Moist Carrot Cake Muffins: Breakfast bake that tastes like dessert
There’s nothing like waking up to the smell of warm, fresh-baked muffins. These carrot cake muffins bring all the cozy flavor of classic carrot cake into a quick recipe perfect for breakfast or dessert. They’re moist, gently spiced, and loaded with carrots, walnuts, and raisins: sweet little bites that feel like home.
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These muffins work beautifully for breakfast muffins, sweet breakfast treats, or even carrot cake mini cupcakes with a touch of cream cheese frosting. Think of them as your shortcut to homemade comfort without the layer cake fuss. They’re truly some of the best carrot cake muffins you’ll ever bake: cozy, quick, and endlessly versatile.
What Makes These Carrot Cake Muffins Special
- Moist and packed with warm spice flavor
- Easy to make with pantry staples
- Great for breakfast, lunchboxes, or dessert
- Tastes like mini carrot cakes in muffin form
Ingredients
See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine grated carrots, brown sugar, raisins, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir until the sugar starts to dissolve and everything is evenly coated.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Pour the carrot mixture into the flour and gently fold together until just combined; don’t overmix.
Step 3: Scoop the batter into a 12-cup muffin tin lined with paper liners, filling each about three-quarters full. The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy from the carrots and nuts.
Step 4: Bake at 350°F for 20-22 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Storage, Make-Ahead & Freezing Tips
These muffins keep well for 3 days at room temperature or 5 days in the fridge. To freeze, wrap each in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for 15 seconds.
Pro Tip: Line the bottom of your storage container with a paper towel to prevent soggy tops.
Variations To Try
- Nut-Free: Skip the walnuts or use pumpkin seeds for crunch.
- Dessert-Style: Turn these into carrot cake mini cupcakes by adding cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Healthier Swap: Replace half the oil with applesauce or Greek yogurt for a lighter texture.
- No Raisins? Substitute chopped dates or dried cranberries instead.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Substitute each egg with ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce or flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons water).
Over-mixing or too much flour are the usual culprits. Mix only until the dry streaks disappear.
Absolutely! Just add an extra ¼ cup of carrots to keep the texture balanced.
It’s better not to! Freshly grated carrots are softer and hold more moisture.
More Sweet Treats To Try Next
- These homemade banana pudding cookies are soft, chewy, and full of rich banana flavor. Instant pudding mix gives them that signature melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes every bite taste like classic banana pudding fresh from the fridge.
- Waffle pops turn everyday waffles into fun handheld treats that look straight out of a bakery case. Each golden waffle pop is dipped in chocolate and decorated with a sweet glaze for the ultimate brunch or dessert favorite.
- This pistachio bundt cake is soft, buttery, and full of rich nutty flavor in every bite. It is beautifully moist and has that effortless bakery-style finish. It’s the kind of cake that looks impressive on the table yet feels perfectly homemade, ideal for brunches, holidays, or a cozy afternoon treat.
- This lemon loaf cake has everything you want in a bakery-style treat: soft, buttery texture, a bright lemon flavor that pops, and a smooth tangy glaze that drips perfectly down the sides. It’s the kind of loaf you’ll want to bake again and again for brunch, gifting, or just because you’re in the mood for something fresh and citrusy.
Tried these carrot cake muffins? Please leave a rating and comment below. I’d love to hear how they turned out in your kitchen.
Carrot Cake Muffins
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Muffin tin
- Paper liners or nonstick spray
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup carrots finely grated (about 2 medium)
- ½ cup walnuts chopped, plus more for topping
- ½ cup raisins
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk to loosen the batter slightly and add moisture
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a muffin tin with paper liners (or lightly grease).
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together brown sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
- Stir in grated carrots, walnuts, and raisins. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix gently until just combined. The batter should be thick but scoopable.
- Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops spring back lightly when touched.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Sprinkle with extra chopped walnuts or drizzle with maple syrup once cooled, if desired.
Notes
- Add ¼ cup crushed pineapple for extra moisture and sweetness.
- To make them party-ready, top with a light cream cheese glaze or a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for 5 days.
