These Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins are a delicious grab-and-go breakfast or snack! Plus they’re gluten free and fiber-packed thanks to oat flour.
Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins
Another classic Emilie Eats recipe upgraded with better photos! These carrot cake muffins have been a reader favorite almost since the day I published them in September 2015.
I remember one of the first reader comments I got on the blog was on this recipe – it was a mom who had made these muffins for her little kid’s birthday. I swear my heart exploded that day, and at that moment I understand how fulfilling it is to know that your recipes make people happy.
What I love about these vegan carrot cake muffins is how fast and easy it is to whip them up. These carrot cake muffins come together with very basic pantry staples like oats, flax, applesauce, and oil. Plus, we’re using oat flour which not only packs in a bit more plant-based protein and fiber, but it also means that these are gluten free carrot cake muffins!
Ingredients for Gluten Free Carrot Cake Muffins
You need really basic, staple ingredients for these carrot cake muffins. You don’t even need a fancy flour to make them gluten-free! We’re using my BFF, humble rolled oats to make our own oat flour, and it’s simpler than you’d ever imagine. But more on that later. Here’s everything you’ll need to make a batch of gluten-free carrot muffins:
- Flax seeds. These are a vegan baking powerhouse as they are a great egg replacement!
- Rolled oats. We’re using both whole rolled oats and oat flour to make these gluten-free carrot cake muffins.
- Baking powder. We want these carrot cake muffins to be nice and light, so a dose of baking powder will help give them a bit of lift.
- Baking soda. Yes, you need both baking powder and soda! A combination of both helps give us plenty of rise for a fluffy texture without altering the flavor of the muffins by using too much of either leavening agent.
- Spices. We’re using nutmeg, cinnamon and of course a dash of salt. Feel free to play around with the spices! Cardamon and ground ginger could also be nice!
- Applesauce. A bit of applesauce not only helps to keep our muffins nice and moist, but it also lends a delicious apple flavor that is basically perfect match for the carrots!
- Oil. I recommend using a neutral oil such as canola, avocado, or grapeseed oil.
- Non-dairy milk. You can use any variety you have on hand!
- Sugar. Either plain white granulated sugar or coconut sugar would work nicely.
- Vanilla extract. Just a touch to add that warming flavor we all love in our baked goods!
- Carrots. You’ll need about two medium-sized carrots to get the 3/4 cup of grated carrots needed for this recipe.
- Walnuts. A classic addition for carrot cake muffins, but feel free to sub in other nuts, or try coconut!
- Raisins. I know raisins are polarizing, so if you don’t love them, try cranberries!
How to Make These Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins
Not only are we using a bunch of simple pantry staples to make these vegan carrot muffins, but they also can be made in under an hour! Does it get any better than that?
The only special step in this recipe is that we’re baking our muffins at two different temperatures. The initial high temperature will cause these carrot cake muffins to rise extra high. Then the lower baking temperature will ensure that the inside of the muffins are cooked through. It’s the best trick for getting a fluffy vegan muffin to turn out just right!
Here’s how to make a batch of vegan carrot cake muffins:
- Prep a muffin tin and preheat the oven to 425°F
- Make a flax egg by combining flax meal with water and allowing it to set for about 5 minutes
- Mix together all of your dry ingredients
- Stir the applesauce, oil, milk, sugar, and vanilla in with your flax egg
- Add the wet ingredients to your dry ingredients and mix until they’re just fully incorporated
- Fold in the carrots, walnuts, and raisins
- Pour your batter into the muffin cups and bake for 7 minutes at 425°F, then bump the temperature down to 375°F and bake for 20 minutes
More Vegan Muffin Recipes
Craving more vegan muffin recipes? Try some of these vegan muffins next! But after you make these carrot cake muffins first of course 🙂
- Blueberry Cornbread Muffins
- Banana Chia Almond Butter Muffins
- Gluten-Free Spinach Muffins
- 1-Bowl Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins by Minimalist Baker
- Vegan Pumpkin Muffins by The Simple Veganista
- Vegan Zucchini Muffins by The Conscious Plant Kitchen
Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins
These Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins are a delicious grab-and-go breakfast or snack! Plus they’re gluten free and fiber-packed thanks to oat flour.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 5 tablespoons water
- 1 3/4 cups oat flour*
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola, avocado, grapeseed)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup carrots, grated or finely chopped
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1/4 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan.
- In a medium bowl, place the flax and water. Stir; set aside for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, add oat flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Into the flax minute, add applesauce, oil, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until fully combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Stir together until the batter is just mixed together.
- Add the carrots, walnuts, and raisins; gently fold into the batter.
- Pour batter into the muffin cups.
- Bake for 7 minutes at 425°F, then reduce temperature to 375°F and bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes.
Notes
*To make your own own oat flour, simply blend rolled oats into a fine flour using a high-speed blender or food processor.
