Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffins

Craving a delightful, gluten-free treat? These carrot cake muffins are the perfect answer! Exceptionally moist and fluffy, these muffins are crowned with a delicious cinnamon streusel topping and a luscious maple cream cheese glaze. Best of all, they can be whipped up in just one bowl, making them both healthy and bursting with fresh carrot cake flavor.

Muffins are a fantastic go-to for gluten-free snacking, offering a satisfying and convenient option any time of day. They work equally well as a quick breakfast, a midday pick-me-up, or a sweet dessert.

These gluten-free carrot cake muffins feature freshly grated carrots, a carefully balanced blend of almond flour and gluten-free all-purpose flour, and both brown sugar and maple syrup to ensure a moist and flavorful crumb. The addition of eggs, milk (dairy or non-dairy), oil, and a generous blend of spices elevates the flavor profile. A simple, four-ingredient cinnamon streusel adds a delightful crunch, and a dairy-free cream cheese glaze provides the perfect finishing touch.

These muffins are incredibly easy to make and deliver an unbeatable taste. Feel free to customize them with chopped nuts for added texture. If you're looking for more gluten-free muffin recipes, be sure to check out our other variations, such as almond flour banana muffins or carrot cake banana bread.

Let's Bake! Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffin Instructions

Here's how to make these delightful gluten-free carrot cake muffins:

Prep Time: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Shred the Carrots: Peel and chop your carrots. Then, add them to a food processor and pulse until they are completely shredded into small pieces. If you don't have a food processor you can use a hand held grater.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients until they are well combined. This will ensure a smooth batter.

Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add all of the dry ingredients to the bowl, except for the nuts and carrots. Gently mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Important: When measuring the flour, use the spoon and level method, don’t scoop right from the bag.
Fold in the Goodies: Add the chopped walnuts (if using) and shredded carrots. Gently fold them into the batter until everything is evenly distributed. The batter should be quite thick – this is perfect for muffins with a nice, round top!
Fill the Muffin Tray: Line a cupcake/muffin tray with paper liners. Use a spoon or cookie scoop to fill each muffin liner about 3/4 of the way full.

Make the Streusel: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter (or refined coconut oil), gluten-free all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Use a fork, your hands, or a pastry cutter to mix until the mixture is crumbly. If it seems too wet, add a bit more flour.
Top it Off: Use your fingers to crumble the streusel topping generously over the top of each muffin. Don't be shy – the streusel will separate a bit as the muffins bake.
Bake: Place the muffin tray in the preheated oven. Bake at 425 degrees for 2 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 16-20 minutes.

Check for Doneness: Be careful not to over-bake, as this can result in dry muffins. Test for doneness at 16 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, they're ready! If not, add about 2 more minutes at a time as needed.
Cooling Time: Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the muffin tray for 10 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Glaze and Enjoy: Once the muffins are completely cool, whisk together the cream cheese and maple syrup until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the tops of the muffins. Enjoy!

Tips for Gluten-Free Success:

Fresh Carrots are Best: While you can use pre-shredded carrots, the texture and flavor are much better with freshly grated carrots.
Flour Substitution: You can substitute the almond flour for oat flour, but cut back on the bake time by just 1-2 minutes since oat flour is more absorbent than almond.
Egg Substitutions: You can sub the eggs for a vegan alternative, and flavor-wise they will be great, but the texture will be much more dense and the muffins won’t rise as much. I’d suggest either flax eggs or a store bought egg replacer like Bob’s Red Mill.

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffins: A Delightful Treat for Any Time of Day

Craving a guilt-free indulgence? These gluten-free carrot cake muffins are your answer! Moist, fluffy, and bursting with the classic flavors you love, these muffins are incredibly easy to make and perfect for breakfast, snack time, or even dessert.

