By Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On January 15, 2023
Paleo Carrot Cake Muffins that are also gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar free making them the perfect grain-free carrot cake muffin!
These paleo carrot muffins are perfect for breakfast or snacks.
In this post we're covering how to make paleo carrot muffins, working with almond flour, egg replacers, and paleo sweeteners you can use to make paleo carrot muffins.
Looking for more grain-free carrot recipes, try my grain-free carrot cake bars. My Paleo Blueberry Muffins that the perfect quick breakfast option.
For more ideas check out my Gluten Free Breakfast archive.
Easy Paleo Carrot Cake Muffins
Start your morning off right with easy Paleo Carrot Cake Muffins. They are naturally grain-free and packed with all the flavors of a carrot cake.
Shh! And don't tell anyone that these grain-free carrot muffins they're healthy.
These paleo carrot cake muffins were originally posted on my blog November of 2014.
They were previously titled "Carrot Travel Muffins" because we'd make them every time we traveled.
This paleo carrot muffin recipe is simple and a quick grain-free muffin recipe that is also nutritious and holds up well while traveling.
I've recently given the photos a refresh, to better display how wonderful these paleo carrot muffins are.
The previous photo didn't really do this marvelous grain-free carrot muffin recipe justice.
Ingredients in Paleo Carrot Muffins
Almond Flour - A finely milled almond flour is the best to use when baking these paleo carrot muffins.
Baking Soda - This leavener helps the muffins rise.
Salt - Salt helps bring out the other flavors in these paleo carrot muffins.
Cinnamon and Nutmeg - For flavor, spice, and the level up these muffins.
Eggs - For added protein and fat, and to hold everything together. Eggs also help with texture.
Coconut Oil - I like the light flavor of coconut oil in these muffins. Melted and cooled butter can be used as well.
Honey - We're using honey to sweeten these muffins, but pure maple syrup also works.
Carrots - You'll want to make sure you finely shred the carrots, for the best texture.
If you have any questions about the ingredients in these paleo carrot muffins, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you.
How to make Paleo Carrot Cake Muffins
- Preheat oven. Line a cupcake pan with 10 paper liners; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add eggs, oil, and honey. Stir in the shredded carrots. If desired, stir in optional ingredients.
- Pour batter (about ¼ cup) into your 10 paper liners . Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the center is set.
For the full recipe and detailed steps, see the recipe below. These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and they are for illustration purposes only.
These grain-free carrot cake muffins are super easy to make. You can have them baking in the oven in less than 10 minutes.
Grain-Free Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe
Do you need ideas for a quick gluten-free grain-free breakfast in the morning? Are you traveling soon?
These paleo carrot cake muffins are perfect for both! They can be made in large batches and frozen for a quick breakfast.
I usually bake up several batches of these when I know we will be on the road or traveling to visit with relatives.
They are are big hit everywhere we go - so we always make sure we have enough to share.
We are planning a big two week camping road trip this summer and I plan to have at least a weeks worth of paleo carrot muffins with us when we leave.
Can you freeze these paleo carrot muffins
Yes! You can freeze these paleo carrot muffins. When I make them in batches I freeze them in an airtight container.
They will last up to 3 months in the freezer. Bring them to room temperature before serving.
Can I use an egg replacer?
I haven’t tried using an egg replacer in this muffin recipe because of the amount of eggs that it calls for.
I have had others comment on similar recipes that chia egg and flax egg worked well, but they didn’t rise as much.
My girls used to hate almond flour muffins, but these paleo carrot cake muffins won them over.
I love making these paleo muffins because they enable me to sneak extra vegetables into my girls breakfast without them knowing it.
Both girls think these grain-free carrot cake muffins are basically cupcakes with out the frosting. Who am I to tell them any different.
These Paleo Carrot Muffins are made with almond flour can be customized, depending on the add-in's you choose.
My girls like them with only carrots. I like to add in dried coconut and chopped nuts for a heartier muffin.
Tips for baking with Almond Flour
If you store almond flour in the Freezer, make sure to bring it to room temperature before you bake with it otherwise it will absorb too much moisture from the wet ingredients.
Spoon your almond flour into your measuring cup, don’t scoop.
Almond flour is not a 1-t0-1 for regular gluten-free flour or coconut flour.
Every once in a while I’ll forget to bring the almond flour to room temperature before I need it. Don’t make that mistake, trust me. It absorbs too much liquid.
What can I use instead of honey in these paleo muffins?
You can use maple syrup, agave or a sugar free syrup in this recipe in place of the honey. You can also use applesauce.
