which makes the recipe feel even more warm and relatable. For more creative inspiration, Alyven AI also shares related content at AI VideoGenerator
Those flourless carrot cake muffins look incredibly appetizing, especially with the idea of swapping out the heavy frosting for something lighter. Your story about the wedding cake tasting actually resonated deeply since we had to pause our own celebrations during this same lockdown period. It brings up such mixed feelings knowing how much life has shifted while trying to keep things positive. I will definitely be giving this recipe a try whenever I need a comforting bake.
I love that these muffins use a lightened-up cream cheese frosting, since carrot cake just isn’t the same without it. Your mention of the wedding cake tasting being the last time you had frosting really struck a chord—it’s amazing how baking can bring back those bittersweet memories. I’m definitely saving this recipe to try making a gluten-free batch this weekend.
These muffins look absolutely delicious! I love how they’re both healthy and indulgent. Your wedding story adds such a personal touch to this wonderful recipe.
Your mention of the wedding cake tastings really took me back, though I’m sorry to hear it was a bittersweet memory for you. I’ve been looking for a gluten-free treat that doesn’t skip the cream cheese frosting, so this lightened-up recipe looks perfect. Definitely adding these carrot cake muffins to my baking list for this weekend!
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The idea of a flourless carrot cake muffin with a lighter cream cheese frosting sounds like the perfect healthy treat. Your story about the wedding cake tastings really resonated with me—it’s amazing how baking can trigger such specific, bittersweet memories. I’m definitely going to try making a batch of these this weekend.
The idea of a lightened-up cream cheese frosting on a gluten-free carrot cake muffin sounds like the perfect weekend treat. It’s funny how decorating them triggered that bittersweet memory of your wedding cake tastings. I hope making these brought a little sweetness back, and I can’t wait to try the recipe myself!
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