Ingredients

Wet

½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup oil avocado, vegetable etc.
¼ cup milk dairy or nondairy
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vinegar I used apple cider
⅓ cup apple sauce
1 teaspoon vanilla

Dry:

1 ½ cup gluten free all purpose baking flour
1 cup blanched almond flour see notes for subs
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cup fresh grated carrots about 2 large carrots
½ cup finely chopped walnuts optional

Streusel:

3 tablespoons gluten free all purpose baking flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ tablespoons softened butter or refined coconut oil

Cream Cheese Glaze:

4 tablespoons plain cream cheese I used Kite Hill dairy free
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1 muffin

Calories: 276kcal
Carbohydrates: 37g
Protein: 5.1g
Fat: 12.3g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 16.4g

Gluten-Free Benefits: These muffins are a fantastic option for those with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. By using a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and almond flour, we've created a recipe that doesn't compromise on taste or texture. Gluten-free baking can be tricky, but this recipe is designed to be simple and satisfying.

Fiber Boost: The almond flour and carrots contribute a good amount of fiber, which is essential for digestive health and can help keep you feeling full and satisfied.

Healthy Fats: Almond flour and the oil used in the recipe provide healthy fats, which are important for brain function and overall well-being.

Tips and Variations for Gluten-Free Success

Achieving a Moist Texture: Gluten-free baked goods can sometimes be dry, but this recipe combats that with the use of oil, maple syrup, apple sauce, and milk. These ingredients work together to create a perfectly moist and tender crumb.
Flour Power: The combination of gluten-free all-purpose flour and almond flour is key to the texture of these muffins. Almond flour adds moisture and structure, while the gluten-free blend provides the necessary binding.
Xanthan Gum: Depending on the gluten-free flour blend you use, xanthan gum may already be included. Check the label of your flour blend; if it contains xanthan gum, you do not need to add any extra.

Storage: Store these muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days.
Ingredient Swaps & Dietary Adaptations:
- Nut-Free: Replace the almond flour with an additional ½ cup of gluten-free all-purpose flour to make these nut-free.
- Dairy-Free: Be sure to use your favorite non-dairy milk and cream cheese alternative to keep these muffins dairy-free!
- Egg-Free: You can substitute the eggs with flax eggs or a store-bought egg replacer like Bob's Red Mill. Note that this might result in a denser texture.
- Sweetener: While maple syrup is recommended for optimal moisture, you can experiment with other liquid sweeteners like agave nectar.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add the peeled and chopped carrots to a food processor and process until broken up and completely shredded.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients until combined.
Add in the dry ingredients aside from the nuts and carrots and mix well with a wooden spoon. Be sure to spoon and level the flour, don’t scoop right from the bag.
Fold in the chopped walnuts and carrots until everything is well incorporated. The batter should be pretty thick at this point, but that is key to a muffin with a nice round top!
Use a spoon or cookie scoop and add the batter to a lined cupcake/muffin tray. Fill about 3/4 of the way up.
To make the streusel topping, add the softened butter, flour, sugar and cinnamon to a small bowl.
Use a fork, your hands or a pastry cutter to combine the ingredients. It should be crumbly and on the drier side. If it seems too wet, add in a bit more flour.
Use your fingers to crumble the streusel on top of the muffins. Add more than you think you should, the streusel will separate as the muffins bake.
Bake at 425 for 2 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 and bake for 16-20 more minutes.
Careful not to over-bake, you don't want them to become dry. Test them at 16 minutes, a toothpick should come out clean, but add about 2 more minutes at a time as needed. 15 is usually perfect in my oven!
Remove from the oven, let cool as is for 10 minutes, then remove the muffins from the tray and let finish cooling on a cooling rack.
Once cool, whisk together the cream cheese and maple syrup and drizzle on top of the muffins.

Notes:

You can use pre-shredded carrots from a bag if you prefer, but the texture and flavor is much better with fresh carrots, so I recommend this method.
You can sub the almond flour for oat flour, but cut back on the bake time by just 1-2 minutes since oat flour is more absorbent than almond.
You can sub the eggs for a vegan alternative, and flavor-wise they will be great, but the texture will be much more dense and the muffins won’t rise as much. I’d suggest either flax eggs or a store bought egg replacer like Bob’s Red Mill.

Enjoy these delightful gluten-free carrot cake muffins! They're a perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth while staying true to your gluten-free lifestyle.

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