Just note that the flavor will be different. Honey tends to be stronger flavor while adding a touch of sweetness.
If you make these Paleo Carrot Cake muffins please stop by and let me know what you think! Also let me know which add-ins you included and how fast you ate them.
Can I use other sweeteners?
I haven't tested this, but I can assume that most granulated sweeteners, including regular cane or brown sugar, will work in this recipe. Liquid paleo sweeteners should also work.
If you love these paleo muffins, you might like more of our paleo recipes.
Paleo Apple Crisp - Learn how to make the perfect paleo apple crisp! With a crunchy sweet topping and tender, tart apples, this paleo apple crisp recipe is quick to make and its grain-free, gluten-free, and vegan.
Paleo Pumpkin Bread - This tender, flavorful paleo pumpkin bread is simple to make, and it only uses a handful of ingredients. The only question is, do you like to add chocolate chips to your almond flour pumpkin bread?
Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes - These Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes are tender, rich and packed with healthy fats and protein. Top these paleo almond flour cupcakes with your favorite paleo frosting or mine.
Paleo Cornbread - A corn-free paleo cornbread that's tender, flavorful and it actually tastes like cornbread. For anyone who is looking for a good grain-free cornbread recipe you're going to love how easy and delightful this almond flour cornbread is.
Paleo Pancakes - A Paleo Pancake Mix Recipe that is simple to make, a tried and true grain-free pancake recipe, and can be made right away, or stored for future use. Dairy-free, and refined-sugar free, these paleo pancakes are fluffy and the perfect start to any morning.
Paleo Banana Muffins - These scrumptious Paleo Banana Muffins are simple to make, and ready to devour in less than thirty minutes.
Paleo Apple Cake - One bowl paleo apple cake that's tender, rich with apples and cinnamon, and simple to make. This paleo apple cake recipe is also gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar free.
Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Muffins - Grain-Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins that are gluten-free, dairy-free, and Paleo friendly. These paleo chocolate zucchini muffins are tender, chocolaty, and perfect for breakfast or snack.
Looking for more paleo muffins? Try my Paleo Chocolate Muffins. Bakerita has a super yummy Paleo Banana Nut Muffin you might like.
Did you make these paleo carrot muffins? Please stop back by and leave a comment below letting me know what you thought.
Paleo Carrot Cake Muffins
Paleo Carrot Cake Muffins that are also gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar free making them the perfect grain-free carrot cake muffin! You are going to love how easy these paleo carrot muffins are to make.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fine ground almond flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
- ¼ cup honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 cup finely shredded carrots
- optional ingredients: ½ cup chopped pecans, ¼ cup unsweetened coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a cupcake pan with 10 paper liners; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add eggs, oil, and honey. Stir in the shredded carrots. If desired, stir in optional ingredients.
- Pour batter (about ¼ cup) into your 10 paper liners . Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the center is set. Remove from the oven and cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or the freezer.
Notes
- Working with almond flour: spoon almond flour into the measuring cup and level it. Make sure almond flour is at room temperature before using.
- Honey substitute: you can use maple syrup, agave, or a sugar free syrup in place of the honey in this recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 236Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 166mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 6g
Mollie
Hi - any advice for using jumbo muffin tins? Oven temp, cooking time? Thanks!
chrystal
Hi Mollie,
You can bake at the same temperature. Add 7 minutes to the bake time then watch for donness from there. If you press in the center of the muffin and it doesn't spring back, it needs more cook time.
Best,
Chrystal
Nancy McMillan
I did use jumbo muffin tins, because that's all I had. The recipe made 6 larger muffins. I baked them at 350 for 35 minutes. Somewhere between 32 and 35 minutes is good.
I also used flax eggs, and it worked fine. As a result, they don't rise much at all, but the texture is moist, chewy, and divine. I added some walnuts. YUMMY.
Alexandra
I made these today with my daughter and the dough was extremely crumbly. Was not even like batter but crumbly dough. They turned out soft and not fully cooked. Have made plenty of paleo muffins before and never had an issue.
chrystal
It sounds like either your almond flour was cold and absorbed too much liquid. With almond flour it needs to be at room temperature and you need to spoon it into the measuring cup and then level it.
Best,
Chrystal
Cara
Just made these this morning, and since they were so quick I made a second batch on the fly! They turned out so yummy, and now I have a second batch in the freezer, ready for post partum. Thanks!
