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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These look absolutely incredible! I’ve been searching for a good flourless carrot cake recipe for ages – the texture of most gluten-free muffins can be so hit or miss, but these look perfectly moist and soft. I love that they’re sweetened with natural ingredients too, which makes me feel a little less guilty about the cream cheese frosting on top.
The wedding cake tasting story is such a sweet memory to tie into the recipe! There’s something about cream cheese frosting that just brings back all those special occasions – birthday cakes, weddings, Easter gatherings. It’s the perfect pairing with carrot cake.
I’m definitely going to try making these this weekend. A few questions if you don’t mind – do they keep well for a few days? And is the texture similar to regular muffins or more dense like a traditional carrot cake? I appreciate the substitution suggestions too – I always wondered if applesauce could work in place of the yogurt.
Thanks for another amazing recipe, Amanda! Your blog has become my go-to for healthier baking alternatives that actually taste good. These are going in my recipe box for sure.
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Love that these flourless carrot cake muffins still look so tender—those little flecks of grated carrot are everything. Quick question: do you prefer a fine or coarse grate for the carrots to keep the crumb moist, and do you ever squeeze out excess liquid? I bake in a spotty-Wi‑Fi kitchen, so I usually save your recipe videos offline on my Android before I start—total lifesaver.
These flourless carrot cake muffins look absolutely delicious! I love that they’re both healthy and indulgent with that lightened-up cream cheese frosting. The blender method is such a clever way to make them gluten-free without sacrificing texture. Definitely adding these to my weekend baking list!
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Love that these are flourless carrot cake muffins — they look perfect for busy mornings. I try to prep breakfast on Sundays so I can just grab one while I’m sorting my outfit for the day. Do they freeze well, or is the fridge better for keeping the texture?
These flourless carrot cake muffins sound absolutely amazing! I love that you’ve managed to make them both healthy and indulgent at the same time – that’s such a hard balance to strike. The cream cheese frosting detail really got me excited since that’s honestly the best part of carrot cake anyway. Your wedding cake memory made me smile, and now I’m definitely going to have to try this recipe!
These look absolutely amazing! I love that you found a way to make carrot cake muffins both healthy and indulgent without all the flour. The cream cheese frosting detail really got me – that’s always the best part of carrot cake anyway. Your wedding cake memory made me smile, and now I’m definitely going to try these for my next get-together since they seem like the perfect balance of feeling a little fancy while still being something I can actually feel good about eating.
Amanda, these Flourless Carrot Cake Muffins look absolutely delicious! I love that they’re both healthy and can satisfy a sweet craving. The lightened-up cream cheese frosting sounds perfect. I’m so sorry to hear about the uncertainty surrounding your wedding plans. It’s a tough situation. I hope things work out for you in September, but a smaller ceremony with a future reception also sounds like a lovely option. Stay positive! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
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Great post on “flourless carrot cake muffins”—clear and practical.
I loved the “flourless carrot cake muffins” recipe—so moist and flavorful without any flour!
Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe for flourless carrot cake muffins!
Great post on “flourless carrot cake muffins”—clear and practical.
These look absolutely delicious! I love that you made them flourless but they still have that indulgent feel with the cream cheese frosting. The fact that they’re gluten-free is such a bonus since I’m always looking for muffin recipes that don’t require a specialty flour blend. Your wedding cake memory made me smile too – definitely bringing back these muffins for my next gathering!
These look absolutely delicious! I love that you made them flourless but they don’t taste like a “health food” muffin – the cream cheese frosting sounds like the perfect indulgent touch. Your wedding cake memory made me smile, and honestly these seem like such a perfect way to satisfy that craving without having to commit to a whole cake. I’m definitely going to try making a batch this weekend!
Wow, these muffins sound amazing! I miss all the little treats we used to enjoy before everything changed.
Amazing!
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Really appreciate all the swaps (nut-free, vegan, GF); it’s rare to see a “treat” recipe this flexible and still indulgent.
The blender vs. mixing bowl tips are super helpful—makes the recipe feel doable no matter your kitchen gear.
Love how these muffins manage to taste like real carrot cake while still being flourless and gluten-free.
Love that these flourless carrot cake muffins still have that super moist crumb with the little orange flecks peeking through—so hard to pull off without flour. I’m tempted to fold in a handful of raisins; do you find they weigh the batter down here, or is chopped walnut a safer add-in? I’ve been playing with an AI tool to storyboard my muffin styling so the cozy carrot-cake vibe stays consistent across batches—would be fun to try with these!
These look absolutely delicious! I love that they’re flourless but still feel indulgent with that cream cheese frosting. The fact that they’re subtly spiced makes them sound like they’d be perfect for breakfast or an afternoon treat without being too heavy. Your wedding cake memory made me smile—definitely adding these to my weekend baking list!
These look amazing! I love that they’re flourless but still feel indulgent with that cream cheese frosting. The fact that they’re subtly spiced makes them sound like the perfect balance between healthy and actually tasting like dessert. I’m definitely going to try making these for my gluten-free sister – she’s always complaining about how boring her baking options are, so muffins that taste this good but are actually good for you would be such a win!
Thank you for sharing this recipe and for being so open about your current situation with the wedding; I hope you find a solution that brings peace of mind during such uncertain times. The tip about grinding the oats first really stood out to me since that’s a step I often skip when making gluten-free treats. I’m definitely going to try this recipe soon, but I’d love to know if they freeze well for later.
These flourless carrot cake muffins sound absolutely amazing! I love that they’re both healthy and indulgent, plus gluten-free. The idea of subtly spiced muffins with a lightened-up cream cheese frosting is just perfect. Can’t wait to try them!
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“Your story about the wedding and the lockdown uncertainty really resonated with me. There’s nothing like baking to soothe the soul! I love the idea of a healthy, ‘palm-sized’ carrot cake to get through the day. Wishing you all the best with your big day, and thank you for sharing such a comforting recipe.”
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These flourless carrot cake muffins sound absolutely delicious and so healthy! They would be a wonderful treat to serve at a spring birthday party. Birthday Invitation AI makes it easy to design fun carrot-cake-themed or spring-themed invitations to match. Love this gluten-free recipe!
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