Jackie
Hi! These were incredible! I’m wondering if you think I could use this recipe to make into a layered carrot cake? Not sure the conversion if so! I know you have a carrot Cake recipe that looks delish, but I prefer these ingredients over those! Any advise would be so appreciated!
chrystal
Hi Jackie,
I am working on a Paleo Carrot Cake Recipe. Right now this one doesn't work perfect as a cake. It tends to dry out a bit. For now you could make my hummingbird cake and add finely shredded carrots, if you want. It's paleo and uses almond flour.
Best,
Chrystal
Linda
These are delicious! This is the first paleo recipe I’ve tried that I couldn’t tell any difference in taste or texture from a traditional muffin! I made a few minor adjustments: added 1 teaspoon of vanilla, pumpkin seeds, and chopped walnuts and baked them for a few additional minutes. Made 12 nice sized muffins. Thanks very much for the recipe!
chrystal
I am so glad you liked them. Thank you for sharing what you added.
Best,
Chrystal
Michelle
I’ve been looking for a really healthy recipe that I could use up the carrot pulp after I juiced them. And this one is it. Also, I suffer from IBS and because the recipe was made with maple syrup, I was able to enjoy them as well. I Thank you very very much for this recipe!!!
chrystal
You are very welcome. I am so glad you like it.
Best,
Chrystal
Arielle
Hi! I noticed that you used 10 cupcake liners in the recipe, but the recipe card says this is for 12 servings. Just wondering which one is correct for the nutritional values? Thanks!
chrystal
The nutrition info is for 10 muffins. You can make 12 smaller muffins and divide the nutrition info.
Best,
Chrystal
Jen
Have you tried substituting coconut flour in this recipe and would it be a 1:1 substitute? This is the first paleo recipe I’m trying to tackle... thanks!
Jen
Hi Chrystal, I just reread your post which noted almond flour isn’t a 1:1 substitute for coconut flour. No need to respond!
Dawn
These were amazing--been on a gluten, sugar, oil free diet for 2 weeks. This didn't break our diet--now we have a nightly snack that doesn't blow our diet--thank you so much. These are so hard to find
Netalie
These were absolutely delicious!! I was pleasantly surprised how close they taste to the real thing! Thank you so much!!!
chrystal
I'm so glad you liked them. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Kate
Hi! What oil can be substituted for the coconut oil? In case I run out...
chrystal
You can use any oil, I'd stick with a neutral flavored oil like avocado oil or a vegetable oil.
Best,
Chrystal
Melissa
These were a delight! Very moist and just the right amount of sweet when using maple syrup. My almost 2 year old ate an entire muffin unprompted. Will be making more than one batch at a time!
chrystal
I am so glad you both loved them. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
ElleMarie
I love making these but when I entered the Nutritional information into Weight Watchers it came back with a whopping 9 points!! That seems really high to me. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
chrystal
Hi ElleMarie,
It's been a while since I've done WW, but it might be because the almond flour is high in calories. If I remember correctly, if you lower the carbs (and calories) the points will go down. Can you use a sugar free syrup like Lakanto? I'm not an expert on WW, this is just an idea.
Best,
Chrystal
Sheila Woodcroft
I have someone who is allergic to nuts and also gluten. If I substitute regular gluten ree baking flour for the almond flour should I also adjust the number of eggs used in this recipe?
chrystal
Hi Sheila,
I haven't used regular gluten free free flour in this recipe. I have a recipe for apple carrot muffins that uses gluten free baking flour that I recommend. No nuts.
Best,
Chrystal
Sandra
Sheila,
I don’t do well with almond flour and am going to sub sunflower seeds. Will let you know!
Akuba
These came out great! Just the right amount of sweetness. Thanks for creating this recipe.
Marge
I love the ingredients in this recipe, but I would like a loaf versus muffins. Any idea how this recipe would translate as a loaf?
chrystal
Hi Marge,
You can bake these muffins into a loaf, or mini loafs. For a loaf Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line an 8x5 loaf pan with parchment paper; set aside. Mix up the batter. Spoon batter evenly into your parchment lined loaf pan.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the center is set. Watch it for doneness. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing.
Best,
Chrystal
Tonia
I have coconut flour, oat fiber, and oat flour. Do you think any of those will work for this recipe?
chrystal
Oat flour might work, but I haven't tried it. Coconut flour and oat fiber don't work in this recipe.
Best,
Chrystal
Cheryl
I am trying to stay away from all forms of sugar...I see you said you could use apple sauce. Should I use 1/4 cup applesauce?
chrystal
Yes. Just note that the texture will be a little different.
Best,
Chrystal
Rebecca
I made these as written and they are amazing! Moist, fluffy and flavorful.
Thanks for a wonderfully delicious muffin recipe!